Men’s Health Awareness Month

Posted on June 14, 2023 by Jacob Lobosco

Men face a heightened risk of certain medical problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, making certain medical screenings particularly important for identifying these conditions early and treating them effectively.

The types of screenings you require may change or become broader as you age and your health changes. Some of the most important screenings include:

Blood pressure screening: Even if you have no medical history of (or risk factors for) high or low blood pressure, you should receive a screening once every three to five years. However, if you do have a history of abnormal blood pressure, have an immediate family member with high blood pressure, or are Black, you should receive a screening once per year. Other risk factors that warrant an annual blood pressure screening include:

Diabetes
Heart disease
Kidney problems
Obesity

Cholesterol screening: If you have no known risk factors for coronary heart disease, men should receive a cholesterol screening every five years starting at the age of 45. Men who do have risk factors for coronary heart disease should receive them starting at the age of 20. If you have abnormally high cholesterol levels, diabetes, heart disease, or kidney problems, you should be screened more frequently.

Diabetes screening: Men without any risk factors for diabetes should receive screenings every three years starting at the age of 35. However, these screenings should begin earlier or be conducted more frequently if you:

Have an immediate relative with diabetes
Are overweight or obese
Have high blood pressure, prediabetes, or a medical history of heart disease

Cancer screenings: According to the National Cancer Institute, prostate, lung, and colorectal cancers accounted for approximately 43% of cancer diagnoses in men; additionally, the mortality rate of cancer is higher among men than women. Some of the most important cancer screenings men should receive include:

Prostate cancer
Lung cancer
Colorectal cancer
Bladder cancer
Melanoma

Physical exam: Regular general check-ups with your doctor are important, even for men who seem to be in perfect health. These visits can help you identify signs of underlying medical problems or risk factors for future issues.

You can receive all of these medical screenings at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center. To schedule an appointment, 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.

How to Tell the Difference Between Allergies and a Cold

Posted on June 13, 2023 by Jacob Lobosco

Seasonal allergies and colds can lead to a variety of similar symptoms, such as sneezing or a runny nose. However, it’s important to be able to tell the difference between both conditions to ensure that you’re getting appropriate medical treatment and to determine whether the people around you may be at risk of getting sick.

Colds and allergies are caused by different factors; as a result, they generally require different types of medication for effective treatment. Colds, which are viral, can be treated with pain relievers, antiviral medication, and rest. Allergies, which are immune system responses to certain substances, are best treated with antihistamines and nasal steroid sprays. Some medication, such as decongestants, can be helpful for both colds and allergies.

Colds and allergies can also lead to different symptoms. For example, allergies are more likely than colds to lead to eye irritation and itchiness. On the other hand, a fever, as well as general aches and pains throughout the body, can both occur due to a cold; however, they will almost never occur because of an allergy. A cold is also more likely to cause:

Sore throat
Coughing
Chest discomfort

Allergies and colds also differ in terms of how long symptoms may take to resolve. The symptoms of a cold typically last up to a week. Symptoms of an allergy, however, could take weeks to resolve. This is due, in part, to exposure to allergens; if you have a seasonal allergy to a substance such as pollen, for example, it may be difficult to avoid exposure during the course of your daily activities until the end of the season.

You can receive an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment for either seasonal allergies or colds at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center. To schedule an appointment, please call (718) 206-7001.

Protecting Yourself From Wildfire Smoke and Poor Air Quality

Posted on June 8, 2023 by Jacob Lobosco

Ongoing wildfires in Canada have brought significant amounts of smoke to New York City, resulting in record levels of air pollution. This smoke presents a variety of health hazards, particularly for certain at-risk groups. However, it is important to note that high levels of smoke can affect anyone, even people who are otherwise healthy.

Wildfire smoke in particular includes a mixture of gases and fine particles that can cause coughing, sneezing, eye and sinus irritation, and shortness of breath. In people with certain medical conditions, exposure to smoke may cause symptoms of those conditions to worsen. People who are at the highest risk include:

People with lung diseases such as COPD or asthma
People with cardiovascular disease
Older adults and children
Expectant mothers

Anyone who may be exposed to smoke should take effective measures to protect themselves. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that you:

Reduce smoke exposure as much as possible: You should minimize the amount of time you spend outdoors for as long as poor air quality alerts due to the smoke remain in effect. While inside, keep all doors and windows closed; if possible, use an air purifier or make sure your air conditioner has high efficiency filters that can prevent fine particles from entering your home.

Wear a mask: If you must go outside while air quality alerts remain in effect, make sure to wear a mask. N95 respirators are ideal, as these offer the highest level of protection against airborne particles.

Consult your doctor: If you are at heightened risk of adverse health effects due to smoke, talk to your doctor about what you should do if your symptoms worsen and about any medication you should have on hand to manage them.

If you experience smoke-related medical problems, contact your doctor as soon as possible. If a medical emergency occurs, please dial 911 immediately.

