Diverticulitis

Posted on April 26, 2018 by Andrew Rubin

If you are experiencing prolonged abdominal pain, it is probably a good idea to be checked out to see what is causing it. This type of pain could be something serious. Diverticulitis is a disease affecting the intestinal tract, usually the colon. When tiny pouches are formed in the lining of the intestine they are called diverticula and when they become inflamed it is called diverticulitis.
There are several risk factors that can cause diverticulitis to occur. Age and a diet that is high in fat and low in fiber factor since it affects people more frequently who are over the age of 40. Other risk factors include obesity, a history of smoking and not exercising.
Symptoms of diverticulitis include:
• Loss of appetite
• Fever
• Abdominal cramps
• Upset stomach
• Bloating
Diverticulitis can be diagnosed through a CT scan testing the blood and urine and examining the stool for blood.
Treating diverticulitis is dependent on its severity. In mild cases it may suffice to adopt a bland diet, drink lots of fluids, and to take an antibiotic. Once the condition has healed, adding fiber to the diet will be beneficial to keeping the intestines functioning properly. In more severe cases, surgery may have to be performed.
If you are experiencing signs and symptoms of diverticulitis and would like to schedule an appointment with a physician at Flushing Hospital, 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.

Employee Spotlight – Robert Arbitello

Posted on April 25, 2018 by Joann Ariola

This month we shine our Employee Spotlight on Robert (Rob) Arbitello, Manager of Material Management at Flushing Hospital Medical Center (FHMC).

Rob has been an employee at FHMC for the past 21 years. He began his career in the Transportation Department, became a Materials Handler, Inventory Clerk and Assistant Manager in the department he now manages.

In his free time, Rob enjoys gardening, playing cards, and spending time with his wife, Shina, of 25 years and children Robert, Briana, and Joseph.

On any given day, you will find Rob visiting most departments within the hospital. He is responsible for ordering all of the hospitals inventory items and runs the day to day operations of the Store Room and Receiving Departments.

When asked what the most rewarding part of his job is, Rob was quick to say, “The most rewarding part of my job is knowing that our department contributes to helping patients get better quickly by providing the supplies and materials needed in a timely manner.”

Some of the challenges Rob faces when ordering large quantities of supplies is finding out they are back-ordered or have been discontinued, delivery trucks that may have broken down, having weather conditions prohibit delivery or receiving the wrong shipments.

“No matter what, it is my responsibility to get the items to the end users timely and efficiently.”

For these and so many more reasons, Robert Arbitello is a valued employee and the subject of our April Employee Spotlight.

Air Quality Awareness Week

Posted on April 23, 2018 by Xavia Malcolm

Air pollution is categorized as indoor or outdoor pollution. Factors that contribute to outdoor pollution include tobacco smoke, noxious gases (carbon monoxide, chemical vapors, etc.) and ground-level ozone. Indoor air pollution contributors include tobacco smoke, mold, pollen, gases (radon and carbon monoxide) as well as household products and chemicals.

You can reduce your risk of exposure to indoor pollution by regularly cleaning dust and preventing the buildup of mold. Other steps you can take include: avoid smoking in your home, making sure that your home is properly ventilated and using air purifiers equipped with HEPA filters.

Checking the daily Air Quality Index (AQI) before participating in outdoor activities, avoiding secondhand tobacco smoke and avoiding heavy traffic when possible can reduce exposure to poor air quality.

There are several things you can do help minimize your contribution to poor air quality. Conserving energy, purchasing energy efficient appliances, limiting driving and using environmentally friendly household cleaners are some of the ways you can help to improve our environment and air quality.

Is Your Child Addicted to Video Games?

Posted on April 17, 2018 by Joann Ariola

It’s often difficult for parents to know how much time their children spend online. Often children play video games, view videos and browse social networking sites. Spending too much time online can lead to the deterioration of your child’s school work and can cause problems with their relationships with family and friends.

Studies have shown that children ages 8 to 18 spend an average of 7 hours and 38 minutes a day consuming media for fun, including TV, music, video games and other content. About two-thirds of 8 to 18 year olds had no rules on the amount of time spent watching TB, playing video games or using a computer.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents limit their child’s screen time for entertainment to less than two hours per day and children under 2 have no TV or internet exposure.

Research shows that academic failure correlates with addictive video game play, and to a higher incidence of attention problems. Conversely, academic achievers spend less time online. Research has also revealed that child and adolescent video game addiction correlates with functional impairment, emotional problems, poor conduct, hyperactivity and peer problems, as well as with depression and social phobia. In addition, several studies have proven a relationship between excessive video game play and obesity and poor diet among children in grades 4 through 6.

