Health Care GUide Fall 2011

02 SouthernTier Healthcare GuideOctober 2011

EAT WITH CAUTION

If somethingposes a serious risk toyour children, shouldnʼtyou be warned about it?Especially if kids come incontact with it manytimes a day? TheAmerican Academyof Pediatrics thinks youshould be. Choking is aleading cause of injuryand death forchildren, especially thoseyounger than 4. Becausetheyʼll put almostanything in theirmouths, children chokeon all sorts of things, themajority being food, toys

and coins.The labeling debate

But while toys arelabeled as chokinghazards, foods are not.Dr. Gerry Smith, directorof the Center for InjuryResearch and Policy atthe NationwideChildrenʼs Hospitalin Columbus, Ohio, saidthe government needs totake a closer look atpreventing chokingamong children.On average, a child willdie every five days in theUnited States fromchoking on food,according to a study ledby Smith and publishedin a recent online issueof Pediatrics.“We have laws in thiscountry that requirewarning labels to beplaced on toys thatpose choking hazards.However, there are nosuch regulations on high-risk foods — andchildren are much morelikely to put foods in theirmouths than a toy,”

Smith said.“I think itʼs a great idea(to put warning labels onfood),” said Dr. AmyCieslak, medicaldirector of the PediatricEmergency Departmentat Central DuPageHospital inWinfield, Ill. “Parents donot understand the risks.So many times Iʼveheard, ʻIt happenedright in front of my eyes.ʼThis is definitely ahidden danger.”

Be awareMany foods thought tobe kid-friendly areactually dangerous toyoungsters. Hotdogs, grapes, popcorn,nuts, hard candy, rawcarrots, apple chunksand seeds are amongthe most risky. Thebiggest culprits are hard,round foods, which canplug a childʼs airway.Follow these guidelinesto avoid choking:• Never give a childyounger than 4 round,firm foods unless theyhave been cut intosmall pieces.• Avoid the high-riskfoods mentioned above.• Never let small childrenrun, play or lie downwhile eating.• Supervise your childwhile eating. That meansno snacks in the car.• Do not allow your childto eat if he or she isupset, crying, breathingfast or emotional.

Keep your coolIf your child does startchoking, keep calm andcall 911. Sweeping thechildʼs mouthwithout seeing the stuckitem is not advisedbecause it can lodgefood further down thethroat. “If theyʼrechoking, gasping but stillhave good color, theyʼregetting air,” Cieslaksaid. If theyʼre turningblue, the situation ismore serious.“The important thing isnot to panic, becauseyouʼll create a worsesituation,” she said.“Smaller children can beturned over and hit onthe back.”In case of emergency,parents should learn firstaid for choking (backblows and abdominalthrusts) and CPR. TheNational Institutes ofHealth has a goodcollection ofguides atwww.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/choking.html.

CHILDREN AND CHOKING: AWARENESS IS KEY TO PREVENTIONBY MELISSA A. ERICKSON

03SouthernTier Healthcare Guide 03October 2011

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As men age, anumber of healthscreenings providevaluable information inkeeping them healthy. Dr.Bryan Albracht, aSpringfield (Ill.) Clinicfamily medicinephysician, performs thesehealth screenings as partof his practice andprovides some advice inthis Q-and-A.

Q: When should men geta physical exam?A: A healthy male in his20s and 30s should geta physical exam everythree to five years,providing no majorhealth problems arepresent. This is usuallygreat news for youngmen who typically avoidthe doctor's office. At 40years of age, menshould get a physicalexam every one to twoyears. However, aphysical exam at leastonce a year will benecessary if the patientis being treated for achronic condition, suchas hypertension,diabetes, asthma orelevated cholesterol.When men reach their50s and beyond, ayearly physical exam isrecommended.Q: What is checked in aphysical exam?A: The exam includes alot of medicalinformation-gathering.This information is vitalto the effectivetreatment of the patient.The typical exam beginswith a review of pastmedical and surgicalhistories, a review ofdrug allergies and alisting of current drugsand supplements.Family history isimportant to discuss, as

