Your Spine, Your Health

There’s a lot resting on your spine.  This complex network includes bones, disks and joints that protect your spinal cord.  It also supports your head and shoulders and keeps you standing – or sitting – upright.  Your spine also lets you bend down, back and side-to-side.  In short, you couldn’t do most of what you do during the day without all the parts of your spine functioning the way they should.

For better spine and joint health consider the following:

• Don’t bend or squat for long periods of time.
• If you sit most of the day, change positions frequently.
• Kneel only on soft surfaces.
• When reaching overhead, keep your upper back straight.
• Include stretching in your daily exercise.
• Use a mirror during indoor exercise to keep an eye on your posture.
• If you feel pain in a joint during exercise, reduce your weight, motion or both.
• Vary your exercise routines to give joints a day of rest and recovery.
• Consider aquatic exercise for joints that are stiff or damaged by arthritis.

Emergency Room (ER) or Urgent Care?

SHOULD I GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM (ER) OR TO URGENT CARE CENTER?

When to go to ER
The ER is open around the clock to treat serious, life-and-death problems.  Get to the ER right away if you or a family member has sudden symptoms that need emergency care, including:

• Chest pain
• Trouble breathing
• Vomiting
• Loss of consciousness
• Choking
• Poisoning
• Sudden slurred speech
• Seizures
• Severe burns
• Head or back injuries
• Uncontrolled bleeding

When URGENT CARE CENTER is a better choice
Urgent Care Centers offer many of the same services as the ER, such as x-ray and blood testing.  But they don’t treat life threatening conditions.  If you need treatment right away for a less serious problem, an Urgent Care Center is your best bet.  Check the hours of the Urgent Care Center nearest you to get help for:

• Sinus or ear infections
• Urinary tract infections
• Minor cuts and burns
• Sprains or broken bones
• Fever and sore throat

For problems that are urgent but not life threatening, call your primary care physician.  The physician will decide what treatment s required and will give you instructions.

Dr. Patient Relationship

Forming an open and long-term relationship with your physician and/or medical provider regarding your health care is critical in terms of insuring your health care needs are met.

Patients can help their primary care physicians by making sure they have an open and honest dialogue at the time of their visits. Providing a list of all medications a patient takes; or better yet, taking all of your medication bottles along to your office visit will assure the doctor has the correct medical information in your record. This information is critical for assessing any additional medications that may be needed in the future.

Patients can also help their physician by writing down all of their questions prior to their office visit so that they get the answers they need at the time of their visit. It’s easy for anyone to forget all the questions that may come to mind during any given day……just jot them down and take them to your next visit. This way the doctor can address your health care concerns during the visit and not while you are going out the door when the doctor may seem rushed. Additionally, bringing a relative or a friend to the office visit as an extra set of eyes and ears may be useful during and after the visit.

With the advent of the Internet, patients can access medical information quickly. With an overload of online sites and purported experts, its essential for patients to review only credible Internet sites. While most of the medical information is credible, having a open discussion with your physician can render a different view based upon your own personal medical condition and/or medical history.

It’s also important for patients to keep track of their medical history, even if it is an informal log of their treatments and medications. Getting copies of reports such as x-rays, labs, and/or other medical reports for your personal records is recommended. A 3-ring binder works well for maintaining these copies and any notes you may have from your visit or from a telephone discussion you may have had with your physician.

Your physician always has your best health in mind, and the best medical advice is given when you and your physician have an open and honest dialog regarding your health care.

Healthy Bones

The importance of healthy bones cannot be over-emphasized. Bone loss occurs naturally as we age so knowing this, one must take measures to keep building bone mass over the years. Our body loses 0.4% bone mass per year after 30 years of age. Maximal bone density is achieved between 25 and 35 years of age. Starting early, even in childhood, teaching children the importance of having healthy bones is essential. Even starting later in life, individuals can build mass through Calcium and Vitamin D dietary sources. Calcium dietary sources include almonds, broccoli, cooked kale, canned salmon with bones, oats, soy and tofu. Vitamin D dietary sources include fortified cereals, eggs, salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines, in addition to fortified milk, cheese, and food sources.

Adding to the dietary sources is recommended. An individual should take at least 1,000 IU each of Calcium (Calcium Citrate) along with of vitamin D, especially D3. As with all supplements, talk to your doctor prior to embarking on any supplemental routine.

Exercise is another element that can promote building bone mass and slow down the rate of the bone loss. Such exercises as strength training (arms and upper spine), and weight bearing (legs, hips and lower spine – walking, jogging, running, stair climbing, skipping rope, and skiing) are very good at promoting bone mass.

How do we diagnose Osteoporosis? A bone density scan (DEXA) is a low-dose x-ray which checks an area of the body such as the hip, hand, or foot for signs of mineral loss and bone thinning. Healthy bones have a T Score of 2.5 to -1. Out of this range signifies low bone density, and to the extreme – osteoporosis. Knowing your T score will keep you apprised of what you need to do in the future to maintain healthy bones.

BlOOD PRESSURE

WHAT IS HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE & WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

“Blood pressure” has to do with the pressure that is placed on the blood vessels of your body when your heart beats.  The top number is the “systolic” blood pressure and detects pressure on the blood vessels when the heart squeezes or contracts.  The bottom number is known as the “diastolic” blood pressure and reflects the pressure on the blood vessels when the heart is relaxed.  The ideal range for most adults is 110-120/70-80.  Blood pressure that is too high or too low can affect your health.  If your blood pressure is too high on a regular basis,  that can lead to heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease and blood vessel damage.  Blood pressure that is too low can indicate issues with loss of blood volume, fluid loss or other conditions. Speak to your doctor if your blood pressure is not within an ideal range.

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