Free Health Information

High blood sugar levels could cause  teeth and gum problems. If you are older than 45, have diabetes and smoke, you are at increased risk for developing gum disease. Gum disease also known as periodontal disease, can result in mouth pain, difficulty chewing and even tooth loss. Gum disease can even make your blood sugars harder to control.

What you can do –  

•  Manage your diabetes. Be sure to keep your blood sugar level in a good range.

o  Make certain to take your diabetes medicines as directed.

o  Follow your diabetes eating plan.

o  Be physically active at least 30 minutes a day, for most days of the week.

•  Brush after meals and snacks. Be certain to use a soft toothbrush.

•  Floss your teeth at least daily.

•  Tell your dentist when you’ve diabetes.

o  Have your teeth checked and cleaned on a regular basis.

o  If you’ve dentures, keep them clean.

o  Tell your dentist if your dentures do not fit correctly or if your gums are sore.

o  Call dentist for any problems with your teeth or gums.

If you have questions or concerns about managing your diabetes, speak to your healthcare team for help.

Be sure to use of tobacco harms almost every major organ in the body. Some of the chemicals from tobacco smoke include carbon monoxide, tar, arsenic and lead. All of these are poisonous. Tobacco also contains nicotine. Nicotine causes the addiction to tobacco products. Tobacco smoke contains at least 60 known cancer-causing substances.

Cigarette use of tobacco is responsible for –

o  Almost 30% of all cancer deaths in the USA.

o  More than 75% of all lung cancer deaths.

o  Most cancers of the larynx (voice box), mouth, esophagus and bladder.

Cigarette tobacco use causes chronic emphysema and chronic bronchitis. It also causes heart disease, stroke and cataracts.

Your risk increases with the exposure of cigarette smoke over your lifetime.

Smoking during pregnancy can cause  complications including stillbirths and low birth weight. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) has also been linked to tobacco use during pregnancy.

When you stop use of tobacco, there are major and immediate health benefits.

Health benefits include decreasing the risk of lung and other cancers, heart attack, stroke and chronic lung disease.  The sooner you quit, the greater the health benefit.

Make sure to use of tobacco = single most avoidable cause of death in the U.S..  Talk with your health care team about getting help to stop smoking.

What is arthritis?

Arthritis is an inflammation of your joints. Joints are where two bones come together, like in your knees or your fingers.  The word “arthritis” is used to describe more than 100 different types of problems that individuals  can have with their joints.  The most common kind of arthritis is osteoarthritis.

What parts of the body are most commonly affected by arthritis?

Arthritis mostly affects the knees, hips, hands, and spine.

What are the symptoms of arthritis?

The symptoms vary. Most individuals  with arthritis have pain, aching, stiffness, and swelling in and around their joints. Sometimes their joints look red and feel warm.

How long do the signs last?

Joints could  be stiff for about an hour, generally early in the morning. Some people  have pain or tenderness in their joints all the time.

Is there a cure for arthritis?

There’s no cure for arthritis. Arthritis is treated by relieving pain so that individuals  can enjoy life more.

Should I exercise if I have arthritis?

Moderate exercise assists to reduce the pain and stiffness. Walking, swimming, riding a bicycle, gardening, or dancing are all easy on your joints. Being physically active can also give you more energy. You could even feel better.

Can arthritis be prevented?

Maintaining a healthful weight reduces the risk of developing arthritis in your knees. Protecting your joints from injury can also lower your risk.

Hepatitis A virus could cause  serious liver illness. Hepatitis A is found all over the world. It is common in countries with poor sanitary conditions. Hepatitis A is contagious.

You can get Hepatitis A by close contact with someone who’s it. You can get it by consuming food prepared by someone with Hepatitis A. You can also get Hepatitis A by drinking dirty water that contains the virus.

Everyone, namely individuals  with Hepatitis A ought to clean their hands often with soap and water. Make certain to always clean after using the restroom or changing a diaper. Clean your hands before consuming or preparing food.

You can also get Hepatitis A by drinking water that contains the virus.

There’s a safe vaccine to help prevent Hepatitis A. You will not get Hepatitis A from the vaccine.

Talk with your main care provider about getting the Hepatitis A vaccine when –  

•  You’re planning to travel to a country where many people  have Hepatitis A

•  You’ve been told that you’ve chronic liver disease, including infection with Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C

•  You use illegal drugs

•  You’re a man who has sex with men

•  You’ve a blood clotting-factor disorder

You’ll need to get a total of two shots. You ought to get the second shot 6 months to 12 months after the first one. After each shot, you might have some soreness where the needle went in. You might also feel tired or have a headache.

What is pre-diabetes?

In pre-diabetes, blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not as high as with diabetes.

Pre-Diabetes is becoming more common in the USA. As many as 50 million individuals  have pre-diabetes.

What when you have pre-diabetes?

Pre-diabetes increases your risk for developing kind 2 diabetes. Many individuals  with pre-diabetes create kind 2 diabetes within 10 years.

People  with pre-diabetes are also at risk for developing heart disease, or having a stroke.

Diabetes can damage almost every part of your body. It could make you blind, damage to your heart and blood vessels, or cause kidney problems, stroke, or nerve damage. For women, diabetes can complicate pregnancy.

If you have pre-diabetes, you can lower your risk of developing diabetes by –  

•  Losing some weight. When you are overweight, attempt to lose ~5% of your body weight by making small changes in your diet and getting regular physical activity. This can help to delay, or even stop you from having Type 2 diabetes.

Need some helpful tips on losing weight?

•  Consult with your healthcare team for help in losing weight.

Second-hand smoke is the smoke that is exhaled by a smoker and the smoke released from a pipe, or the burning end of a cigar or cigarette.

