Health Archives - Page 11 of 92

How Summer Weather Affects Asthma

Posted on August 16, 2023 by Andrew Rubin

Many people with asthma find that their symptoms worsen during the hot humid days of summer. This is fairly common and there are several reasons why this may occur:

The poor air quality during the warm and hot weather is due to a rise in air pollutants which can make breathing more difficult.
The high humidity which is often found during the warmer months can make it difficult to inhale air.
Warm weather typically leads to an increase in allergens such as pollen, mold and dust mites.
These can cause a release of histamines in the body which constrict the air passages.
Heat puts stress on the lungs’ ability to inhale and exhale because the breathing passages narrow.

Here are some tips to keep asthma under control during the summer months:

Try not to go outside during the hottest times of the day
Stay in air-conditioned spaces as much as possible
Keep allergies well controlled
Avoid heavily chlorinated swimming pools
Keep asthma medication handy

There are a few treatment options available for people who have been diagnosed with asthma. These include inhaler corticosteroids which reduce the inflammation in the airways. Some inhalers also contain corticosteroids and beta blockers which help to keep the airways open. Always discuss with your physician which option is going to be best for you. If you would like to schedule an appointment with a physician at Flushing Hospital Medical Center, please call 718-670-5486

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.

Meet Our New Beginnings Team Member Regina Holmes, RN

Posted on August 9, 2023 by Xavia Malcolm

Regina Holmes, RN, has worked at Flushing Hospital Medical Center for the past 39 years. She became a nurse because she wanted a meaningful career that would have a positive impact on the lives of others.

As a member of the New Beginnings team, Regina takes great pride in providing a comfortable and safe environment for her patients. She achieves this by offering the care and support needed to ease the anxieties of expecting parents. “Having a baby can be challenging, but we do everything we can to make it a positive experience,” she explained.

According to Regina, the greatest reward of being a nurse on Flushing Hospital’s Labor and Delivery unit is getting to share in the joy of a new family. “I get so much happiness from being there for the delivery of a baby and helping parents step into their new role. It is very fulfilling,” she said.

Enjoy a Summer Recipe – Rigatoni Bolognese with Summer Vegetables

Posted on August 2, 2023 by Andrew Rubin

A beautiful, summer evening calls for a light, easy to prepare, Rigatoni Bolognese with vegetables dish to enjoy. Here is a recipe from the Food Network that we recommend. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/rigatoni-with-summer-bolognese-7119146

A Tasty Summer Recipe for Sweet and Spicy Grilled Salmon

Posted on July 19, 2023 by Andrew Rubin

Warm summer evenings call for an easy to prepare, sweet and spicy grilled salmon recipe to enjoy. Here is a recipe from the Food Network that we recommend.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/sweet-and-spicy-grilled-salmon-recipe-2112185

What Should You Eat While Pregnant?

Posted on July 17, 2023 by Flushing Hospital

Flushing Hospital Medical Center’s New Beginnings unit provides the women in our community and their families with the ultimate birthing experience in Queens. Each month, we cover a new topic exploring an important aspect of health and well-being for expectant mothers. This month, we’ll discuss the nutritional needs of new mothers during pregnancy.

Certain nutrients are important for supporting your baby’s physical development and preventing deficiency-related medical problems. While pregnant, you should make a point of incorporating the following nutrients into your diet:

Folate and folic acid
Calcium
Vitamin D
Protein
Iron

Foods such as salmon, eggs, pasteurized milk, cheese, and leafy vegetables are excellent components of a diet that provides adequate amounts of these recommended nutrients during pregnancy.

It is also important to avoid certain substances that could have harmful effects on both your own health and that of your baby. All forms of alcohol, for example, are potentially harmful to your baby during pregnancy. Other foods that are best avoided while pregnant include:

Raw or undercooked seafood, meat, or eggs
Refrigerated meat spreads and smoked meats
Deli meats
Dairy products containing unpasteurized milk

When you become pregnant, be sure to discuss the nutritional needs of yourself and your baby (as well as any medication you’re considering taking) with your doctor to ensure those needs are adequately met.

