Health Beat

Allergic Asthma Testing

Posted on October 3, 2023 by Jamaica Hospital Medical Center

If you have asthma, now is the time to determine if seasonal allergies are worsening your symptoms. So, before you head out to do all the fun fall festivities, talk with your healthcare provider to see if a blood test for allergies is right for you.

Up to 90 percent of children and 60 percent of adults with asthma suffer from allergies. Identifying your triggers and reducing exposure could help you reduce the need for medication and improve your asthma.

Together with a detailed medical history and a physical examination, an allergy blood test will help a healthcare provider develop a customized treatment plan for allergic symptoms.

Most patients with asthma are seen in the primary care setting and most primary care providers have access to specific IgE testing. And testing to help rule in or rule out allergic sensitizations (and determining what your triggers are, if allergic) is key to coming up with a plan.

Test results are used by your healthcare provider, along with medical history and physical examination, to help manage your asthma.

That management plan includes being prepared for and even predicting attacks, responding to therapies, and developing personalized asthma action plans.

Your healthcare provider will create your asthma action plan with you. You should not create a plan on your own.

Schedule an appointment with your provider to see if specific IgE testing is appropriate for you and to develop an asthma action plan.

To schedule an appointment with a Family Medicine doctor at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, please call (718) 206-6942.

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.

Reiki

Posted on September 28, 2023 by Andrew Rubin

Reiki is considered to be a complementary medicine healing technique that was developed in the early 1900’s by Mikao Usui. It is a translation of two Japanese words, “rei” which means universal and “ki” which means the vital life energy. It is a healing modality that helps a person to feel relaxed and less stressed.

Each reiki session takes approximately 50 minutes. The patient lays fully clothed on a massage table and the person who is performing reiki places their hands either directly on or just above the patient’s body. This allows for the transfer of energy from the practitioner’s hands to the patient. This transfer of energy increases the flow and balance of energy through the body in order to help it heal.

The benefits of reiki include:

Brings on a meditative state
Promotes post-surgery healing
Increases the immune system
Diminishes pain
Promotes natural self-healing

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Integrative Health Center offers reiki to our patients. If you would like to schedule an appointment, please call 718-206-6914.

Employee Spotlight Shines on Kim Shelley

Posted on September 28, 2023 by Andrew Rubin

This month we are proud to shine our Employee Spotlight on Kim Shelley, Manager of the Admitting Department.

Kim has been working at Jamaica Hospital for 31 years. She is a native of Queens, having grown up in Richmond Hill and now residing in Belle Harbor with her husband in a home overlooking the beautiful beach. Living at the beach gives her a pleasant way to decompress.

In her free time, she enjoys photography, and has become the official photographer at family get-togethers. She also takes beautiful sunrise photos overlooking the beach. Kim likes to listen to music and podcasts, and watch movies. She also enjoys traveling regularly to Colombia, South America to visit family. Other locations she has visited are Europe, Greece, Scandinavia and many destinations in the US. Some places that she hopes to get to visit one day are Spain, Australia, and New Zealand.

Dining out is one of Kim’s favorite things to do, especially at all the diverse local restaurants near her home. She likes to try new types of food if they aren’t very spicey. She comes from a long line of Mets baseball fans, and she considers herself a fan of the team as well. Family and friends are very important to her and she likes spending time with them.

Kim considers herself lucky to work at Jamaica Hospital because of all the wonderful colleagues she has met there, many of whom have become lifelong friends. She enjoys the work that she does and takes pride in helping the thousands of patients who pass through her department each year. We look forward to having Kim continue to work for many years in the future.

Prepare for Cold and Flu Season With These Tips

Posted on September 27, 2023 by Jacob Lobosco

As the fall season begins, so does cold and flu season. There are a few essential steps you should take to prevent the spread of disease among your family and friends during this time. These include:

Getting Your Flu Vaccine: The flu vaccine is updated each year to keep up with new flu mutations and viral strains; it is the most simple, effective step you can take to protect against the flu. You can receive the flu vaccine from your doctor, local clinics, or at many major pharmacies.

Practicing Regular Hand Hygiene: Physical contact with other people, either directly (as with a handshake or hug) or indirectly (as when you hold a handrail on a bus or train), can be extremely difficult to avoid, but both of these methods of contact can spread germs that spread colds or the flu, particularly when those germs come into contact with your hands. You can keep your hands clean by washing them frequently with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol can also help, but is less effective.

Maintaining Healthy Lifestyle Habits: Good nutrition, as well as the avoidance of substances such as tobacco or alcohol, can keep your immune system strong and better able to defend against disease. Regular exercise also boosts your immune system, in addition to providing numerous other benefits; however, if you’re sharing exercise equipment with other people, such as at a gym, make sure to sanitize both your hands and the equipment you’re using before and after usage.

