Health Beat - FHMC NewsletterHealth Beat

Appendicitis

Posted on February 6, 2025 by Patrick Hercules

Appendicitis occurs when the appendix becomes clogged, infected, and inflamed. It can cause acute pain in your lower abdomen, however, for most people, pain begins around the belly button and then moves. As inflammation worsens, appendicitis pain typically increases and eventually becomes serious.

Symptoms of appendicitis include:

Sudden pain that begins on the right side of the lower belly
Sudden pain that begins around the belly button and often shifts to the lower right belly
Pain that worsens with coughing, walking, or making other jarring movements
Nausea and vomiting
Loss of appetite
Low-grade fever that may rise as the illness worsens
Constipation or diarrhea
Belly bloating
Gas

Additional symptoms that may develop later in some people can include:

Malaise
Urinary symptoms- needing to go more frequently or more urgently
Bowel paralysis

The size and location of the appendix make it easy for it to become clogged and infected. Your large intestine is home to many bacteria. If they become trapped in your appendix, they overgrow and cause an infection. The bacteria then multiplies quickly causing the appendix to become inflamed and filled with pus. If it is not treated right away, the appendix may burst or break open.

Some common causes of inflammation, swelling, obstruction, and infection in your appendix include:

Hardened poop (appendix stones)
Lymphoid hyperplasia
Colitis

Other factors that could block the opening of your appendix can include:

Tumors
Parasites
Cystic fibrosis

Risk factors for appendicitis include:

Age – anyone can develop appendicitis, but it most often happens in people between the ages of 10 and 30
Your sex – men have a slightly higher risk of appendicitis than women

To help diagnose appendicitis, a healthcare provider will likely take a history of symptoms and examine the abdomen. Tests used to diagnose appendicitis can include:

A physical exam
Blood tests
Urine tests
Imaging tests

Appendicitis may spontaneously resolve if the cause suddenly goes away on its own. This might happen if an obstruction in your appendix gets unblocked and passes through the intestines, or if an infection causing lymphoid hyperplasia in your appendix suddenly improves. However, you shouldn’t assume this will happen or that it has happened, even if your pain has reduced.

The standard treatment includes medicine such as antibiotics and surgery to remove the appendix. Appendicitis is considered an emergency, so it is treated in the emergency room.

If you are experiencing symptoms of appendicitis, visit Flushing Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center. To schedule an appointment, please call (718) 670-5486. If there is an emergency, please call 911.

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.

Parenting: Helping Children Adjust to a New Baby

Posted on February 5, 2025 by Patrick Hercules

When it comes to welcoming a new sibling, children can have a variety of reactions depending on their age. They can be happy and excited, sad, angry, and upset. Knowing what to expect from each age group can make handling the changes in your family easier.

Here is some information from the American Academy of Pediatrics to help parents prepare older siblings for a new sibling:

For children aged one to two years

They may not understand what it means to have a new sibling. However, you can bring up the topic with your child so they can get used to it. It is also important to reassure them that they are loved.
You can read children’s books about newborns and siblings with your older child before the new baby arrives so they can become familiar with words such as sister, brother, and new baby.
Once the new baby arrives, be mindful of spending time with your older child. You can make them feel special by giving them a special gift and spending one-on-one time with them.

For children aged two to four years

They are learning to share with others and may feel the need to compete for your attention. Therefore, it is important to explain to your older child that there will be times when you will need to take care of the new baby first. They may also have difficulty adjusting to changes in your family’s routine.
Find chances to talk about the new baby before the new baby arrives. You can mention that a new baby will be in the family when you start buying nursery furniture or baby clothes or when your child asks about Mom’s growing belly. Continue to read children’s books about newborns and siblings with your older child.
Remind your older child about when they were a baby, by showing them their baby pictures. If you use some of their old things for their new sibling, let them play with them for a bit before they get ready for the new baby.
Be honest with your older child. Explain that the baby will be cute, but will also cry and take a lot of your time and attention. It is important to let your older child know that it may be a while before they can play with the new baby and that they will need to be gentle when they play or help care for the baby.
Involving your older child in planning for the baby will make them less jealous.
Time the major changes in your older child’s routine. Finish toilet training or switching from a crib to a bed before the baby arrives if possible. If it isn’t possible, wait until after the baby is settled at home.
Expect your older child to regress a little after the new baby arrives. Older children may return to an earlier stage in their development when a new baby arrives.
Set aside some special time for your older child. You can read to them, play games with them, listen to music with them, or talk with them. Show them that you love them, and want to do things with them.
To make your older child feel included, find ways to invite them to help with the new baby.
When family and friends visit the new baby, ask them to spend time with your older child to help them feel special and not left out.

