Did You Know? April is Stress Awareness Month and has been held every April, since 1992.
A little bit of stress is good for us, in that it provides energy and keeps us motivated. However, it's important to keep stress in check. When left to its own devices, stress can lead to or worsen a number of serious health problems, from heart disease to depression and anxiety.
In medical terms, stress is the physiological response to a noted threat. Fear and anxiety are normal and essential feelings in life. But for some people, these responses take on a life of their own and start to disrupt everyday situations. Stress has expanded into a chronic condition with lasting health effects and the ability to weaken the immune system.
There are a number of things backed up by research that you can do, right now, to lower your stress levels. Here are a few simple tips on how to reduce stress and warning signs that it may be time to seek professional help:
- Take deep breaths. It’s not a cliché, it actually does slow your heart rate and increases oxygen intake.
- Listen to music. This releases dopamine which results in a good relaxed feeling.
- Workout. Physical activity and high water intake will keep you feeling renewed and stress free.
- Crack open a book. Just six minutes of reading is enough to help you de-stress. Studies suggest that reading was linked with a slower heart rate and muscle relaxation.
- Grab your phone. There are many smartphone apps available to reduce stress. Popular ones include: “Deep Relaxation” and “StressFree” (both available in iTunes).
- Know when it’s time to see a professional. If your stress is becoming or has become chronic, you may pose a danger to yourself or others without even realizing it. Trained professionals in stress management will be able to help pinpoint the cause of your stress as well as provide insight into how you should deal with it. It’s time to seek professional help if you experience the following:
o Loss of concentration very quickly
o Memory loss
o Constant worrying
o Sinking into depression and feeling alone or even suicidal
Most people affected with allergies start crossing their fingers and refreshing their medication the minute they get one whiff of spring's bounty of grasses, trees and flowers.
But once cooler weather hits, there's another segment of the population that prepares itself for Mother Nature's mischief. The mayhem surprisingly can happen indoors too - as people escape the frigid temperatures outside. Take a look at some of these cold-weather culprits.
COLD-INDUCED URTICARIA
Cold Facts: Some people get rosy cheeks in the cold weather. For others, plummeting temperatures cause a breakout of cold-induced urticaria, also known as "cold-induced hives," They're a reaction to cold weather or cold water and are often itchy - can be as large as a half-dollar, may appear suddenly and may reoccur chronically with exposure to cold.
Remedy: The appearance of cold-weather hives requires a visit to a medical doctor who'll test for abnormal proteins in the blood, called cryoglobulins, that are activated by exposure to the cold. If cryoglobulins are present, further evaluation is needed to check for underlying causes, including hepatitis C.
Other precautions to take include keeping the body as covered up as possible and taking a nondrowsy antihistamine before going out in the cold or into cold water. If medication doesn't help, a physician may suggest Periactin, a prescription drug with the active ingredient cyproheptadine, which has side effects such as drowsiness and possible weight gain.
COLD-INDUCED ANGIOEDEMA
Cold Facts: Cold-induced angiodema - swelling in the deeper tissues - is often associated with cold-induced urticaria. Swelling is potentially a more dangerous response because it may precipitate a drop in blood pressure. This, in turn, may lead to light-headedness or more serious symptoms. In contrast with the itching of hives, cold-induced angioedema typically causes burning or pain.
Remedy: If taking a nondrowsy antihistamine before going outdoors doesn't help, following the pharmaceutical protocol for cold-induced urticaria may provide relief.
RAYNAUD'S PHENOMENON
Cold Facts: In some individuals, exposure of the hands and feet to the cold may lead to severe constriction of the blood vessels. The result is decreased oxygen to those areas, which causes the skin to go white and become painful. As the skin warms up, the affected body parts often turn a rainbow of colors - blue followed by red. When Raynaud's becomes chronic, the skin, tissue under the skin and even muscles may waste away. Fingernails may become brittle and marked by longitudinal ridges.
Remedy: It's important to seek additional medical attention to rule out Raynaud's syndrome, also known as secondary Raynaud's. Secondary Raynaud's may be associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), other immune disorders and even medications such as beta blockers. In extreme cases, the fingertips may be so adversely affected that skin ulcerations or gangrene may result.
Protective clothing, especially for the extremities, is a must. If SLE has been ruled out but the patient still experiences severe symptoms, a visit to a vascular specialist for further evaluation is suggested.