Checkups everyman needs

it reveals much aboutpending health risks.Questions regardingsocial history, such asalcohol, tobacco or druguse, are discussed aswell. Vaccinations areupdated. Other examelements include abloodpressure check,height, weight, bodymass index, blood workand urinalysis. After age50, a Prostate-SpecificAntigen test to screenfor prostate cancer maybe performed aftercounseling with thephysician. In addition,colon cancer screeningbegins by way of acolonoscopy, flexiblesigmoidoscopy with abarium enema or fecaloccult blood test. Thegold standard is acolonoscopy every 10years.Q: What is important toconsider when it comesto your blood pressure?A: Blood pressure hastwo components:systolic and diastolic.Systole occurs duringthe contraction of the

lower chambers of theheart, and diastole ismeasured during therelaxation of the lowerchambers of the heart. Anormal systolic pressureis less than 140, and anormal diastolicpressure is less than 90.

Causes of hypertensioncan be because ofgenetics, obesity, dietarycauses (high sodiumintake, caffeine oralcohol intake) andinactivity. Bloodpressure should bechecked yearly.


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FIGHTING FATIGUECANʼT STOP YAWNING?TRY THESE TRICKS TO REVIVE FLAGGING ENERGYBY KAREN SORENSEN

Getting up early tomake the kids breakfast,rushing to get them toschool on time and ferryingthem around to after-schooland weekend activities.When fatigue strikes, thesepractical tips can get yougoing again.

Get moving!A brisk 10-minute walk cando miracles when it comesto restoring energy, saysDr. Stephanie Wang, aninternal medicinephysician at ChicagoʼsRush UniversityMedicalCenter. Anything thatacceleratesthe heart rate willgive youa second wind.

Take a breakWhen youʼre feelingtired, taking a five-or 10-minute “powernap” can provide aboost of strength toget you through the

rest of the day. You donʼthave to go to sleep; just putyour head down, close youreyes and relax, Wang says.

Have a snackFor a long-lasting

energy kick, snack onprotein or a complexcarbohydrate,Wang says. Goodchoices: stringcheese nuts or applewith peanut butter.Water helps, too,NewYork-based stressmanagementexpert DebbieMandel says. Evenminor dehydrationcan be tiring.

Engage your mindGive your brain a littlestimulation with somethingthat requires concentrationbut is a change of pacefrom what you had beendoing, Wang says. Readinga magazine article, doing aquick Sudoku puzzle orplaying a game on yourphone will do the trick.

Calm downStress can be exhausting.Itʼs a little zen, but justlooking out the window at apanoramic view or doing afive minute“visualization” where youput yourself someplacecalming while breathingdeeply can “oxygenatethe brain” and revive yoursapped stamina, Mandelsays.

SouthernTier Healthcare Guide 05October 2011When too much stuffjust isnʼt enoughHoarding is an age-old problemthatʼs just recently getting attentionBY MELISSA ERICKSON

Recent TV showshave drawn attention tothe heretofore little-noticed issue of hoarding.While serious cases getmore attention, hoardingis really an age-oldproblem thatʼs justrecently gotten theattention and researchneeded, said Dr. JeffSzymanski, executivedirector of theInternational ObsessiveCompulsive DisorderFoundation based inBoston. “Hoarding hasbeen unknown,unrecognized, becausehoarders donʼt seektreatment and, up untilrecently — the early ʼ90s— no one knew what todo with it,” Szymanskisaid. “It has not beenwell-addressedpreviously, but itʼs beenaround since thebeginning of time.”

What is hoarding exactly?In the simplest

terms, hoarding is whensomeone has too much

stuff and that stuff gets inthe way of living his orher life, Szymanski said.Itʼs when a person cannotstop accumulating.

The ill effects ofhoarding are that itaffects day-to-day living.“The dining room table isnot for eating, becausethereʼs too much stuff onit. The bed is not forsleeping; the coach is notfor sitting. Countertopsare not for storingutensils,” Szymanskisaid.

The problem liesin the fact that hoardersdonʼt see they have aproblem. They like theirstuff and how itʼs piled inand around the house,garage and yard. Theproblem of hoarding isthat is creates“interpersonal friction” orfamily conflicts. Children,spouses and other familymembers have a problemliving amid the clutter.Additionally, theaccumulated belongingspile up and become firehazards or createunsanitary conditions,said Sharon Beck, RNand clinical social workerwith Central DuPageHospital in Winfield, Ill.Hoarding is oftenoverlooked because itʼshidden, Szymanski said.Hoarders often makeexcuses not to allowfriends, family membersand even repairmen intothe house.

