Hello, dear readers, and welcome to a bonus letters column. We have some interesting follow-up questions and will dive right in.
- A column about the benefits of walking backward continues to generate mail. We heard from a reader in San Diego asking about balance. "I do a few minutes of walking backward on every walk I do. To keep from bumping into things, I take quick glances over my right shoulder," he wrote. "I noticed that looking over my left shoulder was harder on my balance. Why would that be? I alternate now, and it's gotten easier." As we explored in that column, walking backward offers some surprising benefits. It requires you to use your leg and back muscles in a different way, which can improve strength and flexibility. The concentration involved has also been shown to benefit cognition. Turning your head as you walk has added another layer of complexity. It changes what you see and what your inner ear is telling your brain about balance. You had gradually learned to manage that new information when looking to the right, and you had to take the time to relearn it for the new direction.
- We recently wrote about double vision and the specialized prism glasses that can ease the problem. A reader in Pennsylvania wrote about her own experience. "I, too, have double vision and have had it corrected with the prism in my lenses. But later at night, when I'm getting tired, the images on the TV screen double up on me," she wrote. "I have been getting vision therapy at the eye doctor, including exercises to do at home, and I use a computer program called HTS Vision. All of these things have improved my vision quite a bit." The computer program your doctor recommended uses visual exercises to improve how well the eyes work together. People with double vision that arises from problems with eye coordination may find this type of vision therapy helpful. We appreciate you sharing it.
- Our recent column about the role of nurse practitioners in primary care continues to generate lively discussion. A reader shared his own experiences about the care he gets. "I am 68 and have moved a lot in my lifetime, so you can imagine I've seen many healthcare providers over the years. I generally prefer having an NP," he wrote. "I find they are less rushed, better listeners, kinder and more empathetic, more personal and more likely to explain things to my understanding. I heartily recommend NPs, and I thank them for their caring ways."
Thank you, as always, for taking the time to write. We love hearing from you. We read all your letters and answer as many as we can. If it occurs to you, let us know where you're writing from. The era of email has done away with postmarks, erasing the small pleasure of seeing how far a letter has traveled.
(Send your questions to [email protected], or write: Ask the Doctors, c/o UCLA Health Sciences Media Relations, 10960 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1955, Los Angeles, CA, 90024. Owing to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.)
