Medical Guide 10(Use)

Transcription

Medical Guide 10(Use)
Medical
& Health
2011
Services Directory
"Save this handy guide
for quick reference to
area health professionals, services and
locations"
■
Published by the Cheboygan Daily Tribune
Index to Advertisers
Would you like to be
included in the
Winter 2011 Medical &
Health Services
Directory?
Cheboygan Memorial Hospital.........................2,7,12
Compassionate Care ...............................................9
Citizens National Bank.............................................9
Dr. Bob & the Certification Crew............................11
Dr. Merrick ................................................................9
Elizabeth’s Elder Care ..............................................3
Great Lakes Allergy .................................................11
Contact the
Cheboygan Daily Tribune
at 231-627-7144
Harbor Hall................................................................4
LaserClinic1.com ......................................................5
Mackinac Straits Hospital ......................................11
Michigan Heart & Vascular.....................................14
Northern Internal Medicine .....................................8
email:
[email protected]
Northern Michigan Hospital ............................4,5,14
Northwoods Ear, Nose & Throat .............................9
Otsego Memorial Hospital .....................................16
Petoskey Urgent Care ..............................................4
2011 Medical & Health Directory was created and produced
by the Cheboygan Daily Tribune. The Cheboygan Daily
Tribune cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information
presented here, or be held accountable for any omissions or
errors.
Soo Surgical ............................................................15
Sunnybank Assisted Living ....................................13
Today's Dental ..........................................................6
© 2011 Cheboygan Daily Tribune, Cheboygan, Michigan.
All rights reserved. No portion may be reproduced without
written permission of the publisher.
Cheboygan Daily Tribune
308 N. Main St., Cheboygan, MI 49721
(231)627-7144 • Fax: (231) 627-5331
www.cheboygannews.com
Vital Care...................................................................8
Xcel Physical Therapy ..............................................8
Surgical Expertise, Close to Home
,!% )+( (/ % $ "
%/&% #!**# % (,&+) "
&$ &(* !% "%&-!% * *
. '*!&% # ( !) #&)
*& &$ *
* ( /&+ %
% !%' *! %* &(
&+*' *! %* '(& +(
&+( .' (! %
)+( ! #
* $) )* % ( / 1 -!*
# , # & ' ()&% # ** %*!&% *&
#' /&+ # ** ( )&&% (
#" *& /&+( & *&( &+* )+( ! #
) (,! ) , !# # !%
&/ % % )" &( )+( &% - & ' ( &($) '(&
+( ) *
Surgical Specialties:
% ( # +( (/ 0 )*(& %* (&#& / ! )*!, /)* $ 0 /% &#& / 0 (&#& /
' * #$&#& / / ) 0 (* &' ! 0 *&# (/% &#& /
( %&) % * (& * 0 +(&)+( (/
“Personal Care, Close to Home”
--2
&/ % &)'!* # &(
2011 Summer Medical and Health Services Directory
Where do I start?
By Linda McNeill, RN District Health
Department No. 4
ne of the most heartbreaking events to
witness is the exhaustion both physically and emotionally of a caregiver at “the
end of their rope”. Often, persons struggle with
their own care or the care of a loved one until
they are ready to give up.
Why don’t caregivers/individuals ask for help?
Often, because sense of duty or responsibility to
care for their loved one. Perhaps fear of loss of
control, or removal from their home. They may
fear nursing home placement or that asking for
help will be too costly financially. Individuals
may feel embarrassed to ask for help. Often,
they do not know help is available or where to
begin to get help.
First – acknowledge the possible need for help.
Home Health care services are intended to help
individuals remain safe and comfortable in
their home setting as long as possible.
Caregivers are taught by nurses and sometimes
therapists know how to provide care for the
individual in the safest and easiest manner. If
there are no caregivers or the caregivers are
overwhelmed by the care giving, homecare pro-
O
vides (or can refer to appropriate community
resources for) additional help with the actual
care giving duties. The information and assistance actually increases the individual’s or caregivers control over their health status. This
greatly decreases the stress in care giving and
often makes the difference between an individual’s ability to stay in their home verses being
placed outside their home.
Second–call for help.