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WATCH THEIRHEADS

BY MOLLY LOGAN ANDERSON | GATEHOUSE NEWS SERVICEMost parents of young

athletes have had the unfortunateexperience of dealing with aninjured child.

In the heat of themoment, itʼs not uncommon to putminor pain or treatment aside tofinish a season or importantgame. But whenit comes toconcussion,parents, coachesand kids cannotafford to look theother way. Hereʼseverything youneed to knowabout thiscommon injury,which leads to135,000emergency room visits each yearfor kids ages 5 through 18,according to a July 2007 Centersfor Disease Control Morbidity andMortality Weekly Report.

KNOW THE ENEMYAccording to the CDC, aconcussion is a type of traumaticbrain injury, or TBI, caused by abump, blow or jolt to the head thatchanges the way your brainnormally works. “These types ofinjuries are really unique,” saysDr. Rebecca Carl, a sportsmedicine pediatrician at ChildrenʼsMemorial Hospital in Chicago.“We just canʼt predict how aconcussion will behave … notwo concussions are alike.”

RECOGNIZE THE SIGNSEven with fair play the emphasis,the ability to prevent concussionsbefore they happen is very limited,according to experts likeCarl, who urges coaches, officialsand parents to focus on identifyingespecially rough hits or falls andto look for the symptomsof concussions so kids getnecessary medical treatment.Signs of a concussion can besubtle, so be aware of anythingout of the norm after a big hit orinjury. “The parent that thinks ʻMykid is just not acting right afterthat injuryʼ is likely seeing signs ofa concussion,” says Carl.

PROMOTE HEALING“I tell families that I see that theadults in the room wouldheal more slowly from every injury

out there other than a concussion,from which adults heal faster,”says Carl, who advisesthat recent studies comparingconcussions in high school andcollege students showed that thehigh school students took anaverage of three days longer toreturn to their baseline testing.

“For youngerkids, the healingtime needed iseven longer.”With that in mind,it is crucial forathletes to waitfor medicalclearance beforereturning to play.According to theCDC, children

most at risk for a concussion arethose that have had onein the past, so everyone involvedmust keep a watchful eye.Make sure that officials andcoaches create a culture wherechildren are comfortable and areencouraged to report injuries.Finally, ensure kids have the timethey need to recover fully.“Parents are the ones that reallyknow their kids,” says Carl.“They must look for signs of injuryand focus on healing.”

CHANGE THE RULESWhile various measures are inplace, Carl wants folks to knowthat preventing these injuries isvery difficult. “Some of theprotective equipment that youmight think preventsconcussions actually hasnʼt beenshown to do so,” says Carl,who says rule changes thatreduce concussion-producingactivity may help with prevention.“Focusing on fair play and goodsportsmanship may have aneffect.”

What to look for if yoususpect a concussion

• Loss of consciousness• Head pain or pressure• Nausea or vomiting• Dizziness• Confusion• Mood changes• Sleep problems (too much orhaving trouble sleeping)• Sluggish or slow movements• Double or blurred vision• Sensitivity to light• Sensitivity to noise

SouthernTier Healthcare Guide 07October 2011

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Fall into good healthNew research on sleep, relationships and the benefits of applesCOMPILED BY DANIELLE BRAFF | GATEHOUSE NEWS SERVICEGET MORE SLEEPYou canʼt control the phoneringing at all hours of the night,the kids trying to jump into bedwith you at 4 a.m. or yourspouseʼs snoring. But you canmake the most of it by makingyour bed. A new study findsthat people who make the effortto make their bed are 20percent more likely to get agood nightʼs sleep and 71percent of people say they lovesleeping on new sheets. Sotreat yourself to a freshly madebed, which takes about twominutes of your time.ALLERGIESLearn to make dining for yourchild with allergies a little morehealthy and fun. As if dining outwith kids isnʼt tricky enough,those with allergies have tonavigate an even harder path.Fortunately, thereʼs a new

