Healthbeat Summer 2014

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A publication of Maria Parham Medical Center and The Daily Dispatch

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SUMMER, 2014

Heart attacks have beginnings

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aria Parham Medical Center is working towards becoming an accredited chest pain center. The accreditation process, developed by the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care, evaluates chest pain centers nationwide to ensure they are providing the highest quality of care for patients experiencing chest pain. Maria Parham is committed to providing our community the highest quality of care and education available. Maria Parham Medical Center wants everyone to know the early heart attack symptoms not only for themselves, but for those around who may be experiencing symptoms, and to be able to help them obtain immediate emergency treatment. Remember, people may or may not experience any or all of these symptoms: • Pain that travels down one or both arms • Chest pain, squeezing or discomfort • Feeling of fullness or discomfort in the abdomen

• Jaw, neck or back pain • Nausea or Vomiting • Shortness of breath • Fatigue • Anxiety • Dizziness • Sweating If you or someone around you is experiencing any of these symptoms, call 911 immediately. Also, people may experience mild chest symptoms, such as pressure, burning, aching or tightness. These symptoms may come and go until finally becoming constant and severe. Women are more likely to experience symptoms other than chest pain. They have a greater tendency to have pain just under the breastbone, or complain of abdominal pain, indigestion, difficulty breathing and unexplained fatigue. Take the EHAC oath and become deputized at deputyheartattack.org For more information about early heart attack care, go to deputyheartattack.org or call Maria Parham’s chest pain center coordinator at (252) 436-6124.

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The Daily Dispatch

HealthBeat

SUMMER 2014

Heart murmurs in women

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here is a heart abnormality that affects about one person in 10 and is particularly common in women. This murmur is called mitral valve prolapse, or MVP. The mitral valve is slightly weakened and the leaflets of the valve billow out like sails in the wind. The flapping of the leaflets and the flow of blood backwards through the valve cause a slight murmur with each heartbeat. The cords that support the leaflets can also be stretched out and allow more sagging of the leaflets of the valve. MVP is not normally a serious problem. A few people will have troublesome symptoms, although most people do not even know they have it. A person may feel palpitations or irregular heart beats. Chest pains are also fairly common. The chest pain is variable and often confusing. The pains are usually noticed at rest, but they can also occur with exercise. Having MVP can slightly

increase the chance of an infection on the heart valves. The risk of this and the need for prophylactic antibiotics are determined by an ultrasound of the heart called an echocardiogram. A person who needs antibiotics should take them for two days whenever he or she has dental or bowel surgery or any other type of surgery that allows a significant number of bacteria to enter the bloodstream. Usually, a person will not have to restrict his activities because of the heart murmur. He or she can normally participate in any type of work or sports without having to worry. If the palpitations or other symptoms are bothersome, they can usually be treated effectively with medicines. For more information about heart health issues that concern women, check out American Heart Association’s website at heart. org or talk to your physician. If you do not already have a primary care physician, you can get a list of the area’s doctors at mariaparham.com or by calling

Hypertensive emergencies

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hat is a hypertensive emergency? Probably not exactly what you think. Most people know that hypertension has something to do with high blood pressure. However, the key word in hypertensive emergency is emergency. An emergency means there is damage occurring to some organ such as the brain or kidneys. The onset can be gradual or more acute, such as with cocaine

use. Many of the most noticeable symptoms are related to the brain. The person is likely to develop a headache and show confusion, drowsiness or even stupor. There may also be projectile vomiting, blurred vision or even blindness. In these cases, the hypertension needs to be controlled quickly to protect the brain from permanent damage or from a stroke. The heart can also be damaged in the form

of a heart attack, heart failure or a dissection of the large blood vessels. This is a very dangerous situation where the aorta is damaged similar to an aneurysm. The kidneys and the eyes are the two other areas where damage is common. If a person is found to have severe hypertension he is usually admitted to the intensive care unit and intravenous medicines are used to bring the pressure down

to a safe level over a few hours. After that, medicines can be started by mouth. If you feel you are suffering a hypertensive emergency, seek medical attention immediately. Go to the emergency room or even call 911. If you experience chronic hypertension, consult with your family physician as soon as possible before an emergency does occur. For a listing of family physicians in the area, please go to

