Group B Strep Awareness Month

Posted on July 5, 2024 by Patrick Hercules

Group B Strep (GBS), or Strep B, is a bacteria that lives naturally in our bodies and comes and goes without showing symptoms or causing harm unless it enters a part of the body free from bacteria. If the bacteria infects the lining around the brain it causes it to swell resulting in meningitis.

GBS bacteria live in the gastrointestinal and genital tracts. It can cause many types of infection which can be life-threatening. These infections and their symptoms include:

Bacteremia (bloodstream infection)

Fever
Chills
Low alertness.

Sepsis (the body’s extreme response to an infection)

Fever
Chills
Low alertness.

Bone and joint infections

Fever
Chills
Swelling
Stiffness or inability to use the affected limb or joint.

Urinary tract infections

Pain or burning while urinating.
Frequent urination.
Feeling the need to urinate despite having an empty bladder.
Bloody urine.
Pressure or cramping in the groin or lower abdomen.

Meningitis

Fever
Headache
Stiff neck.
Nausea and vomiting.
Sensitivity to light.
Confusion

Pneumonia

Chest pain when breathing or coughing.
Confusion
Cough
Fatigue
Fever or chills.
Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
Shortness of breath.

Skin and soft tissue infections

Fever
Red skin.
Swollen skin or infected area.
Skin or infected area is warm to the touch.
Skin or infected area is full of pus or other drainage.

GBS bacteria most commonly causes bacteremia, sepsis, pneumonia, and meningitis in newborns. This occurs when bacteria is passed on to the newborn as it goes through the birth canal during vaginal delivery.

GBS disease symptoms in newborns and babies include:

Fever
Difficulty when feeding.
Irritability or lethargy in the infant.
Difficulty breathing.
A blueish color to their skin.

Doctors diagnose GBS disease by taking samples of a patient’s blood, urine, or spinal fluid depending on the type of infection.

Treatment for GBS depends on the type of infection. Doctors usually treat GBS disease with antibiotics. People with soft tissue and bone infections may need surgery.

It is important to start treatment as soon as possible.

If you would like to get screened for GBS bacteria, you can schedule an appointment with an OB/GYN at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Women’s Health Center. To learn more, please call (718) 291-3276.

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.

Fireworks Safety Tips

Posted on July 3, 2024 by Patrick Hercules

July Fourth is a fun time to spend with friends and family. We have barbecues, cookouts, and watch fireworks to celebrate Independence Day.

You may want to set off fireworks as part of your Fourth of July celebration, however, it is important to know that all fireworks including Roman candles, bottle rockets, bombs, skyrockets, and other aerial devices are illegal in New York City.

New York State law allows the sale and use of sparklers but limits the types and sizes. They must be handheld or mounted on a base or spike, and be no more than 500 grams of pyrotechnic composition.

However, if you live on Long Island, New York City, or in parts of the Hudson Valley sparklers are banned.

If you do use fireworks in a state, city, or county where they are legal, follow these tips for the safety of yourself and your loved ones:

Read and follow all safety information and instructions for proper use.
Keep small children away from fireworks.
Have a bucket of water or hose ready to extinguish accidental fires.
Never allow anyone under the influence of alcohol or drugs to use fireworks.
Light one device at a time.
Never try to relight a device that didn’t light the first time.
Only use fireworks away from people, pets, buildings, and flammable materials.
Soak all used and unused fireworks in water for a few hours before throwing them away.

Fireworks are best left to professionals. If you choose to use fireworks to celebrate Independence Day or other occasions or milestones, confirm the type of fireworks your state and local ordinances allow.

If you or someone you are with are experiencing an emergency, call 911 immediately.

Extreme Heat Safety Tips

Posted on June 18, 2024 by Patrick Hercules

This week, we are expected to experience a highly dangerous heatwave across New York City and the rest of the Northeast and Midwest due to the presence of a heat dome. Starting Wednesday and into the weekend, temperatures are expected to be in the low 90s and could get as high as the mid to high-90s.

A heatwave is when temperatures rise above 90 degrees for at least three days. A heat dome is when a ridge of high pressure builds over an area and doesn’t move for up to a week or more.

Extreme heat causes two heat-related illnesses in that your body can’t control its temperature: heat exhaustion and heatstroke.

Heat exhaustion symptoms include:

Heavy sweating
Nausea or vomiting
Muscle cramps
Fatigue
Dizziness and fainting

Here are some ways to prevent symptoms of heat exhaustion: Move to a cool place, loosen clothing, use cold compresses, and sip cool (not cold) water.

Heatstroke or Sunstroke symptoms can include:

A fever of 104 degrees or more
Severe headache
Behavioral changes
Confusion
Hot, red skin
No sweating
Rapid heartbeat and loss of consciousness

Here are some ways to prevent heatstroke: Quickly move yourself or the individual to a cooler place, use cold compresses, and do not give them anything to drink.