District Health Department No.4 (DHD4) is
skilled in assisting callers in identifying the type
of care they need and qualify for. Simply explain
your situation and that you need help.
Individual needs vary. Some individuals may
need and qualify for several different types of
care while another individual may not. There is
no charge for information and no commitment
to DHD4 on an individual’s part unless the individual chooses to do so.
Call more than one agency! Compare information, prices and overall helpfulness before
deciding which agency you would like to invite
into your home to help you. You, the individual
have the right to choose which agency you want
to have help you!
“Live Your Life at Home”
Empower your independence
SENIORS ~ LIVE INDEPENDENTLY
in your own home.
We provide in home services to meet your needs.
Some Services that we provide:
• Medication Reminders
• Transportation for Errands &
Doctor’s Appointments
• Housekeeping
• Meal Preparation plus much more
www.elizabethseldercare.com
Locally owned • Bonded & Insured
810-265-6469
Professional Screened Caregivers
231-238-7218
2011 Summer Medical and Health Services Directory
3
Everything
you need for the
immediate care
• Confidential substance abuse
assessments
of your illness
or injury
• Assessment, referral & treatment
provided by skilled substance
abuse therapists & counselors
William Niksch, MD
Board Certified in Family Practice
Primary Care ages 16 and older
Prompt
medical care for
• Outpatient group treatment
adults
and children
• Women's specialty treatment services
No Appointment
Needed
Michael Banyai, MD
Board Certified in Internal Medicine
Adult Primary Care
• Dual-diagnosis treatment services
Board Certified
Physicians
• Continuing care, intervention, relapse
prevention, & outreach services
7 days a week
PETOSKEY
URGENT CARE
• Substance abuse prevention/
education services
One mile south of US 31/131 intersection
1890 US 131 South
231. 487. 2000
In front of Wal-Mart
Office Visit copay with most insurances
Self-Pay discount available for uninsured patients
231-597-9235
1-866-775-8726
The SPINE CENTER
AT NORTHERN MICHIGAN REGIONAL HOSPITAL
Using advanced technology and
proven procedures, our nationally
recognized team of physicians
treat spinal conditions caused by
disease, injury, trauma, and
lifestyle habits. Achieving relief
from pain and optimal range of
motion for our patients — many
without surgery — is our main goal.
800.248.6777 · northernhealth.org
4
2011 Summer Medical and Health Services Directory
25% Off
50% Off
TIP OF THE WEEK
First Laser Hair
Removal Treatment
Get active with the family
Children need about 60 minutes of physical
activity a day to stay healthy, and adults need 30
minutes. Walking to and from school, playing on
a playground and playing a sport are all great
ways to get exercise with your family and still
have fun. – LetsMove.gov
First Microdermabrasion
Removal Treatment
Other Services & Products
Laser Hair Removal
Microdermabrasion
Electrology
Clarisonic Skin
Care Brush
CHILDREN’S HEALTH
Vitamin D levels and infants
Organic
Moisturizers,
Cleaners &
Shaving Gels
Fun Beauty Aids
Respiratory syncytial virus is the most important pathogen that causes lower respiratory tract
infections in infants. A recent study finds that
infants who are deficient in vitamin D at birth
have a higher risk of developing RSV. Infants
with low concentrations of vitamin D had six
times the risk of developing RSV infections compared with infants with the highest levels of vitamin D. Only 46 percent of women in the study
reported using supplements that contained vitamin D during pregnancy. Study authors suggest
that larger clinical trials should examine the
effect of vitamin D supplementation during
pregnancy on the risk of RSV infections in newborns. – American Academy of Pediatrics
Offer Expires August 31, 2011
(231) 627-4300 or [email protected]
Free Consultations • Physician Affiliated
Would you like updated specials sent to your email?
Visit our Web site:
Cancer Care
Where You Live
Northern Michigan Regional Hospital Cancer Specialists
are Seeing Patients in the Greater-Cheboygan Community.
Lisa Galloway, DO, and Todd Erickson, MD,
are committed to delivering high quality,
state-of-the-science cancer care right here
at home. New patient consultations and
follow-up care are available at the
Cheboygan Memorial Health Center on
South Main Street.
Lisa
Galloway, DO
Todd
Erickson, MD
2011 Summer Medical and Health Services Directory
To learn more about
cancer services, call
231.487.3390 or visit
northernhealth.org.