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HealthBeat

The Daily Dispatch

3

SUMMER 2014

Behavioral methods to quit smoking

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ll habits, whether good or bad, are a training and stress management, the results are form of learned behavior. That is why reported to be as high as 60 percent. behavioral methods have found a niche in Several other methods are also available, helping some people stop smoking. A but they are generally considered person can learn to dislike smoking and A person less effective. These include hypnosis learn to replace smoking with healthier (where results may depend to a great can learn habits. degree on the skills of the therapist) to dislike One behavioral method is the rapid and acupuncture. smoking technique. Here, a person Support groups are useful in many smoking inhales the smoke once every six ways. Other smokers can provide and learn seconds until he no longer wishes support and incentive, and suggest to replace to take another puff. This will make coping behaviors that have worked for smoking with them. A person cannot expect to give a person feel like the first time he smoked a cigarette — not too well. up smoking and not replace it with healthier Over time, a person will learn to some other activity. habits. associate smoking with an unpleasant These behavioral methods have not experience and craving a cigarette gotten their due respect, with many will be associated with revulsion. This people looking for an easier way in the technique is fairly successful with a one-year form of a pill or patch. cessation rate of up to 70 percent. For more information or help to quit A similar method, satiation smoking smoking go to quitnownc.org or call (800) technique, involves tripling the amount a Quit-Now for a list of quit programs, support person smokes in a period of 20-45 minutes. groups or additional information to help you When this method is used along with relaxation quit smoking.

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The Daily Dispatch

HealthBeat

Letting your baby learn to comfort himself allows for hours of sleep I t may be hard to get some infants to go to sleep when you want them to. They cry and squirm and eventually get the mother or father to come back and rock them to sleep. This can occur every one to two hours during the night for some infants. So how do you train a baby to go to sleep? One of the major lessons a small infant has to learn is how to comfort himself and fall asleep. Yes, it is a learned process. Your child needs to be given time to learn this skill. Parents should let their infant cry for a period of time before checking on him and comforting him. The child must eventually learn to make himself comfortable to prepare for sleep. Of course, if it is time for a feeding or he needs a diaper change, there is no reason to delay. One of the important reasons for learning this skill well is that the sleep cycle of an infant is only an hour long, so

he will arouse every 60 minutes. If he is unable to comfort himself and go back to sleep, he will cry until a parent comes to rock him back to sleep. Parents should not feel guilty over rocking their baby to sleep, but by returning too soon, they do not allow an infant the time needed to learn to comfort himself for sleep. Returning too soon can train the infant to cry until he gets the parents’ attention. But a parent should also not feel guilty about giving an infant time to fall asleep on his own. After 20 to 30 minutes of crying, however, it is wise to check on your baby, change diapers if necessary, try feeding the baby, and if everything is well, settle him down and put him back in the crib to go to sleep. Consult your pediatrician if your baby has trouble falling asleep or is constantly irritable – there may be an underlying cause.

SUMMER 2014

Sweet Folks Club

Mast Family Drug is now offering a monthly wellness program on diabetes. It will be a learning program on how to keep your diabetes under control. There is no charge for this program, you just need to call and sign up.

Now Offering A Weight Loss Clinic

501 S. Chestnut St., Henderson For More Information Call

438-4158

Automated Line for Rapid Refills 252-430-1710 Your Hometown Drug Store Since 1960

