The Benefits of Physical Therapy

Whether you sustained a physical injury playing a sport or you are suffering from a degenerative condition, physical therapy, under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist can prove to have many benefits.  Many doctors consider it a safer and less intrusive approach to treat a chronic problem as opposed to medication therapy or surgery.

Some of the many benefits of physical rehabilitation include:

  • Manage pain – Physical therapy techniques and therapeutic exercises can help mobilize your joints and soft tissue and restore muscle function, reducing aches or eliminating pain entirely.
  • Maximize movement – Physical therapists are able to identify, diagnose and treat movement-related issues. Each treatment plan is custom designed for each person’s individual challenges and outcome goals.
  • Address other health issues – Customizing a physical therapy plan can help individuals with a wide variety of underlying health issues such as diabetes, heart or lung disease, or vascular conditions.
  • Injury prevention – Creating an exercise regimen that targets and strengthens weak muscle groups and joints can help prevent future injuries from occurring.
  • Avoid surgery – While surgery is unavoidable in some cases, in many instances physical therapy assists healing and improves physical health to the point that surgery may no longer be necessary.
  • Avoid medication dependence – Medications can be prescribed to help individuals deal with pain, but many of them (opioids) can result in dependency issues. Physical therapy can help the need to take these medications.

A physical therapist has experience diagnosing physical abnormalities, restoring physical function and mobility, maintaining physical function, and promoting physical activity and proper function.

To make an appointment with a physical therapist at Flushing Hospital, please call 718-670-5515.

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.

Did You Know – One out of Every 200 People are Born with an Extra Rib?

Each adult has 206 bones, 24 of which are ribs (12 on each side), but approximately one out of every 200 people have an extra rib. This rib is referred to as the cervical rib.

A cervical rib is present at birth and it forms above the first rib, growing at the base of the neck, just above the collarbone. You can have a cervical rib on the right, left, or both sides. It may be a fully-formed bony rib or a thin strand of tissue fibers that in some cases doesn’t even show up on an x-ray.

Thankfully, in most cases cervical ribs do not cause any problems for those born with them, but if it presses on nearby nerves and blood vessels it can cause neck pain, numbness in the arm and other symptoms, which collectively is known as thoracic outlet syndrome.

If you are the proud owner of a cervical rib and are experiencing any of these symptoms, speak to your doctor about surgical options to treat the condition. If you do not have a doctor, Flushing Hospital’s Department of Surgery can help. To make an appointment, please call 718-670-3135.

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.

What is a Hysterectomy?

A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure that involves removing a woman’s uterus.   It is a common operation, in fact, the CDC reports that over 10%  percent of women between the ages of 40-44 have had a hysterectomy and approximately 600,000 procedures are performed annually.

Hysterectomies are used to treat several health conditions, some of which include:

  • Uterine fibroids
  • Gynecologic cancer
  • Endometriosis
  • Uterine prolapse
  • Chronic pelvic pain
  • Adenomyosis

Hysterectomies can be performed utilizing several techniques.  Based on the course of treatment that is best for you, your surgeon may recommend one of the following options:

  • Abdominal hysterectomy
  • Laparoscopic-assisted abdominal hysterectomy
  • Vaginal hysterectomy
  • Laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy
  • Robotic- assisted hysterectomy

Procedures may require the complete or partial removal of the uterus.  If a complete removal is required, a total hysterectomy may be performed. In the case where the uterus and surrounding structures such as the fallopian tubes and ovaries need to be removed, a radical hysterectomy is often recommended. Treatment involving the partial removal of the uterus may include a supracervical hysterectomy.

As with all surgical procedures there are risks to consider.  However some techniques can offer patients a reduced risk of complications such as pain and bleeding. Laparoscopic and robotic assisted hysterectomies may result in less pain, minimal bleeding, a lower risk in infection and shorter hospital stays.

Flushing Hospital Medical Center’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology has a full program to provide total health care to women. Our highly trained specialists utilize the latest techniques and equipment, such as ultrasonography, color Doppler, laser, laparoscopic and robotic surgery, in the diagnoses and treatment of female disorders. Robotic surgeons at Flushing Hospital are board certified or board approved and has performed countless procedures resulting in high rates of success.

Gynecological procedures performed robotically by Flushing Hospital’s team of surgeons include hysterectomy, ovarian cystectomy, salpingo-oophorectomy, sacrocolpopexy, tubal reanastomosis, dermoid cystectomy and more.

For more information or to make an appointment please call, 718-670-8994

 

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.

A Robot Is Removing My Hernia

Hernia

A hernia is the protrusion of an organ or tissue through the structure or muscle that usually contains it. A hernia occurs immediately or over a long period of time when a combination of muscle strain and weakness is present in the body.

Hernias are most common in the abdomen, but they can also appear in the upper thigh, belly button, and groin areas. Most hernias are not immediately life threatening, but they don’t go away on their own and can require surgery to prevent potentially dangerous complications.

