June 2024 - Page 2 of 2

National Aphasia Awareness Month

Posted on June 11, 2024 by Patrick Hercules

June is National Aphasia Awareness Month and Flushing Hospital Medical Center is doing its part to spread the word.

Aphasia is an acquired communication disorder that impairs a person’s ability to process language but does not affect their intelligence. It affects the ability to speak and understand others, causing most people with aphasia to experience difficulty reading and writing.

The most common cause of aphasia is stroke. About 25-40% of stroke survivors are afflicted with aphasia. It can also be a result of a head injury, a brain tumor, or other neurological causes.

Here are the six types of aphasia:

Global aphasia- This is the most severe form of aphasia and is applied to patients who can produce few recognizable words and understand little or no spoken language. People with global aphasia can’t read or write. It is often seen immediately after the patient has suffered a stroke and may rapidly improve if the damage to the brain has not been too extensive. However, with greater brain damage, severe and lasting disability may result.
Broca’s aphasia or non-fluent aphasia- In this form of aphasia, speech output is severely reduced and is limited mainly to short utterances of less than four words. A person’s vocabulary access is limited and their formation of sounds.
Mixed non-fluent aphasia- This form of aphasia applies to people with sparse and effortful speech, which can resemble severe Broca’s aphasia. However, they remain limited in their speech comprehension and do not read or write beyond an elementary level.
Wernicke’s aphasia or fluent aphasia- In this form of aphasia, the ability to grasp the meaning of spoken words is impaired. However, the ease of producing connected speech is not much affected. Reading and writing are often severely impaired.
Anomic aphasia- This form of aphasia is applied to people left with a persistent inability to supply the words for the things they want to say, particularly significant nouns and verbs.
Primary progressive aphasia (PPA)- This is a neurological syndrome in which language capabilities become slowly and progressively impaired. Unlike the other forms of aphasia that result from stroke or brain injury, PPA is caused by Alzheimer’s or frontotemporal lobar degeneration.

Aphasia is diagnosed through physical and neurological exams. An MRI and CT can also be used to identify what is causing the aphasia.

It can also be diagnosed with the help of a speech-language pathologist who can complete a comprehensive language assessment to confirm the presence of aphasia and determine the appropriate course of language treatment.

The assessment helps find out whether the person can:

Name common objects
Engage in a conversation
Understand and use words correctly
Answer questions about something read or heard
Repeat words and sentences
Follow instructions
Answer yes and no questions and respond to open-ended questions about common subjects
Read and write

Here are some treatments for aphasia:

Speech and language rehabilitation

This therapy aims to improve the ability to communicate and help restore as much language as possible. This is done by teaching the person with aphasia how to make up for lost language skills and find other communication methods.

This therapy:

Starts early
Often works in groups
May include the use of computers

Medications

Certain drugs are being studied to treat aphasia. They may improve blood flow to the brain and enhance its recovery ability or help replace the depleted chemicals in the brain.

Brain stimulation

Transcranial magnetic and direct current stimulation are being studied to help improve the ability to name things.

Because aphasia is often a sign of a serious problem, such as a stroke, seek emergency medical care if you suddenly develop any symptoms.

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.

Treatments For Rheumatoid Arthritis

Posted on June 10, 2024 by Flushing Hospital

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can cause a variety of debilitating symptoms, such as joint pain, stiffness, and fatigue, that can significantly interfere with your daily life. It can also cause lasting damage to multiple parts of your body, such as your nerves, skin, and heart. However, several treatment approaches can help relieve your symptoms and reduce the severity of these long-term effects.

Medication is a common element of treatment for people who are diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, though which ones are prescribed by your doctor will depend on the nature and severity of your symptoms.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can relieve pain and reduce inflammation
Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are typically among the first medications prescribed to slow the progression of rheumatoid arthritis
Biologics are used to reduce inflammation by targeting certain parts of the immune system that contribute to it
Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors block enzymes that signal inflammatory and immune responses in cells
Analgesics reduce pain in people who cannot take NSAIDs, but do not reduce inflammation
Corticosteroids are strong anti-inflammatory drugs that may be given while slow-acting medications begin to take effect

Exercise is also often beneficial for people living with rheumatoid arthritis. Many people diagnosed with this condition work with a physical therapist, who can create an effective exercise program that improves your strength and mobility. A physical therapist can also teach you techniques for relieving pain, ways of moving that prevent further physical damage, and exercises that you can perform on your own outside of scheduled sessions.

