Health News - January 2011
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Your Annual Physical Exam
Once you’ve made an appointment to see an NMPG Internal Medicine for your annual physical, there are a few things you’ll want to consider preparing to make your appointment as successful as possible. Be prepared to discuss your recent physical condition, including any recent health problems. If there have been some illnesses, jot down a brief history to make certain nothing is forgotten. Include details of your family's medical history as this can help the physician to pay particular attention to potential problem areas. Also, list any medications or supplements you are taking, particularly ones prescribed by another physician or over-the-counter medication.
Include details about your lifestyle, particularly elements that might affect your health. Do you use tobacco or alcohol (and in what quantities)? Have you had any recent weight loss or gain? Trouble sleeping, stress, etc. all can affect your health and well being
During your physical exam, the following tests might be performed:
- Blood pressure – elevated blood pressure can lead to an increased risk for heart disease and stroke
- Cholesterol – high cholesterol can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke
- Skin cancer screening exam - a look at every part of your body for suspicious lesions and/or changes in existing moles.
- Electrocardiogram (EKG) - to check the rhythm of your heart
- Fecal occult blood test - for colon cancer (the number two cancer killer)
- Height/weight - is weight consistent with height?
Additional tests for women:
- Pap smear - to screen for cervical cancer.
- Pelvic and breast exam – to screen for cancer or other abnormalities.
Additional tests for men:
- Testicular exam – to screen for tumors or other abnormalities.
- Prostate - for cancer.
Talk with the doctor after the exam (or after the test results come in). If no problems are found - ask if you are at risk for any potential problems and what lifestyle changes can be made.
If you are diagnosed with a condition - find out if it is under control or map out a treatment plan. Make certain you understand everything and are in complete agreement with proposed treatment.
An annual physical can help keep you well and provide you and your family some peace of mind regarding your health.
Reduce Your Stress
If you are dealing with too much stress, whether at work or in your personal life, meditation might be right for you. Meditation can do more than just reduce your stress. It can cultivate inner peace and greater self awareness, and it can help you manage a chronic illness.
“Anything that is stress producing, mindful meditation as well as mindfulness-based techniques can help reduce,” said Margaret Crowley , psychologist at the Center for Integrative Medicine and Wellness. "Meditation techniques can help reduce your reactions to stress.”
Using mindfulness meditation gives people an understanding about how they react to stressful situations and how they can handle them with peace and calm.
“Learning to be calm can be accomplished by bringing our awareness to the present moment, rather than living in the past or worrying about the future” suggests Dr. Crowley.
If you would like to learn more about meditation, please consider taking one of our meditation classes, taught by Dr. Crowley at CIMW beginning this month.
Keep Your Skin Looking Good This Winter
Just because your skin is bundled up under layers this winter, doesn’t mean you should neglect it. The cold, dry winter air can dehydrate your skin causing redness, itchiness and flaking. To avoid the discomfort of dry skin, follow our expert tips from NMPG Dermatology:
- Take lukewarm instead of hot showers
- Use a mild soap, and use it sparingly
- After a shower, pat your skin partially dry and apply a moisturizer
- From the neck down, use heavier moisturizers, such as creams or greasy ointments, rather than water-based lotions
- Install a humidifier in your home, which will reduce the dry air circulating
“I recommend Cerave Moisturizing Cream, Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream, Vaseline Petroleum Jelly and Aquaphor to treat dry skin on your body,” Dina Elrashidy, MD, NMPG dermatologist said. “They are available at any local drugstore or pharmacy.”
“For your face consider something stronger like MD Forte Replenishing Hydrating Cream or, if you have oily or acne-prone skin, I recommend Obagi Therapeutic Moisturizer,” said Elrashidy. Obagi and MD Forte are products available from any of our NMPG Dermatology offices.
Patients with other skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis may also see flare ups with the colder temperatures. We recommend contacting your dermatologist if you see an increase in symptoms. He or she can give you a personalized recommendation.
“Don’t forget to wear your sunscreen, even in the winter” advises Dr. Elrashidy. “Even on a cloudy, gloomy day in Chicago, UV rays can penetrate through the clouds.”
