Health Wise W
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Health Wise W
HealthWise Spring 2011 WCH dialysis technician recognized W orking in a dialysis unit requires a unique nursing skill set, combined with long days and an acceptance of relentless tasks that usually go unnoticed with little praise. When Wayne County Hospital (WCH) Dialysis Director Maggie Lindsey nominated one of her employees for the Rebecca Moorman Heartland Kidney Network Best Patient Care Technician Award, she knew Rebecca Moorman was deserving of the recognition and wrote: “ … she is our only Patient Care Technician and she handles all that is asked of her with grace and kindness … she is extremely compassionate and dedicated to her job, reliable and extremely hardworking ... she has a great sense of humor and stimulates much needed laughter … she is a team player, willing to learn new things, as well as a critical thinker and a problem solver with great organizational skills ... she has excellent dialysis access skills ... she creates balance with her job, family, friends and God … she is a great asset to WCH and the renal world.” At the January 2011 Heartland Kidney Conference in Kansas City, Mo., Moorman was one of 10 technicians to receive the Best Patient Care Technician Award. She was selected from 280 dialysis unit nominations from Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri. We congratulate Rebecca and thank her for her commitment to excellence. • Dialysis is a procedure used to support failing kidney function. For more information about the WCH Dialysis Unit, call Maggie Lindsey, Director, at 641-872-5325. 4WCH Cold and canker sore primer Do you have a drinking problem? Hair loss Can you stop it? Cold sores, canker sores, oh my! Y ou can feel it coming. That tingling on your lip lets you know that a painful, unsightly cold sore is on its way. Cold sores and canker sores can ruin your day, as well as your polished appearance. Here’s what you can do about them. > Cold sores They’re red or purple fluid-filled blisters that typically appear on the lips or in the vicinity of the mouth. Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex type 1 virus. Once you’ve been exposed, the virus remains in your body for the rest of your life. The virus is often dormant but flares periodically, causing the uncomfortable sores, which are also called fever blisters. Without treatment, cold sores tend to disappear in about one to two weeks. To reduce their burning discomfort and pain, you may opt for an over-the-counter (OTC) topical anesthetic or a pain reliever like acetaminophen. See your doctor if your cold sores persist, your symptoms are very severe, your eyes are affected or you have a compromised immune system. Your doctor may prescribe antiviral drugs that can preventively reduce the recurrence of sores as well as lower the severity and duration of symptoms. Don’t touch or pick at them because you can spread the virus to other parts of your body. It’s best to avoid kissing or sharing food or beverages with anyone infected with a cold sore because the virus that causes them is extremely contagious. 2 Spring 2011 > Canker sores Although they’re often confused for cold sores, canker sores are quite different. These grayish, whitish bumps with red edges only appear inside the mouth, alone or in groups. Canker sores are believed to be caused by bacteria or viruses, but their exact cause is unknown. Experts think that stress, intestinal diseases or injuries to the inside of the mouth (biting your cheek, for example) may raise your chances of developing canker sores. Fortunately, they aren’t contagious, and they usually disappear in a week or two. Topical oral pain relievers or OTC antimicrobial mouthwashes may relieve some discomfort, as can avoiding spicy foods while you have sores in your mouth. • Hair loss: Causes and cures Image on page 2 © istockphoto.com/Jacob Wackerhausen; Image on page 3 © 2011 Thinkstock Y ou have the telltale signs. Errant strands of hair on your pillow and in your shower drain; a receding hairline; a bald dad or grandfather. Everything points to baldness. So is it possible to stop hair loss in its tracks? Hereditary hair loss is the most common cause of baldness, affecting 80 million people nationwide. Although it may seem to be a male problem, millions of American women suffer from hereditary hair loss, too, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Male-pattern baldness causes a receding hairline and a bald spot on top of the scalp. Female-pattern baldness causes thinning on the top of the scalp but typically doesn’t affect the hairline. (For women, a common medical problem, polycystic ovarian syndrome or PCOS, is often associated with female-pattern hair loss.) Hair loss sometimes occurs as a symptom of certain illnesses, including autoimmune diseases, or as a side effect of a