Sunglasses – Strength and Protection

Posted on July 17, 2018 by Andrew Rubin

At this time of year we spend more time outdoor and for that reason it is important to protect our eyes from the potentially harmful rays of the sun.

One of the ways we can do this is by wearing the right sunglasses. Don’t be fooled by the price tag when purchasing sunglasses. Just because sunglasses are expensive doesn’t always mean that they are the best at blocking the UV rays. Always check the label first.

For sunglasses to be completely effective they should:
• Block out as close to 100% of the UVA and UVB rays as possible
• Block out 75 to 90 percent of the visible light
• Have gray lenses for proper color recognition

If we are exposed to too much UV rays, over time, it can cause cataracts and can also harm the cornea and the retina. Short term exposure to UV radiation can cause photokeratitis, an inflammation of the cornea. It is temporary in the short term but can have serious consequences long term.

It is also important that sunglasses fit properly. They shouldn’t be worn so close that they touch the eyelids yet not too far off that they let sun get in around them.

A good rule to follow is if you are wearing sunscreen you should also be wearing sunglasses.

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.

Lyme Disease Prevention Tips With Dr. Sherman Klein

Posted on July 16, 2018 by Joann Ariola

With summer in full swing, we will be spending more time doing activities outdoors in areas such as parks, forests and hiking trails. While getting out and keeping physically fit is strongly encouraged it is important to keep in mind that being in these areas can put you at risk for Lyme disease.

Dr. Sherman Klein, MD, specializing in Internal Medicine at Flushing Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center offers the following information on Lyme disease, how it is spread, its symptoms, and treatment.

Lyme disease is the most common tick-born infection in New York City and in the United States. On the east coast, Lyme disease is spread by the bite of a black-legged tick infected with the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. Not all black-legged ticks carry this bacterium and, even if they are infected, they must be attached for at least 36 – 48 hours after a person is bitten to transmit the disease.

Blacklegged ticks are rarely found in NYC, but if you have been traveling in more rural areas of New York such as Westchester and Long Island you are at greater risk of coming into contact with an infected tick.

The annual number of cases of Lyme disease reported continues to rise each year in non-rural communities.

Some of the early warning signs of Lyme disease are:

Muscle aches
Headache
Fatigue
Fever
Rash

These signs and symptoms may occur anywhere from three to 30 days after being bitten. After an infected tick bite, a widening red area may appear at the infected site that is clear in the center, forming a bull’s eye appearance.

Dr. Klein suggests that the best way to avoid contracting Lyme disease is to avoid direct contact with ticks. You can do this by avoiding wooded and brushy areas, and high grass. If you are hiking, try to walk in the center of the trails and wear long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. If in a wooded area you should use a strong repellent. Dr. Klein cautions that when using any repellent, you should avoid applying the solution to your hands, eyes and mouth.

Some of the tips to find and remove ticks from your body and clothing are:

Do a check of your entire body viewing under your arms, behind and in your ears, inside your navel, behind your knees, along your legs, waist and hair. Also, check your pet.
Take a shower soon after returning indoors. If you wash within two hours of returning indoors, the ticks are more easily found and washed off your body.
Once you are indoors, take your clothing and place them in the wash using hot water and then put them in the dryer on “high” for at least 10 minutes; if the clothes were washed in cold water, place them in the dryer on “high” for at least 90 minutes

If Lyme disease is left untreated, it can spread to other parts of the body causing arthritis cardiac and nervous system problems. Dr. Sherman Klein is one of the many qualified doctors specializing in Internal Medicine at Flushing Hospital Medical Center. To schedule an appointment with him, or any of our other doctors, please call 718-670-5486

Drinking Alcohol in Hot Weather

Posted on July 11, 2018 by Andrew Rubin

Drinking alcoholic beverages in hot weather can have serious consequences. During extreme heat, we sweat more and drinking alcohol can cause us to lose fluids because of an increase in urination. This combination can lead to dehydration.
Dehydration in hot weather can cause:
• Dizziness
• Muscle cramps
• Disorientation
• Fatigue
• Impaired judgement
• Heat stroke
The body’s temperature is regulated by the hypothalamus gland. Alcohol will cause a slowing down of the hypothalamus, so if the body is already hot because of the heat, the effects of alcohol will make the body think it is even hotter.
If you choose to drink alcoholic beverages in the hot weather, drink them slowly, and have a glass of water at regular intervals to keep yourself hydrated. Be mindful of the fact that your judgement may be impaired so don’t lay out in the sun for too long, and definitely don’t swim beyond your capabilities.
Be smart, drinking alcohol at any time of year can be dangerous if it is done in excess. Watch what you are doing and have a safe summer.