COLD-INDUCED ASTHMA
Cold Facts: For some individuals, simply breathing cold air into the lungs is all it takes to bring on an asthma attack, with shortness of breath and constriction of the airways. Cold dry air is sometimes a more potent trigger than the cold moist variety. Cold winds can also fuel an attack, and typical winter-weather flu and colds can worsen asthma symptoms.
Remedy: To keep your mouth and nose warm and help ensure that you're breathing warm air, generously cover these body parts with protective outerwear. Carry a rescue inhaler, such as albuterol or levalbuterol, at all times, and use it before exposure to the cold. If necessary, avoid exercising outdoors in frigid temperatures or even in unheated indoor facilities.
VASOMOTOR RHINITIS
Cold Facts: Although it's technically not an allergy, vasomotor rhinitis - the common runny nose - nevertheless behaves like an allergy. Symptoms of this condition - continuously runny noses, sneezing, nasal congestion and post-nasal drip can all be part of the mix - may suddenly erupt in cold-sensitive people after they do nothing more than set their feet down on a cold floor.
Remedy: Antihistamines typically provide no relief for this condition. However, prescription nasal sprays - including nasal antihistamines, nasal cholinergic inhibitors (ipratropium), or nasal steroids - may provide relief.
DUST MITES
Cold Facts: It's far more comfy watching snow, sleet and bundled-up neighbors on a plush sofa or pillowed up in bed on a soft mattress. But you may have company. House dust mites, which allergists often refer to as HDM, also like to stay - in upholstery, bedding and linens.
These microscopic critters have quite an appetite, gobbling up skin that humans regularly shed. As they dine, the mites secrete digestive enzymes, especially proteases, which wind up in their fecal matter. These substances - as well as the mites' external structure - may trigger allergic symptoms that include runny noses, wheezing, congestion, headaches, itching and asthma. Fortunately, blocking the activities of Dermatophagoides farinae and other dust mite brethren is relatively easy.
Remedy: Dust mite covers do a great job keeping these at a safe distance. That's because the weave of these special fabrics is very tight - typically less than 10 microns - which helps ensure that mites can't squirm their way in and out of your possessions. As a precaution, wash bedding at least once a week in very hot water. If family members are dust mite-sensitive, keep fabrics in the home to a minimum by eliminating drapes and opting for blinds or other window treatments.
EVERGREEN TREES
Cold Facts: Bringing nature indoors is one way to fuel the winter-holiday spirit. Unfortunately, decking your home with evergreen trees, wreaths or garlands may also heighten allergies. That's because evergreens may harbor naturally forming mold on their needles and fruits.
Remedy: Some holiday tree farms put their trees into a "shaker" with an eye towards dislodging the mold. But if your tree still provokes allergic reactions, try an OTC nondrowsy or long acting antihistamine. An artificial tree may be the most trouble-free solution of all.
FABRICS
Cold Facts: With an onslaught of cold weather, most people start insulating by layering their clothing. Trouble is, some winter fabrics, such as wool, contain short and rigid fibers that can provoke skin itching. The people most susceptible are often those who have thinner skin or existing skin conditions, such as eczema.
Remedy: To cut down the scratchiness quotient, make sure the first-layer garment touching your skin is made of 100 percent cotton. Once that cotton layer is in place, consider experimenting with synthetic fabrics, especially garments that athletes wear in the cold weather. Read clothing labels carefully, and stay away from garments that have been coated with resins or other chemicals. And, because dry skin is more susceptible to irritation from fabrics, moisturizing your skin is a must.
FOOD ALLERGIES
Cold Facts: One tasty antidote to cold weather is the variety of food that becomes available as holiday time approaches. However, there are seldom labels of ingredients on the pot-luck offerings from family and friends or the food served at catered events or office parties. For people who are food-sensitive or allergic to certain foods, the season presents the problem of having less control over what's being served.
Remedy: Good communication is key. Ask if these foods - fruit cakes, eggnog and casseroles are often red flags - contain ingredients on your "do not eat" list, especially nuts. Be vigilant and, if necessary, abstain from eating potentially appetizing but harmful dishes. If you have already been diagnosed with a food allergy, be sure to carry your emergency medication with you at all times.
PETS
If your eyes are red, itchy and watery because of allergies, there are steps you can take to help ease your discomfort.
When heading outside, wear a wide-brimmed hat to help prevent pollen from blowing into the eyes
After spending time outside, use eye drops to help rinse allergens from the eyes.
Wear sunglasses when outdoors to help shield the eyes from allergens.
Talk with your doctor about taking medication to help relieve symptoms.