variety of medications, including blood thinners. Extended periods of stress, rapid weight loss, excess vitamin A consumption or a diet too low in protein or iron can also lead to balding. Even treating your hair too roughly—whether by blowdrying, dyeing or curling in excess or wearing tight ponytails daily—may affect your hairline. Fortunately, dermatologists are often able to treat hair loss, so you may not need to hide your problem beneath a baseball cap. To figure out the cause, your doctor will take a full medical history. Sometimes, changing your hair-care routine, switching your prescription drugs or getting treatment for an underlying medical condition can reverse hair loss. When hair loss is hereditary, prescription medication can often slow, stop or even reverse the condition. Some drugs are rubbed onto the scalp, while others are taken orally. Note that not all medications are safe for women. Surgery is another option. During a hair transplant, a doctor removes small strips of scalp from the back of the head, where the hair grows thickly, and grafts small sections where hair growth is needed; the transplanted scalp continues to grow hair in its new location. Scalp reduction surgery is another surgical option; during the procedure, large areas of bald scalp are removed, and the hair-bearing regions of the scalp are shifted so hair grows atop the head. Patients may need to wear tissue expanders beneath the scalp for several weeks before the surgery to stretch the skin, allowing hair-bearing regions of scalp to sufficiently cover the head. • Hereditary hair loss is the most common cause of baldness, affecting 80 million people nationwide. —American Academy of Dermatology Spring 2011 3 HealthExtra { Wellness news from the world over } > Virus linked to childhood obesity > Another reason breast is best The benefits of breastfeeding keep adding up. Now, a report in the American Journal of Medicine says that breastfeeding your infant—even for just one month—can help you stave off type 2 diabetes, which increases your heart disease risk. The study involved more than 2,200 women ages 40 to 78, who either had no children, had children but never breastfed or had children and breastfed them. Researchers found that 26.7 percent of those women who didn’t breastfeed their babies went on to develop diabetes, compared to 18 percent of women who exclusively breastfed their infants for at least one month. The driving force behind Could there be more to the childhood obesity story than just eating too much and not moving enough? Yes, say researchers in a study published in the journal Pediatrics. They’ve found that a particular strain of a common cold virus, adenovirus 36 (AD36), may explain some of the weight gain. Of the 124 children studied (ages 8 to 18), those who had been infected with the virus were an average of 50 pounds heavier than children who hadn’t picked up the strain. Even among just the obese children, those who tested positive for exposure to AD36 were about 35 pounds heavier than those never infected with the virus. Although the reasons behind the potential connection are unclear, previous studies have linked viral infections to obesity in animals and adults. While more research is needed to confirm a link in children, help your child maintain a healthy weight by setting a good example with balanced foods and regular exercise and scheduling regular doctor’s appointments for him or her. > Don’t skip out on daily exercise Americans are failing miserably when it comes to one cornerstone of good health: regular exercise. Only about 5 percent of us engage in some sort of vigorous physical activity on any given day, reports a recent study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Researchers looked at data from almost 80,000 people participating in the American Time Use Survey, a national telephone-based poll. When asked what they did the preceding 24 hours, some of the most popular answers Only about 5 percent of us engage in some sort of vigorous physical activity on any given day. —American Journal of Preventive Medicine 4 Spring 2011 © 2011 Thinkstock breastfeeding’s benefits isn’t known, but animal studies have shown that lactation may reduce belly fat and trigger a sensitivity to insulin (type 2 diabetes occurs when the body either doesn’t produce enough insulin or the cells ignore insulin). Currently, only about 14 percent of mothers exclusively breastfeed their babies for the recommended minimum of six months. WCH introduces eICU advanced care T Nothing is wrong with a daily nap to give the body the rest it needs, while improving alertness and reducing mistakes and accidents. —National Sleep Foundation were eating and drinking and watching TV or movies. The 5 percent of people who did exercise reported using cardio machines or running. The National Institutes of Health says that people