National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month

Posted on June 7, 2023 by Jacob Lobosco

Millions of Americans experience headaches and migraines each year, both of which can result in a wide variety of symptoms. For many people, however, it may not be easy to tell the difference between these two medical problems.

While both headaches and migraines commonly lead to pressure or pain in your head, headaches are only one potential symptom of migraines. A migraine can cause many other symptoms, such as:

Nausea
Dizziness
Fatigue
Sensitivity to lights, sounds, and smells

There are two common types of migraine. A migraine with aura causes visual disturbances and other neurological symptoms that may precede a headache by up to an hour, as well as temporary vision loss, trouble speaking, confusion, loss of appetite, numbness, or muscle weakness on one side of the body. A migraine without aura causes a headache that affects one side of the head without warning, as well as confusion, blurred vision, and mood changes.

There are also multiple different types of headaches, all of which may lead to varying forms of head pressure or pain. Some of these include:

Sinus headaches: This type of headache causes pressure and pain in and around your sinus cavities, which are located around your eyebrows, cheek bones, and nose. Sinus headaches are often caused by the common cold, seasonal allergies, nasal polyps, a deviated septum, or any other factor that increases mucus buildup. Migraines are commonly mistaken for sinus headaches.

Tension headaches: A tension headache, often caused by factors such as eye strain, stress, or hunger, results in feelings of pressure that can affect one or both sides of your head.

Cluster headaches: This uncommon type of headache typically affects one side of the head and occurs in clusters, meaning that they may occur almost daily for a period of weeks or months and cause attacks lasting anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours. It is unknown what exactly causes cluster headaches.

If you commonly experience migraines or headaches, you can receive specialized treatment from a neurologist at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center. To schedule an appointment, please call (718) 206-7001.

Meet Our Doctors: Dr. Amir Barkhodari

Posted on June 6, 2023 by Xavia Malcolm

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center is pleased to introduce you to board-certified rheumatologist, Dr. Amir Barkhodari.

Rheumatologists specialize in diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal, autoimmune, and inflammatory (rheumatic) conditions. Some of the most common diseases and conditions treated by rheumatologists are:

Rheumatoid arthritis
Systemic lupus erythematosus
Osteoarthritis
Osteoporosis
Gout

Dr. Barkhodari is highly trained in his field. He attended medical school at the Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and completed a prestigious research fellowship at Stanford University. His extensive medical training is further defined by a residency at Jamaica Hospital and a fellowship at Stony Brook University Hospital.

Dr. Barkhodari is known among his peers for his sense of community. His desire to help others began at an early age and led him to medicine. He recalls, “As a kid growing up in Iran, I saw many people living with chronic and debilitating diseases, and I wanted to help them. I decided pursuing a career in medicine would help me to achieve this goal.”

As a rheumatologist, Dr. Barkhodari takes immense pride in providing high-quality care to his patients. He also believes it is equally as important to educate patients and communities about the need for early detection of rheumatic diseases such as lupus.

Early detection and treatment can minimize the risk of complications and improve the quality of life for those diagnosed with autoimmune conditions. “It is important to diagnose these conditions early and create a personalized treatment plan, unique to each patient’s needs. This approach can help greatly with reducing chronic pain and avoiding complications such as organ failure,” he explained.

Jamaica Hospital serves a patient population in which autoimmune and rheumatic conditions are prevalent. Dr. Barkhodari hopes that his knowledge and experience as a rheumatologist will greatly benefit his patients and our community.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Barkhodari, please call 718-206-7001.

Rumination

Posted on June 5, 2023 by Xavia Malcolm

We have all had negative thoughts, and in most cases, that’s normal. However, when negative thoughts become excessive and repetitive, this pattern of thinking may be cause for concern.

Rumination is a thought processing disorder that is characterized by obsessional thinking that involves repetitive, negative thinking, or dwelling on negative feelings that interfere with normal functioning.

Rumination is often described as a loop of negative thoughts. This cycle of negative thinking can contribute to the development of depression and anxiety or worsen already existing mental health disorders. Rumination can also affect a person’s sleep and physical health, as a result of stress.

People ruminate for several reasons. The American Psychological Association listed the following as common reasons why people may have ruminating thoughts. They:

Believe they are gaining insight into a problem.
Perceive they face constant, uncontrollable stressors.
Had traumatic experiences.
Possess personality characteristics such as perfectionism or neuroticism.
Have low self-esteem.

The first step to addressing rumination is recognizing that there is a problem. If you realize that you are ruminating, you can try these tips to help break the cycle of negative thinking:

Distract yourself by doing activities that can disrupt negative thinking.
Identify triggers that you can or can’t change.
Learn how to set realistic expectations.
Work on improving self-esteem.
Practice mindfulness
Practice positive affirmations

Lastly, if ruminating thoughts persist and are interfering with your life, try seeking assistance from a mental health professional.

The most common therapy used to address rumination is rumination-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, which focuses on redirecting a person’s thought process and improving coping skills.

