Health Beat

Tips for Managing Holiday Stress

Posted on December 13, 2023 by Jacob Lobosco

For many people, the holiday season can be a stressful time. Whether you’re experiencing financial difficulties, relationship issues with loved ones, or health problems that interfere with your ability to enjoy the holidays, it’s important to have effective ways to manage these causes of stress to prevent them from disrupting your holiday season. Some steps you may consider taking include:

Setting reasonable expectations for yourself: Circumstances such as cost or availability may sometimes make it difficult to accomplish certain things during the holiday season, such as getting an expensive gift for someone or hosting a big family dinner. To avoid stress, don’t over-extend yourself; instead, recognize what you can reasonably accomplish with the time and resources you have. Set realistic expectations for any gift-giving, hosting, or other responsibilities you have for the holidays.

Learning to de-escalate (or avoid) conflicts: Some holiday gatherings may bring family members together who don’t get along well. Conflict at these gatherings can create negative experiences for everyone involved, so it’s helpful to consider ways in which you can de-escalate them. If you’re hosting, try to steer the conversation into a more friendly direction; if the conflict escalates, remove the involved members from the gathering. Alternatively, it can also help to remove yourself from the situation, particularly if you’re one of the people directly involved in the conflict.

Keeping up with therapy: If you regularly attend therapy sessions for your mental health, try to maintain this schedule during the holiday season. While this part of the year can become extremely busy for many people, therapy can be an important outlet for stress, as well as a tool to help you learn coping mechanisms throughout the holidays.

If you need a psychiatrist to help you manage mental health problems, such as severe stress, that worsen during the holiday season, you can schedule a therapy appointment at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Department of Psychiatry by calling (718) 206-5575.

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.

Choosing Safe Toys For Children This Holiday Season

Posted on December 6, 2023 by Jamaica Hospital Medical Center

The holiday season is the best time of the year to buy toys for children. However, parents are often overwhelmed by a larger selection, and choosing the best toy can become challenging. The most important thing to remember when choosing toys for toddlers is picking safe and appropriate toys for their age.

Each year hospital ERs are visited by over 200,000 young children, typically under the age of three, who have incurred toy-related injuries. These injuries can be avoided if parents keep these guidelines in mind when buying toys:

Carefully read warning labels
Do not buy toys with small and removable parts
Check to see if toys are on a recall list by visiting sites such as recalls.gov or cpsc.gov.
Avoid buying toys with parts that launch or projects
Do not purchase toys with sharp edges or points
Make certain that cords or strings are shorter than seven inches
Avoid buying toys that make extremely loud noises

Most toys come with warning labels that advise parents of potential choking hazards and compatibility by age group. Parents should pay close attention to these labels and do due diligence by researching toys and inspecting them for further dangers.

How Can Mold Impact Your Health?

Posted on November 30, 2023 by Jacob Lobosco

Mold growth is a common issue in many homes, and one that can cause a variety of medical problems. Many of the potential physical responses to mold exposure, such as a stuffy nose, sneezing, and red, itchy eyes, may occur more strongly in people who are allergic to mold or who have asthma. In some cases, severe reactions such as fever or shortness of breath can occur.

Mold is typically found in moist areas, such as parts of your home that have experienced flooding or leaks from your roof, windows, or pipes. It’s most likely to grow on wood-based products such as paper or cardboard, as well as some ceiling or floor tiles. Other materials that mold can grow on include:

Paint
Drywall
Carpet
Fabric
Insulation
Upholstery

You can often identify mold by its sight and smell. It often produces a musty odor and appears as one or more patches that are slimy, fuzzy, and/or discolored; these patches grow larger over time. Mold may also grow in places that are not easy to see, such as behind or under furniture, as well as inside pipes or walls. You can look for areas of your home where mold is most likely to grow by looking for signs of water stains or warping due to water damage.

If you notice signs of a mold problem in your home, make sure to identify the source of any water leakage and correct it, as well as discard any items with extensive mold growth or water damage that can’t be thoroughly cleaned and dried. Small areas of mold growth can be cleaned with soap and water, but for large-scale mold problems, it may be best to hire a licensed contractor to correct the issue.

