Do you need shoulder replacement surgery? That all depends on what symptoms you’re having and what other health issues you need to consider.

If you are experiencing pain in your shoulder, you may be suffering from arthritis. Often pain medications can help, as can physical therapy. However, if these conservative treatments don’t offer relief, shoulder replacement could be a good option.

You may also require treatment if you have suffered an injury, such as a rotator cuff tear. Again, medication and physical therapy can often help, but for severe cases, surgery may be warranted.

Talk to your doctor if you are experiencing these symptoms:

· Pain and tenderness around your shoulder joint

· Shoulder weakness

· Inability to move your shoulder easily

If your doctor suggests surgery, there are different kinds to consider:

· Total shoulder replacement replaces the damaged bone and cartilage with a ball-and-socket implant made of metal and plastic. The ball is at the top of the arm bone, and the socket lies within the shoulder blade.

· Reverse shoulder replacement uses a ball-and-socket implant but places the ball on the shoulder blade and the socket on top of the arm bone. This procedure is often used for patients who don’t have functioning rotator cuffs.

· Partial shoulder replacement replaces just the ball of the shoulder joint. This procedure requires less removal of bone and offers a quicker recovery time.

The Edward White Hospital Orthopedic Center offers comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of shoulder and other joint conditions. If you are in pain, visit us online or call Consult-A-Nurse® at 1-877-442-2362 for a physician referral. Serving St. Petersburg and surrounding Tampa Bay, we’re here to answer all your questions.

Sources:

Edward White Hospital

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

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New Treatments for Arthritis and Degenerative Joint Disease

By Alicia Verity, MSPH

iTriageHealth.com

Brittany Murphy, the cheerful, actress filled with a child-like spirit, famous for her roles in 8 Mile, Clueless, and Uptown Girls, died on Sunday December 20, 2009, of sudden cardiac arrest, not a heart attack, at the tender age of 32. Her mother, Sharon found her unresponsive after Brittany went to the bathroom and failed to come back. Her mom frantically called 911 while Brittany’s husband, Monjack, tried to revive her in the shower.

Want to read more? Visit http://blog.itriagehealth.com/killer-among-us-heart-disease-and-women/www.itriagehealth.com.

February is American Heart Month, so this is the perfect time to consider your cardiovascular health. Are you doing all that you can to keep your ticker in top shape?

Your heart is an amazing organ that has a huge job. It pumps blood throughout your entire body, which is critical for your overall health. Do you heart a favor and treat it well. Think about these questions.

What Are Your Numbers? If your blood pressure is higher than 120/80, you could be at risk for heart disease. In addition, if your total cholesterol reading is higher than 200, plaque could be building up in your arteries, which can lead to heart attack. If you don’t know your numbers, schedule a check-up. If your numbers are too high, talk to your doctor about lifestyle changes and medications to help get them down.

How Much Activity Do You Get? Being sedentary is not good for your heart—or your waistline. Most experts suggest you get at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. Go for a bike ride or walk. Try a fun class at the gym. Just find something you enjoy and that you can stick with. Exercise gets your heart pumping and helps burn calories, too.

What Do You Eat? Recent U.S. guidelines confirm that we’re consuming too much sodium. Check labels and make sure to lower your salt intake. Also watch saturated and trans fats, which wreak havoc on your heart. Instead, focus on fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fish, and soy.

Do You Drink or Smoke? If you choose to drink alcohol, do so in moderation. That means no more than one drink a day for women, two for men. If you smoke, do everything you can to stop. Tobacco use has been linked to heart disease and stroke, as well as to cancer and other medical problems.

Are You Carrying Extra Weight? Extra pounds make your heart and other organs work harder. Take the pressure off your ticker by losing weight if you need to. Talk to your doctor or a nutritionist about the best strategies.

How Stressful Is Your Life? Research shows that stress can raise blood pressure and cause cardiovascular problems. Learn how to handle the anxiety in your life, but don’t try to tackle it with food or alcohol. You can try yoga or tai chi, practice meditation, or just take a long bath. Be sure to find time each day to unwind.

To learn more about heart attack prevention, contact Edward White Hospital. Visit us online or call Consult-A-Nurse® at 1-877-442-2362. Serving St. Petersburg and all of Tampa Bay, we’re here to help protect your heart.

