Why a Flu Shot is the Best Way to Prevent Influenza

Influenza is a serious, potentially deadly disease that affects countless people in the United States every year. And flu “season” can last a long time – beginning as early as October and lasting even into late May. That said, flu shots are of utmost importance when it comes to preventing the virus for people of all ages, including people 65 and over, who can account for up to 90% of all flu-related deaths each year.

The Importance of A Flu Shot

Getting an annual flu vaccine (either a flu shot or nasal spray vaccine) is the best prevention of getting seasonal flu and potentially spreading it to others. The more people that get a flu shot, the lesser the spread of flu in a community. It’s recommended that anyone six months or older should get a flu shot.

The Best Flu Vaccines For 2016-17

The Centers for Disease Control recommends the injectable flu vaccine for 2016 and not the nasal spray vaccine. Both trivalent and quadrivalent vaccines will be available.

The trivalent flu vaccines include a high-dose shot and a shot made with adjuvant – which helps create a stronger immune response – that is approved for people 65 and over. Quadrivalent flu vaccination includes an intradermal shot, which is injected into the skin and not the muscle and uses a much smaller needle. The intradermal shot is approved for anyone from 18 to 64 years old.

How Flu Vaccines Work

Flu vaccines are effective because of antibodies that develop in the body shortly after vaccination. These antibodies provide protection against infection. Both trivalent and quadrivalent vaccines protect against against the influenza A viruses H1N1 and H3N2, as well as an influenza B virus. The quadrivalent vaccine also protects against an additional B virus.

Flu vaccines are often updated each year to keep pace with changing viruses.

Who Should Get Vaccinated

Again, the CDC recommends that anyone 6 months of age or older should get a flu vaccine every season. The flu vaccination is particularly important for anyone at high risk of developing serious complications from the virus. People who are 65 or over are considered high-risk because human immune systems weaken with age.

If vaccine supplies are limited, an importance is placed on making sure certain people get vaccinated, including:

  • People ages 50 and over
  • Children 6 months through 4 years
  • Women who are or will be pregnant during the influenza season, and women up to two weeks after delivery
  • People who are residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
  • Health care personnel
  • Household contacts and caregivers of people with medical conditions that put them at a higher risk for severe complications of the flu.

There are many others who are included on this list, so make sure to check with your physician or the CDC website to see if you qualify for the high-priority list.

With fall just around the corner, the importance of getting a flu shot for the 2016-17 season cannot be emphasized enough. Not doing so places your health – and potentially the health of others – at an unnecessary risk.

Physical Therapy: Just What the Doctor Ordered

Physical therapy helps people of all ages who have injuries, medical conditions, or illnesses that limit their day-to-day functioning. A physical therapy program can help you return to your prior level of functioning, as well as prevent further injury while improving your overall health and well-being.

 

Here are 10 reasons why physical therapy is so important and how it may benefit you:

1. Reduce Pain

There are a variety of exercises and manual therapy techniques, including ultrasound, taping, and joint and soft tissue mobilization that can not only relieve pain, but also restore function in the muscles and joints. It can even prevent pain from returning.

2. Improved Mobility

You may be struggling with walking and moving, or even just standing (no matter what your age), but physical therapy can definitely help. This includes strengthening and stretching exercises, devices that provide assistance such as canes and crutches, or by a proper orthotic prescription.

3. Avoid Surgery

Therapy can help you avoid surgery by eliminating pain and/or by healing an injury. If surgery is still required, pre-surgery therapy can help, because going into surgery stronger and in better shape can speed the post-surgery recovery process.

4. Recover/Prevent Sports Injuries

Different sports can increase your risk for specific types of injuries – i.e., stress fractures for runners – and your physical therapist can design recovery or prevention exercise programs that enable you to safely return to your sport.

5. Improved Balance

One of the things your physical therapist will do is a fall-risk screening. If it shows that you are at high risk, your therapist will provide exercises that mimic real-life situations while increasing your balance. You’ll also be provided with exercises to improve coordination, or devices that assist you in safer walking. If you suffer from dizziness or vertigo, your therapist will show you exercises that will restore proper vestibular functioning.

6. Manage Diabetes

Physical therapy is often part of an overall diabetes management program. Exercise can effectively help control blood sugar, while people with diabetes often have problems with sensation in their feet and legs that the therapist can address to prevent further issues down the road.

7. Recover From A Stroke

People who’ve suffered a stroke often lose some degree of function and movement. Physical therapy helps strengthen the weakened parts of the body while also improving balance and gait. Your physical therapist can also help you to transfer and move around in bed, which will make you more independent around the home.

8. Manage Heart and Lung Disease

If your daily functioning is affected by heart and lung disease, you may receive physical therapy along with normal cardiac rehabilitation (after a heart attack or heart procedure). It can also help improve your quality of life through conditioning, strengthening and breathing exercises.

9. Manage Women’s Health

Women have a number of specific health concerns, including issues involved with pregnancy and post-partum care. Your physical therapist can offer specialized management of issues related to women’s health, including breast cancer.

10. Age-related Issues

Conditions such as arthritis, osteoporosis and joint replacement may develop as you age. Physical therapists are well-trained in helping patients deal with and recover from these issues.

 

COPD Sufferers: What to Ask Your Healthcare Provider

If you’ve been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)  you understandably have a lot of concerns. Aside from the breathing difficulties you’re experiencing, you have a lot of questions for your healthcare provider, including what is COPD and what are your treatment options. The bottom line is that your respiratory health is too important to not get all the information you can about COPD. Here are some important questions to ask your doctors.