5
GET MOVING TO PREVENT
ARTHRITIS PAIN
By Steve Bernardi and Dr. Gary Kracoff | GateHouse News Service
The warm weather provides a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the outdoors.
But it can also serve as a painful
reminder for people with osteoporosis,
arthritis and other bone and joint diseases of the perceived limitations of
their bodies.
Activities such as gardening, biking,
boating and even walking can seem
like too much to bear, and the temptation is all too great to stay inside.
But it doesn’t have to be this way,
and even people with advanced bone
and joint diseases can find a way to get
outdoors and get active.
Here are four steps to take to a painfree summer:
Trusted, Caring Dental Excellence
Cosmetic Dentistry
Braces
Dentures
Extractions
Root Canals
Zoom Whitening
Bradford S. Rowe DDS PC
Most insurances accepted.
Emergencies and new patients
always welcome.
In-office dental plan.
10277 N. Straits Hwy., Cheboygan
231-627-7131
drbradrowe.com
6
2011 Summer Medical and Health Services Directory
Be phySically active.
Start small. Don’t overdo it. Go
for walks and gradually
increase the distance. Some
very light weightlifting can be
helpful. For individuals for
whom walking a distance is
USe SUpplementS to
simply too painful, consider
reduce inflammation and
trying this: buy a mini-trampostrengthen bones and joints,
line and, while seated, simply
which allows people with
bounce up and down. This will
osteoporosis and arthritis to
increase agility.
have less pain and achieve a
Gardening can be a terrific
greater range of motion than
activity because it includes
previously thought possible.
bending, stretching and lifting.
Calcium, vitamin D3, vitamin
Be sure to use pads and other
K2, magnesium and fish oil
equipment that will decrease
should all be considered and
stress on the knees.
evaluated. There are also
Most important, if the exercise
herbal supplements that can
creates soreness the next day,
safely reduce inflammation as don’t stop. Continue with the
well as homeopathic creams
exercise and it will further
that do the same.
improve the body’s agility and
It should also be noted that it is response.
improve yoUr Diet. White
important to choose the right
flour and white sugar have a
form of calcium and other sup- Steve Bernardi is a compounding
direct correlation to inflamma- plements. Calcium carbonate, pharmacist and Dr. Gary Kracoff is a
tion and must be reduced to
registered pharmacist and a naturofor instance, may not be as
doctor
at
Johnson
the greatest extent possible. In effective as other forms of cal- pathic
Compounding and Wellness Center
particular, soda does serious
cium. Check with your doctor
in Waltham, Mass. Contact them at
harm to bones, by literally
or pharmacist.
steveandgary@naturalcomleaching calcium from the
pounder.com or 781-893-3870.
DecreaSe StreSS. We now
have a much better sense of
exactly how bad stress is for
the body. In the case of bones
and joints, stress can be particularly damaging because
over time it will weaken the
body’s adrenal response, and
this can contribute to osteoporosis.
Stress must be dealt with in
whatever way works, including
psychotherapy, yoga and
meditation, and even the creation of a daily period of relaxation. Spend 30 minutes every
day doing something you love,
whether it is reading, working
out or doing a puzzle. Try to
choose an activity that keeps
either your brain or body
active.
bones. On the other hand,
whole grains, omega 3s
(found most often in non-farm
raised fish), avocado and nuts
can help to strengthen bones.
Women's & Children's Health Services
Marvin K. Coy, D.O.
Gynecology
Dr. Marvin Coy is accepting new patients at our
Women's & Children's Health Services Clinic
located in the Lincoln Bridge Plaza
722 South Main St., Cheboygan
To make an appointment, call (231) 627-1552.
www.cheboyganhospital.org
2011 Summer Medical and Health Services Directory
7
Northern Internal
Medicine, P.C.
PHYSICAL THERAPY
Indian River
231-238-4090
Locally owned & operated by
Benjamin L. Kolly DPT, PT, OCS, OMPT, ATC
Certified Manual Therapist
Orthopedic Clinical Specialist
Jeffrey J. Kiel, D.O.
Board Certified
General Internal Medicine
Where you will be seen by a doctor everytime.