Mon.-Fri. 9am-6pm • Sat. 9am-4pm

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HealthBeat

5

SUMMER 2014

Tips for successful tick removalÂ

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ow that the ticks are out again, it is time to review the best ways to remove them. There are many methods, none of which is successful every time. The best way to remove a tick is to take hold of it as close to the skin as possible and pull slowly and steadily. Most ticks will dislodge without any problems and without leaving any mouthparts in the skin. Wood ticks, or dog ticks, will usually come out whole, but the tiny deer ticks are very likely to break and leave the head or mouthparts stuck in the skin. These mouthparts must then be cut out of the skin. Deer ticks are distinguished by their small size and redder color than wood ticks, and they usually do not lie flat on the skin when they bite — their bodies point out from the skin. There are many other methods of trying to get a tick to loosen his bite,

such as covering it with gasoline, Vaseline, ether, fingernail polish or other hydrocarbons. These are not particularly effective, but if you do try any of these methods, be sure to give it several minutes to work before pulling on the tick. Burning the tick with a hot match will not usually make it let go and may cause the tick to inject more saliva into the skin, which can potentially transmit many different infections. The best treatment, of course, is to stop the ticks before they attach. This is done by wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants in the tall grass and brush and by checking yourself after being outdoors. The pants legs can be tucked inside the stockings to keep the ticks from getting to the skin. Tick repellents containing DEET and permethrin can also be very useful in decreasing the chance ticks will climb on for a meal.

Treatments for urinary incontinence provide patient a sense of confidence

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ncontinence, or leaking of urine, can be a very troublesome symptom for a person, especially if he or she wishes to stay active and attend social events. Fortunately, there are ways to treat most causes of incontinence, giving at least improvement if not always a cure. With urge incontinence, the bladder spasms can be controlled with medicines that relax bladder muscles. Side effects of the medicines could include a dry mouth, sedation, low blood pressure, possible worsening of glaucoma and difficulty passing urine. Bladder retraining and biofeedback can also be used to help treat urge incontinence. Stress incontinence is first treated with exercises to strengthen the muscles below the bladder. If the bladder has fallen due to childbirth, surgery is usually very effective in improving the symptoms. Estrogens can help make the tissue around the bladder more healthy and youthful and this helps many women. For overflow incontinence where the

bladder is overly distended, frequent bladder emptying or catheterization can be used. Catheters are usually used if there is an obstruction or a very weak bladder. If the prostate is enlarged, medicines that decrease the resistance to the flow of urine through the prostate may help. At other times surgery may be appropriate. With functional incontinence, where a person is not able to get to facilities for whatever reason, the underlying problem must be treated. There may be no cure, but making facilities easily available and more pleasant is often all that is needed. A bedside commode helps when arthritis or disabilities prevent a person from reaching a distant bathroom. If you are having trouble with urinary incontinence, consult with your family physician or you may go directly to an urologist, a physician who is specially trained to treat urinary issues. For a listing of family physicians and urologists in the area, please go to Maria Parham’s website

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The Daily Dispatch

Simple walks can net BIG benefits

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xercise does help. In a decades-long study of Har vard graduates, it has been shown that people who exercise regularly have less obesity, osteoporosis, and hypertension, as well as a longer life expectancy. It does not necessarily help to become obsessed with a certain activity, such as running, for a few months or years and then quit, or go skiing a couple times each winter. To be most useful, exercise does not have to be extremely vigorous, but it must be done on a regular basis. Walking is one of the best exercises for this. Walking has many advantages. It does not require any special equipment other than good shoes, and it does not require any special buildings or fields. It can be done anywhere and can be incorporated into a person’s daily activities of getting the mail or going to work. Virtually anyone can do it. See waks/Page 7

HealthBeat

SUMMER 2014

Live Longer John R. van Venrooy, DMD, MPH, PA Diplomate American Board Of Orthodontics Jenkins Building 568 Ruin Creek Road, Suite 007 Henderson, NC 27536

252-492-6628 www.hendersonortho.net Preferred Provider: • Delta Dental • MetLife • United Concordia • United Healthcare

S-T-R-E-T-C-H your Retirement Dollars!

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$ JRRG VLPSOH YDOXH GRHV VWLOO H[LVW

Accepts and Files Most Insurance

Hours: Monday - Thursday 8:15am - 5:00pm

Call 252-430-1267!

