What is Scoliosis ?

Posted on August 3, 2017 by Andrew Rubin

Scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the backbone (spine ). In the majority of cases, the cause of this curvature is unknown. In general, girls have a higher risk of developing scoliosis than boys do.However, there are cases where the curvature is due to a person having muscular dystrophy or cerebral palsy. Other causes of scoliosis include birth defects, heredity, and spinal injuries. Not all abnormal spinal curvatures are considered scoliosis. A non-structural deformity can be due to one leg being longer than the other.

Many cases of scoliosis are considered to be mild and other than the spine having an abnormal sideways curvature, there is little impact on the body’s ability to function properly. In serious, the curvature of the spine may be so severe that it affects the chest cavity and causes problems with lung function. It may also affect the heart’s ability to function properly.

Symptoms of scoliosis:
• Hips that are uneven
• Uneven shoulders
• Uneven waist
• Back pain
• One shoulder blade that protrudes more than the other

In severe cases the ribs on one side of the body may protrude more than the other side
In order to diagnose scoliosis a physician will perform a physical exam that includes visualizing the patient’s posture, taking a family history, performing a neurological exam to check for muscle weakness, numbness, and abnormal reflexes. A series of x-rays will also be taken to confirm the diagnosis.

Treatment of scoliosis is determined by the severity of the abnormal spinal curvature, the age of the patient, the location of the curvature, and whether or not the curvature is “C” shaped or a “double S “. In many cases no treatment will be required, only careful monitoring to see if the condition worsens over time. In cases that are moderate a brace may be prescribed to prevent the worsening of the condition. Severe cases of scoliosis may require surgical intervention. This procedure involves fusion of two or more vertebrae and the use of either rods, plates and screws to hold the spine in place.

If you think that your child may have an abnormal curvature of the spine, speak with your pediatrician about an evaluation. To schedule an appointment with a pediatrician at Jamaica Hospital, 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.

Jamaica Hospital Celebrates World Breastfeeding Week

Posted on August 1, 2017 by Xavia Malcolm

Today Jamaica Hospital Medical Center hosted a baby shower for women in our community in celebration of World Breastfeeding Week. Our lactation consultants along with special guests spoke to moms-to-be about the importance of breastfeeding and the many health benefits it provides.

Each year, August first to seventh is designated World Breastfeeding Week to encourage breastfeeding around the world and improve the health of babies.

World Breastfeeding Week was created 25 years ago by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) to promote the health benefits infants receive from being fed breast milk exclusively for the first six months of life. The observation is supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF).

Organizations including WHO and the American Academy of Pediatrics have found that in addition to being an optimal source of nutrition, breastfeeding offers babies protection from bacteria and viruses that can lead to potential life threatening diseases. Breastfeeding also benefits mothers; women who choose to breastfeed are less likely to develop breast or ovarian cancer, diabetes and post-partum depression.

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center is a designated Baby-Friendly USA facility that promotes exclusive breastfeeding. Our hospital provides several social and clinical programs to support pregnant and nursing mothers. Some of our programs include breastfeeding education classes, CenteringPregnancy and breastfeeding support groups.

Last year, we opened a lactation lounge for our community to utilize and access 24 hours, 7 days a week.

For more information about the services we provide, please visit www.JamaicaHospital.org.

