Testing for Allergies

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Andrew Rubin

It is estimated that 30 percent of Americans suffer from allergies. Historically, allergy testing was performed by specialists in the field of Allergy and Immunology. Often times this involved performing skin tests and then monitoring the results. Now this whole process can be performed by a physician through a simple blood serum test and Jamaica Hospital is now one of the few hospitals in New York that is offering this new and exciting technology.
Often times, allergy symptoms are similar to other health conditions such as colds and sinus infections. Allergies typically do not cause fever but they can cause itchiness, eye discomfort and a runny nose. It is important to determine what the cause of these symptoms is before treating the symptoms. People tend to purchase medications over the counter to treat their symptoms, but they may not be treating the correct cause of their discomfort.
With the new technology and equipment that is available at Jamaica Hospital, testing of a small sample of blood serum IgE, can determine if a person is allergic to any of the hundreds of known allergens. This quick testing will help to determine wat course of treatment should be started on. Another advantage of this testing is that it can be ordered by any physician. A correct diagnosis leads to a more accurate treatment plan.
If you would like to schedule an appointment with a physician at Jamaica Hospital to discuss having allergies, 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.

Put a lid on it! – The Benefits of Wearing a Bike Helmet for Safety

Posted on July 12, 2017 by Andrew Rubin

It’s no secret that the main advantage of wearing a helmet while riding your bicycle to increase safety. This is exactly why helmets were devised and it’s the reason that they’re required, by law, in the New York State.

Since you can never predict exactly when, where and how you’ll fall from your bike, it pays to heed the warning of the experts and statistics that prove the benefit of wearing a helmet while riding a bicycle a bit further.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration cites that 70% of bicyclists involved in a fatal crash suffer from head injuries. The NHTSA further cites that helmets are 85 to 88 percent effective in preventing head and brain injuries and refers to helmets as “the single most effective way to reduce head injuries and fatalities from bicycle crashes.”

The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute goes on to state that non-helmeted riders are 14 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than helmeted riders. While there’s no guarantee that a helmet will save your life, it’s clear that wearing one is much safer than not wearing one.

If you are going to riding your bicycle, it would be a wise safety measure to purchase a helmet before taking that bike on the road

The Dangers of Thirdhand Smoke

Posted on July 6, 2017 by Andrew Rubin

Much has been written about the effects that smoking and secondhand smoke have on people’s health. Recently, attention has been given to another dangerous byproduct of smoking, it is called thirdhand smoke. This is the phenomenon where nicotine and other chemicals found in cigarette smoke lingers in carpeting, clothing, furniture, bedding, wall, cars, and any place where people have smoked a cigarette. It doesn’t go away easily. Some suggest coming into contact with thirdhand smoke residue can lead to serious health issues, similar to those associated with second hand smoke .
The effects of thirdhand smoke can include difficulty with breathing, coughing, and potentially many of the other complications that can come from smoking a cigarette.Children are more susceptible than adults to thirdhand smoke because they come in to contact with more surfaces within a home during a typical day. They play on the floor, they run their hands across table tops, and they are more likely to touch surfaces that are hard to clean.
Thirdhand smoke is difficult to remove from an indoor area. Simple cleaning is often not effective. The best way to avoid thirdhand smoke is to maintain a smoke free environment. There are no benefits to smoking only bad effects and it is important for people who smoke to realize that they are not only harming themselves, but also those who they share space with.
If you would like to stop smoking, please contact one of the counselors at Jamaica Hospital at 718-206-8494 who will assist you.

Hospital Staff Spotlight – Laurie Regan, RN

Posted on June 29, 2017 by Andrew Rubin

Laurie Regan is a familiar face to many people at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. Laurie has been at Jamaica Hospital since 1997. She has been a nurse in our pediatric emergency department for the past eight years and prior to that, a nurse on the pediatric inpatient unit for 12 years. She is a Queens native, having grown up in Whitestone, where she still resides with her three daughters and two dogs.
During her time at Jamaica Hospital Laurie has had the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally. Laurie describes her experience at Jamaica Hospital as being a one-of-a-kind opportunity. She has worked with many wonderful people through the years and has learned a lot. The environment is very exciting as you never know what is going to come in to the emergency room and you always have to be prepared to handle all kinds of situations. Laurie works long hours but it doesn’t bother her because of the great team of people she works with and the level of fulfilment she gets from helping people who come in seeking medical attention.
In addition to working at Jamaica Hospital, Laurie also works for the NYC Department of Health where she has the opportunity to go in to the different schools and build relationships with the students and the staff. It was thanks to Laurie’s connection to a local school that Jamaica Hospital was the recipient of six pieces of art that now hang outside the pediatric emergency department.
Laurie is also very community minded and is active in the Malba Civic Association, where she helps to keep the neighborhood beautiful and safe. Laurie has a strong interest in forensic nursing and would like to one day pursue an advanced degree in that field. Laurie looks forward to continuing to learn and continuing to contribute to the well-being of our patients.