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HealthBeat

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Many causes for poor sleep

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s people grow older, they have more and more problems with sleep. The problems commonly begin around age 40 and increase with age. There are several significant causes of poor sleep in older people. One common cause is sleep apnea. Normally a person may have a few pauses in his breathing for up to 10 seconds while sleeping, but when it happens dozens to hundreds of times a night, a person does not get the rest that he needs. Sleep

apnea is commonly associated with snoring. Another problem that develops after age 40 is nocturnal myoclonus. With this, a person will have frequent violent kicking motions, which disturb his normal sleep pattern and stages of sleep. Although the person may not be aware that he has such movements, his par tner will cer tainly be aware of them. Depression is another common cause of poor sleep. A person may fall asleep okay only to awaken in the middle of the night and not be able to sleep well after that. Antidepressants will work well for the depression, as well as help with the sleep disturbance. Alcohol is a depressant and tends to make people fall asleep, but it also inter feres with the

deeper stages of sleep and causes frequent awakenings during the night. Avoid alcohol if you have any dif ficulty sleeping. Exercise is usually helpful in promoting good sleep but it should be done at least a few hours before going to bed. Stimulants, such as caf feine and decongestants, should be avoided in the latter half of the day. Sleeping pills should generally be avoided since they are ef fective for only shor t periods. If problems persist, a person should consult his physician for fur ther evaluation. Talk to your physician if you have concerns about your poor sleeping habits. For a listing of physicians in the area, go to the Maria Parham Medical Center website at mariaparham.com or call (252) 438-MPMC.

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Walks from page 6

Even in the winter it can be a good exercise. When it is too cold or icy outside, a person can walk in shopping malls and up and down stairways or do volunteer work in hospitals, nursing homes or in community projects. Walking can also be a good starter program for more vigorous sports such as running, swimming or tennis. Injuries are uncommon with walking and the exercise keeps the bones strong by helping prevent the loss of calcium associated with aging. Walking does not burn quite as many calories per mile as running, but it is still an excellent way to help reduce your weight. The weight loss and cardiac benefits can be further increased by vigorous arm swinging or carrying small hand weights. As with any activity, consult with your doctor if you have any health related concerns before beginning. If you do not have a doctor and are looking for one who is accepting new patients, call the Physician Referral Line at (252) 438-MPMC.

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HealthBeat

The Daily Dispatch

SUMMER 2014

The

dangers

s unburn of

Melanoma skin cancers increasing by alarming 4 percent per year

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unburns are not just a nuisance of summer or rites of a fishing trip. They are ver y harmful to the skin and can lead to skin cancers and other skin damage. Sunburns are directly linked to melanomas, the most serious form of skin cancer. While most skin cancers are relatively benign and do not spread, melanomas are much more like cancers of other areas: they spread easily, they are ver y difficult to cure, and they kill people. The incidence of melanomas is increasing rapidly — 4% per year — and they are occurring at younger ages each decade. It is not uncommon to see these serious skin cancers in 30-year-olds, and they are being seen in people in their 20s and even teens. It is not known exactly how sunburns predispose to melanomas, but it is clearly best to avoid sunburns. Each time you burn, it adds to the risk. Sunburns and skin cancers are primarily caused by the lower portion

of the UV band, called UV-B. The damage to collagen and elastic fibers in the skin is primarily caused by the higher portion of the UV band called UV-A. The first sunscreens that were sold only protected against UV-B and allowed the aging changes from UV-A to continue unabated. Now, a person can get sunscreens which protect against a greater portion of the ultraviolet light, both UV-A and UV-B. You should be sure to use a sunscreen that protects against both. Look for avobenzone in the ingredients or ask your pharmacist for assistance in choosing from the many products available. Use sun screens, tan slowly and avoid sunburns and you can greatly decrease your risk of the different forms of skin cancer, as well as sagging, wrinkling and aging of the skin. For the latest information about sunburns and proper sunscreen protection, you can visit the American Cancer website at cancer.org.