Some overall tips for staying safe in extreme heat include:

Stay hydrated- Drink extra fluids and don’t wait until you’re thirsty.
Wear sunscreen- Apply properly and as recommended to prevent sunburn which can make you dehydrated and affect your ability to cool down.
Limit your time outside- Shorten your exercise time and rest often in shady areas. Try to exercise in the early morning or evening when it is cooler.
Monitor high-risk loved ones- Pay attention to the warning signs of certain illnesses or medical conditions. Extreme heat can be dangerous for everyone, especially for those with a history of:

Heart disease
Asthma
High blood pressure
Stroke
Obesity
Diabetes

Others at risk due to extreme heat include the elderly, young children, those who work outdoors, people with disabilities, those who live alone, those without access to air conditioning, people who take certain medications, and pets.

Check the car- Never leave children or pets in a parked car, even if the windows are cracked open.

Usually, we would look to a cool summer night for relief from a hot summer day. Unfortunately, night temperatures aren’t dropping as they should.

Here are some things you can do before going to bed during the heatwave:

Stay hydrated
Eat light
Dress lightly
Look for chances to cool the bedroom
Avoid alcohol
Set time aside to relax
Shower in lukewarm or cool water
Find the coolest place to sleep
Keep a regular sleep schedule

Extreme heat is the deadliest weather-related hazard in the United States, so it is important to understand the risks of extreme heat and to make a heat emergency plan that works for you and your family.

If you are experiencing any heat-related symptoms, you can schedule an appointment at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Cardiology Department by calling (718) 206-7100. If you are experiencing an emergency, please dial 911 right away.

How Does Being in Love Affect Your Body?

Posted on February 13, 2024 by Jacob Lobosco

Love is no simple feeling; in fact, being in love with someone can cause a complex swirl of different emotions, like happiness, desire, and excitement, as well as some potentially negative feelings, such as anxiety and over-attachment. These emotions are linked to several chemicals and hormones produced by the body, which can result in a variety of mental and physical effects.

Many of the physical effects of love can be positive in the long term, including everything from a healthy sex drive to a decreased risk for several chronic diseases, reduced pain, and even an increased likelihood of a longer life span. However, there are some potentially negative effects, too, such as poorer judgement (making risky choices to satisfy or impress the person you love) and anxious over-attachment (agonizing over things such as what the other person is doing or how long it’s taking them to respond to you).

When you’re in love, it can make you feel euphoric, particularly when you receive affection from the person you’re in love with. This happens because of an increase in dopamine levels. Dopamine controls the brain’s pleasure and reward centers and is part of many of our body’s functions, such as learning, awareness, mood changes, sleep, arousal, and even movement. However, dopamine levels can also contribute to the development of an addiction to feelings of love, particularly in the “infatuation” stage when those feelings are strongest; this can potentially make it difficult to form a lasting relationship.

Aside from dopamine, hormones such as adrenaline and norepinephrine, which can make your palms sweat and cause your heart to race, are also shown to increase when you’re in love with someone. Additionally, when people develop a feeling of attachment to the person they’re in love with, it can trigger the development of hormones such as vasopressin and oxytocin, which create feelings of security and comfort.

A healthy, committed, long-lasting relationship will produce more good effects than bad ones over the long term, but an important part of maintaining such a relationship is noticing and taking proactive steps to manage negative thoughts or behaviors as they occur. One of the best ways to do this is with the help of a licensed psychiatrist. To schedule an appointment at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Mental Health Clinic, please call (718) 206-5575.

Wellness Wednesday: Tips for Supporting Your Physical Well-Being

Posted on January 31, 2024 by Jacob Lobosco

With the first month of 2024 coming to an end, it’s a great time to check in on the progress you’ve made toward the goals you’ve set for the year. Whether you’re looking to get into better physical shape, reach a career milestone, or gain better control over any medical conditions you experience on a regular basis, wellness is an important part of moving toward your goals in a steady, efficient way. Make sure that you are:

Staying physically active (about 150 minutes of moderate exercise, including 2 days of strength training, each week)
Getting enough sleep (at least 7 hours per night)
Making some time each week for social connections with friends and loved ones
Eating enough food for your size
Avoiding smoking and limiting consumption of harmful substances such as alcohol
Making some time each week for leisurely activities that you enjoy
Practicing mindfulness and staying focused on the present moment
Keeping up with preventative medical screenings and addressing medical problems as they appear by visiting a doctor

For preventative visits and specialized treatment for medical problems, you can schedule an appointment at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center by calling (718) 206-7001.