June is Men’s Health Month

Posted on June 8, 2017 by Andrew Rubin

The month of June has been recognized as Men’s Health Month. The reason for this designation is to bring awareness of preventable health issues and to encourage early detection and treatment of diseases prevalent in men.
The leading causes of death among men are:
• Heart Disease
• Cancer
• Diabetes
• Lung Disease
• Injuries
• Stroke
• HIV/AIDS
Some of the reasons that men tend to have more serious chronic illnesses is because more men than women don’t have health insurance, men tend to have more physically demanding jobs with greater safety risks. Additionally more men smoke than women and they also tend to take greater risks with unsafe behavior.
Women tend to live five years longer than men and one of the reasons for this is that women usually take better care of their health. Men are often guilty of waiting until a disease has progressed to a more serious level before they seek help. There is an old adage that if a man is in a doctor’s waiting room, most likely a woman brought him there for an exam.
During the month of June, organizations across the country hold health awareness campaigns to educate men about various health issues that they may be at risk for and to encourage them to see a doctor regularly. If you would like to schedule an appointment with a doctor at Jamaica Hospital, please call 718-206-7001.

History of Dentistry

Posted on June 1, 2017 by Andrew Rubin

Dentistry is one of the world’s oldest medical professions. As early as 5000BC tooth decay was described as being caused by dental worms and this belief was not proven false until the 1700’s.
In 166 – 200 AD Italy the Etruscans began to work on dental repair with crowns made from gold as well as bridgework. The Chinese began using silver paste to repair cavities in the 700’s. The first organized group of dentists were described in France in the 1200’s and were actually barbers who in addition to cutting hair, had been trained to work on teeth.
Beginning in the 1700’s developments in dentistry were coming along at a quicker pace. In 1723 Pierre Fauchard, considered to be the father of modern dentistry wrote one of the first complete books on dental practice. In the early 1800’s porcelain teeth began to be commercially manufactured to serve as replacement teeth. In 1839 vulcanized rubber was first used as a base for false teeth. Ether was first used as an anesthetic in 1846.
During the late 1800’s dental tools were being improved upon. The first mechanical drill was commercially manufactured in 1871, the first hydraulic dental chair was manufactured in 1877 and in 1895 x-rays were coming into practice for dentistry. In 1905 the local anesthetic novocain was developed.
Oral hygiene and prevention of tooth decay became popular in the 1900’s. Toothpaste in tubes became popular with the general public as opposed to powders and pastes that had been used previously. Cities across the country began to fluoridate the water supply to aid in the prevention of cavities, and the first nylon toothbrush was manufactured. High speed air driven drills which were developed in the late 1950’s made visits to the dentist less painful.
Dentistry is constantly evolving with new techniques being developed to make dental care better for both the dentist and the patient. If you would like to schedule an appointment with a dentist at Jamaica Hospital, please call 718-206-6980.

Safe Driving This Holiday Weekend

Posted on May 24, 2017 by Andrew Rubin

A holiday weekend is upon us and that means many people will be hitting the road to visit family and friends, taking shopping trips to the mall, the beach, barbeques, or just celebrating at home. Many people get time off from work and everyone wants to have a good time. By taking a few precautions you can get to your destination safely and have a wonderful time.
Safe driving is a key component of having a happy holiday weekend. To make sure that everything goes well, here are some safety tips to follow:
• Do not speed
• Do not text while driving
• Do not drink and drive
• Plan your route in advance
• Make sure your car is operating properly – check fluids, brakes and lights
• Make sure that you are well rested before getting behind the wheel
• Make sure that everyone in the vehicle is buckled up
Following these safe driving tips will make sure your holiday weekend will be a lot happier.

National Nurses Week

Posted on May 11, 2017 by Andrew Rubin

National Nurses Week is celebrated every year from May 6th to May 12th in commemoration of Florence Nightingale’s birthday. This celebration allows us to recognize the invaluable work our outstanding nurses perform daily to improve the wellbeing of our patients and their families.
This year the theme for National Nurses Week is “the balance of mind, body and spirit.” Jamaica Hospital has a number of activities and events scheduled to mark this occasion. They include an art expo in the main lobby, luncheons for the staff, a day to nurture mind, body and spirit and culminates with an award ceremony at the end of the week.

The History of Allergies

Posted on May 4, 2017 by Andrew Rubin

Though allergic reactions have been documented in ancient Greek and Roman history, the modern era of the study of allergies really began in the 1800’s when hay fever was described by Dr. John Bostock in 1819. This continues to be one of the most common allergic reactions, affecting approximately 15 million people in the United States.

In 1869 the first skin test for allergies was described when a scientist placed pollen into a small cut in the skin and watched for a reaction.

The concept of immunotherapy, which is building up the immune system through the administration of injections to help people cope with their allergies, was introduced in 1914.

Antihistamines, medications that would help the body respond better to allergic reactions became more widely used in the late 1930’s. They helped by lessening the body’s reaction to allergens.

In 1948 corticosteroids were first used to treat asthma and allergic reactions. They worked on reducing the inflammation that would be caused by the allergens.

The discovery of mast cells in 1953 helped to identify what caused allergies to set off the immune response of the body. In 1963 IgE antibodies were discovered and this further helped to identify what set into motion the chain reaction within the body leading to the release of histamine and allergic reactions.

Professor Samuelson won the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology in the early 1980’s for his work with leukotrines which cause asthma allergy and inflammatory responses to foreign substances.

In present day, there are several methods used to test for allergies and various treatment options are available to minimize a person’s reactions to allergens. These developments have been made possible due to research and discoveries over the years.

If you would like to be tested for allergies or discuss the best course of treatment, please call Jamaica Hospital at 718-206-6742