Factors that strain your body and may cause a hernia, especially if your muscles are weak, include:

  • Being pregnant, (which puts pressure on your abdomen)
  • Being constipated, which causes you to strain when having a bowel movement
  • Heavy weight lifting
  • Fluid in the abdomen, or ascites
  • Suddenly gaining weight
  • Straining with urination
  • An Underlying malignancy
  • Persistent coughing or sneezing

Common symptoms of a hernia include:

  • Pain or discomfort in the affected area, especially when bending over, coughing, or lifting
  • Feeling weakness, pressure or heaviness in the abdomen
  • A bulge or protrusion which enlarges with straining and resolves when lying down
  • Feeling a burning or aching sensation at the site of the bulge

If you suspect that these symptoms could be a hernia, visit your doctor for an examination of the affected area and be sure to detail all symptoms. If the results reveal a hernia then the next step would be surgical repair. Whether or not you need surgery depends on the size of your hernia and the severity of your symptoms. During hernia surgery, the weak tissue in the wall of the abdomen or groin is repaired with a mesh.

Technology in surgery is constantly evolving with the intent of increasing positive clinical outcomes and improving patient safety and recovery. One of the greatest medical advances to occur in the pursuit of these goals was the development of surgical robots. Flushing Hospital Medical Center in its dedication to providing patients with the most technologically advanced tools in health care, acquired the da Vinci Surgical Robot. This tool allows for a minimally invasive surgery offering many benefits including, less pain, faster healing time, shorter hospital stay and less risk of infection.

If you have been diagnosed with a hernia and are looking to have the procedure done using the da Vinci surgical robot, Flushing Hospital Medical Center offers this procedure.

For more information about robotic surgery or procedures performed by our surgeons, please contact Flushing Hospital’s Department of Surgery at 718-670-3135.

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.

Plastic Surgery Trends in 2016

Close-up of a Woman's Lips Receiving Cosmetic Surgery from a Syringe

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reports that 15.6 million people in the U.S. underwent some type of cosmetic procedure in 2014, up 3 percent from 2013. One of the fastest-growing trends was in procedures to lift and tighten up body parts after massive weight loss, an apparent result of more people undergoing weight-loss surgery. Body enhancements are not anything new but the social media age has made plastic surgery more common to see. Here is a short list of 2016’s most popular plastic surgery trends.

  1. Using the patient’s own fat as a volumizer all over the body (face, breast, buttock) will continue to increase as patients increasingly desire the greatest impact with the least downtime. In the past plastic surgery has been attributed to silicon but today fat transfers are more popular, especially for people that aren’t fond of filling their bodies with plastic.
  2. Millennials will increasingly become users of plastic surgery. The 20-somethings represent approximately 20% of the cosmetic surgery population, and this is only going to increase, (American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery). These days you can use social media and see that the waiting room patients are becoming younger and younger. Surgery is no longer just for the rich Beverly Hills wife who wants to relive her glory days.
  3. There will be a continued increase in the number of women seeking vaginal rejuvenation procedures. These procedures will follow the current trends, namely, not only surgical rejuvenation but non-surgical (laser) vaginal rejuvenation as well.
  4. Non-surgical fat removal will continue its meteoric rise in popularity offering a method to permanently and reliable remove fat without the need to undergo surgery and not of the traditional post-operative recovery.

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.

Flushing Hospital Uses Robotic Surgery to Remove Gallstones

 

Many people have gallstones without knowing it. Gallstones are hard deposits in your gallbladder, a small organ that stores a digestive fluid made in the liver. Bile usually dissolves or breaks down cholesterol. However, if your liver makes more cholesterol than your bile cgallbladder removalan dissolve, hard stones may develop.

Not all people experience symptoms from gallstones. According to the American College of Gastroenterology, 80 percent of people who have gallstones don’t have any pain at all. These are called “silent” gallstones. The most common symptom of gallstones is pain in the right upper quadrant of your abdomen.

 

 

Other symptoms include:

  • Fever
  • A yellowish tint in your skin or eyes, which can indicate jaundice
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • abdominal pain

Many risk factors for gallstones are related to diet.

These include:

  • Being overweight or obese
  • Eating a diet that’s high in fat or cholesterol

To diagnose gallstones your doctor will perform a physical examination that includes checking your eyes and skin for visible changes in color. The examination may involve using diagnostic testing to see inside your body. These tests include Ultrasound, Abdominal CT Scan, Gallbladder Radionuclide Scan, and blood tests.

If gallstones are detected in your gallbladder surgery is often the first option if you have significant symptoms. Technology in surgery is constantly evolving with the intent of increasing positive clinical outcomes and improving patient safety and recovery. One of the greatest medical advances to occur in the pursuit of these goals was the development of surgical robots. Flushing Hospital Medical Center in its dedication to supplying patients with superior and technologically advanced tools in health care, acquired the da Vinci Surgical Robot. This tool allows for a minimally invasive surgery with a faster recovery time.

For more information about robotic surgery or procedures performed by our surgeons, please contact Flushing Hospital’s Department of Surgery at 718-670-3135.

 

 

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.