Beckford Medical Centers

Accepting New Patients At All Three Locations

J.E. Kenney, MD S.E. Reed, PA-C F.C. Aniekwensi, MD W.M. Davis, PA-C Darleane Wilson, PA-C Elsa Bagnulo, NP

Beckford Medical Center, PA

176 Beckford Drive • Henderson, NC 27536 Phone: 252-492-2161

Beckford Warren Medical Center 816 US Hwy 158 Bus. W., Suite 102 • Warrenton, NC 27589 Phone: 252-257-6213

Beckford Medical Center, PA 6010A NC 561 Hwy. • Louisburg, NC 27549 Phone: 919-340-0284

The Daily Dispatch

HealthBeat

SUMMER 2014

9

First aid critical for burns

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ccidental burns are very common — nearly everyone has had one at some time. Most are just minor burns that do not require any special care. Larger burns, however, can be very serious. Most burns are caused by direct heat (flames or hot objects), although some are caused by electricity or chemicals. Even sunburns can be a cause of first and second degree burns. The first step in caring for a burn is to cool it off. Quickly apply cool wash cloths or place the burn in cool water. This helps stop the reaction and decreases the pain and burning. Remove rings and jewelry which may obstruct circulation if swelling occurs. You should have all burns checked by your doctor. Burns that seem mild at first may develop secondary infections or scarring. The face and hands are

particularly important to treat appropriately to prevent any unnecessary cosmetic problems or limited function of the fingers or hands. A tetanus shot may be needed. Many burns have associated injuries that may go unnoticed because of the pain of the burn. This may include trauma and lacerations from falls or explosions, or lung damage from smoke inhalation. Dress the wound in clean, dry sheets. You do not need to apply any ointment because this will need to be cleaned off by your doctor, adding to the discomfort. Antibiotic creams can be applied after the wounds are clean. If the burn is caused by a chemical, first aid includes prolonged irrigation with water to dilute and wash away the chemical. Electrical or lightning burns

Primary care physicians: your partner in health and wellness

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ith all of the different medical specialties out there, there is one specialist that may be the key to a person’s overall good health — the primary care physician. Conventional thinking would say that a primary care physician is anything but a specialist, but not if you consider the specialty to be you. Every person needs to establish a relationship with a primary care physician and it is best to do it first when you are not sick; perhaps during an annual physical or wellness visit. A primary care physician (PCP) provides a medical home for the patient. A PCP looks at the entire person, not only the current medical need. By understanding the person’s medical history, current lifestyle, job and family dynamics, the PCP can work with the patient to develop a comprehensive and individualized healthcare plan. Because a primary care physician gets a chance to see a person over a period of time, he or she also gets to know what type of person you are, what your beliefs are when it comes to taking medicine and even

what type of support structure that you have surrounding you on a daily basis. For example, you may a person who has a hard time remembering to take your medications. So your PCP may be able to prescribe a drug that can be taken once daily as opposed to four times a day. Or your PCP may ask an elderly person’s family member to stop by to make sure that they have taken their medication. Of course, the most common reason a person goes to see their doctor is because they are sick or injured. A PCP is trained to treat a wide array of illnesses and injuries and if your condition requires the skills of a medical specialist, your PCP can refer you to the appropriate doctor. If referred, your PCP will communicate with the specialist before and after your visit(s) and will keep any needed health information in your chart for future reference. Another important benefit to using a PCP is cost. Going to see a PCP is generally less expensive than going to an emergency room or even an urgent care. If insured, a person typically only has to pay a co-pay to see their PCP. And if uninsured,

many PCP’s offer a reduced fee for those who choose to pay for their visit upfront (be sure to check with your PCP’s office staff first). Another way your PCP can save you money is working with you to find less expensive options for things like prescriptions or therapy visits. Wellness is a term that you may hear your PCP use more and more in today’s healthcare environment. Common sense tells most of us that eating healthy, exercising and taking advantage of preventive wellness visits keep us healthier, but for some reason our population continues to gain weight, eat poorly and ignore opportunities for preventive care. Health insurance companies are now highly encouraging their customers to adopt a healthier lifestyle, often providing discounts on monthly premiums and agreeing to pay for additional wellness visits. Remember, primary care providers specialize in a healthier you. For a listing of PCPs in the area, please go to Maria Parham’s website at mariaparham.com or call (252) 438-MPMC for additional information.

are particularly troublesome because of internal injuries that are much worse than what appears on the surface. These need immediate attention and prolonged follow-up.

