By Suzy Buglewicz

iTriageHealth.com

Cafeterias, all-you-can-eat buffets and late night pizza deliveries are just a few of the temptations facing college freshman as they adjust to their new found freedom and life on their own for the first time. Weight gain and poor eating habits are the likely outcomes for many, but a growing number of college students, primarily females, suffer from eating disorders like anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating.

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You may know someone who has suffered from a stroke, but do you know the signs and risk factors? Information can be your best weapon for this and other medical conditions.

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, and every 45 seconds, someone in this country is struck by one. A stroke happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is interrupted by a blood vessel that bursts or clots. When the blood flow is blocked, brain cells can die. Immediate medical attention is critical, so brain damage can be minimized.

Here are some common signs to watch for.

• Numbness or paralysis on one side of the body
• Sudden trouble walking, including dizziness and loss of balance
• Trouble talking, including slurring words or being unable to find the right words
• Sudden, severe headache, which could be accompanied by nausea and dizziness

If you or someone you know experiences these symptoms, don’t hesitate. Call 9-1-1 right away.

In the meantime, it’s important to understand the risk factors for stroke. Here are some to consider.

• Being age 55 or older. Women seem to have more strokes than men, since they tend to live longer.
• Having family members who’ve suffered from stroke. Be sure to learn about your medical background and discuss it with your doctor.
• Smoking cigarettes or being exposed to secondhand smoke. Make every effort to quit and to avoid exposure.
• Having high blood pressure. If your numbers are higher than 120/80, talk to your doctor about ways to bring them down.
• Having high cholesterol. Eat a healthy diet that includes fresh fruits and vegetables. If your total cholesterol is higher than 200, talk to your doctor about medication if necessary.
• Being physically inactive. Try to exercise for at least 30 minutes most days of the week.
• Living with diabetes. Be sure to keep your diabetes under control through diet, exercise, and medication.
• Being overweight or obese. Talk to your doctor about a diet and exercise plan to help you lose pounds if you need to.
• Using hormone therapy that includes estrogen. Discuss any concerns you have with your doctor.
• Being a heavy drinker. Experts say that women should have no more than one alcoholic drink a day, two for men.
• Using drugs such as methamphetamines or cocaine. Get help if you are a drug user and can’t quit on your own.

To learn more about stroke risk and prevention, contact Edward White Hospital. Visit us online or call Consult-A-Nurse® at 1-888-243-3627. Serving St. Petersburg and the Tampa Bay area, we’re here to help protect your health.

Sources:

Edward White Hospital

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Stroke Association

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By Alicia Verity, MSPH

iTriage.com

1. Why immunize? Vaccines safeguard children and adults from illnesses and death caused by infectious diseases.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) “immunization is one of the most significant public health achievements of the 20^th century.”  Without vaccination programs, epidemics of many preventable diseases could return which would result in increased illness, disability and death.

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Have you been injured recently? Or just had surgery? If so, you may be in a lot of pain and you may not be able to move like you once could. For these reasons and others, physical therapy could help you.

Physical therapy is a process in which you regain movement. Physical therapists are health care professionals who can treat people of all ages. They can teach you exercises and stretches that help you strengthen muscles, work on balance, recover from an injury, or live with specific medical conditions. You can receive physical therapy in hospitals, outpatient clinics, rehabilitation facilities, nursing homes, health centers, and other settings.

Is physical therapy for you? Here are some reasons it might be:

• You’ve been hurt. If you’ve been in a car accident or suffered a sports injury, physical therapy can help you improve mobility and manage pain. Physical therapy can help athletes get ready to take the field again. It can also treat broken bones after they’ve healed.

• You’ve had an operation. Depending on what surgery you’ve had, you may be experiencing some pain. This physical discomfort may not go away by itself, so therapy exercises can help ease it.

• You’ve had a stroke. After a stroke, you may be unable to move certain muscles, so physical therapists might use electrical stimulation. Sending a low electrical current through your body can help tone muscles and alleviate pain.

• You have cancer. During and after cancer treatment, you can benefit from physical therapy. Exercises can help you maintain mobility and flexibility, while massage can help reduce stress and pain.

• You have a spine condition or general back pain. Physical therapy can help if your spine has been damaged or if you suffer from an aching back. The stretches and adjustments can take the pressure off your damaged nerves.

• You have carpal tunnel syndrome. If you do the same motions all day every day, you may be in pain. Physical therapy can help strengthen muscles that have been injured.

• You have vertigo. You might feel as though everything is spinning, even though all is perfectly still. To target this problem, physical therapists can use vestibular rehabilitation. This process helps your inner ear better react to changes in the body’s position.

• You have arthritis. If you have stiff joints, you may fear the movement required by physical therapy. However, when you work with a highly trained therapist, you can learn to move those joints safely and strengthen the muscles that surround them.

• You’ve had a premature baby. When babies are born early, they may experience developmental delays. So physical therapists are now getting involved in infants’ lives right away. They provide education to the families and work with the babies to stay on track.

To learn more about physical therapy and how it can benefit you, contact Edward White Hospital. Visit us online or call Consult-A-Nurse® at 1-888-243-3627. Serving St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay, we’re here to answer all your questions.

Sources:

Edward White Hospital

American Physical Therapy Association

Kids Health

Spine-Health

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Hmmmm. You’ve been having some symptoms and you’re worried about what they might mean. After consulting with your physician, you’re scheduled for some diagnostic testing. But what do you know about the exam you’re having? And what will the experience be like? Here are some details.