If other treatments are not providing adequate relief or offering significant improvement, your doctor may recommend joint replacement surgery. This most often involves hip and knee replacements, which can be effective for people with rheumatoid arthritis, but other affected joints may also be replaced for improved mobility and pain relief. Joint replacement surgery may also be followed up by physical therapy, which can help you learn how to stay mobile without causing damage to your joint replacements or surrounding parts of your body.

Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month

Posted on June 7, 2024 by Patrick Hercules

June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month. It is important to understand what Alzheimer’s is and what steps you can use to take care of your brain.

Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative brain disease and the most common type of dementia. It causes a slow decline in memory, thinking, and reasoning skills. Age is the biggest risk factor for the disease, followed by sex and family history.

Dementia is not a specific disease, but an overall term that describes a group of symptoms like memory loss and the loss of other mental abilities severe enough to interfere with daily life, caused by physical changes in the brain.

Different types of dementia include:

Lewy Body Dementia and Parkinson’s Disease
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
Down Syndrome and Alzheimer’s Disease
Frontotempotal Dementia
Huntington’s Disease
Korsakoff Syndrome

There are many signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s and dementia, here are 10 early signs and symptoms:

Memory loss that disrupts daily life
Challenges in planning or solving problems
Difficulty completing familiar tasks
Confusion with time and place
Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
New problems with words in speaking or writing
Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
Decreased or poor judgment
Withdrawal from work or social activities
Changes in mood and personality

Even though there isn’t a cure for Alzheimer’s and many other types of dementia, there are many preventative measures you can take to care for your brain.

Here are five ways to care for your brain:

Breaking a sweat: regular cardiovascular exercise elevates your heart rate and increases blood flow to the brain and body. Several studies have found an association between physical activity and reduced risk of cognitive decline.
Fueling up right: Eat a healthy and balanced diet that is lower in fat and higher in vegetables and fruit to help reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Although research on diet and cognitive function is limited, certain diets like Mediterranean and Mediterranean-DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), may help.
Catching some ZZZs: Not getting enough sleep due to conditions like insomnia or sleep apnea may result in problems with memory and thinking.
Taking care of your mental health: Some studies have linked a history of depression with an increased risk of cognitive decline. Seek medical treatment if you have experienced symptoms of depression, anxiety, or any other mental health concerns. Also, try to manage stress.
Stumping yourself: Challenge and activate your mind. Try building a piece of furniture. Complete a jigsaw puzzle. Do something artistic. Play a strategy game. Challenging your mind may have short- and long-term benefits for your brain.

If you or a loved one is experiencing symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s, you can receive treatment from a neurologist at Flushing Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center. To schedule an appointment, please call (718) 670-5486.

Effective Workouts for Busy Schedules

Posted on June 6, 2024 by Patrick Hercules

You have a busy schedule and you’re trying to live a healthy lifestyle. But finding the time to get in a workout proves to be a difficult task.

Many exercises can be effective and yield results. But first, here are five tips to get you started as you create a realistic routine that is catered to your busy schedule:

Plan Ahead

Planning allows you to look at your daily schedule and identify ideal times to work out, increasing the likelihood of completing a task by finding a way to fit it in rather than finding an excuse to skip a workout. Plan to succeed by bringing your shoes and workout clothes to go on a walk during your lunch break. Carry your gym bag, including shower supplies in your vehicle.

Schedule It

Once you’ve planned your workout, schedule it. Write your exercise time in your planner, create a calendar entry with an automatic reminder, or reserve your spot in a specific workout class. Consider your workout time as important as a work meeting or dental appointment. Once you’ve allotted the time, avoid using “I don’t have time” as an excuse.

Allot 10 Minutes, Three Times a Day

A common misconception is the more time you spend working out, the more results you will see. Aim for 30 minutes of activity, five days per week. The 30 minutes daily does not need to be consecutive. Consider splitting the time into 10- or 15-minute segments throughout your day. A workout is beneficial, no matter how long or short. Allow yourself 10 minutes to get your heart rate up. Use breaks in your day to go for a walk, or do pushups or jumping jacks, and you’ll benefit from the activity.

Do the Little Things

Small tactics add up to big results. The short activities you do throughout your day will significantly affect your fitness goals. In addition, participating in short activities throughout the day keeps workouts from feeling overwhelming.

Here are some short activities you can try:

Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
Try parking further away from your destination to get in your steps.
Complete 10 pushups when you wake up in the morning.
Do jumping jacks, squats, or burpees during commercial breaks while watching TV.
Replace a daily distraction, such as scrolling on social media, with an activity like walking around your neighborhood.
If you sit at a desk for work, stand up every 20 minutes to do calf raises or stretches. Set an alarm to keep you moving throughout the day.