If you are experiencing medical problems due to mold exposure, you can receive treatment at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center. To schedule an appointment, please call (718) 206-7001.

A Healthy Thanksgiving Recipe – Sauteed Spinach with Garlic and Lemon

Posted on November 20, 2023 by Andrew Rubin

Thanksgiving dinner can be accompanied by healthy side dishes this year. Here is a recipe from Good Housekeeping for sauteed spinach with garlic and lemon that is easy to prepare, delicious and most importantly, very healthy. https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/a34349776/glazed-green-beans-recipe/

The Great American Smokeout

Posted on November 16, 2023 by Andrew Rubin

Today is the Great American Smokeout, an annual event when the American Cancer Society encourages everyone to quit smoking. This event helps to make people aware of the dangers of using tobacco products as well as the tools that are available to help them quit smoking.

The Great American Smokeout started in 1970 in a small town in Massachusetts. People were asked to give up smoking for one day and to take the money that they would have spent on cigarettes and donate it to a local high school scholarship fund. The event spread to other cities both large and small and eventually led to legislation that bans smoking in workplaces, restaurants, and other public spaces both indoors and outdoors.

Smoking is responsible for one in five deaths in the United States today. Lung cancer is the leading cause of death in both men and women. Smoking is also the cause of cancer of the larynx, mouth, sinuses, throat, esophagus, and the bladder. The number of people who smoke has dramatically decreased in the United States since the anti-smoking campaigns began. In 1965 it was estimated that over 40 percent of the population were smokers and today that number is around 18 percent.

Smokers have the best chances of quitting if they use at least two of the following methods:

Smoking Cessation Groups
• Nicotine substitute products
• Support from family and friends
• Telephone quit lines
• Counseling
• Prescription medications that help to reduce the urge to smoke

If you would like more information about quitting smoking please call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345. If you would like to schedule an appointment with a doctor at Jamaica Hospital to discuss smoking cessation, please call 718-206-8494.

What are Venous Ulcers?

Posted on November 15, 2023 by Jacob Lobosco

A venous ulcer is a wound that takes a longer time to heal than normal due to issues with blood flow to the heart from your extremities. This causes blood to pool in the legs and damages surrounding skin tissue; as a result, venous ulcers form, most often occurring on your legs near your ankles.

Venous ulcers may be identified based on their appearance, smell, and the sensations associated with them. Typically, these ulcers are shallow and irregularly shaped, and the skin around them may be hard and discolored. They also tend to ache and are typically itchy, foul-smelling, swollen, and oozing pus or other fluids.

The blood flow problems in your legs that cause venous ulcers to develop can occur due to a variety of factors, such as:

Age
Obesity
Paralysis
A sedentary lifestyle
Smoking
Surgery
Prior injuries

You may also be more likely to develop venous ulcers due to conditions that affect the flow of blood from your legs, such as deep vein thrombosis, chronic venous insufficiency, high blood pressure, venous obstruction, and venous reflux. Additionally, your risk may be higher if any of these conditions have affected members of your family.

Venous ulcers can cause permanent damage to surrounding tissues without treatment. Your doctor may recommend a variety of treatment approaches, depending on the underlying medical problems that may have caused the ulcer to develop. Treatment may also involve several elements focused on the ulcer itself to relieve pain and prevent further tissue damage. Some of these elements may include:

Antibiotics
Bandages or stockings to improve blood flow and/or cover the wound
Protective topical ointments
Pain relief medication
Debridement
Daily cleaning of the wound

If you have developed a venous ulcer, you can receive high-quality treatment from the vascular surgeons at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. To receive more information or to schedule an appointment, please call (718) 206-7001.

Social Anxiety Disorder

Posted on November 9, 2023 by Andrew Rubin

Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, affects approximately 15 million Americans. It is characterized by an intense fear of being rejected or thought of negatively in a social situation. It can cause extreme anxiety, feeling self-conscious and a sense of being embarrassed in daily social interactions.