Parents should discuss with their children their expectations for responsible online usage and set limits on how much time can be spent online. Dr. Gonzalez suggests the following rules for internet use:

Regularly determine how much time your kids are online every day.
Don’t put a computer or game console in your child’s bedroom—rather put them in the living room.
Avoid online activity before bedtime.
Charge children’s cell or smart phone or other handheld devices overnight in your bedroom.
Be a role model. Set an example with your own internet usage.
Use an alarm clock or timer to limit your child’s time online.
Provide alternatives to online activity and video games: sports, reading, play dates, time with pets, etc.
Set a rule: no handheld devices at the table during meals.

For more information or to schedule an appointment for your child with a Flushing Hospital Medical Center Child Psychiatrist, please call 718-670-5562

What is a Hysterectomy?

Posted on April 11, 2018 by Flushing Hospital

A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure that involves removing a woman’s uterus. It is a common operation, in fact, the CDC reports that over 10% percent of women between the ages of 40-44 have had a hysterectomy and approximately 600,000 procedures are performed annually.

Hysterectomies are used to treat several health conditions, some of which include:

Uterine fibroids
Gynecologic cancer
Endometriosis
Uterine prolapse
Chronic pelvic pain
Adenomyosis

Hysterectomies can be performed utilizing several techniques. Based on the course of treatment that is best for you, your surgeon may recommend one of the following options:

Abdominal hysterectomy
Laparoscopic-assisted abdominal hysterectomy
Vaginal hysterectomy
Laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy
Robotic- assisted hysterectomy

Procedures may require the complete or partial removal of the uterus. If a complete removal is required, a total hysterectomy may be performed. In the case where the uterus and surrounding structures such as the fallopian tubes and ovaries need to be removed, a radical hysterectomy is often recommended. Treatment involving the partial removal of the uterus may include a supracervical hysterectomy.

As with all surgical procedures there are risks to consider. However some techniques can offer patients a reduced risk of complications such as pain and bleeding. Laparoscopic and robotic assisted hysterectomies may result in less pain, minimal bleeding, a lower risk in infection and shorter hospital stays.

Flushing Hospital Medical Center’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology has a full program to provide total health care to women. Our highly trained specialists utilize the latest techniques and equipment, such as ultrasonography, color Doppler, laser, laparoscopic and robotic surgery, in the diagnoses and treatment of female disorders. Robotic surgeons at Flushing Hospital are board certified or board approved and has performed countless procedures resulting in high rates of success.

Gynecological procedures performed robotically by Flushing Hospital’s team of surgeons include hysterectomy, ovarian cystectomy, salpingo-oophorectomy, sacrocolpopexy, tubal reanastomosis, dermoid cystectomy and more.

For more information or to make an appointment please call, 718-670-8994

Flushing Hospital’s New Tool Helps Calm Hospitalized Children

Posted on April 6, 2018 by Xavia Malcolm

Medical procedures such as blood draws, IV placements, drain removals, and dressing changes can be frightening and unsettling, especially for children. They often need distractions to help them to cope with the fear and anxiety of undergoing these processes.

In an effort to provide children with tools that promote positive coping, Flushing Hospital Medical Center has purchased a Vecta Deluxe Mobile Sensory Station with the help of a generous grant from the enCourage Kids Foundation’s Pediatric Hospital Program.

The new multisensory device is designed to keep children distracted by keeping them engaged with its many interactive and calming features such as a projector that displays images such as tropical fish, an aromatic dispenser, a bubble column and fiber optics cables that change colors. Through play and interaction, the Vecta will help patients to alleviate some of the discomforts they may encounter in a medical environment. The machine is mobile and enables the staff to transform any room into a fun or relaxing space.

The sensory station is utilized by Flushing Hospital’s Child Life program where Child Life Specialists such as Rashmi Momaya provide emotional support to children by engaging them in fun and educational activities.

“Hospitalization can be frightening. The Vecta Sensory Station has proven to be effective in helping children to remain engaged and relaxed during procedures. The feedback we have received from patients and parents has been tremendously positive,” shared Rashmi.

Rashmi continued, Flushing Hospital’s Child Life Program is thrilled to have acquired another tool that will help us to provide the best service and care for our patients.”

Flushing Hospital’s Child Life Program aims to meet the special needs of children in our care. Our Child Life Specialists are trained to help patients to overcome fear and anxiety through play, support and education in a safe environment. We strive to offer patients and families a positive hospital experience.