How a Plant-Based Diet Can Help Your Heart Health

Posted on June 15, 2023 by Jacob Lobosco

Plant-based diets, which prioritize foods such as fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and whole grains with only small, occasional servings of animal protein, are associated with a lower risk of heart disease at any age. However, not everyone may fully understand what a healthy, nutritious plant-based diet looks like.

A wide variety of foods can fall under the “plant-based” umbrella, with many options not necessarily providing significant benefits to your heart health. Some foods, such as white rice and white bread, are highly processed, meaning that you will not receive many of the necessary nutrients to promote better heart health from them. Other foods that are best avoided include those that are high in sugar, sodium, and extra additives.

A plant-based diet does not have to involve cutting out all meat. You can make beneficial changes for your heart health by keeping your overall meat consumption at a moderate level and by eating healthier types of meat. It is recommended that you stick to unprocessed red meat and poultry, as well as limit your meat portions to approximately three 3.5-ounce servings each week.

Fish can also be a healthy, beneficial element of a plant-based diet. Similarly, however, you should keep your intake at a moderate level, meaning that you should limit your fish consumption to two servings of approximately 3 ounces of fish per week. Fatty fish such as salmon, herring, and mackerel can be a particularly beneficial addition to your diet.

Remember that what you eat is not the only thing that matters when it comes to your heart health; you also need to monitor how much you eat and how physically active you are. Make sure to stay within the recommended number of calories for you to consume each day and to follow an exercise routine that incorporates strength and aerobic activities three days per week.

If you experience heart problems or may be at risk of heart disease, you can schedule an appointment with a cardiologist at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Cardiology Department by calling (718) 206-7100.

What is an Elimination Diet?

Posted on March 1, 2023 by Jacob Lobosco

Foods that you’re allergic to can cause you to experience a variety of symptoms, including gas, bloating, nausea, or diarrhea. While these types of problems are rarely life-threatening allergic reactions, they can cause significant discomfort and disruption in your daily life. However, you may not know for certain which exact foods are causing these reactions. An elimination diet can help you identify them.

Elimination diets involve removing, then later re-adding, certain foods from your diet which are suspected to be the cause of allergic reactions. This diet is typically only maintained for a brief period of up to six weeks.

An elimination diet is typically divided into an “elimination” phase and a “reintroduction” phase. During the elimination phase, potential allergens are removed from your diet. These typically include foods such as:

Nuts
Seeds
Legumes
Dairy products
Starchy foods
Caffeinated drinks
Spices
Meat
Fish
Sugary products
Certain fruits and vegetables

During the reintroduction phase, you once again start to eat each food group you’ve cut out of your diet. Each of these groups is individually re-introduced over the course of up to three days, providing adequate time to watch for potential symptoms.

Different versions of the elimination diet, such as the low-FODMAPs diet (which targets short-chain carbohydrates), only remove specific food groups. Alternatively, varieties such as the fasting elimination diet, which involves only drinking water for up to five days, may be more extreme than the standard version.

No matter which version of the elimination diet you plan to try, you should only do so under the supervision of a medical professional. The re-introduction of food allergens can potentially cause anaphylaxis, a severe reaction that causes airways to swell and restricts your breathing. Extreme varieties such as the fasting elimination diet can be especially dangerous to your health without the guidance of a doctor.

If you suspect you have a food allergy and plan to follow an elimination diet, schedule an appointment with a registered dietician at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Outpatient Nutritional Services Department by calling (718) 206-7056.

Safety Tips for Cold Weather Outdoor Exercise

Posted on January 20, 2022 by Michael Hinck

Winter weather doesn’t mean the end of your outdoor exercise routine. If you plan to continue to run or bike after the mercury drops, consider following these tips so you can stay safe and warm while exercising in the cold.

Know the weather conditions before heading outdoors – In addition to the temperature, those heading outside to exercise need to understand how wind and precipitation can affect your health. These factors, combined with the length of time spent outdoors need to be taken into consideration before beginning an outdoor exercise regime.

Know the signs of frostbite and hypothermia –Frostbite is most common on exposed skin, such as your cheeks, nose and ears. It can also occur on hands and feet. Early warning signs include numbness, loss of feeling or a stinging sensation.

Hypothermia is abnormally low body temperature. When exposed to cold temperatures, your body begins to lose heat faster than it can be produced. Hypothermia signs and symptoms include intense shivering, slurred speech, loss of coordination and fatigue.

Get out of the cold and seek emergency help right away if you experience symptoms of frostbite or hypothermia.

Dress in layers – Dressing too warmly is a big mistake when exercising in cold weather. Exercise generates a considerable amount of heat — enough to make you feel like it’s much warmer than it really is. The best option is to dress in layers that can be removed as soon as you start to sweat and then put layers back on as needed.