For children who are older than five years

They are usually not as threatened by a new baby as younger children are. However, they may resent the attention the new baby gets.
Tell your older child what is happening in words they can understand before the new baby arrives. Explain what having a new baby means and what changes may affect them.
Have your child help prepare for the new baby by having them help fix up the baby’s room, pick out clothes, or buy diapers.
After the new baby arrives, have someone bring your older child to the hospital to meet their new sibling, if they are not already there. This will help them feel that they are part of the growing family.
Help your older child feel that they have a role to play in caring for the baby when the new baby is brought home.
Don’t overlook your older child’s needs and activities.

Please be mindful that children have different personalities that may affect how they respond to the new baby.

Preparing your older child for the arrival of a new baby can be challenging, but following these recommendations can make the transition much easier.

Supplements And Drug Interactions

Posted on February 4, 2025 by Flushing Hospital

It is common for people to take dietary supplements while using prescribed medications. However, many do not disclose this information to their doctors.

Informing your doctor of prescription and supplement usage is important because some supplements when combined with certain medications can cause interactions that endanger your health.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), warns against combining the following medications and supplements as doing so can result in adverse reactions:

Drugs for HIV/AIDS, heart disease, depression, treatments for organ transplants, and birth control pills are less effective when taken with St. John’s wort, an herbal supplement.
Warfarin (a prescription blood thinner), ginkgo biloba (an herbal supplement), aspirin, and vitamin E (a supplement) can each thin the blood. Taking any of these products together may increase the potential for internal bleeding or stroke.

Other examples of dietary supplement and prescription medication interactions are:

Goldenseal – it is highly advised that goldenseal not be combined with most over-the-counter and prescription medicines. It may interact with blood thinners, chemotherapy, and HIV drugs.
Calcium- may interact with certain antibiotics, thyroid, or osteoporosis drugs.
Co-Q10- may interact with blood thinners and cancer drugs.
Valerian- may interact with anti-anxiety drugs.

It is important to keep in mind that while many supplements are labeled as natural, they may not always be safe, especially when taken with certain medicines. The FDA advises patients to always consult with their physicians before taking any dietary supplement and medication combinations. Patients can also ask their pharmacists about potentially harmful drug interactions.

Healthy Recipe- Pan-Blackened Salmon with Garlicky Kale

Posted on January 31, 2025 by Patrick Hercules

It’s the middle of winter and the nights are frigid. Here is a delicious and healthy dinner recipe for pan-blackened salmon with garlicky kale that will warm up and comfort you and your family on a cold winter’s night.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sheet-pan-blackened-salmon-with-garlicky-kale-9614139

Tips for Strength Training as You Age

Posted on January 29, 2025 by Patrick Hercules

As we age, concerns about strength, balance, and mobility arise. Age-related mobility limitations are a fact of life for many older adults. Studies have shown that about 30% of adults over 70 years of age have trouble walking, getting up out of a chair, or climbing stairs. In addition to making everyday tasks difficult, mobility limitations are also linked to higher rates of falls, chronic disease, nursing home admission, and mortality.

Weight lifting and stretching are useful at any age, but there are specific benefits for older adults such as preventing or delaying the onset of many age-related ailments. Integrating resistance training and stretching into your routine can keep you feeling healthy and strong.

Committing to and maintaining a strength training program, whether it is at the gym or at home can improve your strength, balance, and mobility.

Your strength training program should include:

Three weekly sessions
Work out your whole body
Consistency

Here are six strength exercises for an effective and comprehensive full-body workout:

One-leg balance
Squat
Wall pushup
Resistance band row
Bird dog
Glute bridge

Unless otherwise noted, do three sets of 10-12 reps of each exercise.

Here are five stretches to include in your fitness routine to hit all of the major body parts and help improve your flexibility and mobility:

Hamstring stretch
Seated hip stretch
Chest opener
Side-lying thoracic rotation
Side-to-side reach

If not indicated, hold each stretch for about 30 seconds total. As you focus on breathing, deep inhale, deep exhale, and try to go deeper into the stretch.

Please note that when beginning strength training, your healthcare provider must clear you before starting. Start slowly and gradually increase your physical activity level over time.

If you experience medical problems while exercising, you can schedule an appointment with a doctor at Flushing Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center. To schedule an appointment, please call (718) 670-5486.

What is Smoker’s Flu?

Posted on January 27, 2025 by Patrick Hercules

Smoker’s flu is a term used to describe the set of symptoms people can develop when they stop smoking tobacco. It is the direct result of nicotine withdrawal, which causes cold and flu-like symptoms.