Let Yourself Experiment

An intense workout routine and eating plan is not something to begin on a whim. This can cause you to quit as quickly as you start. You will be less successful if you decide to exercise and change your nutrition impulsively. Find a workout and nutrition plan you enjoy and can continue long-term. Allow time to experiment with different workout routines and activities. Start slowly and reflect on how you feel. Identify personal fitness goals and realistic nutrition plans.

Here are Five Workouts That Yield Maximum Results:

Quick Abs
- Bicycle crunches
- Plank
- Mountain climbers
- Penguin crunch
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
Tabata
Going for a walk
High-Intensity Circuit Training (HICT)

It is recommended that you consult your doctor before starting a new exercise routine, you can schedule an appointment at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center by calling (718) 206-7001.

Men’s Health Month

Posted on June 5, 2024 by Patrick Hercules

Father’s Day isn’t the only celebration for men in the month of June. Men’s Health Month is also observed. Men’s Health Month is an observance to raise awareness of preventable health problems, encourage early detection and treatment of disease, and improve overall well-being among men.

As part of its celebration of Men’s Health Month, Flushing Hospital Medical Center is sharing a few men’s health statistics and facts to consider:

Men are more than likely to be uninsured and significantly less likely than women to see a doctor or report symptoms to a healthcare provider.
Men, on average, die almost five years earlier than women as the overall mortality rate is 41% higher for men than women as men lead the death rate for cancer, stroke, heart disease, and diabetes.
Only 60% of men go to the doctor for a yearly, routine check-up, and 40% won’t see a doctor until something is seriously wrong.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 13.2% of men aged 18 and over are in fair or poor health.
Men are more likely to put their health at risk by smoking, drinking alcohol, and making other unhealthy life choices.
One in two men are diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime.
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths for men in the United States. A man is 2 to 3 times more likely to get prostate cancer if his father, brother, or son had it. Talk to your doctor about having your PSA and DRE levels checked.
Erectile dysfunction affects nearly 30 million men of all ages across the United States. If you are having problems, see a urologist to make sure it’s not an early warning sign of something more serious, like heart disease, high blood pressure or high blood sugar.

Men’s Health Month doesn’t just encourage men to take care of their physical health, but their mental and emotional health as well. Men also lead the death rate for suicide.

Here are a few men’s mental health statistics and facts:

31% of men suffer from depression in their lifetime.
9% of men have daily feelings of depression or anxiety.
Only 25% of men talk to a mental health professional.
Only 33% take medication for their mental health problems.

Here are some preventative measures that you can take:

Choose a primary care provider and go regularly.
Get screening tests based on your age and family history.
Eat healthy to prevent or manage chronic conditions.
Get and stay active.
Manage stress and seek a mental health professional if one is needed.

If you are experiencing any medical problems, you can schedule an appointment with a doctor at Flushing Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center by calling (718) 670-5486. If you are experiencing an emergency, please dial 911 right away.

Debunking 5 Common Health Myths

Posted on June 4, 2024 by Xavia Malcolm

Many common health myths and misconceptions exist and have been widely accepted as facts. You may have heard of some of these: cracking your knuckles leads to arthritis, cold weather makes you sick, or eating certain foods such as cayenne pepper can burn fat.

Thanks to scientific research, we have explored many of these old wives’ tales to determine if they are indeed myths or facts. Here is the truth provided behind five common health myths:
1. Myth: Cracking your knuckles leads to arthritis.
Truth: Several studies have shown that frequently cracking your knuckles does not increase the risk of arthritis; however, it may lead to reduced grip strength.

2. Myth: Cold weather makes you sick.
Truth: Cold weather in itself does not make you sick. However, research shows that certain germs and viruses may spread more easily because frigid temperatures can make our immune cells less effective.

3. Myth: Eating certain foods such as grapefruit and cayenne pepper can burn fat.
Truth: While some foods can help increase your metabolism or make you feel fuller, which can contribute to weight loss; there aren’t any that can burn excess fat.

4. Myth: You need eight glasses of water per day.
Truth: There is no set number for how much water you should drink daily. Determining how much water you should drink each day depends on several factors including weather or the climate you live in, age, or how much sweat you are producing. The National Council on Aging shares, “You should take one-third of your body weight and drink that number of ounces in fluids daily. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, aim to drink 50 oz., or a little over 6 cups, of water each day.”

5. Myth: If you pull out a single gray hair from your scalp, more will grow back in its place.
Truth: There is only one hair that grows from each follicle; therefore, plucking a single gray hair will not result in the growth of multiple hairs.

It is important to learn the facts about our health from trusted and reliable medical resources. Receiving accurate information can help us make educated decisions and avoid complications.