Health

Lower back pain is recognized as one of the most common problems that people experience at some time in their lives. It is the most common reason people miss work and is its most frequent cause of disability. It may be described as a constant dull ache to a sudden sharp pain.

Common causes of lower back pain include:

• Muscle sprains or strains
• Herniated discs
• Spinal stenosis
• Arthritis of the spine
• Spondylitis
• Sciatica
• Kidney problems
• Ovarian cysts
• Spinal infections
• Pregnancy
• Uterine fibroids
• Misalignment of the spinal cord

Diagnosing lower back pain typically begins with a thorough medical history and physical exam. This exam may include checking reflexes, evaluating lower extremity strength and ability to move. Further testing may require an x-ray, CT scan or an MRI to evaluate if there are bone problems,

Seek medical care for lower back pain when:

• It lasts more than a few weeks
• It doesn’t improve with rest
• It is accompanied by weight loss
• It travels down one or both legs
• It shows symptoms of numbness, weakness, or tingling in the legs

Treatment options depend on the cause of the lower back pain and where it is located. Treatment options include: home remedies such as heat, ice, rest, compression, stretching exercises, and taking over-the-counter pain medications. Physical therapy may be prescribed by a physician if they feel it will help. A physician may also prescribe some medications for pain relief, These would include muscle relaxers, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or corticosteroid injections. In more severe cases, a physician may feel a surgical procedure may be necessary.

There are a few things a person can do to prevent lower back pain. This would include regular exercise and stretching, watching one’s weight, bending at the knees when lifting heavy objects, quit smoking, sleep on a firm surface, and keeping proper posture.

Speak to your physician if  you are having lower back pain and it doesn’t seem to be improving, If you would like to schedule an appointment with a physician at Flushing Hospital Medical Center, please call 718-670-5486.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

Reverse dieting is an eating plan that helps the body adjust gradually to an increase in calorie intake after weight loss through restrictive or low calorie dieting. It has been referred to as the “diet after the diet”.  Bodybuilders often use this technique after a competition to prevent rapid weight gain as it helps to prevent fat buildup after weight loss.

One of the key reasons people regain weight after ending a diet is that they feel they can eat all of the foods avoided while on their diet. They also may exercise less and fall back into bad habits once the diet is over.

When a person is on a calorie restricted diet, eventually metabolism will decrease as well. Once a diet ends, and more calories are added back into the daily diet, metabolism is still operating at a reduced level. This causes the body to transform the extra calories into weight gain.

Reverse dieting can take weeks or months to achieve optimal results. The mechanism behind reverse dieting involves the gradual increase in calorie intake with the gradual increase in metabolism.

Reverse dieting typically involves adding 50 -150 calories a week for four to ten weeks until reaching the pre-diet calorie intake. A reverse diet will look different for everyone because it is dependent on starting amount calories, goal amount calories, and how you chose to approach the reverse diet.

As with any diet, it is important to consult with your physician to make sure that your new way of eating will be compatible with your nutritional needs. If you would like to schedule an appointment with a physician at Flushing Hospital Medical Center, please call 718-670-5918.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

Birth defects are defined as conditions that are present when a baby is born and can affect nearly every part of the body.  Conditions such as cleft lip can be easily diagnosed.  Other conditions such as deafness or heart defects may only be discovered after diagnostic testing.

The largest number of birth defects occurs during the first three months of gestation.

The most common birth defects in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) include:

• Down syndrome
• Cleft lip (with or without cleft palate)
• Atrioventricular septal defect (hole in the heart)
• Absence or malformation of the rectum and/or large intestine
• Gastroschisis (hole in the abdominal wall)
• Tetralogy of Fallot (a combination of heart defects)
• Spina bifida without anencephaly
• Reduction deformity, upper limbs
• Reversal of the heart’s two main arteries

Although birth defects can’t always be prevented, there are plenty of steps pregnant women can take to help reduce the risk.