About 80-90% of people who smoke have a nicotine addiction and may experience some form of withdrawal after they quit. Symptoms are worse if the person quits cold turkey, however, most symptoms tend to subside within two weeks. Symptoms of smoker’s flu include:

Coughing
Sore throat
Sneezing
Chest tightness
Body aches
Headache
Fatigue

Smoker’s flu can occur on its own, but it is more likely to accompany classic physical and mental symptoms of nicotine withdrawal, including:

Slowed heart rate
Upset stomach
Constipation
Gas and bloating
Diarrhea
Increased hunger
Anxiety
Depression
Apathy or general unhappiness
Irritability
Difficulty concentrating
Nicotine craving

One study showed that 61.1% of smokers who quit experience symptoms of nicotine withdrawal when they stop. Some symptoms, especially affective ones like anxiety, can start as early as four hours after their last cigarette. Smoker’s flu can be unpleasant, but it isn’t dangerous. Unlike withdrawal from alcohol or opioid drugs, nicotine withdrawal won’t cause harm to your health.

Smoker’s flu is not a diagnosis and there are no specific guidelines on treatment, however, its symptoms will resolve over time. Until they do, several things can help manage the symptoms of smoker’s flu, including:

Treating the cough
Using over-the-counter pain relievers
Exercising
Practicing mind-body therapies

Nicotine replacement therapy can also help ease or prevent nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

Flushing Hospital Medical Center provides extensive assistance for people who want to quit smoking. It offers a free smoking cessation support group and one-on-one sessions, both in person and by phone. For more information, please call 718-206-8494.

How to Prepare for an MRI

Posted on January 24, 2025 by Patrick Hercules

MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, is a medical technique that uses a magnetic field and computer-generated radio waves to create detailed images of the body’s organs and tissues.

MRI is a noninvasive way for a medical professional to examine your organs, tissues, and skeletal system, producing high-resolution images of the inside of the body that help diagnose several conditions. The MRI machine also produces 3D images that can be viewed from different angles. Parts of the body that MRI takes images of include:

Brain and spinal cord
Heart and blood vessels
Internal organs
Bones and joints
Breasts

Before an MRI exam, eat as you normally would, and continue to take your usual medicines, unless you are told otherwise. You will typically be asked to change into a gown and to remove things that might affect the magnetic imaging, such as:

Jewelry
Hairpins
Eyeglasses
Watches
Wigs
Dentures
Hearing aids
Underwire bras
Cosmetics that contain metal particles

Most MRI machines are large, tube-shaped magnets. When you lie inside an MRI machine, its magnetic field works with radio waves and hydrogen atoms in your body to create cross-sectional images.

If you have a fear of enclosed spaces, also known as claustrophobia, you might receive a drug to help you feel sleepy and less anxious. An MRI exam can last anywhere from 15 minutes to more than an hour. You must hold still because movement can blur the images. Most people get through the exam without difficulty.

If you haven’t been sedated, you can resume your usual activities immediately after the scan.

For the results, a radiologist will look over the images from your scan and report the findings to your doctor. Your doctor will then discuss important findings and next steps with you.

To schedule an appointment with the Flushing radiology department, call 718- 670-5458. To schedule an appointment for an MRI or for more information about the MRI, please call 718-670-8851.

Addison’s Disease

Posted on January 22, 2025 by Patrick Hercules

Addison’s disease is a rare chronic condition that occurs when the adrenal glands don’t produce enough of the hormones cortisol and aldosterone. Another name for Addison’s disease is primary adrenal insufficiency.

With Addison’s disease, the damage to your adrenal glands happens slowly over time, so symptoms occur gradually and vary from person to person. Symptoms of Addison’s disease include:

Steadily worsening fatigue
Patches of dark skin, especially around scars and skin creases and on your gums
Abdominal pain
Nausea and vomiting
Diarrhea
Loss of appetite and unintentional weight loss
Muscle pain, muscle spasms, and/or joint pain
Dehydration
Low blood pressure, which can cause lightheadedness or dizziness upon standing
Changes in mood and behavior, such as irritability, depression, and poor concentration
A craving for salty food
Low blood sugar

People assigned female at birth with Addison’s disease may also have abnormal periods, lose body hair, and have a decreased sex drive. In some cases, such as after an injury, severe illness, or time of intense stress, symptoms can come on quickly and cause a life-threatening event called an addisonian crisis or acute adrenal failure.