Bobby Serina, RN

Posted on July 27, 2017 by Andrew Rubin

The entire staff of Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Emergency Department is critical to treating hundreds of patients every day. For over twenty years, one of the people who has dedicated his career to taking care of patients is Bobby Serina, RN.
Bobby grew up in the Philippines where he attended Liceo De Cagayan College of Nursing. He graduated in 1979 then started working at Doctor’s General Hospital in Cagayan de Oro City in 1980 as an ER/OR nurse. Bobby furthered his education during this time and obtained his BSN Supplemental in 1981. In 1985 he decided to go abroad, traveling to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where he worked at the 1400 bed Riyadh Central Hospital in the emergency room.
While Bobby was working in Saudi Arabia he met his beautiful wife Menchi who is also an ER nurse. They are blessed with three beautiful children and two grandchildren. He worked in Saudi Arabia for ten years and had the opportunity of a lifetime when he went to work in the Royal Palace clinic in Riyadh. In the years that Bobby spent in Saudi Arabia he learned the culture of the country and the Arabic language which he still speaks very well. In 1983 Bobby’s wife came to the United States and shortly afterwards, he followed.
Bobby has been working at Jamaica Hospital for twenty years and he describes his experiences at the hospital as amazing and would not trade it for anything. He feels that he learns something new every day which he feels is so important. He enjoys working with the wonderful people at the hospital who come from so many different parts of the world. Bobby describes the ER as a collaborative effort between the EMS responders, PCA’s, PAR’s, transporters, PA’s, physicians and hospital administration. The camaraderie amongst the staff and the fact that they share a common goal of helping our patients is why they work together so well. Bobby really enjoys making a big difference in patients’ lives and he says, no matter how stressful each day can be, at the end of the day he says he feels a great deal of accomplishment.
Bobby is dedicated to his profession and to providing patients with the highest level of care and compassion. When he isn’t working, he enjoys running, working out, playing tennis and basketball. What is especially important to Bobby is his family and he enjoys spending time with them as often as possible.

Can Yoga Naturally Lower your Blood Pressure?

Posted on July 26, 2017 by Joann Ariola

Practicing yoga can give your overall health an added boost. Studies have found that it is also helpful in fighting hypertension when combined with other methods of management such as a healthy diet, medication and aerobic exercise. Research indicates that on average patients who incorporated yoga into their care management routine saw a notable reduction in their systolic blood pressure (top number) and diastolic blood pressure (bottom number).

It is believed that yoga is an effective complementary treatment for hypertension because it increases and strengthens the body’s ability to take in oxygen. Additionally it can help improve resiliency to stress; a trigger in elevating blood pressure levels.

If you decide to include yoga as a part of your care, it is important to know that not all yoga poses are created equal in high blood pressure management. There are some poses that are helpful and there are others that can be harmful.

Yoga poses that can be beneficial are:

Bridge pose
Posterior stretch pose
Savasana pose
Child pose

Yoga poses that should be avoided or modified include:

Bow pose
Camel pose
Feathered peacock pose
Balasana pose

It is important that you speak with your physician before trying yoga. Your physician will assess your health and advise if you are physically capable. If your doctor has given you the green light, inform your yoga instructor about your hypertension. This information will help in the prevention of injuries or the exacerbation of your medical condition.

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.

Do You Need More Or Less Sleep As You Get Older?

Posted on July 19, 2017 by Jamaica Hospital Medical Center

Research indicates that as you get older, you will need less sleep. The National Sleep Foundation recommends the following hours for each age group:

• Newborns (0-3 months): 14-17 hours

• Infants (4-11 months): 12-15 hours

• Toddlers (1-2 years): 11-14 hours

• Preschoolers (3-5): 10-13 hours

• School-age children (6-13): to 9-11 hours

• Teenagers (14-17): to 8-10 hours

• Younger adults (18-25): 7-9 hours

• Adults (26-64): 7-9 hours

• Older adults (65+): 7-8 hours

It was also found that adults tend to take longer to doze off, sleep more lightly and wake up more often during the night than children and adolescents.

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If Your Baby is Not Latching On, It Could Be a Condition Called Tongue-Tie

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Xavia Malcolm

For many mothers who choose to breastfeed, a sense of accomplishment is often gained when their baby first latches on. Breastfeeding provides a time to nurture, comfort and build a bond with their babies. However, if a baby is unable to latch on and breastfeed properly, mothers can develop feelings of rejection or frustration. Before becoming distressed, lactation experts at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center are advising moms to look into the reasons why their baby is not latching on. One of those reasons may be due to a condition called ankyloglossia, otherwise known as tongue tie.

Tongue tie is a medical condition that is present at birth. It restricts the tongue’s range of motion. This restriction is caused by an abnormally thick and short lingual frenulum (The frenulum of the tongue is the soft tissue that connects your tongue to the base of your mouth).