Social anxiety most commonly starts in the teenage years and continues into adulthood. Less than five percent of people who experience social anxiety seek treatment within the first year after onset, and over a third of the people with this condition seek treatment after 10 years of experiencing it.

Some signs and symptoms of social anxiety include:

Fear of interacting with strangers
Avoidance of speaking in public
Anxiety of being in unfamiliar places
Blushing
Dizziness
Trembling
Upset stomach
Avoidance of eye contact
Avoidance of school
Inability to us a public restroom
Inability to eat in public

Some of the factors that can cause social anxiety include:

Having family members with this disorder
Having had negative experiences such as childhood abuse, bullying, or public humiliation
Being shy or timid
Meeting new people
Having a physical appearance that draws unwanted attention

Social anxiety, if not identified and treated early, can lead to low self-esteem, substance abuse, depression, a lack of social skills, isolation from others, and even thoughts of suicide.

If you suspect that you or someone you know has social anxiety disorder, it is suggested that speaking with a physician or a therapist can be helpful. If you would like to schedule an appointment with a physician at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, please call 718-206-7001.

National Epilepsy Awareness Month

Posted on November 8, 2023 by Jacob Lobosco

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder that causes abnormal brain activity, resulting in symptoms such as seizures, loss of awareness, and unusual behaviors. Generally, a diagnosis of epilepsy is given to people who have experienced two unprovoked seizures (meaning that they have no clear identifiable cause) within a 24-hour period.

There are several different types of seizures, each of which can cause different symptoms to occur. In most cases, a person with epilepsy will tend to have the same type of seizure each time, so the symptoms will be similar from episode to episode. Some of these types (and the symptoms associated with them) include:

Absence seizures (staring into space with potential loss of awareness)
Tonic seizures (muscle stiffening in the back, arms, and legs with potential loss of consciousness)
Atonic seizures (loss of muscle control, typically results in falls)
Clonic seizures (repeated jerking muscle movements in the face, neck, and arms)
Myoclonic seizures (sudden jerking or twitching in the upper body, arms, and legs)
Tonic-clonic seizures (sudden loss of consciousness with body stiffening, twitching, and shaking)
Focal seizures (affects a specific part of the brain, causing altered or impaired awareness and perception of your environment and senses)

While epilepsy often has no identifiable cause, approximately half of all cases can be traced to a variety of different factors, including:

Family history
Head trauma
Stroke
Infectious diseases such as meningitis, encephalitis, or AIDS
Developmental disorders such as autism

Medications or surgery can control seizures for the majority of people with epilepsy. Some people require lifelong treatment to control seizures, but for others, the seizures may eventually go away. Some children with epilepsy may outgrow the condition with age.

You can receive specialized neurological treatment for epilepsy at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Department of Neurosurgery. To get more information about our services or to schedule an appointment, please call (718) 206-6713.

November is Diabetes Awareness Month

Posted on November 2, 2023 by Andrew Rubin

The month of November has been designated Diabetes Awareness Month by the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Diabetes affects nearly 30 million people in the United States which is ten percent of the total population. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention more than 1 in 3 adults in the United States has prediabetes. This is the equivalent of 88 million people who are at risk of developing type II diabetes during their lifetime. The ADA states that 1 in 5 people in the United States who has diabetes isn’t aware that they even have it.

There is no cure for diabetes but there are many ways for people who have been diagnosed with the disease to live long, healthy lives if it is controlled properly. Learning to live with diabetes is one of the most important components for managing the disease. Proper nutrition, regular physical activity, monitoring blood sugar daily and taking medication to control diabetes are some of the ways complications can be prevented.

Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to many complications. It is the leading cause of blindness, non-traumatic amputations, kidney disease and also increases the risk for heart attacks.

It is also important to have regular medical exams to manage diabetes successfully. To schedule an appointment with a physician at Flushing Hospital Medical Center please call 718-670-5486.

How to Tell the Difference Between a Bad Cold, Bronchitis, and Pneumonia

Posted on November 2, 2023 by Andrew Rubin

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.