You can receive the flu vaccine, as well as medical treatment for the flu, a cold, or other illnesses and conditions, from Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center. To schedule an appointment, please call (718) 206-7001.

What is Chronic Inflammation?

Posted on September 25, 2023 by Jamaica Hospital Medical Center

Inflammation is one of the body’s ways of healing itself. It is the immune system’s response to an internal or external irritant.

Inflammation can be acute, meaning short-lived or it can be chronic (long lasting).

Chronic inflammation can last for weeks, months, or even years, leading to damage to healthy cells, tissues, and organs. Eventually, in some cases, this can result in internal connective tissue scarring, DNA damage, and even tissue death. Chronic inflammation is linked to the development of asthma, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.

Symptoms of chronic inflammation include body pain, anxiety, weight loss or gain, anxiety, gastrointestinal problems (diarrhea or constipation), and general fatigue.

Factors that can contribute to chronic inflammation include:

Long-term stress
Alcohol abuse
Obesity
Smoking
Lack of sleep
Exposure to chemical irritants
Autoinflammatory disease
Acute inflammation that worsens

One way to diagnose chronic inflammation is through a blood test for C-reactive protein (CRP) which shows up when there is inflammation in the body or high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) which shows inflammation of the heart.

Treatment of chronic Inflammation can be achieved with:

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
Steroids
Dietary supplements (fish oil and lipoic acid)
Weight loss
Exercise
Stress reduction

Some foods can affect chronic inflammation. Tomatoes, salmon, sardines, olive oil, and nuts can help reduce chronic inflammation while fried foods, hot dogs, sausages, and highly processed foods like white bread and pastries can make it worse.

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of chronic inflammation, consult with your physician to see what treatment options may be helpful to you. If you would like to schedule an appointment with a physician at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, please call 718-206-7001.

Fall Recipe – Skillet Rosemary Chicken

Posted on September 21, 2023 by Andrew Rubin

Weeknight, fall meals call for recipes that are easy to prepare and that don’t require much cooking time. Here is a recipe from the Food Network that we recommend for skillet rosemary chicken.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/skillet-rosemary-chicken-recipe-2104751

What is Cervical Spondylosis?

Posted on September 20, 2023 by Jacob Lobosco

Cervical spondylosis, also known as cervical osteoarthritis or arthritis of the neck, is wear and tear that occurs in the cervical spine (the part of the spine that runs through the neck) and can lead to problems such as pain and stiffness in the neck, muscle spasms, headaches, and dizziness. People with cervical spondylosis may also experience a clicking, popping, or grinding sound while moving their neck. However, many people with this condition may not experience any symptoms at all.

Wear and tear on the cervical spine can cause several changes to occur over time. Some of these include wearing down (also known as degeneration) of cervical disks, herniation (or bulging out) of spinal disks, osteoarthritis (the wearing down of cartilage), and bone spurs (bone growths that develop due to cartilage rubbing against bone tissue).

Changes in the spine due to wear and tear often begin in a person’s 30s and become increasingly common as people age. Aside from age, other factors that can make these changes more likely or severe include:

Smoking
Family history of cervical spondylosis
Frequent neck strain, which may occur in people who keep their neck in an improper position for long periods of time
Prior neck injuries
Frequent heavy lifting
Frequent exposure to vibration, which may occur in people who drive frequently for work

Your doctor will typically diagnose you with cervical spondylosis based on a physical exam and/or imaging tests that provide more detailed information about your cervical spine. The physical exam will usually check your neck flexibility, muscle strength, reflexes, gait (the way you walk), and knots of muscle in your neck and shoulders. Imaging tests may include an x-ray or CT scan (showing the bones of your neck), an MRI (showing the soft tissues of your neck), or a myelogram or electromyogram (showing any effects of cervical spondylosis on your nerves).

You can receive diagnostic testing or treatment for cervical spondylosis with an orthopedic specialist at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. To schedule an appointment, please call (718) 206-6923. You can also schedule an appointment at our Woodside office by calling (929) 429-3222, or our Fresh Meadows office by calling (718) 408-6977.

Yoga Awareness Month

Posted on September 18, 2023 by Jacob Lobosco

Yoga can be beneficial for many people in terms of improving physical capabilities and mental well-being. It is accessible to a wider range of people than many other types of exercise because yoga movements are often not strenuous on the body or can be easy to perform for people from a variety of age groups and health circumstances.