The term "dysplasia" is used to describe abnormal changes in the cells found on the surface of the cervix. Dysplasia may occur in three stages, mild, moderate and severe. By definition, mild dysplasia involves 25% of the thickness of the cell layer overlying the cervix. Moderate dysplasia involves 50% of the cell layer. When severe dysplasia is diagnosed, the abnormal cells involve almost the full thickness of the cell layer.
Cancerous cells are the most severe of the abnormal cells found on Pap tests. Carcinoma in situ involves the full thickness of the surface cells of the cervix. Invasive cancer of the cervix means the disease has progressed beyond the surface layer of cells.
What causes dysplasia?
Dysplasia is caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is sexually transmitted. It has been discovered that approximately 60% of sexually active college students acquire HPV at some point during college. HPV can cause genital warts, but fewer than 5% of women infected with the HPV will develop genital warts. HPV can penetrate the cells of the cervix even if a woman has never had genital warts. The virus causes abnormal cell development on the cervix called dysplasia. Recent studies show that HPV can spontaneously disappear with time.
Dysplasia can also spontaneously resolve with time. Women under the age of 24 tend to get over the infection and subsequent dysplasia quicker than older women. Smoking has been associated with an increased risk of the progression of dysplasia to cervical carcinoma.
Is dysplasia a serious risk to my health?
In most cases mild dysplasia will spontaneously revert to normal without treatment over a period of several years. A younger woman with dysplasia has a greater chance of regression, i.e. return to normal state. In a few instances it will progress slowly to more advanced stages. In rare instances, dysplasia may progress to cervical cancer.
Do I need immediate treatment for mild dysplasia or moderate dysplasia?
Since mild dysplasia often returns to normal without therapy, immediate treatment is seldom needed or recommended. Even moderate dysplasia can resolve spontaneously in women age 25 or younger.
How should I follow up after a biopsy shows dysplasia?
For women under the age of 21 who have mild dysplasia for less than 2 years, a repeat pap smear every year is adequate.
For women over the age of 21, follow-up depends on what the Pap smear showed prior to the cervical biopsy. Sometimes mild dysplasia is preceded by a Pap smear showing atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US), atypical squamous cells cannot rule out a high grade lesion (ASC-H), or a low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LGSIL). For these patients, it is recommended to repeat a HPV test in one year. If the HPV test is negative in one year, routine annual screening is recommended.
Other times, mild dysplasia is preceded by a Pap smear showing atypical glandular cells (AGC) or a high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HGSIL). For these women, the mild dysplasia on biopsy is followed by a Pap smear and colposcopy every 6 months for one year. If the results are negative at both visits, the patient can return to routine annual screening.
Women with moderate dysplasia under the age of 25 can be followed every four to six months with pap smears and colposcopy. If moderate dysplasia persists for two years or if severe dysplasia develops, treatment can be performed. For women over age 25 with moderate dysplasia, treatment is often recommended.
Women are encouraged to discuss any concerns or questions regarding follow-up recommendations with their physician.
How can I help my body recover from this condition more quickly?
If you smoke cigarettes, stop! Smoking depresses the immune system which is responsible for the healing process. Eating a healthy diet, limiting alcohol intake and getting 6-8 hours of sleep a night may also help boost the immune system. Consistent use of condoms lessens the risk of further exposure to HPV and protects the cervix from further irritation.
Remember, you can get all your questions answered here at the New York Doctor's Urgent Care Offices and through our FB and Twitter pages. We're always here to help, 365 days a year! www.nyorkdoctorsurgentcare.com
Remember, you can get all your questions answered here at the New York Doctor's Urgent Care Offices and through our FB and Twitter pages. We're always here to help, 365 days a year! www.nyorkdoctorsurgentcare.com
College may be good for the mind, but it can be tough on your skin. Pizza, breadsticks, ice cream, heavy course loads, and a shift in sleep patterns can all lead to "a monumental skin freak-out."
"The college years are a prime time for breaking out, even for people who went through the bulk of their teen years without acne," says Jody Levine, MD, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. "Your skin reflects your overall health, and the disruptions in diet, exercise, and sleep, plus stress, can all lead to acne flare-ups."
Stress and Acne: Is There a Connection?
For a long time, doctors have suspected that stress worsens acne, but evidence was mostly unreliable. In the past decade, though, research has suggested that the doctors may be on the right track.
In 2003, a Stanford University study published in the Archives of Dermatology found that college students had acne flare-ups during exams, a period in which they reported more stress, compared to periods without testing. Acne severity correlated highly with increasing stress, the researchers concluded.
