ArcaMax

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have two bird feeders off of my back deck. They hang from tall poles as a vain attempt to keep the squirrels from eating all of the birdseed! But to refill them, I must take them down and handle them, and I recently wondered if I might be exposing myself to the new bird flu.

Is there any information about this possibility? Any possible transmission of the virus might have occurred to other bird-lovers, too. -- J.F.

ANSWER: The songbirds you are attracting to your feeders, such as cardinals, sparrows and woodpeckers, are not likely to be infected with avian influenza ("bird flu"). It generally infects waterfowl such as gulls and ducks. Most experts do not recommend taking down your feeders but do recommend a periodic cleaning of feeders and baths with a dilute bleach (10%) solution. You should wash your hands after refilling your feeders.

Those who keep poultry such as chickens, ducks, geese or turkeys (which may also be infected by bird flu) should not use feeders or baths that attract wild birds.

DEAR DR. ROACH: I see commercials about different kinds of pillows, asserting that they are better for you medically in various ways, especially with enhancing your sleep experience. This implies to me that conventional pillows can be bad for you. Is any of this true? -- W.R.G.

ANSWER: No, I wouldn't say that conventional pillows are bad for you. However, there is evidence that in people with chronic neck pain, pillows made with latex or springs have been shown to reduce neck pain, waking symptoms and disability. They also enhance the satisfaction that people have with their pillows, but the studies taken as an aggregate did not show an improvement in sleep quality. It seems that the height and composition of the pillow can affect the alignment of your neck bones.

If you aren't having any problems, there is no reason to change. But if you wake up with a sore neck or have chronic neck pain, a special pillow might help, although I doubt there is one pillow that is right for everybody.

DEAR DR. ROACH: Is it OK for an 80-year-old male who has abused alcohol for many years (6-8 drinks per evening) to stop drinking cold turkey? I have not slept in 48 hours! -- R.B.

ANSWER: No, it's not OK. It's very unsafe for anyone to stop drinking so much so quickly, especially an older adult. What you should have done is gotten in contact with your regular physician who can determine if it is safe for you to stop alcohol at home, or whether you need to be in a more supervised situation (such as a person with heart problems or those with a history of severe alcohol withdrawal in the past).

If it is thought to be safe for you to do so at home, medication to help prevent withdrawal symptoms may be given. An expert in addiction medicine has more experience than nearly all generalists, so your regular physician may recommend that you see an expert. Given your symptoms, you should see someone right away, whether they're your own doctor or an emergency physician, as you are at risk for moderate or severe withdrawal.

I congratulate you on wanting to stop alcohol after many years, but getting some help will make stopping safer and make quitting for good more likely.

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Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu or send mail to 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803.

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