Finding Springtime Allergy Relief

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Natifia Mullings

If you are one of the millions of Americans who experience springtime allergies, control your seasonal symptoms with this allergy sufferer’s survival guide.

Allergies occur when your immune system tries to defend your body against substances that are harmless to others, causing itchy or watery eyes, sneezing, wheezing, and a stuffy or runny nose. About 50 million Americans suffer from year-round allergies to mold, dust, and pets. However, seasonal allergies are the most common cause. Typically, in early Spring, symptoms are most likely caused by pollen from trees while in late spring they are likely due to grass pollens.

“There is no cure for allergies, but proper treatment can help keep your allergy symptoms from getting worse,” said Stephen Rand, MD, allergist at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. “If you suffer from seasonal allergies, your doctor can help you control symptoms so you will feel better.”

He added: “The simplest remedy may be just to avoid what is triggering your allergy symptoms, but if this is too difficult, try an over-the counter antihistamine. If you know you suffer from allergies in the springtime, start taking medication just before the season begins.”

Allergies vs Cold

Since allergy symptoms are similar to those of a common cold, it can sometimes be hard to tell the two apart. “If the condition lasts for more than two weeks, seems to be triggered by a certain substance (an allergen), or returns every season, then it’s probably an allergy instead of a cold. Symptoms that include significant itchiness are also most likely allergy related,” says Dr. Rand.

Finding Relief

If an over-the-counter remedy doesn’t help, an allergist at Jamaica Hospital’s Ambulatory Care Center can offer a variety of treatment options to considerably minimize your allergy symptoms.

“You don’t have to be a victim of the season,” says Dr. Rand. “Often, when over-the counter solutions don’t work, a nasal spray or prescription medication can lessen allergy symptoms.”

Dr. Rand says, “If more complex treatment is needed, your physician may recommend allergy shots – which are effective about 80 percent of the time. The bottom line is that even if you do suffer from seasonal allergies, you don’t have to dread the spring.”

To schedule an appointment with an allergist at Jamaica Hospital, please call 718-206-6742.

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.

The Dangers of Texting While Driving

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Michael Hinck

Motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) are one of the leading causes of death in the United States today. Each year, nearly 2.5 million Americans are treated in hospital emergency departments as a result of an MVA. While the numbers are staggering, Jamaica Hospital’s Trauma Team wants everyone to know that most vehicle-related injuries are avoidable.

Jamaica Hospital operates a Level 1 Trauma Center, the highest designation to treat critically injured patients. Last year, Jamaica Hospital’s ER treated over 500 patients injured as a result motor vehicle accidents and the staff wants to offer the following tip to our community on how to avoid serious injury.

Stay Focused on the Road and Avoid Becoming a “Distracted Driver.”

Each day, more than 15 people are killed in accidents involving a distracted driver, a driver engaged in another activity that distracts them while driving. Distractions can impair a driver in three ways:

• Visually – Forcing the driver to take his or her eyes off the road
• Manually – Forcing the driver to take his or her hands off of the steering wheel
• Cognitively – Forcing the driver to take his or her mind off of driving while they are doing something else

While there are many forms of distractions for drivers, the type that has seen the largest increase in occurrences is texting while driving. Texting while driving is especially dangerous because it impairs the driver’s visual, manual, and cognitive abilities. In a recent study by the CDC, 9% of U.S. drivers reported texting or emailing regularly or fairly often while driving.

Last year, nearly 6,000 people died and approximately another 500,000 were injured in automobile accidents that were reported to involve a distracted driver – and the numbers are steadily rising.

Jamaica Hospital’s Trauma Team is well aware of the growing trend involving injuries and fatalities associated with texting and driving and they want to warn drivers on the road to resist the urge to text OMG or LOL or you might end up DOA!

Low-Dose CT Scans Offered at Jamaica Hospital…High Quality, Less Radiation

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Natifia Mullings

CT scans are widely used across the medical field to perform diagnostic exams, and for many patients, the risk of radiation exposure is concerning. To address this concern, Jamaica Hospital is now utilizing a low-dose CT scanner.

Jamaica Hospital’s brand new, state-of-the-art GE CT scanners boast quick scans and use high-definition technology to produce precise images, using 30%-40% less radiation.