An addisonian crisis is a medical emergency. If it is not treated, it can lead to shock and death. Symptoms of an addisonian crisis include:

Extreme weakness
Sudden, severe pain in your lower back, belly, or legs
Feeling restless, confused, afraid, or other mental changes
Severe vomiting and diarrhea, possibly leading to dehydration
Low blood pressure
Loss of consciousness

The most common cause of Addison’s disease is an autoimmune response, which occurs when the immune system attacks healthy tissues for an unknown reason. With Addison’s disease, the immune system attacks the outer portion of the adrenal glands, the adrenal cortex, where cortisol and aldosterone are made. Symptoms don’t usually develop until 90% of the adrenal cortex has been damaged which can take several months to years.

Other causes of Addison’s disease can include:

Tuberculosis
Other infections of the adrenal glands
The spread of cancer to the adrenal glands
Bleeding into the adrenal glands
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia
Medicines that block the body’s ability to make glucocorticoid or medicines that block the action of glucocorticoid in the body
Treatment for cancer with medicines called checkpoint inhibitors
The surgical removal of the adrenal glands

Since symptoms of Addison’s disease usually develop slowly over time and can be vague and common to many different conditions, it often leads to a delay in the proper diagnosis. Healthcare providers often “accidentally” discover Addison’s disease when a routine blood test, such as a basic metabolic panel shows low levels of sodium or high levels of potassium. Another common symptom that signals healthcare providers to test for Addison’s disease is dark patches on the skin.

Other tests a healthcare provider may use to diagnose Addison’s disease include:

Blood tests
ACTH stimulation test
Insulin-induced hypoglycemia test
Imaging tests

Treatment for Addison’s disease involves taking medicines that correct the levels of steroid hormones that the body isn’t making enough of. Some treatments include corticosteroid medicines taken by mouth.

If you’re experiencing symptoms of Addison’s disease, you can receive treatment from an endocrinologist at Flushing Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center. To schedule an appointment, please call (718) 670-5486.

Employee Spotlight Shines on Sandra Rodriguez, LMSW

Posted on January 22, 2025 by Andrew Rubin

This month, we are proud to shine our Employee Spotlight on Sandra Rodrigues, LMSW, a social worker at Flushing Hospital Medical Center where she has been employed for the past 11 years.

Sandra grew up in Corona and currently lives in College Point. She attended elementary school at Our Lady of Sorrows then went on to John Bowne High School. Sandra obtained her Master’s degree from Hunter College.

Sandra has three children, a son who is 26 years old, one daughter who is 33 and another daughter who is 18. She also has two dogs whose names are Boe and Bailey.

In her free time, Sandra enjoys reading all types of books. Going to Broadway shows and to the movies are also her favorite things to do. She enjoys traveling and has been to the Dominican Republic and Jamaica. She hopes to travel soon to Israel and Greece. Her favorite types of food to eat are Italian and Spanish. Sandra’s faith is very important to her, it inspires her to do volunteer work and do community outreach. She also likes to listen to Christian music. She is a huge basketball fan, the team she follows closely are the Golden State Warriors.

Sandra likes working at Flushing Hospital because it affords her the opportunity to give back to the people in the neighborhood where she spent her early years. She feels fortunate to work with wonderful people on a daily basis who do their best to give our patients a pleasant experience. We look forward to having Sandra work with us for many more years.

Meet Our New Beginnings Team Member Ingrid DeFreitas, RPA-C

Posted on January 22, 2025 by Andrew Rubin

This month, we are proud to recognize our New Beginnings Team member, Ingrid DeFreitas RPA-C, Director of OB/GYN Physician Assistant Education at Flushing Hospital Medical Center. Ingrid joined the staff at the hospital in February 2024. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from St. John’s University in 2004 with a Bachelor’s of Science and Certificate for Physicians Assistant Studies.

Ingrid feels that working at Flushing Hospital has been an ultimate rewarding experience. She has never felt so engaged with the community as she does now. The energy in Flushing Hospital is palpable with the nurses, attendings, and all staff are always ready. The staff is exemplary. Flushing Hospital allows Ingrid autonomy in providing efficient quality care to her own panel of OB/GYN patients. As a native speaker of Spanish, she has been able to establish a closer connection to our patients. Screening the community for housing, utility difficulties, food insecurities, transportation needs, and financial strains definitely allows her to provide a collaborated approach to overall improve the quality of life for our patients. She is grateful to work for a hospital that embraces her culture and background.

Ingrid was initially afraid to start in a new facility, but she was fortunate to be given an opportunity to build something better. She is able to mentor incoming new OB/GYN PAs and teach them safe effective ways in handling a strenuous labor and delivery. Throughout her life she was always told to remember be humble, respectful and compassionate, it goes a long way. Ingrid truly feels with commitment, hard work and dedication, success is obtainable. She disciplined herself through education to become a master of her craft and will continue her best to lead by example and uphold all values she learned throughout her career to strengthen others.