History of Contact Lenses

Posted on June 28, 2018 by Andrew Rubin

Contact lenses are so commonly worn today that people don’t give them a second thought. Did you know that the concept for contact lenses goes all the way back to Leonardo DaVinci who described them back in 1508. Many scientists experimented with different materials over the next few centuries with only a little success. It was in the late 1800’s that German scientists devised a prototype of a contact lens made from a thin piece of glass that covered the entire eye. In the early 1900’s it became possible to make a mold of the entire eye and this helped to make lenses that fit better. By the 1950’s plastics were being developed that could be made thinner and with a better fit for the eye and they were replacing glass as the material of choice for contact lenses. In 1960 the company Bausch and Lomb developed a technique to cast hydrogel, a plastic material that could be molded and shaped when wet, which allowed for the production of lenses that were able to be mass produced and of extremely high quality. Today lenses are much more comfortable than the lenses made 20 years ago. They can be worn for long periods of time and they allow the eye to breathe which earlier versions couldn’t do.
If you would like to make an appointment with our ophthalmology department please call 718-670-5486.

Flushing Hospital Receives Patient Safety Award and Ranks in Top 10% in Nation for Patient Safety

Posted on June 27, 2018 by Flushing Hospital

If you are sick and need to go to the hospital, it is important to know that if admitted, your hospital is dedicated to safety, and has a proven track record of preventing further illness and injury to its patients.

Healthgrades, a trusted provider of information to millions of health care consumers across the United States, recently recognized the best-performing hospitals in the country and Flushing Hospital Medical Center received the Patient Safety Excellence Award, an accolade that recognizes hospitals that lead in the prevention of patient safety events.

This prestigious honor highlights the hospital’s performance in safeguarding patients from serious, potentially preventable complications during their hospital stay. Flushing Hospital, part of the MediSys Health Network ranked in the top 10% in the nation for patient safety.

To determine which hospitals receive the Patient Safety Excellence Award, Healthgrades reviews the results of 14 key patient safety indicators submitted by hospitals to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Some of the safety measures surveyed include pressure ulcers, catheter-related bloodstream infections, and postoperative sepsis rates.

Flushing is one of two hospitals in Queens and one of only four in New York City to receive this honor. The hospital attributes their vastly improved safety rates to robust quality improvement policies and programs that were initiated over a decade ago and that are still being followed and improved upon every day.

According to MediSys Health Network President, Bruce J. Flanz, “Patient Safety is one of the top priorities at Flushing Hospital. We are proud to be in a position to provide our patients with a safe and trusted environment to receive high-quality care. I would like to thank the many members of our staff who are committed to this effort.”

Today is National HIV Testing Day

Posted on June 25, 2018 by Joann Ariola

June 27th is National HIV Testing Day. There are 1.1 million people living with HIV in the United States, and one in seven are unaware they have the virus.

Flushing Hospital Medical Center, along with other health organizations is working together to raise awareness about the importance of getting tested and early HIV diagnosis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends “that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care.”

We are encouraging people to know their status. There are now more ways than ever to get tested.

Flushing Hospital’s Ambulatory Care Center’s offer HIV testing to the community. For a list of our center’s and contact information, please visit

If a patient tests positive we also provide HIV counseling and treatment. We offer integrated clinical care, social and educational services in a comfortable and caring environment.

To receive more information about National HIV Testing Day and to learn more about the virus, please visit,

Are You Living Your Best Life?

Posted on June 20, 2018 by Joann Ariola

We are all in search of finding ways to live our best life. Often times we base our happiness on when we will have enough money or when a great job comes along or when we find our perfect love match.