The womenshealth.gov website offers these suggestions:

• Make regular visits to your doctor throughout pregnancy
• Get 400mcg of folic acid each day through diet or supplements
• Don’t smoke, use illegal drugs or drink alcohol while you are pregnant
• Always check with your doctor before taking any medication
• Get all vaccinations recommended by your doctor
• If you have diabetes, keep it under control
• Stick to a healthy weight

You may also request a pre-pregnancy or early pregnancy screening test in order to spot potential or real birth defects.  The types of tests include a carrier test to see if you or your partner carries potentially harmful genes, as well as screening and diagnostic tests that can determine risks for and detect genetic disorders.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

Salmon is a very popular fish that is both healthy and easy to prepare. Here is a simple healthy recipe from RealSimple for Slow-Roasted Citrus Salmon.

https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/citrus-salmon-recipe

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

Anosmia is the complete loss of your sense of smell. Approximately three percent of all Americans experience either this condition or severe hyposmia (a diminished sense of smell), with a much larger percentage of the population experiencing a milder form of smell alteration.

Although people may be born with anosmia in rare instances, it typically occurs later in life due to a variety of factors. One of the primary risk factors for smell impairment is age; a reduced sense of smell becomes increasingly likely as you get older, with a quarter of all Americans in their 70s and nearly 40% of Americans in their 80s experiencing these problems in some form. It’s also more common for men and people who are Black or Mexican American.

Losing your sense of smell can leave you vulnerable to several potential health risks. Food or liquids that spoil often create a foul odor, but if you lack the ability to smell, you may accidentally consume these items without realizing that they are no longer safe. You also may not be able to recognize the presence of hazards such as smoke until it’s too late.

The loss of your sense of smell also affects more than just scents. Smell also plays a significant role in the way you process flavors; without it, food and drinks become bland and less distinguishable. This can lead to other issues such as a loss of interest in eating, poor nutrition, weight loss, or potentially even depression. Additionally, attempts to resolve this lack of flavor, such as adding copious amounts of salt to food, can lead to high blood pressure and other problems.

Anosmia is not necessarily a permanent impairment. In fact, polyps, nasal deformities, and conditions such as sinus infections or viruses may cause you to temporarily develop symptoms of anosmia. An otolaryngologist (also known as an ear, nose, and throat doctor) can help to determine the cause of your symptoms and determine the right course of treatment, both for the underlying condition and for restoring your sense of smell.

You can visit an ear, nose, and throat doctor at Flushing Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center. To schedule an appointment, please call (718) 670-5486.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

This month, we are proud to shine our Employee Spotlight on Hilly Lokenauth, RN, Assistant Head Nurse in the Emergency Department at Flushing Hospital Medical Center.

Hilly grew up in a town called Eccles, Guyana where her father owned a large store. She attended St. Anglican Elementary School and then on to the Indian Education Trust College.  After high school, Hilly went on to study Nursing at the Mercy School of Nursing in Guyana. She moved to New York forty years ago, settling in Jackson Heights, Queens where she still resides. Upon coming to the United States Hilly attended St. Joseph College in Brooklyn, where she obtained her BS in Health Administration.

Hilly has two grown children, a daughter who is also a nurse in the NICU at Flushing Hospital and a son who works in finance at Tampa General Hospital in Florida. Hilly has four grandchildren ages two to six. She doesn’t have any pets but one day would really like to have a parrot. She is one of ten children. There were five girls and five boys in her family growing up, (five siblings who have since passed away unfortunately) who at one time lived in many different parts of the world.

Religion is a very important part of Hilly’s life. She is a member of the Cavalry Assembly of God Church in Richmond Hill, Queens, where she attends services on the weekends. In her free time she enjoys listening to Christian music and reading Christian novels.  She isn’t a big sports fan, but enjoys watching the enthusiasm of the people who are watching sporting events. She also enjoys watching reality shows on TV. Hilly enjoys taking short trips, either upstate New York or to visit people she knows in Westchester.

What matters most to Hilly are her family and friends. She enjoys taking care of people and likes to quote a proverb saying that “whoever refreshes others, will be refreshed”. She gets great satisfaction caring for her patients. Hilly enjoys the diversity of people she has had the opportunity to treat in the Emergency Department. She comes in contact with people from all over the world and has learned so much about different cultures. Hilly feels fortunate to be working with such a team in the Emergency Department. Working through the Covid-19 pandemic really had an impact on her, and the people she worked with. The experience made her appreciate the importance of her health and for the people in her life.

We are so fortunate to have Hilly as a member of the Flushing Hospital team and we look forward to her continuing with us for many more years in the future.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.