Winter means more than dry skin; it also means new specials from our Dermatology office.
Keep Your Family Healthy
The number of pertussis cases has soared again in several states, including Illinois, posing a new concern for teens and adults to get booster shots against the disease known as whooping cough.
Pertussis, or “Whooping Cough,” is a highly contagious bacterial disease that causes uncontrollable, violent coughing. The coughing can make it hard to breathe. A deep "whooping" sound is often heard when you try to take a breath.
When an infected person sneezes or coughs, tiny droplets containing the bacteria move through the air, and the disease is easily spread from person to person. Initial symptoms, similar to the common cold, usually develop about a week after exposure to the bacteria. Severe episodes of coughing start about 10 to 12 days later. In children, the coughing often ends with a "whoop" noise. The sound is produced when the patient tries to take a breath. The whoop is rare in patients under 6 months of age and in adults. Coughing spells may lead to vomiting. Pertussis should always be considered when vomiting occurs with coughing. In infants, choking spells are common.
The infection usually lasts 6 weeks.
Symptoms
- Runny nose
- Slight fever (102°F or lower)
- Severe, repeated coughs that:
-
- Make breathing difficult
- Result in vomiting
- Produce a high-pitched "whooping" sound when a person takes a breath
- Cause a short loss of consciousness
- Diarrhea
- Choking spells in infants
A TDaP vaccine (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) or pertussis-only vaccine helps protect children against this disease. Vaccination starts in infancy. A booster shot (a lower dose of the infant pertussis vaccine) is approved for kids aged 10 to 18. The booster shot may help reduce the number of pertussis cases in adolescents and adults. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends vaccinating children at 11 - 12 years of age.
"Young infants, especially those less than 6 months old, are most affected by pertussis disease and can even stop breathing due to their illness. Immunization is the only way to try to prevent the disease. Since newborns cannot get their first DTaP immunization until they are at least 6 weeks old, we encourage all adult caregivers who will be in close contact with a newborn to be sure to get their Tdap booster,” recommends Dr. Anjali Rao, Pediatrics.
During a pertussis outbreak, unimmunized children under age 7 should not attend school or public gatherings, and should be isolated from anyone known or suspected to be infected. This should last until 14 days after the last reported case.
Some health care organizations strongly recommend that adults up to the age of 65 years receive the adult form of the vaccine against pertussis.
Beat the Winter Blues
As the seasons begin to change and daylight starts getting shorter, some people experience changes in their mood and outlook. These feelings of depression often start to develop in the fall, become more severe in the winter and begin to diminish in the spring. For many people, the experience of the “winter blues” is a minor annoyance that is typically just tolerated or helped with a brief warm weather vacation. For others, the changes in mood that occur with the seasonal progression can be very severe and disruptive.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that occurs at the same time during the year and repeats itself consistently from year to year. The main difference between SAD and other types of depression is that SAD occurs only during the winter months and spontaneously resolves as the days get longer and there is more sunlight.
The following symptoms typically begin in the fall, intensify in the winter and subside in the spring:
- Decreased energy and activity
- Fatigue
- Sadness and/or anxiety
- Appetite changes (usually an increased appetite
- Carbohydrate cravings
- Weight gain
- Loss of interest in sex
- Withdrawal from friends and family
- Difficulty concentrating and accomplishing tasks
- Premenstrual syndrome that worsens or only occurs in winter
The onset and severity of symptoms is highly individualized and in part related to where you live. The further from the equator you live, the earlier your symptoms will develop and the more severe they will likely be. In areas like Chicago, where winters are particularly grey and overcast, symptoms are also more severe.
How Can SAD Be Treated?
There is a wide range of helpful treatments to manage the symptoms of SAD. Some of them can be effectively tried at home, while others may require professional intervention. The important thing is identifying whether you have SAD versus some other medical or psychological difficulty. This is best accomplished with a consultation with your physician and then trying individualized recommendations.
Our Integrative Medicine Physicians and our Health Psychologists can help you identify whether you are suffering from SAD and can help you select the best treatment or combination of approaches to make winter a much more comfortable season.
This article was written by one of our Center for Integrative Medicine and Wellness, psychologists, Howard Feldman, Ph. D.