Kerr Lake Nursing and Rehabilitation Center •24 hour Professional Nursing Services include Post Operative Care, Restorative Nursing Care, Cardiac Rehabilitation, Diabetic Management, Stroke Care, Pain Management, Wound Care and Acute Care Services •Physical, Speech and Occupational Therapy •Registered Dietician Services •Social Services •Activities •Individualized Plans of Care

“We Are Neighbors Taking Care of Neighbors”

252-492-7021

1245 Park Avenue, Henderson, NC

Silver Quality Award Voted Best Nursing Home In Vance County 9 Years In A Row!!!!

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HealthBeat

SUMMER 2014

Breakfast is the most important meal

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reakfast is the easiest meal to miss. Everyone is in a hurry in the morning to get to school or work. Or perhaps a person is dieting and he or she is not hungry at breakfast, so it seems like a good time to cut down on calories. Yet, for a variety of reasons, breakfast is the most important meal to eat. According to a University of Iowa study, children do much better in school and behave better when they eat a good breakfast. Also, children who normally skipped breakfast showed an improvement in their schoolwork when they began eating breakfast. A good breakfast was also associated with less susceptibility to infections and fatigue. Eating breakfast will often prevent the hunger which causes snacking between meals. By avoiding snacks, a child eats

a better lunch with foods that are less fattening than most snacks. These better eating habits help prevent childhood obesity. This holds true for adults too. Eating breakfast sets a person up for eating regular meals, while skipping breakfast will likely promote snack foods or over-eating at dinner at the end of the day, when less calories are needed and the excess calories are stored as fat. Eating a good breakfast should become a habit. Any nutritious food can be eaten for breakfast, especially if it contains protein and complex carbohydrates. Low-fat milk, fruit juices and hot cereals are good, but pre-sweetened cereals and sweet rolls should be avoided because of the high sugar content.

Providing Services To Our Communities For Over 39 Years

125 Charles Rollins Rd. • Henderson, NC 27536 Telephone: (252) 492-5831 Fax: (252) 492-3613 www.gvdhd.org

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The Daily Dispatch

HealthBeat

SUMMER 2014

Sun causing . . .

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Are you getting too much UV-A?

ou may not have heard of UV-A, but are changes that cannot be reversed. you are exposed to it every day. It Sagging of the skin is particularly hard to is part of the spectrum of ultraviolet reverse. Basically, once your skin is old, it light. It is different from the UV-B light, stays old forever. which is the wavelength that causes skin UV-A is also the spectrum of light that cancers. causes the majority of drug reactions that are induced by light. Tetracyclines, water While UV-A light does not contribute significantly to skin cancers; it is the cause pills and many other medicines are much of most of the rest of the damage sunlight more likely to cause a skin reaction if exposed to this spectrum of light. does to the skin. There is 1000 times as much UV-A Many sun screens do not protect against UV-A, but there are some that as UV-B, and it is always around. In contrast to UV-B, it is present early in the do. Check with your pharmacist to be sure your sunscreen is an effective UV-A morning and later in the day, it is present throughout the year (UV-B is primarily in blocker. the summer months), and it penetrates glass so you still get some exposure when you are indoors or in your car. Why is UV-A exposure so important? It is the wavelength of sunlight that causes the aging changes of For Callll For the skin. It penetrates deeper 943 West Andrews Ave. Ca let letee mp mp Co Co into the skin and damages the 252-438-2573 le dule hedu Sc Sche collagen and elastic fibers. As Mon. Sat. these supportive fibers are 7:00am -7:45pm damaged and lost, your skin will wrinkle and sag. These

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The Daily Dispatch

HealthBeat

SUMMER 2014

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