website that will tell which ofyour local restaurants will beable to accommodate your kidsʼallergies – and it even listsmenus and nutritionalinformation.Check out AllergyEats.com formore information.LEARNING TO TALKDonʼt worry about stutteringover words when talking to yourbaby or toddler. A new studypublished in DevelopmentalScience finds that whenparents stumble over a wordthey donʼt use often, theirchildren will realize that theyʼreabout to hear a new word – andtheyʼll pay closer attention.A NEW PERSPECTIVETry cutting your spouse a littleslack. A recent study publishedin Psychological Science findsthat when spouses are moreidealistic – and less critical – of

each other, theyʼll be moreoptimistic about their issuesand their future. Over time,theyʼll become more satisfied intheir relationship.READ A BOOKThe first week of October isMental Health AwarenessWeek, and you can make a bigemotional change in your life bygrabbing a book the next timeyou feel lonely. A new studypublished in PsychologicalScience finds that connectingwith people –even fictionalpeople – willgive you asense ofbelonging. Infact, thosewho got into abook wereable to getthe same

psychological benefits as thosewho were surrounded byfriends.APPLE SEASONHereʼs another reason why welove the fall: Itʼs apple-pickingtime. And in a recent study fromFlorida State University, womenwho ate half a cup of driedapples or two fresh apples had23 percent lower LDL (or bad)cholesterol levels after just 26weeks. They also lost 3pounds. Time to hit the orchard!


SAD DADSNEW FATHERS CAN STRUGGLE WITHPOSTPARTUM DEPRESSION, TOO BY DAN RAFTER

The study surprisedmany: Postpartum depressionhits as many new fathers as itdoes mothers. But study authorJames Paulson hopes the reportdoes more than surprise; hehopes it educates men to thereal dangers of ignoringpostpartum depression.

“Many men donʼt wantto admit that they have thisdepression after their childrenare born,” said Paulson, anassociate professor at Norfolk,Va.- based Eastern VirginiaMedical School. “There is astigma surrounding depression,especially in men. If you look atthe Internet forums wherepeople are talking about thisstudy, youʼll read so manypeople saying that these guysjust have to man up or that themen suffering from this are just

sad that theyʼre no longerthe center of

attention. ”Menare much

worse inseekinghelp fordepression

than womenare.Hopefully,

we can raiseawareness ofthis realproblem.

Recognizing the signsPaulsonʼs report, published intheJournal of the American MedicalAssociation, found that 14percent of men sufferdepression either during theirpartnerʼs pregnancy or duringthe first year after the birth oftheir child. This isnʼt surprising;having a child changes apersonʼs life in dramatic way.This can be overwhelming toeven the most stable of newfathers. Men should seek helpfrom their physicians if they feelfor two weeks or longerpersistent feelings of sadness,anxiety or uncharacteristicdisinterest in activities that oncegave them pleasure, Paulsonsaid. If they feel lethargic —more than what normallyhappens to sleep-deprived newparents — or nolonger have a desire to eat, theyshould also consult with theirphysicians. Itʼs important formen to treat their depression,Paulson said. New babies needinteraction and affection fromtheir mothers and fathers tothrive. Itʼs hard for fathers toplay with their children,read to them or show them anyphysical affection if theyʼresuffering from postpartumdepression.

Seeking helpDr. Will Courtenay, apsychotherapist and menʼshealth specialist with a practicebased in Oakland, Calif., saidPaulsonʼs study didnʼt surprisehim. Heʼs seen in his ownpractice that many men strugglewith depression after the birth oftheir children. The importantthing, he said, is that these menneed to be willing to seek help.“Having kids is much biggerthan anyone expects,”Courtenay said. “It reallychanges peopleʼs lives in aprofound and fundamental way.People arenʼt prepared for that.They tend not to think aboutthat. They think about babybliss, which is what they yearothers talking about. For many,

though, it is not such a blissfulexperience. It is

challenging.”

09SouthernTier Healthcare GuideOctober 2011

Red meat and diabetesNew study finds link between the twoBy Dan Rafter GateHouse News Service

The importance of eatinga well balanced diet wasemphasized once again by a newstudy, this time by the HarvardSchool of Public Health, thatfound eating too much red andprocessed meat could increaseyour risk of suffering fromdiabetes.

