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Be Aware of Ticks! Ticks may carry Lyme Disease
a health threat to humans and pets.
....County Vector Control officials warn outdoor enthusiast to be aware of ticks while enjoying  outdoor activities in our local parks and open spaces. Ticks are common in San Diego, November through April.
....“Ticks can carry Lyme disease, tularemia, or other diseases,” said Wilma Wooten, M.D., County of San Diego Public Health Officer. “These diseases can affect a person’s health for months or even years.”
....“To avoid Lyme disease or other tick-borne illnesses, people who work or play in grassy or brushy areas need to take special care to avoid picking up ticks,” said Gary Erbeck, Director, County Department of Environmental Health. “We recommend using insect repellent to prevent ticks and other insects from biting. Flea and tick control products should also be used on pets.”
....Ticks get tularemia by biting infected rodents, rabbits and other animals. Symptoms of tularemia in humans include lymph node swelling, headache and fever, skin ulcer at the site of the bite, fatigue, body aches, nausea, and even death in rare cases. Tularemia also can be transmitted by handling or eating infected meat, or drinking water contaminated by an infected animal.
....Lyme disease is a bacterial disease spread by the bite of a Western black-legged tick. It usually starts with a circular rash at the site of the tick bite. Symptoms of Lyme disease usually appear within several weeks after the tick bite, even in someone who has not developed the initial rash. Flu-like symptoms such as swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, headache, and muscle aches may follow. If detected early, the disease can be treated with antibiotics. The person may feel very tired and unwell, or may have more areas of rash that aren't at the site of the bite. Without treatment, symptoms of the initial illness may go away on their own.But in some people, the infection can spread to other parts of the body.
....Lyme disease can affect the heart, leading to an irregular heart rhythm or chest pain. It can spread to the nervous system, causing facial paralysis (Bell's palsy) or tingling and numbness in the arms and legs. It can start to cause headaches and neck stiffness, which may be a sign of meningitis. Swelling and pain in the large joints can also occur. Tularemia and Lyme disease are not transmitted person to person.
....Tick Prevention Tips:
• Stay on marked wide trails, and walk in the center to avoid grass or brushy areas.
• Wear light-colored long sleeved clothing, tuck shirts into pants, and pants into socks or boots.
• Apply insect repellent containing DEET to clothing and footwear.
• Check clothing, body and companions for ticks frequently.
• Remove ticks immediately. Grasp the head of ticks with tweezers; pull straight out using a firm, steady motion.Save the tick in a jar of alcohol or taped it to a piece of cardboard so it can be identified by Vector Control
• Clean the bite area with antiseptic.
• Treat pets with insecticide powders or sprays labeled for tick control and keep them on a leash.
For more information on tick-borne diseases and prevention, visit www.SDVector.com.
Chicken Pox Cases Reported at Schools in San Diego County
HHSA Urges Parents to Get Their Children Vaccinated
 ....Within the span of a week, outbreaks of chicken pox have been reported at three different sites in San Diego County. Beginning Feb. 20,2009, five students at Kellogg Elementary School in Chula Vista were reported with the disease; on Feb 26, five students at Mira Mesa Christian School were diagnosed with chicken pox, and by Feb. 27, The County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) reported that six students at San Elijo Elementary School in San Marcos have been diagnosed with chicken pox. Of these 16 infected students, 14 had one dose of the varicella (chicken pox) vaccine; two had no vaccine but had chicken pox before.
....Two doses of vaccine are recommended to guard against contracting chicken pox, or lessen its effects. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends two doses of chicken pox vaccine for those who do not have immunity -- the first at 12-15 months of age and the second at 4-6 years of age. A second dose is recommended for individuals, who are older and have only had one vaccination.
....“We recommend that parents talk to their children’s healthcare provider about age-appropriate vaccinations,” said Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County Public Health Officer. “Diseases like chicken pox, whooping cough and diphtheria can cause complications, especially in younger children.”
....None of the students required hospitalization. School officials have informed staff and parents of students who may have been exposed, and recommended that children have the appropriate vaccinations against the disease.
....Chicken pox is a highly contagious disease caused by the varicella virus. It’s spread easily by coughing, sneezing or contact with chicken pox blisters.
....Symptoms of chicken pox include a skin rash of blister-like lesions covering the body, but usually more concentrated on the face, scalp, and trunk. The risk of complications increases after puberty and includes bacterial infection of skin lesions, dehydration and pneumonia.