Your doctor, the one who knows you.
Accepting most insurance
Accepting new patients by appointment
231-238-0160
Specializing in
Hands on
Treatment of the
neck, back and
extremities &
functional
rehabilitation.
Expertise in Rehabilitation of:
Joint replacements
Work injuries and Sports injuries
Also offering
Fitness Classes & Personal Training
1920 S. Straits Highway, Indian River, MI
www.xceltherapy.com
<RXU+RPH+HDOWK&DUH6SHFLDOLVWV
<
RXU+RPH+HDOWK&DUH6SHFLDOLVWV
&
&OLQLFDO([FHOOHQFH&DULQJ3URIHVVLRQDOV
OLQLFDO([FHOOHQFH&DULQJ3URIHVVLRQDOV
+RPH+HDOWK&DUH±5HJLVWHUHG1XUVHV7KHUDSLVWV$LGHV
+RPH+HDOWK&DUH±5HJLVWHUHG1XUVHV7KHUDSLVWV$LGHV
3ULYDWH'XW\6HUYLFHV±,QGHSHQGHQW/LYLQJ$VVLVWDQFH
3ULYDWH'XW\6HUYLFHV±,QGHSHQGHQW/LYLQJ$VVLVWDQFH
+RVSLFH&DUHDQG+RVSLFH+RXVH
+RVSLFH&DUHDQG+RVSLFH+RXVH
99LVLW2XU
LVLW2XU
&
&KHER\JDQ6WRUH
KHER\JDQ6WRUH
60DLQ6WUHHW
60DLQ6WUHHW
,Q*OHQ¶V3OD]D
,Q*OHQ¶V3OD]D
0RQGD\
0RQGD\±±)ULGD\
)ULGD\
SP
DP
DP±SP
YLWDOFDUHRUJ
YLWDOFDUHRUJ
+RPH0HGLFDO2[\JHQ±6WDWLRQDU\3RUWDEOH7UDYHO
+RPH0HGLFDO2[\JHQ±6WDWLRQDU\3RUWDEOH7UDYHO
6OHHS$SQHD7KHUDS\±&3$3(TXLSPHQW6XSSRUW
6OHHS$SQHD7KHUDS\±&3$3(TXLSPHQW6XSSRUW
+RPH0HGLFDO(TXLSPHQWDQG6XSSOLHV±+RVSLWDO%HGV
+RPH0HGLFDO(TXLSPHQWDQG6XSSOLHV±+RVSLWDO%HGV
:KHHOFKDLUV:DONHUV%DWK6DIHW\3URGXFWV'LDEHWLF7HVWLQJ
:KHHOFKDLUV:DONHUV%DWK6DIHW\3URGXFWV'LDEHWLF7HVWLQJ
6XSSOLHV:RXQG&DUH6XSSOLHV
6XSSOLHV:RXQG&DUH6XSSOLHV
0HGLFDUH&HUWL¿HG
0HGLFDUH&HUUWWL¿HG
%OXH&URVV$SSURYHG
%OXH&URVV$SSURYHG
&+$3$FFUHGLWHG
&
+$3$FFUHGLWHG
$I¿OLDWHGZLWK1RUWKHUQ0LFKLJDQ
$
I¿OLDWHGZLWK1RUWKHUQ0LFKLJDQ
5
HJLRQDO+HDOWK6\VWH
HP
5HJLRQDO+HDOWK6\VWHP
8
2011 Summer Medical and Health Services Directory
Robert J. Merrick, O.D.