The study found that adaily 100-gram serving ofunprocessed red meat — whichthe Harvard study said is aboutthe size of a deck of playing cards— was associated with a 19percent increased risk of type 2diabetes.

The news was evenworse for fans of hot dogs,lunchmeat or sausages. Thereport also found that one dailyserving of 50 grams of processedmeat increased the risk of type 2diabetes by 51 percent. A 50-gram serving of processed meatequals one hot dog or sausage ortwo slices of bacon, according toHarvard's report.

"The results from thisstudy have huge public healthimplications given the rising type 2diabetes epidemic and increasingconsumption of red meatsworldwide," said Frank Hu, seniorauthor of the study and aprofessor of nutrition andepidemiology at the HarvardSchool of Public Health, in a newsrelease about the study. "Thegood news is that such troublingrisk factors can be offset byswapping red meat for a healthierprotein."

According to theAmerican Diabetes Association,type 2 diabetes is the mostcommon form of the disease inthe U.S. In this form of diabetes,the body does not produceenough insulin or the body's cellsignore the insulin being produced.This form of diabetes can result inblindness, high blood pressureand heart disease.

The Harvard researchersrecommend that people whoreplace red meat with healthier

proteins such as low-fat dairyproducts, whole grains or nuts willsignificantly lower their risk fortype 2 diabetes.

The studyʼs results didnʼtshock officials with the AmericanDiabetes Association.

"With type 2 diabetes,genetics play a big role, as well asmultiple environmental factors,such as obesity, physical inactivityand poor diet. Theseenvironmental factorscan interact with genetics toincrease your risk of developingthe disease," says VivianFonseca, president-elect ofmedicine and science for theAmerican DiabetesAssociation and a professor ofmedicine at Tulane University inNew Orleans.

"People who eat a lot ofred meat and processed meatmay not be eating as much nuts,beans and fish; those who eatmore of those foods tend toreduce their chance of developingdiabetes.”

DIABETES IS NOT RAREAccording to the Centers forDisease Control and Prevention,nearly 350 million adults across theglobe suffer from some form ofdiabetes. In the U.S., more than11 percent of adults older than 20— 25.6 million individuals— have diabetes, the CDC reports.Most people in the U.S. who havediabetes suffer from type 2. Thecauses of this disease are largelypreventable: obesity, an unhealthydiet and a lack of physical activity.


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Experts say thatcertain lifestyle factors,including diet, may only besmall components of whypeople experience acid reflux.

All too often peoplewho routinely have acid reflux,commonly known asheartburn, blame the chili dogthey ate at lunch or the spicyfajita platter for their bout ofdiscomfort. Although foods canplay a role in occasionalheartburn incidences, chancesare those who get heartburnon a regular basis can thankan anatomical or medicalcondition.

Acid reflux is medicallyclassified as GERD, orgastroesophageal refluxdisease. At the entrance to thestomach is a ring of musclethat closes after food passesfrom the esophagus to thestomach so that digestion canbegin. If this ring -- known asthe lower esophagealsphincter (LES) -- doesn'tclose fully or opens too often,acids in the stomach can riseinto the esophagus. This is

what causes the feeling ofburning in the chest.Regurgitated acid may alsocollect at the back of thethroat.

There are a number ofreasons acid reflux can occur,and food is just one of them.Here are some of the mainculprits behind heartburn.* Pregnancy: Elevatedhormones in the body cancause trouble with the LES.Furthermore, increasingpressure in the abdomen froma growing baby and uterus canforce stomach acid to riseabove the LES. Symptomstypically subside once thebaby is born.* Overweight and obesity:Being overweight or obesecan put pressure on theabdominal region. Losingweight may help alleviate acidreflux.* Hiatal hernia: This is astomach abnormality in whichthe upper part of the stomach

and the LES rise above thediaphragm, or the muscle thatseparates the chest from thestomach. Surgeries can helprepair this condition.* Gastroparesis: This occurswhen the stomach takes toolong to empty contents into thesmall intestines. The rationaleis that if acid is left sitting inthe stomach, it can eventuallyrise up into the esophagus.* Medication: Certainmedications have acid refluxlisted as a side effect. It'sworth the effort of researchingside effects anddiscussing themwith your doctorif you arenormally proneto heartburn forother reasons.Even someover-the-countermedications,including aspirin,ibuprofen ormuscle relaxers,can relax theLES and let acidleak out.