To schedule an appointment with a mental health professional at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, please call 718-206-5575.

World No Tobacco Day

Posted on May 31, 2023 by Jacob Lobosco

On May 31^st each year, the World Health Organization highlights the harmful health effects of tobacco products such as cigarettes. While tobacco usage rates among the general population have decreased over time, approximately 22.3% of people across the world continue to use it. The risks of using tobacco are well documented; however, many people around the world are not fully aware of the dangers.

A substantial amount of information exists about the harmful effects of tobacco usage. Aside from lung-related conditions such as emphysema, there are also very strong links between tobacco usage and heart disease, circulatory problems, and stroke. Coronary vascular diseases are one of the world’s leading causes of death. Tobacco use is the second leading cause of these types of diseases, with hypertension being the leading cause.

Despite the wealth of information available about the harmful effects of tobacco products, their continued usage results in over 8 million deaths each year. Approximately 1.2 million of these deaths occur due to exposure to second-hand smoke, highlighting the negative health impacts that tobacco usage can have not only on the user, but on the people around them, as well.

A few of the World Health Organization’s efforts to inform people about tobacco’s harmful effects include:

Increasing public knowledge of the risks of smoking and secondhand smoke
Encouraging healthcare providers to speak to their patients about the hazards of tobacco
Encouraging governmental support for educational programs
Seeking ways to promote smoke-free zones in buildings and public spaces
Increasing taxes on tobacco products
Making it more difficult to purchase tobacco products
Banning tobacco advertising

If you would like to quit smoking, speak to your medical provider to learn more about the resources available to help you. Jamaica Hospital Medical Center offers a tobacco cessation program that can support you in your efforts to quit. Please call 718-206-8494 to learn more.

Tips To Encourage Family Fitness

Posted on May 23, 2023 by Xavia Malcolm

Making fitness a priority in your family can provide several health benefits for your loved ones. Exercising regularly as a group can help family members maintain a healthy weight, improve concentration and focus, strengthen bones and muscles, improve coordination and flexibility, and most importantly allow for quality time spent together.

Exercise is an activity that the entire family can enjoy. Workouts do not need to be intense to reap the benefits. Here are some ideas for activities that could be enjoyable for everyone:

Hiking
Riding bicycles
Playing a game of tag
Gardening
Walking
Dancing
Playing volleyball
Skating/Rollerblading
Swimming
Building a snow fort or snowman

One of the ways you can keep your family motivated to participate in these activities is by creating challenges during which you can track progress and offer incentives. You may also participate in activities that support causes, such as charity walks; exercising for a good cause can be very rewarding.

Making fitness a part of your family’s routine is very important. Experts recommend setting aside at least 30 minutes, three times a week for physical activities. Don’t forget to keep it simple. The goal is to have fun and stay healthy together.

A Memorial Day Weekend Recipe – Crunchy Lemonade Drumsticks

Posted on May 23, 2023 by Andrew Rubin

Memorial Day Weekend calls for an easy to prepare, crunchy lemonade drumstick for all to enjoy. Here is a recipe from the Food Network that we recommend.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/crunchy-lemonade-drumsticks-recipe-1973148

What is Optic Neuritis?

Posted on May 17, 2023 by Jacob Lobosco

Optic neuritis is inflammation of the optic nerve, which transmits visual signals from the eye to the brain. This inflammation causes damage to the myelin (an insulating sheath that covers the nerve and helps transmit these signals), leading to symptoms such as eye pain, temporary vision loss in one eye, a decreased ability to perceive colors vividly, and flashing or flickering lights.

Optic neuritis can be one of the first indicators of multiple sclerosis, a condition that can also cause inflammation in the optic nerve as well as the brain. Your lifetime risk of developing multiple sclerosis is roughly 50% after a single episode of optic neuritis; this risk is higher in people with lesions on their brain, which may appear on a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.

Other conditions are also frequently associated with optic neuritis. These include neuromyelitis optica (a condition that causes more severe inflammation in the optic nerve and spinal cord than multiple sclerosis), myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody disorder (which also causes inflammation in the optic nerve, spinal cord, or brain), bacterial infections, viruses, sarcoidosis, Behcet’s disease, and lupus. Certain substances, such as methanol and ethambutol, are also associated with optic neuritis.

It is rare for symptoms such as vision loss or reduced color perception to be permanent after an episode of optic neuritis. Although most people will regain most or all of their normal vision, some degree of permanent optic nerve damage is also common.

An ophthalmologist can diagnose optic neuritis based on a variety of tests, including:

A standard eye exam
An ophthalmoscopy
A pupillary light reaction test
An optical coherence tomography (OCT)
A visual field test
A visual evoked response test

In addition to these exams, you may require other diagnostic procedures such as an MRI scan or a blood test to check for other potential indicators of optic neuritis. Your doctor may refer you to other specialists or locations for these tests.

You can receive a diagnosis or treatment for optic neuritis at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Department of Ophthalmology. To schedule an appointment, please call (718) 206-5900.