Northwoods
Quality Family Eyecare at
Affordable Prices
Ear, Nose & Throat, PC
James J. Slater, DO, FAOCO
Board Certified
Otolaryngology • Head & Neck Surgery • Facial Plastic Surgery
Specializing in the medical and surgical treatment
of the ear, nose and throat as well as facial
lesions and skin cancers.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Cerumen removal
Deviated Nasal septum
Dysphagia
Ear Infections
Ear Tubes
Eustachian tube
Dysfunction
Facial Lacerations
Foreign body in Ears,
Nose, Throat
GERD
Hearing Disorders
Hoarseness/Dysphona
Labyrinthitis
Laryngitis
Mastoiditis
Meniere’s Disease
Moles
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Mouth Lesions/Cancer
Nasal Fractures
Neck Mass
Nosebleeds
Otalgia
Pharyngitis
Rhinitis
Salivary Glands
Sinus problems
Skin Biopsies
Skin Cancers
Skin Tags
Sleep Apnea
Throat Cancer
Thyroid Problems
Tinnitus
Tonsils/Adenoids
Voice Disorders
Northwoods Ear, Nose & Throat PC
810 South Main Street, Suite 4, Cheboygan, MI 49721
Providing Comprehensive and Caring Exams
Using Technically Advanced Eye Exam
Instruments
•
•
•
•
•
Contact lenses
Senior Citizens Discount
Free One Year Guarantee on Lenses & Frames
Lab on Premises With Board Certified Optician
Emergency Frame Repair Available
We now accept Eye Med Insurance, VSP,
Medicare and most other eye care insurance.
www.drmerrick.com
118 North Huron Street • Cheboygan
231.627.3171
231-627-NENT (6368) • Fax: 231-627-6902
HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS (HSA’s)
HSA’s are a tax exempt trust or custodial
account established for the purpose of paying
medical expenses in conjunction with a
high-deductible health care plan.
Available to
individuals, spouses,
families and employers.
Member FDIC
231-627-7111
Cheboygan
Onaway
Mackinaw City
2011 Summer Medical and Health Services Directory
www.CNBisMyBank.com
Pellston
Indian River
Alanson
9
The right fit
Fitness centers respond to recession with more
choices for customers
By Melissa Westphal
T
he fitness industry today offers a wealth of
choices for consumers, including 24-hour
gyms, month-to-month contracts and
unique group classes.
The industry’s evolution seems to be working,
because more than 128 million people worldwide were members of health clubs at the end of
2010, according to Boston-based International
Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association.
New entrepreneurs are comfortable investing
in fitness clubs, but they’re wading into a competitive market with big local names like the
YMCA.
So instead of competing directly with such
established clubs, some fitness centers are going
in different directions, adding wellness programs and dropping prices in hopes of luring
members driven by a national push to fight obesity and cut health-care costs.
owner/founder Greg Georgis (left) talks with
chris conner (right) while personal trainer Georgi
hauser listens at Fitme Wellness in rockford, ill.
PHOTO By MAX GERSH
“I think the one consistent factor is that everybody wants to improve their health,” said Greg
Georgis, owner of the recently opened FitMe
Continued on pg 12
Meeting the needs of our clients since 1998.
Call us today for a free consultation. Let us provide
compassionate care for you and your loved one.
5
R5)'*(#)(I)''%#(!
5
5
R5,-)(&5,
5
R5-*#.
5
5
R5#.#)(5./*
5
5
R5,-)(&5--#-.(.
www.CompassionateCareMi.com
1-877-308-1212
When only home will do, we can help
10
2011 Summer Medical and Health Services Directory
DR. BOB
AND THE
CERTIFICATION CREW
Northern Michigan's Safest
Medical Marijuana Certification
Great Lakes Allergy &
Asthma Center, P.C.
Allergy-Asthma
Specialist in Cheboygan!!
Accepting New Patients
of All Ages
Certification $150
Regular Clinics in:
Cheboygan • St. Ignace
Sault Ste. Marie • Newberry
Atlanta • Gaylord
Grayling • Petoskey • Alpena
NEW OFFICE IN GAYLORD!
1564 Dickerson Rd.
Peter M. Ranta, M.D.
Board Certified Allergy-Asthma Specialist
Specialty Care: Seasonal Allergies, Asthma,
Eczema, Food Allergy, Drug Allergy, Hives,
Wheezing, Shortness of Breath
Don't settle for less than the best!
810 S. Main St., Suite 6 • Cheboygan, Michigan
Call Dr. Bob today!
989-619-6312 • www.drbobmmj.com
Call Today for an Appointment (877) 466-4222
www.GreatLakesAllergy.com
x
Healthcare for the
Whole Family
x Same Day
Appointments
x Now Accepting
Care Source
2011 Summer Medical and Health Services Directory
11
Wellness in Rockford, Ill. “We recognize that
we’re not eating the right food and we’re not moving enough, that we’re not sleeping well and we’re
sore. I really suspect people are trying to get
some control back in their lives.”