Possible causes of acid refluxIf acid reflux is

suspected, a doctor canperform a series of tests toexamine the esophagus andsee if damage from stomachacid is occurring. There aremedications called protonpump inhibitors or H2 blockersthat will limit the production ofstomach acid. Lifestylechanges, like eating smallermeals more frequently,remaining upright after eating,not consuming large mealsbefore bedtime, and limitingtroublesome foods are otherstrategies.


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When kids get homefrom school, parents may beanxious to see what assignmentsand keepsakes their sons anddaughters have brought withthem. What they may notanticipate are sick days due toinfectious diseases.

Most parents have heardabout mono, lice, pink eye, andH1N1, or swine flu. They may notbe familiar with anothercontagious illness called fifthdisease.

Fifth disease is sonamed because in the 19thcentury it appeared fifth on a listof common childhood illnessesalongside measles, mumps,German measles or rubella, andchicken pox. The clinical name forthe condition is erythemainfectiousum. Caused by theparovirus B19, fifth disease is aviral illness that often affectschildren between the ages of 5and 15.

Symptoms

Although studies showthat 40 to 60 percent of the world

adult population has evidence ofpast parovirus B19 infection, it isdifficult for them to recall havingfifth disease symptoms. Thosewho do may have experiencedone of these common symptoms:

* Low-grade fever

* Mild cold-like symptoms

* Headache

* A rash that begins in the faceand looks like the cheeks havebeen slapped. Eventually the rashwill spread to the trunk, arms andlegs and may take on a lacypattern and be lighter than on theface.

Children who experience fifthdisease usually come down withthe virus in the spring or fall.Complications from the conditionare rare. Individuals with diseasesinvolving red blood celldestruction may have greatercomplications from fifth disease,including a serious anemicreaction. Older children mayexperience joint pain or itching ofthe rash. It can take up to 3 weeksfor the rash to entirely go away.

Sunlight, heat, stress, andexercise may trigger it to returneven after it has faded.

Spreading

The virus is spread person-to-person through close contactindoors. That is why it is morecommon during cooler weather.The trouble with fifth disease isthat the infection is mostcontagious before the rashappears, in something called theincubation period. At this point thechild only may have mildrespiratory issues that mimic thecommon cold.

Once the rash has appeared thechild is no longer contagious andcan return toschool. He orshe also willnow haveimmunity tofifth diseaseand it'sunlikely tobecomeinfectedagain.

Pregnantwomen,especiallythose who

have not had fifth disease in theiryouth, should avoid a contagiouschild. That's because the viruscan cause trouble to the fetus ifthe woman becomes infected.

Prevention

There's no treatment ormedication to prevent fifthdisease. The same precautionsused for colds and flu should beused for fifth disease. Frequenthand washing and other hygienemeasures can halt the spread andthe transmission of the virus.Should a child be diagnosed withfifth disease, a responsible parentwill alert the school or childcarefacility promptly.

Fifth disease:A condition of childhood


A frightening statisticreleased by the NationalInstitute of Mental Healthstates that one in 10 adults,more than 18 million people inthe United States, experiencesclinical depression every year.Of those, more than six millionwomen, twice the number ofmen, experience depressionevery year. But what exactly isclinical depression? It is aserious mental illness thatdevelops at any age, andwhile treatable, it is a lifelongcondition.

Some facts to know about clinicaldepression include:• Women ages 25 to 44 aremore likely to experiencedepression.• Girls who are enteringpuberty are more likely toexperience depression thanboys.• Married women have ahigher rate of depression than

unmarried women. It peaksduring childbearing years.• Elderly women are morelikely to experience depressionthan elderly men.• The number one cause ofdisability among women isdepression.• Only one out of three womenwho experience depressiongets help.• Almost 15% of women whoexperience depression commitsuicide.• There is a strong tie betweeneating disorders anddepression.