who are active live longer, feel better, can maintain a healthy weight and delay or prevent diseases such as diabetes, cancer and heart problems. So get up and get moving—it’s just what the doctor ordered! >N othing wrong with napping Those cat naps some of us can squeeze in have gotten a bad rap as sleep saboteurs. But the National Sleep Foundation says that for most people, nothing is wrong with a daily nap to give the body the rest and relaxation it needs, while improving alertness and reducing mistakes and accidents. You just have to do it right: >K eep your nap to no more than a half hour. More than that may leave you feeling groggy. >P ick a place that’s cool, dark and quiet. >A void napping late in the day, which can interfere with nighttime sleep. And don’t nap too early, as your body may not be ready yet for more shut-eye. he Wayne County Hospital (WCH) eICU (electronic intensive care unit) has established a new way of using advanced telemedicine technology to benefit physicians and ICU patients across our region. Linked with the Mercy Health Network eICU Center in Des Moines, the eICU provides remote monitoring capability for critically ill patients at WCH. Installation of this high-level monitoring system was made possible with partial grant funding received through the Wayne County Foundation and a USDA Rural Development grant. WCH, the first critical access hospital in Iowa to provide this service, initiated in November 2010, partnered with Mercy Health Network. WCH has two dedicated eICU rooms for patients who require a higher level of care. “Our eICU patients range from cardiac and stroke patients to trauma victims and include many types of critical care that you might see in a larger facility,” says Sheila Mattly, Chief Nursing Officer. “The nursing staff loves the eICU and the support it provides them in caring for their most critically ill patients.” Collaboration of experts WCH primary care physicians and nurses are able to discuss care plans with the Mercy eICU team, and together, they develop the best strategy to care for patients. The eICU has enabled WCH to provide a higher level of quality care in our rural setting. With eICU care, physicians specializing in intensive care medicine (intensivists) from Mercy-Des Moines lead a care team that works with WCH ICU staff to monitor critical care patients around the clock. The eICU uses high-resolution cameras, phones and software to evaluate real-time patient physiological (continued on page 8) 4WCH Spring Winter 2011 5 Alcohol: What’s too much? D o you need more alcohol than usual to get a buzz? Do you have blackouts or miss work because of your drinking? Do you ever drink alone? If so, you may be alcohol dependent or suffer from alcoholism. You may not realize that you have a drinking problem because your habits are ingrained, but your loved ones probably know. In fact, they may be trying to figure out how to broach the subject. Or perhaps you’re the friend or relative of someone who’s abusing liquor. How do you know when someone drinks too heavily? And how can you get help for someone in need? Problem drinkers tend to have: • an increased tolerance for alcohol, needing more drinks to feel drunk as time passes • blackouts or memory lapses after a night of drinking • violent behavior while drinking • regular instances of drinking alone • a lack of control or willpower regarding alcohol • absences from work or a decrease in job quality • hostility when anyone brings up the problem In the past, it was widely believed that confronting someone about an alcohol problem was the best way to get him or her to seek treatment. These so-called “interventions,” where friends and family would gather to talk to someone about his or her drinking en masse have even been depicted in movies and on TV. But today, experts believe that friends and family are most effective in getting problem drinkers to seek help when they privately discuss the matter with empathy and compassion. Gently explain how you’ve noticed that your friend or relative’s drinking gets in the way of relationships and personal or professional goals. Getting support Once someone decides to seek treatment for a drinking problem, a variety of places offer support. Many people go to detoxification centers to withdraw from alcohol surrounded by trained medical professionals who can prescribe medications to alleviate symptoms. Rehab centers offer in- and outpatient therapy. If rehab isn’t a good fit, counseling from a psychologist or psychiatrist can help. Support groups offer long-term aid to problem drinkers who want to reduce or eliminate their connection with alcohol. Check the Yellow Pages under “Alcoholism” or visit the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism’s “Rethinking Drinking” website at rethinkingdrinking.niaaa.nih.gov for groups in your area. You may not realize that you have a drinking problem because your habits are ingrained. 