....Most, but not all, infected individuals have fever, which develops just before or when the rash appears. If exposed, persons who have been vaccinated against the disease may get a milder illness, with less severe rash and mild or no fever. The incubation period is 10-21 days. The illness lasts about 5-10 days. For more information on chicken pox and immunizations in general, ask to your doctor, or call the HHSA Immunization Branch at 619-692-8661 or visit the website at www.sdiz.org.
Wild Mushrooms Poisoning Warning
....The seasonal rains are promoting the growth of wild mushrooms in the region.In California,  eating wild mushrooms has caused multiple illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths. According to the California Poison Control System, 894 cases of mushroom ingestion were reported statewide in 2008. Among of these cases, 499 were children under age six, becoming ill after eating small amount of a mushroom found it in a backyard;358 individuals were treated at a health care facility: Five had a major health outcome, such as liver failure leading to coma, liver transplant or renal failure requiring dialysis, and one died.
....Eating poisonous mushrooms, can cause cramping, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, liver damage and death. Symptoms tend to occur 8 to 12 hours so victims may not initially link their symptoms to eating wild mushrooms. Individuals who develop any of these symptoms after eating wild mushrooms should seek medical attention. Individuals with symptoms, or their treating health care providers, should immediately contact the California Poison Control System at 1-800-222-1222.
....If you hand-remove the mushrooms, wear gloves when removing mushrooms and wash your hands well when finished.
Does Cold Weather Cause A Cold?
....Although many people are convinced that a cold results from exposure to cold weather,  or from getting chilled or overheated, researchers have found that these conditions have little or no effect on the development or severity of a cold. Nor is susceptibility apparently related to factors such as exercise, diet, or enlarged tonsils or adenoids. On the other hand, research suggests that psychological stress, allergic disorders affecting the nasal passages or pharynx (throat), and menstrual cycles may have an impact on a person's susceptibility to colds.
It's NOT Too Late to Get Your Flu Shot!
....Getting the Flu is serious for many. It can be particularly dangerous for certain people at high risk, including pregnant women and young children, people 65 and older, people with chronic illnesses such as asthma,diabetes, cancer, kidney or heart disease, and pregnant women and young children. Continued
Migraines Tied to Heart Attack Risk
....Men who suffer from migraine headaches may be at greater risk for heart attack and other types of cardiovascular disease, according to a study funded by NIH. The findings report that women with a history of migraines also face a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
More than 28 million Americans suffer from intense migraine headaches, often described as a pulsing or throbbing in one area of the head. Symptoms can include nausea, vomiting and extreme sensitivity to light and sound.
....The relationship between migraine and heart health is complex and unclear. Migraines may simply be a sign of an underlying cardiovascular problem. In any event, because of the apparent link to heart disease, migraine sufferers might be wise to take steps to reduce traditional  cardiovascular risk factors, like high blood pressure, obesity, smoking and high cholesterol.
Sleep Thief
....Sleep apnea, or sleep disordered breathing, brings repetitive periods of difficulty breathing and sleeping. According to Dr. Michael Twery, director of the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research at NIH’s National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, sleep apnea is often caused by a temporary obstruction to the airway opening at the back of the mouth. In children, it could be large tonsils; in adults, the tongue. Or it could stem from weight gain, as the airway passage narrows because of thickened fat pads. The muscles that normally keep the airway stiff and open while awake may relax during sleep, causing the airway to narrow or even close. Whatever the cause, when your breathing stops or becomes very shallow, the oxygen level in your blood goes down. Your brain senses an emergency and takes action to wake you up, doing whatever it takes to get air into your lungs and restore your breathing.
....Anyone—including children—can have sleep apnea. If someone in your family has sleep apnea, you’re more likely to develop it than someone without a family history of the condition. It’s more common in African Americans, Hispanics and Pacific Islanders than in Caucasians.
See your doctor if you suspect you have sleep apnea. Treatment includes making lifestyle changes, such as sleeping on your side instead of your back and losing weight if you are overweight. Other treatments are also available.
Dealing with hearing loss?
.....Hearing loss can be frustrating. It can make it hard to understand and follow a doctor’s  advice, to respond to warnings and to hear doorbells and alarms.
....Hearing loss happens for many reasons. Some people lose their hearing slowly as they age. In fact, hearing loss is one of the most common conditions affecting older adults. Another reason for hearing loss may be extended exposure to too much loud noise—a condition known as noise-induced hearing loss. ....Many construction workers, farmers, musicians, airport workers, tree cutters and people in the armed forces have noise-induced hearing loss.Hearing loss can also be caused by ear infections, heart conditions or stroke, head injuries, tumors and certain medicines.