Flushing Hospital’s New Beginnings unit offers spacious, modern suites as well as advanced postpartum care, providing you with a safe environment for giving birth and comprehensive follow-up medical support for you and your baby. To learn more about the unit, including accommodations and services provided, please call us at (718) 670-5702.

Three Helpful Exercises for Managing Arthritis

Posted on July 14, 2023 by Jacob Lobosco

Physical exercise is an essential part of managing symptoms of arthritis. It can help by strengthening the muscles around the affected joints, decreasing bone loss, and reducing joint stiffness and pain. Another benefit of regular exercise is keeping your weight at a healthy level, which also helps to reduce stress placed on your joints.

The best forms of physical activity for managing arthritis are low-impact, meaning that they place little stress on your body and alleviate symptoms. Three of these types of exercises include:

Walking: Walking each day for up to one hour can reduce pain, stiffness, and inflammation in your joints caused by arthritis. If needed, you can break up this hour of walking into several ten-minute walks, resting between each one. It’s best to try to cover up to three miles in an hour of walking, but you can work up to this intensity level; any amount of regular walking is beneficial.

Cycling: Another great form of exercise for managing your arthritis symptoms is cycling, which can be done in either an indoor (with a stationary bike) or outdoor (with a bicycle, tricycle, or e-bike) setting. Cycling allows your joints, particularly your knees, to move through their full range of motion, producing synovial fluid that lubricates the joints and allows them to move more easily throughout the day.

Swimming: Swimming and other forms of aquatic exercise can help your arthritis symptoms by stimulating blood circulation, building your strength and cardiovascular conditioning, and increasing the flexibility of your joints. Water’s buoyancy reduces the stress placed on your body by exercise, causing less of an impact on your joints.

If you experience pain from arthritis, talk to a doctor about what you should do to manage your symptoms. You can visit a specialist and discuss treatment options at Flushing Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center. To schedule an appointment, please call (718) 670-5486.

Signs and Symptoms of Untreated Lyme Disease

Posted on July 12, 2023 by Jacob Lobosco

People can live for weeks, months, or potentially years without realizing that medical problems they’re experiencing are symptoms of untreated Lyme disease. This condition can produce a wide range of symptoms that are often associated with other diseases; as a result, it may not always be easy to identify their most likely cause.

Lyme disease is most often transmitted through tick bites. Early signs and symptoms can begin up to a month after being bitten, but can also start to occur in as little as three days. These may include:

Fever
Headache
Muscle and joint pain
Chills
Fatigue
Rash or swollen lymph nodes at the site of the tick bite

More serious symptoms of Lyme disease may begin to occur days or months after the first signs appear. Some of these more advanced signs include:

Severe headache
Neck stiffness
Rashes that have spread to other parts of the body
Drooping in the face
Arthritis and pain in the muscles, bones, joints, and tendons
Heart arrhythmia
Episodes of dizziness and shortness of breath
Nerve pain or shooting pains/numbness and tingling in the hands or feet
Brain or spinal cord inflammation

The erythema migrans (EM) rash that occurs in the early stage of Lyme disease can appear in a few ways for different people. The “classic” Lyme disease rash looks similar to a target, with a red ring that surrounds a central red spot. It can also appear as:

An expanding rash that may have a central spot of crusted skin
Multiple rashes in the same area with dark or discolored centers
A red, oval-shaped plaque
A ring-like rash
A blue-hued rash
An expanding red-blue rash with a clear spot of skin in the center

If you are experiencing potential symptoms of Lyme disease, please schedule an appointment at Flushing Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center by calling (718) 670-5486. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please dial 911 immediately.

What Is Anemia?

Posted on July 6, 2023 by Flushing Hospital

Anemia is the most common blood condition in the United States and affects over two billion people globally. More women suffer from iron deficiency anemia than men. Anemia reduces the number of healthy red blood cells available to carry oxygen throughout your body, leaving you feeling tired and weak.

The symptoms of anemia can range from mild and temporary to chronic and severe, potentially causing life-threatening complications such as heart failure. Severe symptoms may be more likely for people over the age of 65.

