Jersey Shore Hospital Blog

Your immune system is one of the most important features in your body, as it protects your body from bacteria, fungi, and viruses.  The immune system also defends against infections, parasites and several kinds of cancer. Therefore, it is imperative to keep it functioning correctly by eating right, exercising, sleeping well, managing stress, and not smoking.

Mary Kay Dremel-Farley, RN

1. Eat Right
Quit the sodas and snack cakes. Treats are fine; just make them healthy. Try natural foods and avoid highly processed fatty foods as much as possible. Some nutrients and foods that have been found to enhance the immune system include Vitamins C & E, Omega-3 fatty acids, Garlic, Zinc, & Bioflavonoids. These nutrients are available in pill form, but digesting food is the natural and recommended way to consume vitamins and minerals. Fish, citrus fruits, nuts, broccoli, carrots, beans and whole grains are examples of excellent foods for enhancing the immune system.  read complete story

JERSEY SHORE HOSPITAL
AQUIRES SIMMAN, A COMPUTERIZED PATIENT SIMULATOR

Jersey Shore Hospital has recently acquired SimMan Essential, a computerized patient simulator that can talk, breathe, blink, generate pulses and more.  This interactive learning tool provides the latest and greatest technology related to patient simulation.

SimMan is a portable lifelike patient simulator used for education and training purposes by hospital staff. Averaging the same height as an adult human being, nurses and staff can check SimMan’s blood pressure, insert chest tubes, catheters, and IVs, and even sustain shocks and resuscitations.

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The Importance of Stretching

Stretching is essential to improving range of motion and keeping the body flexible.  A flexible body has the ability to perform movements more efficiently which helps avoid injury.

Proper stretching helps lengthen muscles, which can lead to better posture. Stretching also improves blood flow and water and nutrient circulation throughout the body.  Better circulation is known to slow the aging process.

Kelly Watson, PTA

Stretching muscles can also help avoid muscle spasms, and stretching neck muscles can even reduce headaches.  There are a multitude of benefits to stretching, but let’s focus on the three main benefits:

• Injury Prevention
• Flexibility
• Circulation

Injury Prevention
Injury to a muscle can occur when too much strain is placed on the muscle. The risk can be greater with a muscle that is not healthy and flexible, leading to a tear beyond an easily repairable level. Stretching “warm” muscles is ideal; you should warm up for 5-10 minutes by doing some light exercises and then stretch.

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Attention Deficit HyperactivityDisorder (ADHD) in Children

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, also known as ADHD, is not simply a problem with paying attention. ADHD makes it difficult for both children and adults to manage the many multiple tasks of daily life, especially intricate chores that require planning and prolonged focus.

Sabir Khan, MD

The signs and symptoms of ADHD typically appear before a child’s seventh birthday. It can be challenging to distinguish between ADHD and normal “child-like” behavior. But, if your child shows numerous ADHD signs and symptoms that are present at school, home, and out in public, it’s a good idea to take a closer look.

The three primary characteristics of ADHD are hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity. The most obvious sign of ADHD is hyperactivity. Hyperactivity is having behavior characterized by constant over-activity. These children generally can’t sit still, constantly fidget, or are always on-the-move.

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Frostbite occurs when tissues freeze, typically from being exposed to the cold for too long. This condition happens when you are exposed to temperatures below the freezing point of skin. Hypothermia is the condition of developing an abnormally low body temperature. Frostbite and hypothermia are both cold-related emergencies and should not be taken lightly.

Tiffany Allen, PA-C, Jersey Shore Hospital Emergency Department

Frostbite is most likely to happen in body parts farthest from the heart, also known as extremities. Extremities such as the nose, cheeks, ears, fingers, and toes are most commonly affected by frostbite.

You are more likely to develop frostbite if you:

• spend a great deal of time outdoors
• are under the influence of alcohol
• go without adequate heating, food, and shelter
• are exhausted or excessively dehydrated
• smoke
• have diabetes

Extreme cold, wet clothes, high winds, and poor circulation are all factors that contribute to frostbite.  read complete story

Jersey Shore Hospital upgrades MRI with an HD Wrist Coil

Jersey Shore Hospital recently purchased a new High Definition MRI wrist coil as an accessory to the GE 1.5T HDe MRI unit. This technology allows for faster scans, exceptional image quality, fewer repeat studies, and enhanced patient comfort. The 8 imaging channels produce superb images of the structures of the wrist.

Jersey Shore Hospital High Definition MRI wrist coil

The new wrist coil contributes to improved patient care and a more efficient MRI experience. These higher detailed images also assist physicians with more accurate diagnoses. read complete story

This year in America, approximately 185,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, which is the most common cancer among women. Today, Jersey Shore Hospital advanced the fight against this disease by installing a new innovative digital mammography system for its patients: the GE Senographe Essential.

JSH Advanced Mammography – The GE Senographe Essential

This new and powerful technology for the detection and fight against breast cancer allows Jersey Shore Hospital to offer their patients state-of-the-art mammograms that are precise, clear, and more comfortable. This new system provides the largest field of view currently available which reduces the need for extra exposures during the procedure, reducing radiation dose and gives physicians accurate images to use in diagnosis.

“This new technology will provide accurate results and increased ease of use for our patients says Dr. Lisa Strawser, Radiologist, at Jersey Shore Hospital.  “Providing superior diagnostic equipment for our patients is great for preventive health.  We are both proud and fortunate to utilize such a powerful tool.”
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Hospital upgrades CT scanner to provide less radiation exposure

In an effort to provide continued imaging improvement, Jersey Shore Hospital recently upgraded the hospital’s CT scanner to provide less radiation exposure to patients.

The GE VCT scanner at Jersey Shore Hospital now utilizes a product called ASiR (Adaptive Statistical Iterative Reconstruction), one of the newest and most innovative GE products. This technology significantly reduces radiation dose to patients, while still maintaining excellent image quality and detail.

The machine can now provide as much as a 40 percent radiation dose reduction as compared to other CT models. Typically, other methods for radiation dose reduction in CT can cause an increase in noise and image deterioration. But GE’s industry-breakthrough ASiR product solves this by subtracting noise altogether, not merely masking it. As a result, patient dose is reduced without compromising image quality.
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Paul Simpson, MD

Millions of people are affected by Lactose Intolerance; the symptoms that arise can be very uncomfortable and often even hindering to everyday life. Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest lactose. Lactose is a type of sugar found in milk and other dairy products. Approximately 30 million American adults have some amount of lactose intolerance by age 20.

Symptoms often occur 30 minutes to 2 hours after you eat or drink milk products. Symptoms include: abdominal bloating and cramping, diarrhea, gas, and nausea.

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Ashley Dolan, PA-C

We all know we need sleep, but many of us do not get enough. Most adults require seven to nine hours of sleep each night, but distractions and bad habits keep us awake. In fact, 65 percent of all Americans suffer from a sleep disorder such as restless leg syndrome, insomnia, daytime sleepiness, sleep walking or sleep apnea. If left untreated, sleep deprivation can lead to serious health problems.

You may lose sleep for a number of reasons. Stress is the number one cause of sleep deprivation, but physical factors may also be the cause. Pain from arthritis, injuries, backaches or other discomforts can make it difficult to sleep well.

For women, pregnancy, menopause or the menstrual cycle can keep you up at night. Other offenders that deprive us of our sleep include noise, too much caffeine consumption and working irregular hours.

Through some simple lifestyle changes, you can get a better night’s sleep. read complete story