Health Highlights: Dec. 29, 2009
Dec. 30 -- Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:
Moldy Smell Prompts Recall of Tylenol Arthritis Caplets
Consumer complaints about a moldy smell and gastrointestinal side effects from Tylenol Arthritis Caplets have led McNeil Consumer Healthcare to expand its voluntary recall of the 100-count bottles.
The New Jersey-based company announced the recall of all product lots of the Arthritis Pain Caplet 100-count bottles with the red EZ-Open Cap after reports of a moldy or musty smell that might cause vomiting, stomach pain, nausea and diarrhea.
The odor comes from trace amounts of a chemical called 2,4,6-tribromoanisole, which is created by the breakdown of another chemical used to treat wooden pallets that carry packaging materials, according to a McNeil statement. Not much is known about the health effects of this compound, but none of the side effects reported to McNeil were long-lasting or serious, the company said.
Consumers who bought the 100-count bottles with the EZ-Open red cap from the lots included in the recall can contact McNeil for instructions on a refund or replacement at 1-888-222-6036 or www.tylenol.com. Contact your doctor if you have medical concerns, the company advises.
In 1982, seven people in the Chicago area died after taking Extra-Strength Tylenol capsules that had been poisoned with potassium cyanide. The case was never solved, but it led to new guidelines for packaging over-the-counter products.
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Music Therapy May Help Tinnutis
A novel form of music therapy may offer hope for people with chronic tinnutis, a constant ringing in the ears.
German researchers say the treatment could be used with other strategies to relieve the condition, which currently has no cure, according to the BBC. It's said that up to 3 percent of the population have tinnutis severe enough to disrupt their quality of life.
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