That statement begs the question, “Why wait?” Sometimes happiness arrives without any fanfare and we just begin to feel better. That single emotional change can, often times, bring change in the other areas of your life.

Here are a few tips to get you moving toward your goal:

Live a clutter free life at home and in the office.
Learn how to say “no” so that we have more time to say “yes.”
Create a realistic budget you can live within.
Realize the benefits of exercise.
Eat healthy.
Walk more.
Choose friends with a positive outlook.
Don’t take life too seriously.

Recognizing when it is your time to “make it happen” is the key to success. It may be a bit bumpy in the beginning, but everything that is worthwhile is worth working towards. Good Luck!

The History of Hearing Aids

Posted on June 14, 2018 by Andrew Rubin

For hundreds of years devices have been used to help the hearing impaired. As early as the 1600s devices were made from sea shells, animal horns and then, in later years, from brass and copper. These early hearing instruments that were wide at one end to gather the sound and narrow at the other end to direct sound into the ear canal. They were described as ear trumpets because of the way they looked.
In the 1700s it was discovered that sound could be sensed as vibrations on bony surfaces of the skull so devices were placed behind the ear to help transmit these sounds.
In the 1800s devices were created that resembled tubes into which a person spoke at one end and the other end was placed in the ear of the person who was listening.
In the early part of the 20th century devices were developed that began to use electricity. This helped tremendously with the development of hearing devices that could amplify sounds and direct them into people’s ears. Some of the technology used by Alexander Graham Bell for the telephone was also used for these hearing aids. Sounds were amplified by using a carbon microphone and powered by batteries.
Over the years, batteries became smaller and transistors were developed that helped to miniaturize the devices, which improved helped sound quality.
The digital era has improved hearing aids even further both in quality of the sound and the size of the device. Hearing aids are now being used that fit in the ear canal and aren’t easily visible, making people less hesitant to wear them. While years ago hearing aids were used mainly by people who were hard of hearing, now they can be used for people who just need a little help to hear more clearly.
If you or someone you know is experiencing difficulty hearing, it is recommended that you speak with a physician who will make a referral to our audiology evaluation department. Please call 718-670-5486

for an appointment.

National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month

Posted on June 11, 2018 by Joann Ariola

According to the Coalition for Headache and Migraine Patients (CHAMP), June is recognized by the federal government as National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month.

More than 38 million people in the United States experience migraines or some type of tension headache with 2 -3 million of them experiencing chronic migraines.

The exact causes of migraines are unknown. People with migraine or tension headaches may have a tendency to be affected by certain triggers such as fatigue, bright lights, weather changes and hypertension.

Some symptoms of migraine or tension headaches are:

Throbbing pain, numbness, weakness
Sensitivity to light
Sensitivity to sound
Nausea
Diarrhea
Vertigo
Mood changes
Neck pain
Vision changes

Treatment for migraine or tension headaches depends on the how often or how severe the headache is, the level of disability your headache may cause and contributing medical conditions you may have.

Over the counter medications such as anti-nausea or Ibuprofen may help with more minor episodes, but if you are experiencing multiple headaches per month lasting more than 12 hours, over the counter medications aren’t helping and your migraine symptoms include numbness or weakness, it is best to consult your physician.

If you are experiencing painful migraine or tension headaches, the Ambulatory Care Center at Flushing Hospital Medical Center has convenient hours and days of operation. To schedule an appointment, call 718-670-5486.

Meet Sarah Kan

Posted on June 6, 2018 by Joann Ariola

June’s Employee Spotlight shines on Sarah Kan, Executive Receptionist at Flushing Hospital Medical Center (FHMC).

When you enter the hospital’s lobby, Sarah Kan is the first friendly person you will meet. She is knowledgeable, multi-lingual and always ready to help our patients and visitors.

“The most rewarding part of my job is when the people I have helped come back through the lobby to say ‘thank you’ as they are leaving.” stated Sarah.

Sarah has been a valued employee of the hospital for 7 years and is highly regarded by her co-workers.

Congratulations Sarah!