What causes clinical depressionto affect more women than men?The answer is a combinationof factors:• Biological. Women are moreapt to be depressed duringtheir reproductive years.Depression can also occurbefore menstruation, duringand after pregnancy, andbefore menopause.

• Genetic. Depression can runin families. Someone whosemother, father or siblingexperienced depression is25% more likely to bedepressed themselves.• Psychosocial. Stress broughton by having a job and afamily, traumatic lifeexperiences such as rape orabuse, lack of a support

system, poverty and sexdiscrimination can lead todepression. Women who havelow self-esteem, arepessimistic and tend to getstressed out are more likely toexperience depression.No two people experienceclinical depression the sameway, but there are some commonsymptoms to look for.

Blue Is Not Your ColorBy Ronda Addy


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If you experience any of thesesymptoms for several daysover a two-week period, itʼstime to see a doctor.• Crying a lot and feelingpersistently sad• Sleeping too much or toolittle and not being able to goto sleep or stay asleep• Loss of interest in thingsonce enjoyed• Difficulty remembering ormaking decisions• Physical symptoms that donʼtgo away, even with treatment• Thoughts of death andsuicide• Loss of energy or feelings offatigue• Loss of appetite and weightor eating too much andgaining weight• Feeling restless and irritable

The treatment for clinicaldepression includes:• Psychotherapy. For mild-to-moderate depression,interpersonal andcognitive/behavioral therapycan be effective. For womenwho are pregnant or are tryingto become pregnant,psychotherapy is the bestcourse of action becausedrugs may harm the baby.• Antidepressant medicines.There is no indication thatantidepressant medicineswork better on women or men,but women generallyexperience more side effects.How long the medication isneeded depends upon thedegree of depression.

There are also some dos anddon’ts to fighting clinicaldepression:• Do learn as much as you canabout depression and itstreatment.• Do exercise everyday. Thiswill help you feel better andgive you more energy.• Do eat balanced meals andget enough sleep.• Do take your medicine and/orattend the counseling sessionsas prescribed by your doctor.• Do set small goals foryourself.• Do stay in touch with familyand friends. Avoid isolation.• Do call someone right away ifyou are thinking about suicide.• Donʼt make any life-alteringdecisions, such as getting adivorce or quitting your job.• Donʼt blame yourself for howyou are feeling. You didnʼt askto feel this way.

• Donʼt expect to feel betterright away. Give the treatmenttime.

Clinical depression can impairyour ability to function, bothphysically and socially.Although often misdiagnosed,depression, once identified,can be treated. At the firstsigns of depression, seek helpand donʼt become anotheralarming statistic.

• Don’t be too harsh with yourself.It’s going to take time to get thingsdone like you used to and to feel likeyour old self. Changes are not going tohappen overnight, so don’t be overlycritical of yourself if you make mistakesor don’t get as much done as you’dlike. You’re having a hard enough timewithout getting on your own case.• Be realistic.Making a laundry listof things to do is a surefire way to setyourself up for failure. Start with smallpositive changes and work from there.If you’re not realistic you’ll just end upfrustrated and more depressed.• Surround yourself with people.While you may just want to curl up andbe alone, this isn’t the best or easiestroute for you when you’re depressed.Having others around you to give you ahelping hand, talk to you and provideyou with inspiration is important tofeeling better and getting back into theswing of things, even if you feel likeyou just want to shut everyone out.• Move around. Lying in bed all dayor hunkering down on the couch isn’tgoing to do much but give you moretime to feel bad about things. Whenyou force yourself to get up, even ifonly for a short walk or to tend to someplants outside, you’ll be helpingyourself feel better physically andmentally.• Start a project. For many, this mayseem like that last thing they want todo but an enjoyable project can giveyou something to concentrate on thatwill bring your thoughts away fromdepression and give you something tofeel proud of when you’re done.• Make a plan. If even the smallesttasks seem like a chore, start smallwith planning out what you’re going todo each day. In the morning, writedown the things you’d like toaccomplish and in the evening, go backand check off what you did. This canhelp you regain your sense of controlover your life at a time when it seemsthe most chaotic. Recovering fromdepression is a hard road, but withsome planning and slow but steadyprogress you may be able to startfeeling optimistic about your life again.