Still, scientists don’t know exactly how stress worsens acne. They do know that cells that produce sebum, have receptors for stress hormones. Sebum is the oily substance that mixes with dead skin cells and bacteria to clog the hair follicles, leading to a pimple or acne cyst.
When a person with acne experiences a lot of stress, "somehow, they’re upregulated." This means that more oil is produced to clog the hair follicles to allow more acne to form -- and give the stressed individual more to pick at.
In a 2007 study of high school students in Singapore, researchers from Wake Forest University School of Medicine also found that acne worsened during exam times, compared to low-stress periods, such as summer break.
These researchers hypothesized that the increase in acne might be due to higher levels of sebum produced during stressful times. However, they found that psychological stress didn’t increase sebum production significantly in the teens, leading them to suggest that that acne linked to stress may involve other root causes.
When Stress Makes You Mess With Your Skin
Sometimes, stress and acne can interact in a harmful cycle. When some people are anxious or upset, they’re more likely to exacerbate their blemishes. Some people pick their skin when they’re stressed. If they have a pimple to pick, that’s where they’re going.
What Is Acne Excoriee?
While many people squeeze a pimple occasionally, they're more extreme cases in which patients pick at their blemishes compulsively because they’re worried and embarrassed about their skin.
This condition is called acne excoriee. When these patients see, literally don’t have a pimple in existence. Instead, they have scabs that can lead to scarring. Patients can actually turn very mild acne into terrible scars.
Treating Acne
What can be done? A person can’t really use stress reduction as an acne treatment. You can’t treat acne with a Valium.
For many people, acne is a chronic problem that doesn’t just vanish after finals week. It’s often a long-term issue that requires acne treatment, which can include benzoyl peroxide, retinoids, antibiotics applied to the skin or taken by mouth, hormonal treatments, and in more difficult cases, isotretinoin (Accutane).
That said, people with acne can also take advantage of seeing a psychologist or learning biofeedback if they need to reduce high levels of stress overall.
Remember, you can get all your questions answered here at the New York Doctor's Urgent Care Offices and through our FB and Twitter pages. We're always here to help, 365 days a year! www.nyorkdoctorsurgentcare.com
Sports injuries are injuries that occur in athletic activities. In many cases, these injuries are due to overuse or acute trauma of a part of the body when participating in a certain activity. For example, runner's knee is a painful condition generally associated with running, while tennis elbow is a form of repetitive stress injury at the elbow.
Other types of injuries can be caused by a hard contact with something. This can often cause a broken bone or torn ligament or tendon. The most severe injuries and all fatalities are collectively known as catastrophic injuries, usually a result of trauma to the head, spine, or spinal cord.
Injuries are a common occurrence in professional sports and most teams have a staff of Athletic Trainers and close connections to the medical community. Controversy has arisen at times when teams have made decisions that could threaten a players long-term health for short term gain.
Signs and symptoms
Inflammation is characterized by pain, localized swelling, heat, redness and a loss of function.
A bruise or contusion is damage to small blood vessels which causes bleeding within the tissues. A muscle strain is a small tear of muscle fibers and a ligament sprain is a small tear of ligament tissue. The body’s response to these sports injuries is the same in the initial five-day period immediately following the traumatic incident – inflammation.
Mechanism
All of these traumatic injuries cause damage to the cells that make up the soft tissues. The dead and damaged cells release chemicals, which initiate an inflammatory response. Small blood vessels are damaged and opened up, producing bleeding within the tissue. In the body’s normal reaction, a small blood clot is formed in order to stop this bleeding and from this clot special cells (called fibroblasts) begin the healing process by laying down scar tissue.
The inflammatory stage is therefore the first phase of healing. However, too much of an inflammatory response in the early stage can mean that the healing process takes longer and a return to activity is delayed. The sports injury treatments are intended to minimize the inflammatory phase of an injury, so that the overall healing process is accelerated. Intrinsic and extrinsic factors are determinant for the healing process.
Prevention
- A warm-up program has been founded to decrease injuries in association football. Many athletes will partake in HGH Treatment for Athletic Enhancement as a way to prevent injuries.
- Injury can be minimalised by doing an effective warm up, this consists of a heart raiser to get your pulse up, followed by sport specific dynamic stretches (stretches whilst moving). To reduce the risk of injury:
- Time off. Plan to have at least 1 day off per week from a particular sport to allow the body to recover.
- Wear the right gear. Players should wear appropriate and properly fit protective equipment such as pads (neck, shoulder, elbow, chest, knee, shin), helmets, mouthpieces, face guards, protective cups, and/or eyewear. Young athletes should not assume that protective gear will protect them from performing more dangerous or risky activities.
