Archive for May, 2008
May 30th, 2008
Fifteen years ago a hearing aid manufacturer had a slogan that said “Better Hearing is Better Living.” The FDA said that they could not use that slogan because they could not prove that statement.  In the past 27 years I have personally seen the positive impact of better hearing on the lives of patients and their loved ones. Since then many studies have proven that better hearing can improve the quality of life for the person with the hearing loss and those around them.Â
Thirty One Million Americans have a significant hearing loss. Hearing loss is one of the top three health related problems in the United States today. Only High Blood Pressure and Arthritis are more common. Unlike the those other conditions only one person in five choose to do anything about their hearing loss.
The National Council on Aging conducted a study on hearing loss and how it affect the quality of life.
- 71% of people who wear hearing aids report an improvement in life overall
- 74% of hearing aid wearers report an improvement in relationships at home
- 67% of hearing aid wearers report an improvement in self-esteem
While those findings are significant the most incredible part of the study was that family members reported an average of a 15% greater benefit than the hearing aid wearer.Â
Next time: “Can Hearing Aids Really Help in Noise?”
Donald R. Kleindl II BC, ACA, NBC, HIS, MCAP
        Â
May 26th, 2008
Normal blood pressure (BP) is less than 120/80 mm Hg. Â Â High BP (hypertension) is:
- the most common office visit for a non-pregnant adult
- present in 50 % of adults over the age of 65
- present in 75 % of African Americans over the age of 65
- an important cause of chronic kidney disease
- the most common risk factor for heart attack and stroke
So why do only one third of people with hypertension have control of their BP? …… because as individuals and as a society we are not trying hard enough. We worry more about dying this year in a plane crash (much less than 1 chance in a million!), than about our blood pressure.   What causes hypertension?Â
- Chronic kidney disease – can be either the cause or the result of hypertension
- Kidney artery stenosis – this is narrowing of the arteries to the kidneys Â
- Endocrine disorders – hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism are 2 examples       Â
- Drinking too much alcohol – most people don’t know this
- Sleep apnea – suggested by loud snoring and excessive daytime drowsiness
- Essential hypertension -Â not well understood but partially hereditary
What can you do?
- Limit your sodium intake – 2.3 g sodium per day is recommended
- Control your weight – BP falls 1 mm Hg for each weight loss of 2.2 lbs
- Limit daily alcohol intake to 2 drinks per day for men, 1 per day for women
- Exercise on most days – lowers BP 5-15 mm Hg
- Don’t smoke – cigarettes cause kidney disease, heart attack and stroke
- Take your prescribed BP medication
- Check your BP
A chain is only as strong as it’s weakest link. Do all the above to improve your blood pressure and lower your risk of kidney disease, heart attack and stroke. Next time:  Kidney stones – or fun photos of my vacation. I’m not sure which.                           John C Maynard, MD - Rockford Nephrology AssociatesÂ
May 20th, 2008
This should be an excellent way to exchange information and thoughts on all the latest studies we see published in the professional journals as well as the everyday press. I’m sure nothing can get the sparks flying faster than a controversial opinion. So here goes.
It’s been over 40 years since the Surgeon General’s landmark report on the dangers of smoking, and we have made great progress. Smoking rates among adults have been cut in half. However, forty five million adults in the USA still smoke, and tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death. About one in every five deaths, according to the American Medical Association.
The good news is that it is NEVER too late to quit. A recent study from Harvard University and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston found that most of the excess risk of vascular mortality due to smoking in women may be eliminated rapidly upon cessation and within 20 years for lung diseases.
Even better news is that you don’t have to go it alone or spend tons of money on some commercial program. Here are links to two excellent resources:
http://1800quitnow.cancer.gov/ is a toll-free call where you can get set up with a free quit coach and a free quit plan.
http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/tobacco/lowlit.htm will show you a publication on how to quit, and links to lots of other helpful information.
So get going. You will feel better than you have in years, and will save enough money to but a few quarts of gasoline for every pack you don’t smoke.
And best of all, you can avoid getting to know any of us doctors any better than you do just reading our blogs!