Some of the benefits of yoga are especially helpful for improving the health of certain groups of people. A few of these benefits include:

Back pain relief: According to the American College of Physicians, yoga is recommended as a first-line treatment for people who experience chronic low back pain. Specifically, it can help with improving mobility and reducing the pain itself. Examples of simple movements that can help with this include:

Cat-cow pose
Locust pose
Cobra pose

Stress reduction: Yoga is also known for its benefits in terms of stress relief and relaxation. It incorporates meditation and breathing exercises that calm down the body and mind, making it easier to let go of stress, anxiety, and tension, as well as improving overall mental clarity, awareness, and concentration. Some exercises that can help in this way include:

Child’s pose
Legs-up-the-wall pose
Corpse pose

Chronic condition management: The combined physical and mental benefits of yoga can make it easier to manage symptoms of chronic conditions, such as arthritis, as well as improve the underlying health of different parts of your body, such as your heart and circulatory system, to prevent future disease.

At Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, treatments offered by our integrative health specialists can incorporate elements of yoga and other techniques that benefit the physical, mental, and emotional needs of our patients. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, please call (718) 206-6914.

Meet Our Doctors: Dr. Benjamin Hartley

Posted on September 15, 2023 by Xavia Malcolm

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center is pleased to introduce the newest member of its neurosurgical team, neurosurgeon Dr. Benjamin Hartley.

Dr. Hartley was raised in Redmond, Oregon, and comes from a family of surgeons. “My father and grandfather were both surgeons,” he shared. “Although they’ve inspired me to become a physician, my greatest motivation was being able to care for patients and communities who needed it most.”

Dr. Hartley brings extensive knowledge and expertise to complement a team of highly trained neurosurgeons at Jamaica Hospital. He received his medical degree from SUNY Downstate College of Medicine and completed his residency at Weill-Cornell Medical College and Memorial Sloan Kettering. Dr. Hartley later went on to complete a fellowship in neurosurgical oncology at Northwell Health. “I chose neuroscience because it is the last great frontier of the life sciences, and I enjoy solving problems by using my hands,” he explained.

Years of intensive training and clinical experience have earned Dr. Hartley recognition as a top specialist. He specializes in treating brain tumors, skull base tumors, brain hemorrhages, hydrocephalus, and other conditions that affect the nervous system. Dr. Hartley utilizes advanced surgical techniques to achieve optimal patient outcomes.

According to Dr. Hartley, the best part of his job is working with an esteemed group of colleagues, and helping patients and families navigate challenging medical diagnoses.

Dr. Hartley’s dedication to medicine extends well beyond the walls of the hospital. He also commits his time to creating and supporting community initiatives that promote diversity in medicine. His proudest achievement is founding the PrIMES Mentorship program. The program supports undergraduate students from under-represented demographics interested in medicine by pairing them with physicians who serve as mentors.

Jamaica Hospital is proud to have a highly skilled and community-centric physician such as Dr. Hartley on its team. He aims to offer the highest quality surgical treatments, compassionate care in and out of the operating room, and open lines of communication with patients and families at all times.

To schedule an appointment with a neurosurgeon at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, please call 718-206-7001.

3 Common Causes of Pinched Nerves

Posted on September 13, 2023 by Jacob Lobosco

Pinched nerves occur when the tissues surrounding a nerve root press against it, causing symptoms such as pain, tingling, and numbness to occur in a particular part of your body. They’re fairly common, with approximately 80 out of every 100,000 adults in the United States experiencing pinched nerves at some point in life. They occur more often among people aged 50 or older, but they can happen at any age.

Pinched nerves develop most frequently in the neck, upper middle back, or lower back, and certain factors are often responsible for causing them. Some of these include:

Inflammation: When muscles and joints become inflamed, they can compress nerve roots. In young people, inflammation can occur due to a variety of factors, such as stress, disease, injuries, or obesity. In older people, it can more commonly result from chronic conditions such as arthritis.

Bone spurs: As people get older, the spine can experience a significant amount of wear and tear, causing spinal discs to flatten due to a loss of water content. This causes spinal vertebrae to move closer together and bone spurs to grow. These spurs, which are small growths of bone, can place pressure on nerve roots, causing them to become pinched. Bone spurs can also grow in other parts of your body and cause pinched nerves to occur in other locations.

Pregnancy: When a person becomes pregnant, the hormone relaxin is released into their body, causing ligaments to loosen in preparation for childbirth. This causes the body’s center of gravity to shift and can lead to compression and inflammation of the sciatic nerve. The fetus itself can also contribute to pressure against this nerve.

If you’re experiencing pain due to a pinched nerve, you can receive high-quality treatment from a neurosurgeon at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. To schedule an appointment, please call (718) 206-6713.