Protect your head, hands, feet and ears – When it’s cold, blood flow is concentrated in your body’s core, leaving your head, hands and feet vulnerable. Ways to protect these parts of your body include wearing a thin pair of glove liners under a pair of heavier gloves, purchasing exercise shoes one size larger to allow for thick thermal socks or an extra pair of regular socks. And don’t forget a hat to protect your head or headband to protect your ears.

Use proper safety gear – If it’s dark when you exercise outside, wear reflective clothing. If you ride a bike, both headlights and taillights are a good idea. Also choose footwear with enough traction to prevent falls, especially if it’s icy or snowy.

It’s as easy to get sunburned in winter as in summer — even more so if you’re exercising in the snow or at high altitudes. Wear a sunscreen and lip balm with sunscreen. Protect your eyes from snow and ice glare with dark glasses or goggles.

Drink plenty of fluids – Don’t forget about hydration, as it’s just as important during cold weather as it is in the heat. Drink water or sports drinks before, during and after your workout, even if you’re not really thirsty.

These tips can help you safely and enjoyably exercise in cold conditions. Closely monitor how your body feels during cold-weather exercise to help prevent injuries. While exercise is safe for almost everyone, even in cold weather, if you do have certain condition such as asthma or heart disease that could limit you ability, you should check with your doctor first.

Jamaica Hospital Offers Weight Lifting Safety Tips

Posted on November 29, 2019 by Michael Hinck

Lifting weights can offer many health benefits, including strengthening your muscles, burning excess fat, and improving your overall physical fitness. If however, it not done safely, weight lifting can result in serious injury or even death.

Before you begin to lift weights, you should speak with a qualified instructor or other trained professional to teach you the proper technique to avoid an injury. They can advise you on an appropriate starting point that should include what exercises are best suited for you as well as how much weight to start with, and at how often to lift. Many factors will play a role in determining your weight lifting regime including age, overall physical health, and the reason you want to lift weights.

Some weight lifting safety tips should include:

Take time to warm up and cool down before and after your workout by stretching your muscles
Avoid weight lifting alone. Using a partner to “spot” you will help you avoid injury
Understand the proper form when lifting weights, including keeping your back straight
Don’t exercise any set of muscles more than three times per week and never lift more weight than you can handle safely
Take a moment to understand how to operate the equipment and inspect it to make sure it is in good condition
Wear shoes with good traction to avoid slipping
Stop lifting weights if you feel faint or are experiencing any type of pain

It is important to speak to your doctor if you are considering beginning a weight lifting program to make sure it is the best form of exercise for you. You should also consult with your doctor if you suspect you sustained an injury while lifting weights.

To make an appointment with a physician at Jamaica Hospital’s Ambulatory Care Center, please call 718-206-7001.

Can Your Pet Be A Distraction To You While You Drive?

Posted on November 21, 2019 by Michael Hinck

There are many known driving distractions that we are warned to avoid while on the road. These include: talking or texting on your mobile device, eating or drinking, attending to personal grooming, or adjusting our vehicle’s radio or navigation system. While it is important to be mindful of each of these potential distractions, there is another type of distraction that doesn’t get as much attention – driving with our pets.

Many people take their dogs or cats in the car with them when they run local errands; others bring them along for long road trips. During these excursions, our pets often have free reign of the vehicle, will place their head out the car window, and in some cases, even sit in the driver’s lap. These activities, while adorable, can pose great danger to not only the operator of the vehicle, but also the other passengers, fellow motorists, and even the pets themselves.

A recent study of individuals who frequently travel with their pets in the car revealed some very startling facts about their behaviors. The survey concluded that 64 percent of drivers admitted to engaging in a potentially distracting pet-related activity, and 29 percent admitted to actually being distracted by their pets. Some of the activities noted in the study included petting or playing with their pets, allowing them to stay in their lap, feeding them treats, and taking photos of them. The same study determined 84 percent allowed their pets to ride in their vehicle while unrestrained.

To avoid these types of distractions while driving, motorists should consider purchasing a safety device for their dog or cat. There are two types of devices to choose from:

Pet seat belts – They are easy to use and work in tandem with your normal seat belt. Check to make sure the pet belt is the right size for your animal. One that’s too big or too small is counterproductive and can cause unnecessary injuries.

Pet carriers- Look for a sturdy carrier with ample ventilation and plenty of room for your pet to turn around and stretch out. Also, make sure you secure the carrier so that it stays safely in place if you suddenly brake or get into an accident.

Jamaica Hospital’s Trauma Division warns that driving with your beloved pet in the car doesn’t need to be dangerous. Take some time to make sure you can safely restrain your pet to maximize safety for you and your lovable friend.