6 Spring 2011 Images on page 6 and 7 © istockphoto.com/DNY59/sorbetto • Your embarrassing health questions, answered Y ou should be able to discuss anything with your doctor, but some topics may make you more squeamish than others. To help, here are answers to common embarrassing questions. Q: A: y arms and legs are hairier than those M of my female friends. Could there be a medical reason for this? How can I get rid of unwanted hair? There are many reasons why some women have excess body hair. All women produce some male hormones, but those who produce higher levels may be hairier. The tendency may be inherited or caused by conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome or PCOS. Whatever the cause, hair can be removed without a physician’s care. You may shave, tweeze or wax at home, or at a salon or spa, although shaven hair that grows back may appear thicker, and plucking or waxing may cause scarring. Bleaching the hair or removing it with chemicals are two other options. For a long-term solution, consider laser hair removal, which permanently damages individual hair follicles and prevents them from sprouting new hairs. Laser hair removal may be painful and expensive, but it can be effective, and it’s available without a doctor’s prescription. Q: y feet always sweat and smell, which M makes it embarrassing to take my shoes off when other people are around. Is there a treatment? A: Sweat itself doesn’t have an odor; the bacteria on your skin contact your perspiration and make it smell. To combat this, dry your feet thoroughly after bathing to reduce the chances of bacteria thriving on your feet. Try foot powder to absorb excess moisture. Wear only cotton or wool socks, which absorb moisture and help keep your feet dry; change them once or twice a day as needed, drying your feet before you put on new ones. Put on moisturewicking athletic socks when you exercise. Rotate the shoes you wear daily to allow your footwear to dry out thoroughly. You might even consider applying an antiperspirant to the soles of your feet before bedtime. Prescription medications may be prescribed if needed. Spring 2011 7 HealthWise is a community educational service provided by Wayne County Hospital 417 S. East St. Corydon, IA 50060 Non-Profit Organization US POSTAGE PAID Wayne County Hospital Wayne County Hospital 417 S. East St. Corydon, IA 50060 641-872-2260 Daren L. Relph, P.S.-C.C.P., C.E.O. Sheila Mattly, C.N.O. recycle-logo_2options_v2.ai Laurie Ehrich, C.C.O. Clinical services in Wayne County: Lineville Medical Clinic 641-876-2070 Seymour Medical Clinic 641-898-2898 South Medical Clinic 641-872-2063 PleaseCentral Recycle ThisIowa Publication Printed With Soy Ink Printed With Soy Ink 4WCH Please Recycle This Publication Copyright © 2011 Wayne County Hospital Printed With Soy Ink Please Recycle This Publication Printed With Soy Ink Please Recycle This Publication WCH introduces eICU advanced care (continued from page 5) data for thresholds and trends. It is a little like an air traffic control center staffed with critical care experts who are networked to multiple ICU patients across the system by voice, video and data. This secure data is continually monitored by an intensivist and critical care nurses located at the Mercy eICU center. eICU advantages • the benefit of additional critical care support and high-level intensive care monitoring • support for the local medical staff with 24-hour monitoring capability • early intervention opportunities • higher level care for WCH patients normally available only in larger hospital systems • reduced transfers so patients and families can remain close to home • faster recoveries and a decrease in mortality rates In addition, the eICU has improved attending physicians’ quality of work life with the eICU taking calls at night and having the ability to contact the local attending physician, as needed. These factors are helpful and noteworthy when recruiting new physicians. “The value of this system is in providing an enhanced level of care where our physicians and nurses can discuss the plan of care with the Mercy eICU team and in that planning determine the best strategies for those critically ill patients,” says Daren L. Relph, WCH CEO. “This technology is at no additional cost to the patient. We believe we can provide high- quality care in the rural setting that we’re in, and the eICU helps us achieve that level of care.” For more information, contact Laurie Ehrich, Chief Communications Officer, at 641-872-2260. • Welcome Home!!! Wayne County Hospital and South Central Iowa Medical Clinic are pleased to announce the return of Dr. Hoch & Dr. Baker Dr. Douglas Hoch, M.D. on May 2, 2011 Dr. Joel Baker, D.O. Advance appointments may be scheduled by calling South Central Iowa Medical Clinic in Corydon at 641-872-2063