X-Ray

An X-ray is one of the most commonly used diagnostic tests. It uses a small dose of radiation to provide images of your organs and other body parts. X-rays can be used to locate infections or tumors, detect fluid in the lungs, study blood vessels, and uncover many other medical conditions. Sometimes X-rays are used in conjunction with contrast agents, which can enhance the images.

For an X-ray, you’ll probably wear a hospital gown. Since this radiology test is noninvasive, there will be no pain, and it takes just a few minutes.

MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses magnetic waves to produce two- and three-dimensional images of your body parts. This test can diagnose internal injuries and other conditions, and it can determine if treatment you’ve been prescribed is working.

For an MRI, you probably will not be allowed to eat for several hours before the test. The procedure is not painful, but some patients feel claustrophobic inside the MRI machine, which is like a long tunnel. Some facilities have open MRI, which many people find easier to tolerate. The test can take an hour or longer and you have to lie perfectly still, so you may be given a sedative before the test.

CT Scan

A computer tomography (CT) scan uses X-rays to take many cross-sectional views of the inside of your body. CT scans can produce clearer images of organs, tissue, bones, and other areas than traditional X-rays can. A CT scan can help a radiologist see a tumor, review skeletal problems, guide biopsies, and plan surgeries and treatments.

Before the test, you may have a contrast material injected into your vein. Then you will lie on your back on a movable table that slides through the CT scan machine. The procedure is painless and takes about 15 minutes.

Ultrasound

An ultrasound uses sound waves to look at the parts of your body. It is done in real time, so it is specifically good for studying the motion of fluid in your blood vessels. Ultrasounds are used for reviewing heart function, assessing plaque buildup, and for monitoring the development of a baby.

Depending on what the test is for, you may not be able to eat for several hours before the test. Or you may need to have a full bladder. During the exam, you will lie on a table, and your technician will spread gel over the body part being studied. Then he or she will move a transducer (a handheld wand) over that area, and images appear on a nearby screen. The procedure is painless and can take 20 or 30 minutes.

Mammography

A mammogram uses a low dose of radiation to screen for breast cancer. Most women age 40 and older are advised to get annual mammograms, but they can be used for women of all ages who are experiencing breast symptoms or have a high cancer risk.

For the test, you’ll have to take off your shirt and wear a front-opening medical gown or robe. You’ll be told not to wear perfume, antiperspirant, or powder, since they can appear as dots on your results. A mammogram requires two images of each breast, for a total of four images. For each image, you’ll have one breast placed on a platform and then compressed. Taking each image is very quick, but some women do experience discomfort. It’s smart to take deep breaths and try to relax.

Nuclear Medicine

Nuclear medicine uses small amounts of radioactive material to diagnose cancer, heart disease, and other problems within your body. For most nuclear medicine procedures, you’ll wear a medical gown and lie on a table. You may be given an IV. For some tests, you may need a catheter placed in your bladder, but otherwise, there should be no pain.

Before any diagnostic imaging tests, be sure to tell your doctor if you may be pregnant. Ask about any medications you may need to stop taking temporarily, and discuss any other preparation instructions.

To learn more, contact the Diagnostic Imaging Department at Edward White Hospital. Visit us online or call Consult-A-Nurse® at 1-888-243-3627. We’re here to answer all your questions.

Sources:

Edward White Hospital

RadiologyInfo.Org

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By Alicia Verity, MSPH

iTriage.com

I have recently started reaping the rewards of my latest venture into home farming – raising chickens for egg production.  I love collecting fresh eggs each morning from my girls and knowing exactly what went into (literally) producing these eggs.  I pride myself on keeping a clean hen house for my girls and ensuring that they are healthy and happy.  I can’t imagine how this process is done on a mass scale.  But it seems inevitably that disease and germs are part of the high production equation.  After all we are talking about animals.

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Have you had your shot yet?

As October begins, remember that flu season is officially here and will continue until next spring. While it can peak at any time, the worst months can be January through March. Each year, approximately 200,000 people in the United States are hospitalized because of influenza. So take the time now to find out how to protect yourself and your family.

This year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is advising everyone age six months and older to get a flu shot. You can get one from your primary doctor, or you can visit many drugstores and supermarkets throughout St. Petersburg and the Tampa Bay area.

Precautions

Though it may be difficult to prevent the flu for everyone, there are some precautions you can take.

• Get an annual flu shot. The vaccine changes each year so it can tackle the particular strain that is expected.
• Wash your hands. Be sure to wash your hands frequently throughout the day. This helps control the spread of germs.
• Use a tissue. When you sneeze or cough, use a tissue and then throw it away. If you cover your nose and mouth with your hand, you just carry the germs with you.
• Get rest. Keep your body strong by getting a good night’s sleep. If you’re already tired or weak, you’re more apt to get sick.
• Stay home. If you do get the flu, stay home from work or school. Otherwise, you can spread the illness to others.

Symptoms

Very often the symptoms of flu can come on quickly. Here are some typical ones:

• Fever (sometimes quite high)
• Headache and muscle aches
• Extreme tiredness
• Chills
• Dry cough
• Runny nose (usually more common with children than adults)
• Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea

If you think you have the flu, your doctor may prescribe antiviral drugs. These medications attack the flu virus and stop it from spreading throughout your body. Antibiotics, however, do not help treat the flu. Other options are over-the-counter medications such as antihistamines, analgesics, decongestants, and cough suppressants. These will help ease your symptoms.

To learn more about flu and its prevention, contact Edward White Hospital. Visit us online or call Consult-A-Nurse® at 1-888-243-3627. We want to help keep you well.

Sources:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Florida Department of Health
Edward White Hospital

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