Helpful Tips OnDealing WithDepression


22 Liberty St.Bath, NY 14810Phone: 1-607-776-8004or 1-800-976-8004Fax: 1-607-776-4086

The Office ofJoseph A. DePraPhysician, PLLC

is now open for confirmation of pregnancy through limited ultrasound and can provide

prenatal classes

Anyone who hasever suffered back pain,whether that pain is mild,moderate or severe,understands just howunpleasant it can be. Backpain can make life extremelydifficult, affecting everythinga person does, includingperformance at work, timespent with the kids or evensleeping at night.

For those with backpain, chiropractic care mightbe the best way to relievethat pain. A nonsurgicaltreatment of the disorders ofthe nervous system and/ormusculoskeletal system,chiropractic medicinefocuses on spinalmanipulation and thetreatment of the structuressurrounding the spine.Understanding chiropracticcare can help men andwomen dealing with painbetter determine if it's forthem.

What conditions dochiropractors treat?

A chiropractor can treat anumber of conditions, butmost treatments focus on ahandful of common andoften painful conditions.Those conditions include:

- joint pain in the arms andlegs

- mid- and lower back pain

- neck pain

- headaches

What do chiropractictreatments entail?

Many people withlower back pain find suchpain so unbearable that theyseek the help of achiropractor. Despite that,many more people remainwary of visiting achiropractor for myriad

reasons. But chiropractorscan effectively treat pain in anumber of ways.

Achiropractictreatment iscommonlyreferred to asa spinalmanipulation.During atreatment,thechiropractorwill move ajoint beyondits usualrange ofmotion. Thejoint might bemovedthroughtwisting,pulling orpushing, butit won't bemovedbeyond therange ofmotion it's

designed to move. Thosebeing treated for the firsttime should expect to hearsome popping or cracking

during thetreatment.The goal of aspinalmanipulationis to improvefunctionalitywhilereducingnerveirritability andrestoringrange ofmotion in theback.

In addition tospinalmanipulation,a chiropractormight tryother types oftreatments,including:

- ultrasound

Chiropractic treatments can help relieve pain


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PRC of the Valleys, Inc.22 Liberty Street, Bath, NY 14810

607-776-8004 ~800-976-8004

Mon. & Tues.: 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Wednesday: CLOSED

Thurs.: 9:00-5:00 p.m. Fri.: 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. By appointment ~ Walk-ins are Welcome

Email: [email protected]

All Services are FREE and CONFIDENTIAL

- the application of heat orice

- certain strength andconditioning exercises

- relaxation therapy

Are there side effects tochiropractic treatments?

Perhaps the reasonsome people are hesitant tovisit a chiropractor is thefear that, should somethinggo awry, the back could beirreparably damaged. Thosefears were common duringthe early years ofchiropractic treatments, butnow many medical doctorswill work in tandem with achiropractor to ensurepatients are getting thecorrect and most effectivetreatments.

That said, there aresome potential side effectsto chiropractic treatments.Once the spine has beenadjusted, some peoplemight feel minor pain ordiscomfort, and headachesand fatigue are possible aswell. However, such side

effects typically subsidewithin a day of receivingtreatment.

In some instances, aherniated disc might resultafter an adjustment is usedto treat neck or back pain.Should that occur, a patientwill likely experience pain,weakness and numbness inthe buttocks and down thelegs. Bladder and bowelcontrol might be affected aswell. However,such instances arerare.

Will anadjustmentbe painful?

Despitethe cracking andpopping sounds itcauses, a spinaladjustment istypically notpainful. Of course,men and womenwho visit achiropractor areoften experiencingsignificant painalready, and themovement

necessary during thetreatment might provepainful. However,chiropractors can take stepsto make the treatment easieron the patient if he or she isstruggling with severe backpain. For instance, achiropractor might use adrop table during treatment.Parts of the drop table will

drop slightly when thechiropractor presses downon the patient's back. Thismakes the adjustmentsmore gentle. Another toolused to make adjustmentsmore comfortable is a hand-held tool called an activator.Many patients, however, donot need either option.


Documents

Health Care GUide Fall 2011