Keeping overhead low
Jack and Dan Olson think they’ll be successful
in the fitness industry. The brothers are the owners of The Rock Swim & Fitness in Rockford. The
building that houses the fitness center has been
in their family for many years.
Owning the building is sure to cut down on
their overall operating costs. Health clubs overall
rely on affordable leases, expense management
and “modest revenue growth” to survive the
recession, according to the Health, Racquet &
Sportsclub Association. The health club industry
generated $20.3 billion in revenue in North
America last year, with 58 million members
patronizing 38,000 facilities.
Bill Hill, who will manage The Rock, said it
will be a full-service gym with free weights, fitness equipment, personal training, group fitness
classes and more. Hill is a professional fighter
with martial arts training, so he’s bringing martial arts classes to the facility and hopes to build
teams and possibly start a wrestling program.
The Olsons also plan to market the facility’s
pool through fitness classes. Membership will be
$24.99 a month, which includes many of the fitness classes, use of the pool and an orientation.
Wellness component a plus
FitMe Wellness has seen rapid membership
growth since opening, Georgis said. The center
combines fitness equipment, nutrition counseling and health management software for its
members, and it is also home to Tangerine
Wellness, a program previously open only to corporate clients.
Georgis said members are attracted to the center’s price point, which is $29.95 a month, and
the club doesn’t charge a joiner fee.
His goal with FitMe is to make people feel
comfortable in a fitness environment in order to
help them achieve their health goals.
“I designed this facility for my wife and me, my
parents and our in-laws – I figured if I pleased all
six of us, the general public would be pleased,”
Georgis said.
Enjoy
a Safe
Summer!
We are here when you need us.
CMH provides Emergency Care 24/7
• Now offering expanded emergency services
on the weekends throughout the summer.
• Our experienced ER staff is ready to treat
major and minor emergencies.
• Emergency Fast Track now available
*Standard deductibles and co-pays apply for all emergency visits.
231-627-5601
12
www.cheboyganhospital.org
“Personal Care, Close to Home”
2011 Summer Medical and Health Services Directory
Study shows long workdays lead
to poor heart health
BY DR. MURRAY FEINGOLD
eorge Bernard Shaw once said, “When I
was young, I observed that nine out of 10
things I did were failures. So I did 10
times more work.”
Others have extolled the virtues and benefits
of hard work. But, is there a downside to working so hard?
Figures concerning the number of hours a person works vary from country to country. The
people in China work 50 to 60 hours a week or
more.
In the United States, the average is about 35
hours, while in Norway it has been reported to
be about 27 hours a week.
There is another adage, “Hard work never
killed anyone.” But is it true? Maybe not.
Many studies have shown that there is an
increased risk of developing coronary heart disease associated with working long hours. A
recent study has substantiated these findings.
Just over 7,000 adults were followed for 12
years. There were two groups: one group worked
11 hours or more a day and the other group
worked less than 11 hours.
G
The group that worked more than 11 hours a
day had a significantly higher risk of developing
heart disease than those who did not.
Of course, there were other variables present
that may account for the higher risk. It may not
have been due to the work itself but to the stress
of the job that required longer hours. Or, people
who work long hours do not always eat a proper
diet.
Because the researchers were so convinced
working long hours increased the possibility of
heart disease, they recommended that overwork
be included as a risk factor for developing a
heart attack.
I return to my dictum concerning the importance of moderation in most of the things that
people do, and this includes the number of
hours they work.
Massachusetts-based Dr. Murray Feingold is
the physician in chief of The Feingold Center for
Children and president of the Genesis Fund, a
nonprofit organization that funds the care of
children born with birth defects, mental retardation and genetic diseases.
Assisted Living
Charlevoix - 615 Petoskey Ave.
231-547-2599
Petoskey - 2000 E. Mitchell Rd.
231-348-2600
2011 Summer Medical and Health Services Directory
13
Growing pains
More young people complaining of back, hand, finger pain
By mike DeDoncker
atients come to Nancy Houghton with
numbness, tingling or sharp, stabbing
pains in their hands and forearms, but
they’re not the typical clients she expects.
