November 2016 - Page 2 of 2 - Health BeatHealth Beat

How to tell the difference between a long lasting cold, bronchitis or pneumonia

Posted on November 8, 2016 by Xavia Malcolm

That dreaded time of year is here, it is cold season. In the United States, this season starts around September and typically lasts until March or April.

Chances are like many, you may catch a cold. If you do, you may display symptoms that include sneezing, scratchy or sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, coughing, congestion or a low-grade fever. These symptoms are normal but can worsen when left untreated and may cause serious illnesses such as bronchitis or pneumonia to develop.

It is important to know when your condition is worsening. There are several signs that can help you to recognize when your common cold has become something more.

Here are some symptoms of bronchitis to look out for:

A cold that persists for two weeks or more
Shortness of breath or wheezing
Coughs that produce thick clear, white, green or yellow mucous or blood
Rapid breathing
Soreness of the chest

Pneumonia can develop after having a serious cold or flu. Symptoms can be mild or severe depending on factors such as age and your state of health. The symptoms of pneumonia can include:

Violent coughing spasms that produce very little mucous
Coughs with bloody or yellow or greenish mucous
Fever
Sharp or stabbing chest pain when you breathe deeply or cough
Loss of appetite
Fatigue
Clammy skin or excessive sweating
Chills
Muscle aches

If your cold persists longer than two weeks and you are experiencing these symptoms, it is important that you contact your doctor as soon as possible. In severe cases, pneumonia can be life threatening.

To schedule an appointment with a physician at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, please call 718-206-7001.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

Healthy Mind, Healthy Body, Healthy Soul

Posted on November 8, 2016 by Joann Ariola

With all the running around we do and the stress we deal with each and every day, try to take a moment to center your mind and bring wellness to your entire being. Try reciting these and other positive affirmations to help start your day in a positive way.

When Are Antibiotics Appropriate?

Posted on November 4, 2016 by Michael Hinck

You have all the symptoms: fever, cough, headache, and fatigue and body pain. You’re sick!! You visit your doctor looking for antibiotics to get you better quick, but is this always the best course of treatment?

Doctors at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center are taking a long, hard look at how patients are being treated and what they are finding is that prescribing antibiotics is sometimes not the best course of action. “For a number of reasons, physicians throughout the healthcare industry prescribe antibiotics when they are not necessary” states Dr. Luigi Tullo, Family Medicine Physician at Jamaica Hospital. Dr. Tullo added “Some of the factors are physician driven and some are patient driven, but regardless of the reason, inappropriately prescribing antibiotics can have long-term health effects on our community”.

Over-prescribing antibiotics can eventually lead to the drugs becoming less effective when they are really needed. Another cause for concern is the evolution of bacteria. When exposed to the same antibiotic repeatedly, the bacteria will change its composition and become resistant to the very medications that are intended to kill. MRSA and C. difficle are two examples of drug-resistant bugs, but they are not the only ones. This growing problem in the medical community has prompted Dr. Tullo and his colleagues to develop an Antibiotic Stewardship Program to educate both the practitioner and the patient about when antibiotics are necessary and when they are not.

To help the doctor, Jamaica Hospital has implemented multiple tools into its electronic medical records system. These tools require the doctor to provide further documentation before prescribing antibiotics to their patients. Sometimes however, even against the doctor’s best judgment, a patient may insist on receiving a prescription of antibiotics. Dr. Tullo explains, “A culture has been created that implies if a doctor doesn’t provide a prescription after examining you, then he or she isn’t taking care of you. Patients think that antibiotics are some sort of magic wand, when in fact they are not.”

To better change this perception, Jamaica Hospital, working together with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is embarking on an educational campaign to help explain that antibiotics are appropriate for bacterial infections, but not for a virus. These colorful, multi-lingual posters created by the CDC will hang in all Jamaica Hospital out-patient clinics and offer guidance and education to patients.

In addition to the posters and other educational handouts, Dr. Tullo believes an emphasis must be placed on how doctors explain the patient’s condition to them. According to Dr. Tullo, “if it is explained that not needing antibiotics is a good thing, since they have a virus, the message will be better received.”

Jamaica Hospital continues to strive to do the best for their patients and hopes that through this effort, they can improve the long-term health of the community.

History of Dentures

Posted on November 3, 2016 by Andrew Rubin

Dentures have been around for thousands of years. It is believed that they were first used around 700 B.C. by the Etruscans in ancient Italy. These were made from either human teeth or animal teeth.

Until the 1,800’s the most commonly used material for making dentures was ivory that came from elephants, walruses, and hippos. In fact, it has been found that the first U.S. President George Washington’s dentures were also made of ivory, although many have mistakenly believed they were made of wood.

In the late 1700’s a man by the name of Alexis Duchâteau crafted the first porcelain dentures, however these were not popular as they were not sturdy and often chipped. People were also not happy with the fact that they were too white and didn’t look real.

In the 1820’s an English silversmith named Claudius Ash developed a set of dentures that were made of porcelain teeth mounted on 18-karat gold plates, with gold springs and swivels. This was a large improvement to the dentures that had been made previously.

In the 1850’s craftsmen began to make dentures from a hardened rubber called vulcanite into which porcelain teeth were inserted. During the twentieth century other materials came in to use such as acrylic resin and plastics.

Jamaica Hospital’s Department of Dentistry provides the community with the latest and innovative technologies in dental care. Our inter-disciplinary staff is specially trained to provide the highest quality care and is dedicated to making your visit as comfortable as possible.

If you would like to schedule an appointment with a dentist at Jamaica Hospital, please call 718-206-6982.

What Are Your Chances of Developing Heart Disease and Ways to Reduce Risks

Posted on November 1, 2016 by Xavia Malcolm

The term heart disease is used to describe a range of conditions that affect heart function. Some of the most common types of heart disease are coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, atrial fibrillation and arrhythmia.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. It is the cause of approximately one in every four deaths. These numbers are alarming and may affect you if you are at risk of developing certain heart conditions.

Your chances of developing heart disease are determined by risk factors you may or may not be able to control. Risk factors that you can control (modifiable) are:

Obesity
Diet
Smoking
Lack of physical activity
Excessive alcohol consumption

Risk factors that you cannot control (non-modifiable) are:

Family history
Age
Gender

Whether your risks are modifiable or non-modifiable, the good news is, there are many things you can do to lower the chances or prevent heart disease from developing.

Eating a healthy diet- Eating a moderate and well- balanced diet can help with obesity. Additionally, it can reduce the risk of diseases such as diabetes and hypertension which have been linked to heart disease.
Quit smoking – Smoking damages the lining of the arteries and compromises the function of the heart. Quitting smoking will not only benefit your heart but other organs that can also be affected by tobacco smoke.
Exercising- Exercising as recommended can help regulate blood pressure, keep arteries and blood vessels flexible and improve cholesterol levels.
Moderating alcohol consumption- Excessive alcohol consumption can harm your heart and lead to heart failure, high blood pressure as well as cardiac arrhythmia.

In addition to applying healthy lifestyle changes to your daily routine, it is also helpful to schedule annual physical exams to ensure that your body is functioning normally. To schedule an appointment with a doctor at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, please call 718-206-7001.