The degree of severity of tongue tie varies from mild cases, where the lingual frenulum loosens over time or severe cases of complete ankyloglossia where the tongue is tethered to the floor of the mouth.

Tongue tie can complicate breastfeeding because it may not allow a baby to open the mouth widely enough to latch on at the correct angle or make a good seal around the breast.

During an examination of the baby’s mouth, a lactation specialist, nurse or physician can perform an assessment to determine if an infant has tongue-tie or if the ability to feed is compromised. Depending on severity, further consultation for a simple and quick surgery may be suggested.

The surgical procedure most commonly recommended is called a frenectomy; which can be done with or without anesthesia. A physician will examine the frenulum, then use sterile scissors or a laser to cut it free.

In an effort to promote breastfeeding, Jamaica Hospital Medical Center offers many services and resources to the community. One of the services the hospital has made available to mothers is frenectomy in an outpatient setting. Procedures are performed by our highly trained dentists, utilizing laser technology. The procedure is quick, painless and there is very little or no bleeding. After surgery, the infant’s tongue movement should improve greatly and in most cases, breastfeeding can commence immediately.The dental clinic can be reached at 718-206-6980.

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center is pleased to announce that the hospital has received official Baby Friendly-USA® Designation. Baby-Friendly® hospitals and birth centers are required to meet the gold standard of providing excellent maternal care and achieving optimal infant feeding outcomes, in relation to breastfeeding.

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

Kids Home for The Summer Healthy Snack Swaps

Posted on July 10, 2017 by Xavia Malcolm

The kids are home for the summer and parents are now challenged with providing them with healthy and nutritious snacks throughout the day. Finding the balance between snacks that children are drawn to and snacks that are healthy can become difficult.

Sugar, high sodium, colorful packaging, fun shapes and unnatural food coloring are a few factors that make junk food enticing to children. However, parents can win the fight against junk food by making healthy food more appealing to their kid’s senses.

Here are a few tips on swapping kid favorites with healthier choices:

Hot dogs- Instead of regular beef and pork hot dogs, purchase turkey franks with low sodium and without added nitrates. Decorate the hot dog with colorful vegetables such as cucumbers, carrots, red and yellow peppers.
Salty cheese snacks- Make plain cheese fun by cutting it into quirky shapes or adding bright and sweet fruit. You can make cheese and fruit shish kebabs.
French fries- Opt for baked sweet potato fries and sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Sweet potatoes are high in vitamin C, B6, and D. They are a source of Iron, magnesium and potassium.
Ice cream- Frozen yogurt is just as tasty and contains less sugar and fat. Adding toppings such as fruit and granola is a plus.
Popsicles- Freeze real fruit juices with bits of fruit into bars.
Potato chips- Kale chips are rich in vitamin A and easy to make at home. Make them delicious by adding herbs and spices.
Candy- Healthy alternatives to candy include raisins or strawberries and bananas lightly drizzled with chocolate.
Milkshakes- Smoothies made with fresh fruit and low-fat yogurt are a healthier option.
Macaroni and cheese-Use low-fat cheese, add Greek yogurt to make it creamy and spinach to make it nutritious.

The battle against junk food is not lost. Keep food exciting and nutritious for your family by sourcing healthy recipe websites or visiting Jamaica Hospital’s Facebook.

How Long After a Meal Should I Wait to Swim?

Posted on July 7, 2017 by Joann Ariola

We have all been warned to wait 30 minutes after eating before going into the pool, but is that a Fact or a Myth?

Well, in this instance, it is a myth. Swimming on a full stomach does not impact your ability to swim. It is true that blood rushes into the stomach to aid in the digestion process, but it is not enough blood to cause your muscles to lose energy and function.

There are cases of stomach upset when swimming after eating a large meal such as cheese burgers, fries, or wings. A good suggestion would be, if you desire to go into the pool directly after eating, you may want to make a healthier food choice to avoid any type of stomach upset and if you have eaten a heavy meal start off with a low to moderate level of swimming intensity.

Although developing cramps can happen while swimming on a full stomach, they would not be debilitating enough to cause drowning. In fact, Less than one percent of drowning deaths in the United States have been linked to a full stomach.