Young people from their middle teens up to age
25 who haven’t been performing the type of repetitive work usually associated with overuse injuries
are coming to Houghton with complaints of
carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow and hand
and finger pain.
Houghton, who operates Helping Hands
Rehab in Rockford, Ill., has been an occupational
therapist for 23 years and a certified hand therapist for the past 18. She and others in her field say
they are seeing this new class of clients more frequently.
“Normally, you would see these in an older person – a 25- to 60-year-old working adult – that is
doing impact, repetitive-type work that would
cause overuse,” said Houghton. “I’ve had clients as
P
long periods of time spent hunched over cellphones, computers or video games can lead to
poor posture. When weak shoulder muscles can’t
stabilize the arm, it can lead to elbow, wrist and
hand pain. STOCK.XCHNG
Exceptional Care…
IN YOUR HOMETOWN
Harry Colfer, MD, and Gerald Gadowski, DO,
are dedicated to your heart health.
Their compassionate, high-quality,
state-of-the-science cardiac
and vascular services are
available right here at home.
Harry
Colfer, MD
The best healthcare is accessible healthcare.
Gerald
Gadowski, DO
231.487.2490 · 888.326.2490
Seeing patients in the greater-Cheboygan community.
14
2011 Summer Medical and Health Services Directory
young as 14 come in with carpal tunnel symptoms, or they have pain from carrying their book
bag or backpack.”
Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the
hand, is compressed and irritated by swelling in the
carpal tunnel, a narrow passageway about as big
around as your thumb on the palm side of the wrist.
Although trauma and some medical conditions
can cause carpal tunnel syndrome, it is more often
associated with repetitive-use jobs, such as assembly line work, sewing, cleaning, and meat packing.
Tennis elbow is caused by overworking the tendons in the elbow, usually by repetitive motions of
the wrist and arm, and it is often associated with
the same occupations that can lead to carpal tunnel
syndrome.
Houghton said the modern-day suspects of excessive screen time – video games, computer keyboard
use and texting – are at least partially to blame
because they can lead to poor posture in which the
shoulders are rounded and hunched forward for
long periods of time. But, she said, general weakness
in the shoulders and poor scapular stability also play
a large part.
“The way the nerves come up from the spine,
they go underneath the collarbone, under your
armpit and then down to your hand,” Houghton
said, “so a lot of times the nerve gets pinched up in
the shoulder girdle, and the cause often seems to be
excessive amounts of time being bent over at desks,
using computers or texting.
A basic exercise to help strengthen the shoulders and upper back is simply stretching both
arms out at shoulder height, palms facing forward, and moving the arms back until you feel
the squeeze in the middle of the back.
“Another of my big things is the world’s easiest
exercise. It’s called the long thoracic stretch with
towel roll,” Houghton said. “You lie down flat, face
up with a rolled towel running down your spine
from your neck to your waist with your arms
straight out to your sides at shoulder height and
palms up. You tuck your chin forward and make
sure that it doesn’t stick up, and you just let everything realign.”
She said 15 minutes is long enough to hold the
position.
“You want the chin forward, and for most people, their scalenus (three pairs of muscles on the
sides of the neck) will get tight and their traps
(trapezius muscles) get tight, so if you do it wrong
you get more tension. Then, eventually, we will
incorporate some diaphragmatic breathing,
which among other things, helps relax the
scalenus,” she said.
Her advice for those who find themselves
hunched forward during much of the day is to try
stretching their arms out to the sides and reaching back until they feel a squeeze in the middle of
the upper back.
“Maybe every half hour or hour,” she said. “Take
a microbreak. Stop, and go in the opposite direction.”
Soo Surgical Specialties
Now scheduling patients at St. Ignace
and Sault Ste. Marie
No patient with spine
pain is beyond help.
Kevin Jon Lawson, MD
Spinal Surgery
Spinal Deformities
Allen B. Dunning, MD, FACS
General Surgery Consults
Office Surgery
Carol B. Richwine FNP-C
309 W. 12th Ave. Suite 102 • Sault Ste Marie, MI 49783
906.253.1300 • Fax: 906.253.1333 • www.soosurgical.com
2011 Summer Medical and Health Services Directory
15
16
2011 Summer Medical and Health Services Directory