Sources:

Edward White Hospital

American Heart Association

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If you’re like most people, you probably don’t give your thyroid much thought. However, this little gland plays a big role in your body. Shaped like a butterfly and located at the base of your neck, your thyroid controls your metabolism.

You get iodine from the foods that you eat. Your thyroid stores a lot of the iodine and uses it, along with an amino acid called tyrosine, to make hormones. These hormones help your cells convert oxygen and calories into energy.

If your thyroid doesn’t produce the proper amount of hormones, you can develop thyroid disease and your body may not function as it should.

Hyperthyroidism

If your thyroid produces a level of hormones that is too high, you will suffer from hyperthyroidism. Your body will use energy up more quickly and your metabolism will speed up.

Here are some symptoms to watch for:

• Nervousness
• Irritability
• Unexplained weight loss
• Intolerance to heat
• Rapid heart beat
• Shortness of breath
• Muscle weakness
• Irregular or absent menstrual periods
• Difficulty sleeping
• Fatigue
• Enlarged thyroid gland

Hypothyroidism

If your thyroid produces a low level of hormones, you will suffer from hypothyroidism. Your body will use energy slowly, and your metabolism will slow down.

Sometimes you can have hypothyroidism and not even know it. However, here are some common symptoms:

• Depression
• Sluggishness or fatigue
• Intolerance to cold
• Unexplained weight gain
• Constipation
• Irregular menstrual periods
• Dry skin
• Hair loss
• Poor focus or memory

In most cases, a doctor can diagnose thyroid disease just by doing a physical exam and performing a blood test. Usually, treatment will involve taking medications to help bring the thyroid hormone levels back to normal. In rare instances, surgery may be necessary.

To learn more about thyroid disease, contact Edward White Hospital. If you need a physician referral in St. Petersburg or throughout Tampa Bay, call Consult-A-Nurse® at 1-877-442-2362. We can answer your medical questions and get you the help you need.

Sources:

Edward White Hospital

Medicine.Net

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Staying Healthy in Your 60s and 70s

Radiology 101: What to Expect

By Alicia Verity, MSPH, iTriagehealth.com

A recent study published in the British Medical Journal conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) researchers suggests women who are overweight (have adiposity) in mid-life have increased risk for major chronic diseases after the age of 70. Conversely, the study also demonstrates that women who are lean in mid-life are more likely to be healthy after 70.

Want to read on? Visit www.itriagehealth.com!

Does it sometimes feel as though your head is spinning? If you experience dizziness or imbalance, you may be likely to suffer a fall or other injury, so it is important to determine the cause and treat it.

Dizziness can be a symptom of a variety of medical conditions:

· Inner ear infection

· Head injury, such as concussion

· Stroke

· Heart disease

· Neurological disorder

· Medication side effects

· Neck disorder

· Stress or anxiety

If you are experiencing dizziness or imbalance, it is important to be evaluated right away. Since there are many underlying causes, it is critical that you receive attention for your individual condition. In some cases, you may be treated just with medication or lifestyle changes.

One possibility is that your vestibular system has been damaged. This system involves the parts of your brain and inner ears that control balance and eye movements. Your inner ears have motion sensors that send messages to your brain. The brain then communicates with your muscles to control balance. If you have an inner ear infection or other disturbance, your vestibular system will not work properly. In addition to feeling dizzy, you may also experience headaches, nausea, and fatigue.

An effective treatment for this condition is vestibular therapy. This is a type of physical therapy that stimulates the vestibular system. A physical therapist will give you a thorough evaluation that includes taking a medical history, measuring your gait and posture, and administering coordination tests. The therapist will then develop an individual plan of exercises that can retrain your brain to receive and process messages from the inner ears. With practice, you will find that these exercises help you compensate for your imbalance and may even desensitize you to movements that provoke your symptoms.

Vestibular therapy is also helpful if you have had surgery to correct a vestibular disorder. You may begin therapy while you are still in the hospital and then continue on an outpatient basis.

At Edward White Hospital we offer vestibular therapy as part of our rehabilitation services. To learn more, visit us online or call 727-328-6290 for a consultation. Our therapists can discuss your condition with you and help determine if physical therapy is appropriate for you.

Sources:
Edward White Hospital
Vestibular Disorders Association

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