May 18th, 2008
Your kidneys are the most important organs in your body. Well OK, maybe not be the most important, but stay tuned, because they do a lot! They affect things like energy, breathing, thinking, sexual function. That’s because your kidneys help manage your fluids, sodium, potassium, calcium, vitamin D, phosphate, blood pressure, hemogloblin, blood vessel health, heart health, bone health and of course toxin removal – just be glad you don’t have to do this all on your own. When would you find the time?
Let’s start at the beginning.
What do your kidneys do for you? How do they do it? How can you help keep your kidneys healthy so they keep up the good work? What can go wrong with the kidneys and what happens then?Â
That’s what I will be droning on (I mean writing) about in this blog. The bottom-line: stay as healthy as possible. That means make healthy behavior a habit; don’t make unhealthy behavior a habit. And when (when, not if) you have health problems, manage them in the best way possible.
For now, appreciate your kidneys. And check my next blog when we will talk about blood pressure.
John C Maynard, MD - Rockford Nephrology AssociatesÂ
May 16th, 2008
For millions of Americans, shedding unwanted pounds is a top priority, especially as the swimsuit season approaches.
People tend to forgo sleep in order to make time for a work-out or other daily activites and it is often overlooked as an important factor in the battle of the buldge. “Many do not realize that skimping on sleep can actually make it harder to lose weight,” says Meir H. Kryger, MD, Chairman of The National Sleep Foundation’s (NSF) Board of Directors. “Research suggests that even a modest amount of sleep deprivation can increase appetite by altering the behavior of the hormones leptin and ghrelin, which are responsible for regulating metabolism. As a result of sleep loss, people experience stronger cravings for carbohydrates and calorie-rich comfort foods such as cookies and chips, which can lead to weight gain.”
Resent research suggests that people who sleep less may also produce more insulin, which puts them at higher risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.
Diabetes and obesity are both on the rise in the U.S., causing many Americans to suffer serious health complications. SwedishAmerican Sleep Disorders Center and the NSF want to remind people that sleep is as important as diet and excercise, only easier!
May 15th, 2008
It is well known and documented in the literature, that each one of us will be affected by pain at some point in our lives. Pain is defined as an unpleasant sensation associated with actual or potential tissue damage. It is also an emotional experience because it is unpleasant. Pain can cause a decrease in function and reduction in the quality of life.Â
Seek advice from your family doctor in the first instance that pain is not relieved by simple over the counter, analgesics (pain killers) or if pain persists much longer than you think it should. Pain is the number one reason people seek medical care. Pain is treatable, but it is unrealistic to think it will be totally eliminated with the use of medications.  Medication should reduce the level of the pain. Â
The American Pain Foundation is a great website and includes many links for specific pain information, go to  www.painfoundation.org.
May 15th, 2008
Sometimes when you have blood drawn, you really do wonder if there are hungry vampires in the lab! Why do they draw so many tubes of blood? Since approximately 70% of all diagnoses require one or more laboratory test, the answers we provide your physician need to start with the proper specimen. Some tests are run on whole blood–that means we need the cells as well as the liquid portion of the blood. Other tests are run on just the liquid portion of the blood (called serum or plasma). Some of the tubes we draw contain an additive to keep blood from clotting, while others have preservatives in them to keep the particular chemical or cell we are interested in from disappearing or changing. Bottom line, we only take what we need to assure that we have enough sample to perform the test in the most accurate manner possible.
May 15th, 2008
I’m excited to be a part of the Healthy Rockford Team and want to take this chance to introduce myself. I’m Deb Schwarze and I’m a LCPC (licensed clinical professional counselor) in private practice in Rockford. I’ve been a counselor since 1992 and feel fortunate to work in a field that I absolutely love. So, please indulge me for a bit while I introduce myself to you. Although I was born and raised in a rural area northwest of Freeport, I spent 20 years in Wisconsin being an international banker and 10 years in the Pacific Northwest being an art therapist before I returned home to Illinois in 2002. My education includes a bachelors degree in organizational management from the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay; a master’s degree in art therapy from Mount Mary College in Milwaukee and a master’s degree in counseling from George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon. I’ve been in private practice for 2 1/2 years. Prior to that I’ve worked in community mental health, a public school system as a behavior specialist, and as the director of a faith based counseling center. I enjoy working with clients of all ages, but specialize in women’s issues, spiritual concerns, mood disorders and couple and family issues.
So that’s about it for today. I’ll be writing more soon about our endless winter, our long awaited spring and how this can impact our mental health.