“This technology is pivotal, in that we can minimize the risk of radiation exposure without compromising the quality of the images produced,” said Dr. Sabiha Raoof, Chairperson of the Department of Radiology. “With the increase in the volume of CT scans that are ordered by our physicians, this is a significant medical solution.”

CT scanners are a specialized technology that provide detailed pictures of muscles, organs and tissues and are a vital diagnostic tool. The clarity of these images help lead to accurate diagnoses, while lower doses of radiation improves patient safety.

“Comparatively, low-dose CT scans are just as effective as the traditional scanners we’ve used in the past,” said Dr. Raoof. “They yield important benefits and will be used throughout our facility.”

CT scans are commonly used to diagnose muscle and bone disorders, determine the location of tumors and infections, guide procedures, such as surgery and radiation therapies, identify diseases and conditions, such as cancer and heart disease, and detect internal bleeding and injuries.

What Happens During a CT Scan?

Obtaining a CT scan requires lying on a table that moves slowly through a large imaging machine. In order to produce clearer pictures, some patients may be required to swallow a dye or have it injected into their veins.

Patients are advised against wearing jewelry, eyeglasses, hairpins, or any other objects that could affect the quality of images.

If your physician requested that you have a CT scan performed and you would like to schedule an appointment at Jamaica Hospital, please call 718-206-6138.

Be A Quitter and Stop Smoking

Posted on January 25, 2013 by Natifia Mullings

Year after year, one of the most frequently heard New Year’s resolutions is the one to “Quit Smoking”. It is a hard one to fulfill and unfortunately, has a high rate of failure. Finding the right resources, however, can increase one’s success. Jamaica Hospital, in partnership with the Queens Quits Initiative, is dedicated to helping people who currently smoke take the necessary steps to help them succeed at quitting.

The Queens Quits Initiative suggests the following steps to making this resolution work:

Switch to a brand of cigarettes that you would never smoke
Set a quit date within two weeks from today
Exercise!! It will help combat stress and possible weight gain
Try stop-smoking medications such as NRT, Chantix or Zyban
Keep your hands occupied with a pen, bottle of water or even a straw
Stay away from cigarette smoke
Stay away from alcohol, if you drink and smoke together
Remove all cigarettes from your home, car, office and anywhere else you spend time
Tell your friends and family that you are quitting
Read motivational stories about how others quit smoking on nysmokefree.com
Don’t quit trying to QUIT! Most people have over seven quit attempts before they quit for good
Call the NYS Smokers Quitline (1-866-NY-QUITS) for free counseling and educational material

Speak to your physician for suggestions or call Jamaica Hospital’s Ambulatory Care Center at 718-206-7001 to make an appointment with a Pulmonary specialist. These physicians, through a thorough exam and pulmonary testing, can determine which treatment option is best suited for each patient. Let us try to help you fulfill your wish to quit smoking this year.

Battling the Winter Blues

Posted on January 4, 2013 by Natifia Mullings

It is estimated that as many as half a million people in the United States experience winter-onset depression, a type of depression associated with cold-weather months. With a physician’s help, however, winter-onset depression is a treatable condition.

Winter-onset depression is the most common form of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression associated with changing seasons. The cause of the condition is unclear but it may be related to changes in an individual’s circadian rhythm that result from reduced exposure to sunlight in winter.

Winter-related SAD typically lasts from late fall or early winter to the beginning of summer. SAD usually appears in people ages 20 or older and is more common in women. SAD is more likely to occur as a person ages, and individuals living in northern regions are more vulnerable to winter-onset SAD.

Every person’s experience with inter-onset SAD is different, but common symptoms include:

Change in appetite
Weight gain
Low energy level and fatigue
Difficulty concentrating
Irritability and anxiety
Avoidance of social situations
Lack of interest in favorite activities

Winter-onset SAD is fairly predictable, as symptoms tend to occur at the same time each year.

“Many people with winter-onset SAD may benefit from seeing a psychiatrist, who can assess their symptoms and formulate a treatment plan,” says Dr. Seeth Vivek, Chairman of Psychiatry at Jamaica Hospital. “Possible treatments include medication, behavior therapy, and light therapy.”

Light therapy acts a substitute for the limited sunlight during the winter months. Patients receiving this treatment sit in front of a light box or wear a light visor for 30 minutes per day, and if the therapy proves effective, they continue until spring.