The severity of anemia mainly depends on its cause, which can include factors such as:

Deficiency of iron, folate, or vitamin B-12
Acute or chronic inflammatory diseases
Radiation and chemotherapy
Infections and autoimmune diseases
Exposure to toxic chemicals
Bone marrow disease
Blood disease
Genetics

Not all forms of anemia are preventable, particularly if it’s inherited genetically or the result of a condition with unclear causes. Increasing your intake of foods rich in iron, folate, and vitamins B-12 and C can help prevent certain forms of anemia or manage anemic symptoms.

Additionally, you may be able to prevent anemia associated with other conditions by managing the risk factors of those conditions. This may include reducing your intake of alcohol or avoiding exposure to toxic substances as much as possible.

A hematologist can provide treatment to help relieve anemia symptoms through intravenous infusions, red blood cell transfusions, bone marrow transplants, erythropoietin injections, or surgery to stop internal bleeding that may cause the condition.

Can Your Medication Make Your Skin Sensitive to the Sun?

Posted on June 28, 2023 by Jacob Lobosco

Certain medications may increase your risk of sunburns due to photosensitivity, a chemically-induced change in the skin that can cause sunburns. Photosensitivity can occur as an allergic reaction in the skin after several days (known as photoallergy) and as skin irritation that occurs within a few hours of sun exposure. Medications that can cause these reactions include:

Antibiotics
Antifungals
Antihistamines
Statins
Diuretics
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
Oral contraceptives and estrogens
Phenothiazines
Psoralens
Retinoids
Sulfonamides
Sulfonylureas for type 2 diabetes
Alpha-hydroxy acids (found in acne medication and cosmetics)

Although these medications can increase photosensitivity, they may not lead to a reaction in everyone who takes them. While there are no specific identifiable risk factors to indicate who may be more likely to experience a reaction, people with fair skin, blonde or red hair, and blue eyes are more sensitive to sun exposure in general and may face a heightened risk.

The best way to reduce your risk of a heightened reaction to sunlight due to any medication is to limit sun exposure and follow recommended practices for protecting your skin. Some ways you can do this include:

Staying in the shade as much as possible while outdoors
Using 30+ sun protection factor (SPF) sunscreen that protects against both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) light
Applying at least one ounce of sunscreen across your body at least 15 minutes before going out in the sun and reapplying it every two hours
Wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants, sunglasses, hats, and other protective clothing that limits how much of your skin is exposed to the sun

If you experience a severe sunburn, or one that is accompanied by a fever, headache, nausea, chills, confusion, or dehydration, you can schedule an appointment with a doctor at Flushing Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center by calling (718) 670-5486. If your symptoms become severe and lead to a medical emergency, please dial 911 right away.

What are Statins?

Posted on June 26, 2023 by Flushing Hospital

Cholesterol is an important part of many of your body’s functions. However, too much of it can cause your arteries to become narrowed or blocked, increasing your risk for cardiovascular problems such as heart attacks or strokes. This problem is particularly linked to LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, often referred to as “bad” cholesterol. For adults, an optimal level of LDL cholesterol is less than 100 mg/dL; a near-optimal level is 100 to 129 mg/dL.

Statins are prescription medications that disrupt cholesterol production in your liver, reduce LDL cholesterol levels, and increase the amount of HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol in your blood; HDL, or “good” cholesterol, absorbs cholesterol from your blood and transports it back to your liver. Statins are available in brand-name or generic versions and are typically taken as tablets or capsules once per day.

Statins are typically prescribed to people who cannot reduce their cholesterol levels through diet, exercise, and other lifestyle changes such as quitting tobacco products, as well as:

People who have experienced serious cardiovascular problems such as a stroke, heart attack, or peripheral artery disease
People over the age of 40 with an LDL above 70 mg/dL who have diabetes or are at high risk of heart disease

Statins are also often taken for the rest of a patient’s life to keep their cholesterol levels low, as these levels tend to increase with age before gradually decreasing later in life.

While most patients should not have much trouble tolerating statins, they may cause some side effects. These commonly include headaches, nausea, and aching in the muscles and joints. Rarely, however, statins may lead to more serious side effects, such as increased blood sugar, muscle cell damage, liver damage, or memory problems.

A cardiologist can help you weigh the benefits and risks of statins to determine whether they’re the right treatment approach for you.