Second-hand smoke is a cancer causing-agent for men, women and children.

o  Second-hand smoke contains at least 60 cancer causing-substances.

o  Breathing second-hand smoke is a risk factor for the development of lung cancer.

o  Second-hand smoke is responsible for almost 3,000 deaths each year.

o  It is a known risk factor for cancer in the nasal sinus, lung infections and heart disease.

o  Second-hand smoke is linked with cervical cancer, breast cancer and lung cancer.

Second-hand smoke contains poisonous substances, including carbon monoxide, tar, arsenic and lead.

Chronic coughs, wheezing, chest discomfort, poorer lung function, irritation of your eye and nose, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and low birth weights are all linked to second-hand smoke.

No amount of second-hand smoke is safe.

Speak with your loved ones who smoke and encourage them to quit – for your health and theirs.

Consider wearing a mouth guard.

A mouth guard can help to protect your teeth from injury during sports.

What’s a mouth guard?

A mouth guard is designed to help cushion the mouth and your teeth.  The guard generally covers the up per teeth and minimizes risk of broken teeth and injuries that can occur from broken or chipped teeth. Mouth guards range from being ready made to custom fitted.

Who should wear a mouth guard?

Kids and adults ought to use a mouth guard.

If you participate in an activity that can cause  injury to your mouth or play contact sports – football, ice hockey, basketball, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer or volleyball – you should consider wearing one.

A mouth guard can decrease the risk of mouth-related injuries to your lips, tongue and soft tissues of mouth. They also can help to avoid chipped or broken teeth, nerve damage to a tooth and even tooth loss that can result from a blow to the mouth.

Your teeth are meant to last a lifetime. Taking care and protecting your teeth can help them to stay healthful.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is also called coronary artery disease (CAD), is the most common kind of heart disease.

CHD develops when one or more of the coronary arteries (arteries that supply blood to the heart muscles itself) becomes narrow. This results from a buildup of cholesterol. This buildup decreases the blood flow to the heart muscle.

What can happen?

As coronary heart disease develops, damage to the heart occurs and the following conditions may create –  

Angina

When the heart isn’t getting enough oxygen, a person might feel pain or discomfort in the chest. This is known as angina. Symptoms of angina include –  

•  Discomfort or pressure felt in the chest.

This can range from a vague ache to a crushing sensation.

•  Pain or pressure in the left arm, shoulder, or throat.

•  Difficulty catching your breath.

Heart Failure

Heart failure occurs when a weakened heart cannot pump efficiently. Fluid builds up in the ankles, legs, and lungs.

Heart Attack

When blood flow to any part of the heart is completely blocked, the cells in that part of the heart start to die. This causes a heart attack. Symptoms of a heart attack can include –  

o  Pain or pressure in the chest, shoulders or arms (most widely on the left side), neck or lower jaw

o  Shortness of breath

o  Weakness

o  Rapid heart beat

o  Lightheadedness or faintness

o  Profuse sweating

o  Nausea or vomiting

When these signs occur, get help fast.  Call 911 right away.

Adults in their 40’s can have a slow loss in being able to see small objects or print. They also have trouble seeing things close-up. This is known as far-sightedness or presbyopia. It might be easier to peruse print if you hold reading materials further away. “Reading” glasses can help.

Another change related to age is cataracts. A cataract is a cloudy area in eye lens. This causes loss of eyesight. Cataracts are easily detected with a routine eye exam. Cataracts may be removed with surgery. Surgery might  be needed when these changes in vision interfere with every day activities.

As you age, you are less able to make tears and your eyes may feel dry, itchy or burning. A home humidifier or special eye drops may help. Consult with your eye care provider about what’d be best for you.

Over time, if glaucoma isn’t treated, it can result in loss of vision or blindness.  The risk of glaucoma increases if you’re over 65 years of age or an African American over 40. Glaucoma might not have any signs. It’s detected with an eye exam. There are many treatments for glaucoma ranging from eye drops to surgery.

See an eye care specialist immediately when –  

•  you suddenly cannot see

•  vision is dim, or

•  you see flashes of light

You also need to be seen if you experience –  

•  eye pain,

•  fluid coming from eye,

•  double vision, redness or

•  swelling of eyelid

And remember… when you are outdoors, wear sunglasses that block UV rays.

The tetanus / diphtheria / pertussis shot (Tdap) protects against three serious diseases.

Tetanus also known as ‘lockjaw’ is a serious disease. People  with Tetanus generally have painful tightening of the jaw and neck muscles. As a result, they can’t open their mouths or swallow. Tetanus doesn’t spread from person to person. People  get tetanus when their skin is cut or broken, particularly if they’re around dust, soil and manure.

Diphtheria is a very serious infection of the upper chest.  The infection can lead to breathing problems, heart failure, paralysis and even death. A individuals who has diphtheria can give it to somebody else by coughing. Today, hardly anybody in the United States  gets diphtheria because almost everybody gets the vaccine (shot).

Pertussis (whooping cough) is an infection of the chest that causes individuals  to cough very hard for a long time. Sometimes individuals  cough so hard they break a rib. A person with whooping cough also has trouble breathing. Whooping cough can lead to pneumonia. Whooping cough spreads easily from one person to another.

The Tdap shot is the best way to protect against tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough. When you’re between 19 – 64 years old, you should get the Tdap shot one time. When it’s time for you to get your tetanus diphtheria booster shot, that’s a good time to get the Tdap shot instead. Your provider may recommend Tdap as soon as 2 years from your last tetanus/diphtheria booster because Tdap also protects you against whooping cough.

After you get Tdap shot, your skin could  be sore where the needle went in.