Low-Sodium Baked Salmon Recipe

Posted on April 4, 2018 by Joann Ariola

A low-sodium diet can reduce the risks of hypertension, cardiovascular disease and kidney damage.

The American Heart Association recommends no more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium should be consumed per day

Here are the approximate amounts of sodium in a given amount of table salt:

1/4 teaspoon salt = 575 mg sodium
1/2 teaspoon salt = 1,150 mg sodium
3/4 teaspoon salt = 1,725 mg sodium
1 teaspoon salt = 2,300 mg sodium

If you are interested in lowering your sodium, this recipe for baked salmon is a good place to start. For this and other low sodium recipes you can go to –

How Often Should You Have Your Vision Checked ?

Posted on March 28, 2018 by Andrew Rubin

March is Save Your Vision Month
How often should you have your vison checked?
A) Every year
B) Every two years
C) Every three years
D) Only when something is wrong
According to the American Optometric Association a healthy person should have a regular eye exam once a year. People who have any conditions that may affect their eyesight, for example diabetes, glaucoma, macula-degeneration, should be examined more frequently.
If you would like to schedule an appointment with an eye doctor at Flushing Hospital, please call 718-670-5486.

Bladder Stones

Posted on March 21, 2018 by Andrew Rubin

Bladder stones are tiny accumulations of mineral crystals that can form stones over time when the bladder isn’t completely emptied. Sometimes these stones go unnoticed and are eventually passed out of the body, but at other times they may be too large or blocked from leaving the bladder and can cause symptoms.
Symptoms of bladder stones include:
• Painful urination
• Blood in the urine
• Lower abdominal pain
• Incomplete urination
• Dark or cloudy urine
Bladder stones are diagnosed by taking a thorough history from the patient and performing a urine exam to check for blood and the presence of minerals. Additionally it may be necessary to perform a cystoscope which is the insertion of a tiny camera through the urethra to examine the bladder, and a CT scan or ultrasound exam which determine if stones if they are present in the bladder.
While some bladder stones may pass on their own, they usually require some sort of intervention to aid the process. One procedure is called a cystolitholapaxy which involves the use of a cystoscope inserted through the urethra into the bladder and then breaking the stones apart with ultrasound, laser, or by mechanical means. If the stones are very large, surgical intervention may be necessary.
If you would like to schedule an appointment with a urologist at Flushing Hospital, please call 718-670-5486.

Cold or Spring Allergies?

Posted on March 19, 2018 by Flushing Hospital

The transition from winter to spring can be challenging to your health. The change in seasons often results in an overlap of symptoms that could be either the remnants of a winter cold or the first signs of spring allergies.

While many of the symptoms of colds and allergies are similar, the causes of each are very different.

Colds are contagious and they are contracted when a person is exposed to an individual infected with a cold virus. Our body’s immune system will launch a counter attack against the virus. This response usually brings on the classic symptoms, such as a runny nose or cough.

An allergic reaction is caused by an overactive immune system that mistakes harmless things, such as pollen, and attacks them. To combat what it thinks are germs, your body releases chemicals called histamines as a defense. The release of these histamines can cause a swelling of the nasal passages and result in coughing and sneezing. Allergies are not contagious.

While many of the symptoms are similar, the easiest way to determine if you have a cold or are suffering from allergies is the duration of your condition. While most colds last from three to 14 days, allergies can last for months as long as the person is in contact with the allergen. Other differences are:

An allergic reaction will begin immediately after exposure to an allergen while cold symptoms usually take approximately three days to appear after exposure
Colds can sometimes cause fever and body aches while allergies never do
An allergic reaction can often result in itchy, watery eyes, which a cold rarely produces this type of reaction

Once a determination between cold or allergy is made, the appropriate treatment can be applied.

There is no cure for a cold, but there are medications that can help alleviate the symptoms. Cough syrups, pain relievers, decongestant sprays, or multi-symptom cold relief medicines can all be used to help, but should only be taken after consulting your doctor, especially if you are taking other medications or if you have other underlying health conditions. Drinking plenty of liquids also speeds up the recovery process.

To treat allergies, your doctor may recommend an over-the-counter antihistamine to block the reaction to the allergens. There are many forms of antihistamines and some may cause drowsiness so be sure to look for the non-drowsy formula or only take them at night. Decongestants may also be suggested to relieve nasal congestion and avoid an infection.

If you are not sure if you have a cold or allergies, please speak with your doctor. If you do not have a doctor, Flushing Hospital’s Ambulatory Care Center can help. To make an appointment, please call 718-670-8939.