When it comes to preventing winter-onset SAD, it is important to stay active. Search for activities to do around the house and guard against isolation by scheduling get-togethers with friends.

For more information about winter depression or to make an appointment to speak with a member of Jamaica Hospital’s Psychiatry Department, please call 718-206-7071.

Breathe Easy: Clinical Trial for IPF Offered at Jamaica Hospital

Posted on October 15, 2012 by Natifia Mullings

Having Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF), the stiffening and scarring of the lungs, can make breathing extremely difficult and life less enjoyable. With no known cure, clinical trials of new treatments have become important in helping to improve the outcomes of patients with IPF. Jamaica Hospital is accepting patients for enrollment in the ASCEND trial, a clinical study sponsored by biotechnology company InterMune.

The ASCEND study provides patients with the opportunity to try pirfenidone, a new and investigational treatment for IPF, and is designed to evaluate its effectiveness and safety.

“IPF is a serious pulmonary condition and over time, its symptoms worsen,” explained Dr. Craig Thurm, Director of Pulmonary Diseases at Jamaica Hospital. “Participation in clinical trials provides patients with access to potentially effective medications—medications they would not have access to otherwise.”

To be eligible for this study, Dr. Thurm states that patients must:
• Be between 40 and 80 years of age
• Have been diagnosed with IPF for at least six months
• Have not smoked within the last three months and is willing to abstain from smoking during the study

The study lasts 52 weeks and involves approximately 12 visits to Jamaica Hospital. Eligible patients who complete the study will be offered the opportunity to receive pirfenidone as part of an open label study.

If you have IPF, meet this criteria, and are interested in participating in the ASCEND trial, please call Kelly Cervellione, Research Associate at 718-206-5800, or Dr. Craig Thurm, Director of Pulmonary Diseases at 718-206-7130, for more information.

All patients who participate in the study will have access to the services and programs available through Jamaica Hospital’s Division of Pulmonary Medicine. These include:
• a Pulmonary Function Lab that provides a wide range of testing options to patients with respiratory symptoms and lung disease.
• a multidisciplinary Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program for patients with breathing problems.
• a pulmonary support group for individuals with lung disease.

For additional information about the various services offered by the Division of Pulmonary Medicine, please call 718-206-7126.

Getting a Good Night’s Rest Just Got Easier

Posted on October 2, 2012 by Natifia Mullings

Feeling tired? You’re not alone. According to The National Sleep Foundation, millions of Americans lack adequate sleep and suffer from a sleep disorder. To better help individuals get a good night’s rest, Jamaica Hospital has opened a brand new, state-of-the-art Sleep Center.

The Sleep Center staff is comprised of Board Certified Sleep Specialists and Respiratory Therapists who work together to diagnose and treat the following sleep disorders: narcolepsy (falling asleep suddenly during the day often without warning), sleep apnea (irregular interruptions in breathing during sleep), snoring, shift work sleep disorders (sleep difficulties stemming from working irregular hours or overnight shifts), and pediatric sleep disorders, such as night terrors.

“Our lives are consumed with work, family, and personal responsibilities, all of which greatly impact the time we get to rest,” said Dr. Mayank Shukla, Director of Sleep Medicine at Jamaica Hospital. “Inadequate sleep is considered the norm but we have to understand that sleep affects our overall health, so if you’re not getting enough rest, it’s important to find out why.”

Dr. Shukla adds that the various symptoms of a sleep disorder can include: daytime sleepiness, fatigue, falling asleep at inappropriate times, loud snoring, frequent nocturnal movements, nighttime chest pains, poor memory and concentration, and morning headaches.

Jamaica Hospital’s Sleep Center performs overnight tests, where a patient wears electrodes so that their breathing, brain waves, muscle movements, snoring, and heart rate can be monitored by a technician throughout the night. The testing environment is comfortable and homelike. Each patient room has soundproof walls for privacy and is furnished with a queen size bed, a flat screen television, and a DVD player. A continental breakfast is also available to patients before their morning departure.

“Sleep disorders and lack of sleep is a growing problem,” said Dr. Shukla. “People often ignore their continued sleepiness, not realizing that it can be the result of a sleep disorder. It’s important that people mention this problem to their doctor.”

If you have a sleep disorder or suspect that you have a sleep disorder and would like to schedule an appointment, ask your doctor to provide you with a referral to Jamaica Hospital’s Sleep Center.