What is COPD?

Your healthcare provider will tell you that COPD is a broad term to describe a variety of progressive lung diseases, including chronic bronchitis, asthma and emphysema. As you’re already aware, COPD’s primary symptom is increasing breathlessness as your body is unable to properly process oxygen through your lungs. You’ll also learn that you may have had COPD for longer than you think because you may not have noticed earlier symptoms. When it comes to their respiratory health, many people associate breathlessness as a natural part of aging, which isn’t true.

What causes COPD?

While your healthcare provider will tell you that smoking is the number one cause of COPD, he or she will also explain that there are other risk factors, as well. Those risks include genetic factors (AAT deficiency), working in high-risk industries that expose you to non-organic dust, such as mining and plastic manufacturing, as well as indoor pollution, such as second-hand smoke and radon.

What happens if I quit smoking?

If you’re a smoker, you’re well-aware of its dangers and harmful effects to your overall health, especially respiratory health. But here are some other facts you’ll want to take into consideration:

  • When you stop smoking the level of carbon monoxide in your blood is cut in half within 12 hours.
  • Your lungs will begin to repair themselves within a few weeks after you quit smoking.
  • By your 10th year of non-smoking, your lung cancer risk will be cut in half.

Will my medication have side effects?

Ask your doctor about any side effects that may occur from taking COPD medication. One important concern you should have is whether treatment for your condition could potentially damage other, healthy parts of your body.

What other changes can I make?

Quitting smoking will have a significant effect on the progression of COPD. But diet and exercise can also have a positive impact on your respiratory health. Ask your doctor about exercise programs designed specifically for COPD sufferers.

Will I need to be on oxygen?

Your doctor will measure the amount of oxygen in your blood by using a pulse oximeter, or by drawing blood. The goal is to keep your oxygen saturation level above 88 percent.

What stage am I in?

COPD is divided into four stages: mild, moderate, severe and very severe. Your doctor will determine what stage you’re in by using a pulmonary function test called spirometry. It’s important to note that COPD affects everyone differently, and can be determined by a variety of factors – including whether you smoke, how much you exercise, and your diet.

What shots or vaccines will I need?

It’s recommended that everyone with COPD should get a pneumonia shot – generally every five years – because pneumonia can easily deteriorate lung health. Flu shots are also important because the flu also weakens your lungs.

 

Choosing the right health provider is important in treating your overall respiratory health.

 

Asthma Symptoms: 5 Signs Your Shortness of Breath is Serious

If you suffer from shortness of breath, you’re not alone. It’s a common symptom and one that prompts many people to see a doctor or seek other medical treatment. Knowing when your shortness of breath is an emergency isn’t always easy. It can be the result of hyperventilation, acid reflux, or a panic attack – cases when shortness of breath usually recedes on its own – or more serious issues involving your respiratory health. There are many possible causes of shortness of breath, as well as signs that it’s time to seek medical help.

Shortness of Breath and Its Causes

There’s no clear definition of shortness of breath, but most people describe it as a feeling of being unable to get enough air, or that breathing takes more effort than usual. Some people may feel chest tightness. Shortness of breath may come on in a matter of minutes, or develop chronically over much longer lengths of time.

In the vast majority of cases, shortness of breath is because of conditions related to the heart and lungs. Some of the more common causes include:

  • COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
  • Asthma
  • Serious heart conditions, such as heart attacks or congestive heart failure
  • Pulmonary embolism (a blood clot that travels from another part of the body to the lungs)
  • Obesity
  • Lung disease
  • Bronchitis or pneumonia
  • A collapsed lung
  • If shortness of breath is chronic – meaning it has lasted for weeks or longer – it’s often due to any of the above causes.

Signs That You Should Call A Doctor

Your respiratory health is too important to ignore shortness of breath symptoms, but some signs should never be ignored:

  • Swelling in your feet and ankles
  • Trouble breathing when you lie flat
  • High fever, chills and cough
  • Wheezing
  • When your pre-existing shortness of breath worsens

COPD

COPD is a chronic lung disease that, as mentioned, is one of the most serious causes of shortness of breath. It’s considered a progressive disease in that its symptoms may be mild at first but become more severe over time. The symptoms of COPD may vary and include:

  • Chronic cough
  • Coughing up mucus
  • Labored breathing during both exercise and resting
  • Wheezing
  • Frequent colds or flu
  • Fatigue
  • Frequent morning headaches
  • Weight loss

People who suffer from COPD are also likely to have episodes known as exacerbations in which their symptoms suddenly become worse and persist for several days.

Asthma

Asthma is caused by inflammation of the bronchial tubes. This inflammation also results in the production of sticky secretions inside the tubes. When it comes to your respiratory health, asthma – like COPD – should never be taken lightly. Its symptoms are very similar to those associated with COPD: coughing, wheezing, chest tightness and, of course, shortness of breath.

As with COPD, asthma sufferers may go extended periods without experiencing any symptoms before having periods of systems (or asthma attacks). Others may only experience asthma during exercise, or when suffering from viral infections such as colds.

Evaluating Shortness of Breath

Depending on your symptoms, your doctor may evaluate your shortness of breath by using pulse oximetry to estimate the amount of oxygen in your blood, an EKG, a chest x-ray, blood work, or pulmonary function tests.

It’s important to note that while you may suffer from COPD or asthma, your symptoms can still be managed – and allow you to lead a normal life – with the right health care team working with you.