Archive for June, 2008
June 23rd, 2008
Chronic pain is very complex, it invades every aspect of a person’s life. A person with chronic pain not only has the experience of the physical distress, but psychological, social and emotional distress accompanies this illness. Then, add to it the financial burden this may cause. The chronicity of the physical distress is a constant reminder of the life changing effects pain has created.
SwedishAmerican Hospital began hosting the American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA) Support Group in April of 2006. The group meets on the second Monday of each month from 10:00 to 11:30, in Conference Room D. The ACPA mission is “To facilitate peer support and education for individuals with chronic pain and their families so that these individuals may live more fully in spite of their pain.”
More people suffer from chronic pain than cancer and heart disease combined. Research has shown that a person’s beliefs and coping skills can positively or negatively impact the experience of pain. If individuals can think differently about their pain, they may gain a sense of control over it, instead of pain controlling them.
For information regarding the chronic pain support group contact Beth Moore, Facilitator. (815) 247-8885
For more information regarding chronic pain go to www.theacpa.org
June 16th, 2008
1. Keep regular hours- Try to go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning, even on weekends.
2. Develop a sleep ritual- Whether it is to take a hot bath, have a cup of herbal tea, or read a book, doing the same things each night before bed cues your body to settle down for the night.
3. Cut down on caffeine- Coffee and colas may interfere with falling asleep and prevent deep sleep. Try to eliminate caffeine eight hours before bedtime.
4. Drink alcohol in moderation- You may fall asleep faster, but drinking alcohol shortly before bedtime interrupts and fragments sleep, leading to poor quality sleep.
5. Exercise regularly- This can help relieve tension, but finish your workout at least three hours before bedtime.
6. Create a restful sleep environment- A dark quiet room is more conducive to sleep. Sudden, loud noises or bright lights can disrupt sleep. (TV’s should not be left on all night)
7. Use your bedroom only for sleep- Clear your bedroom of distractions such as computers and phones in order to create a positive sleep association with your bedroom.
8. Sleep on a comfortable, supportive mattress- It is difficult to get deep, restful sleep on a bed that is too small, too soft or too hard.
9. Unwind early in the evening- Deal with worries and distractions several hours before going to bed. Try relaxation exercises, like slow rhythmic breathing, once in bed.
10. Make sleep a priority- Getting optimal sleep allows you to feel your best and be productive. You’ll feel healthier, refreshed and ready to take on the day.
If you are experiencing a sleep problem, such as difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, or if you suffer from daytime sleepiness despite allowing adequate time for sleep, talk to your doctor or call the SwedishAmerican Sleep Disorders Center at 815-489-4429.
June 15th, 2008
12 % of men and 5 % of women develop a symptomatic kidney stone by the age of 70. 50 % of people will then have another within 10 years. Kidney stones are bad because they can cause pain, infection and kidney damage.To figure out why kidney stones form, it is helpful to examine urine that has been collected over a 24 hour period. Low urine volume is bad, as are high amounts of calcium, oxalate, uric acid and sodium. High urine volume is good, as is a high amount of citrate; citrate inhibits stone formation. A treatable cause can found 95 % of the time. Sometimes medication may be helpful. But for all people who have had a kidney stone, it is worthwhile making dietary changes. Here are some examples:
- Drink more than 2 liters per day
- Eat less animal protein. Animal protein increases urine calcium, decreases urine pH, and reduces urine citrate. Together these can cause stones to form.
- Eat more foods high in calcium. This lowers urine oxalate by binding oxalate in the intestine.
- Reduce supplemental calcium intake. Calcium pills tend to increase urinary calcium without lowering urinary oxalate.
- Eat foods rich in potassium.
- Do not take supplemental vitamin C, because it increases oxalate in the urine.
- Avoid grapefruit juice; the reason for this is not understood.
- Drink orange juice, which is high in citrate.
- Eat less sodium.
The goal is to quit forming new stones and to stop making small stones bigger. These changes are effective, but need to be lifelong. — John C Maynard, MD Rockford Nephrology Associates
June 13th, 2008
Menorrhagia or Abnormal Uterine Bleeding
Definition
Menstrual bleeding that lasts more than seven days or is heavier than usual is typically described as abnormal. It can often be difficult to define this problem objectively. If you are passing clots or using more than one pad or tampon every 2 hours that is often consider abnormal.
Potential causes
undiagnosed pregnancyuterine fibroids or tumorsuterine polypshormone imbalancesome medicationssome chronic medical problems
Evaluation
Ultrasound - uses sound waves to image the uterus
Endometrial biopsy – takes a sample of tissue from inside the uterus
Sonohysterogram – special ultrasound that uses fluid inside the uterus to help with visualization
Hysteroscopy – telescope that is inserted inside the uterus to evaluate the structural problems like fibroids or polyps
Laparoscopy – telescope inserted into the abdomen through the belly button to look for structural problems
Treatments
Medication – depends on the cause of the bleeding; sometimes hormones can be used to improve symptoms; sometimes an intrauterine device can help with heavy bleeding; sometimes ibuprofen can with heavy bleeding.
D & C – usually intended more to help diagnose a problem; will usually only provide a temporary benefit for treatment
Endometrial Ablation – uses energy to destroy the lining of the uterus; is minimally invasive, can be done in an office setting and has an 85% success rate.
Hysterectomy – the most invasive but the most successful. Newer techniques require only one day stay in hospital and allow return to activities in as soon as 2 weeks.
June 9th, 2008
Many of you have heard of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and probably assumed that this happens only in the fall and winter. According to the Diagnositc and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR), that is generally the case. The occurence of depressive symptoms during the short days of winter is influenced by latitude, gender and age. 60 - 90% of individuals with SAD are women and younger people are more impacted than older ones. However, it is probably surprising to hear the fact that for some people who older suffer from depression, summer time worsens their symptoms.
So, no matter what time of the year it is, if you are experiencing symptoms of depression that last for more than two weeks, please contact a licensed mental health professional. Help is available.
June 2nd, 2008
This is my first effort at being a blogger. I will be able to help discuss women’s issues with a focus on minimally invasive surgery, pelvic floor support (prolapse) and urinary incontinence (leaking urine). I also have formal training in health policy. This training included a year long fellowship and it was the focus of my master’s degree.
June 2nd, 2008
Most of my written contributions for Healthy Rockford.com will focus on radiology procedures for oncology, neurology and musculoskeletal disorders. These contributions will be geared to inform patients of procedures that will be more “cutting edge,” where the current research or “outcomes” are making a difference in medicine.
I’ll work to provide a resource of procedures that helps how the patient is managed, while reducing the costs associated with treating the condition and improve the expectancy or “down time” associated with the condition for the patient. If I can accomplish this with my topics, then we’ve had impact and improved the quality of life for the patient and the community we serve.