- Strengthen muscles. Conditioning exercises before games and during practice strengthens muscles used in play.
- Increase flexibility. Stretching exercises before and after games or practice can increase flexibility.
- Use the proper technique. This should be reinforced during the playing season.
Take breaks. Rest periods during practice and games can reduce injuries and prevent heat illness.
Remember, you can get all your questions answered here at the New York Doctor's Urgent Care Offices and through our FB and Twitter pages. We're always here to help, 365 days a year! www.nyorkdoctorsurgentcare.com
Certain teens and young adults have a higher risk of getting meningococcal disease. College students, especially freshmen who live in dorms and military recruits, are at increased risk compared with others in this age group. It’s important to know how to protect yourself because meningococcal disease can be deadly. Read on for more information from about this serious illness, safe and effective vaccines, and tips on how to stay healthy.
While it can strike anybody, the greatest risk is in individuals between 15 and 21 years of age. Also, students entering college and planning to live in dorms are at higher risk than other people of the same age. It’s easy for infections to spread in crowded dorms or in enclosed areas where students often meet to smoke and drink alcohol.
Symptoms
The symptoms of meningococcal disease often are mistaken for other, less serious illnesses like the flu. Common symptoms include:
- High fever (above 101.4°F)
- A flat, pink to red to purple rash mainly on the lower arms and legs, including the hands and feet, with small bruises or bleeding under the skin
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Generalized muscle aches
- Sudden, severe headache
- Confusion
- Sensitivity to light
- Stiff neck along with headache and sensitivity to light (can signal the meningitis form of the illness and should never be ignored)
It’s important to get medical treatment right away. Meningococcemia or meningitis can get worse very quickly, even within a few hours from the start of symptoms. If untreated, the disease can be fatal (up to 20% of teens die) or cause kidney failure, hearing loss, limb amputation, or lifelong problems with the nervous system.
Vaccination
The best protection from meningococcal disease for certain teens and college students who will be living in dorms is to be vaccinated. Safe and effective vaccines are available to prevent meningococcal disease caused by 4 of the 5 most common types of meningococcal bacteria found in teens. The currently recommended meningococcal vaccine for adolescents and young adults is the quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine. The vaccine provides protection against only about two thirds of the cases of meningococcal infections because there is one strain that is not included in the vaccine. Although mild side effects, like redness and swelling at the injection site or a slight fever, can occur from the vaccination, these are considered uncommon and usually go away on their own in a few days. Serious allergic reactions to the vaccine are extremely rare.
Who should be vaccinated?
- Adolescents are now recommended to get their first dose of meningococcal vaccine at 11 to 12 years of age and a booster dose at age 16 years.
- Adolescents who do not get their first dose at 11 to 12 years of age should still receive the meningococcal vaccine. If they are between 13 and 15 years of age at their first dose, they should get a booster at 16 to 18 years of age, and up to age 21 years. If they get their first dose at 16 years or older, a booster dose is not needed.
- There is no routine recommendation to receive the meningococcal vaccine for individuals older than 21 years. However, there is a recommendation to receive the meningococcal vaccine for individuals who travel to certain parts of the world where meningococcal disease is common, such as parts of Africa.
Students who already received a meningococcal vaccine in the last 3 years don’t need to be vaccinated, but they should check with their pediatrician to be sure.
Take care of yourself
If you are 11 to 12 years old, it’s important that you see your pediatrician for your annual checkup. You may need a booster of other vaccines besides the one against meningococcal disease (such as the vaccines that prevent tetanus and diphtheria). At the same visit your pediatrician can give you advice about keeping healthy. Your pediatrician will also let you know about scheduling your booster dose.If you are a student about to start college, here are some health tips.
- Reduce your risk of getting meningitis by staying away from smoking, drinking alcohol, excessive stress, and exposure to upper respiratory infections. Even if you don’t smoke yourself, being in a smoking environment can still increase your risk of getting meningococcal disease.
- Strengthen your immune system by living a healthy lifestyle that includes enough sleep, exercise, and a balanced diet.
- Avoid sharing eating utensils or drinking glasses, cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, and wash your hands often.
- Get familiar with your college’s student health services. Find out who to call or where to go if you get sick.
- Remember that your pediatrician is available to answer any questions you may have about your health.
Remember, you can get all your questions answered here at the New York Doctor's Urgent Care Offices and through our FB and Twitter pages. We're always here to help, 365 days a year! www.nyorkdoctorsurgentcare.com
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