.....If you think you have a hearing problem, talk to your doctor. Your doctor may refer you to an otolaryngologist, a specialist who will try to find out why you have hearing loss. He or she may also refer you to an audiologist, who can measure your hearing.
Otolaryngologists and audiologists can work together to find a treatment that is right for you. The American Academy of Otolaryngology Five minute hearing test
How does nicotine in cigarettes increase the risk of heart attack?
....Cigarette smoking may increase the risk of developing hardening of the arteries and heart attacks in several ways. First, carbon monoxide may damage the inner walls of the arteries, encouraging fatty buildups in them. Over time, this causes the vessels to narrow and harden. Nicotine may also contribute to this process. Smoking also causes  several changes in the blood that make clots — and heart attack — more likely.
Tobacco Dependency is Directly Tied
to: Nicotine Addiction.
....Smoking is the leading cause of premature, preventable death. Cigarette smoking and exposure to tobacco smoke cause an estimated average of 438,000 premature deaths each year in the United States. Of these premature deaths, about 40 percent are from cancer, 35 percent are from heart disease and stroke, and 25 percent are from lung disease.
....Most people know that smoking is a bad habit that they can quit whenever they decided to. Just time quitters find this is not so. The fact is...Continued
Donating blood is good for our community blood supply,
and it's good for your own as well.
.... A new study published by the American Medical Assoc iation (www.ama-assn.org), has found that giving blood every six months led to fewer heart attacks and strokes in test participants ages 43 to 61. And according to www.bloodcenters.org, excessive iron is thought to contribute to heart disease, especially at its early stages. Donating blood on a regular basis reduces the iron stores in the body and this study supports the theory that reducing iron appears to preserve heart and vascular health.What a win/win situation! Give blood to someone who needs it and do your own body good at the same time.
.... Schedule an appointment to donate whole blood, platelets, plasma or double red cells at your neighborhood donor center. (San Diego Blood Bank)
Grants for Seniors Artists
....From Jan. 2, the Kenneth A. Picerne Foundation is accepting grant applications for the 2009 Senior Artist Project. This grant supports artists, age 55 and older, who are motivated to provide educational, mentoring and therapeutic experiences for underserved people in the community. Twenty accomplished visual, performing and literary artists will receive a grant of $12,000, paid out $1,000 per month. The grant requires artists to provide six hours a week of actual contact time with an underserved group of their choice. Artists must collaborate with a nonprofit organization and must live in San Diego or Orange counties. The application deadline is March 31. Call Victor Nelson at (760) 435-2205 or see www.picernefoundation.org.
Healthy Youth For A Healthy Future Champion Award
....The Acting Surgeon General Rear Adm. Steven K. Galson has awarded the "Healthy Youth for a Healthy Future Champion Award" to the California Department of Public Health's Network for a Healthy California, a campaign that empowers low-income Californians and their families to live better by eating healthy and being physically active every day. The event was part of Acting Surgeon General Galson’s nationwide tour to promote the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Childhood Overweight and Obesity Prevention Initiative. This honor recognizes and showcases communities and programs across the country that address childhood overweight and obesity prevention by helping kids stay active, encouraging healthy eating habits, and promoting healthy choices.
Learn your family’s history of cancer and disease
....Some types of cancer tend to run in families, such as breast, colorectal, ovarian, and prostate cancers. Talk with your doctor about your family history of cancer and other diseases. Learn more about what types of cancer your child may be at risk for and if there are proven prevention steps to minimize risk, include following some of the steps included on this site, and participate in recommended screenings.The National Cancer Institute offers risk assessment and reduction information specifically about family history. To find out your risk visit: http://understandingrisk.cancer.gov/
County Children’s Mental Health Services
Wins National Award
.....The San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) has won The Karl Dennis: Unconditional Care Award is a national award presented annually to an individual or organization that has made a lasting contribution to children's mental health at the national level. For nearly three decades, Dennis was Executive Director of Kaleidoscope, Inc., one of the first programs in the United States to provide intensive in-home services to children in foster care.
The award had always gone to an individual and never to an organization. However, Karl Dennis was so impressed by the outstanding mental health programs the County of San Diego provides to children, he presented HHSA the award bearing his name.
“County Mental Health Services provides excellent services to children and families suffering from a mental illness,” said Chairman Greg Cox, County of San Diego Board of Supervisors. “It’s great to see that their outstanding work is being recognized with this prestigious award.”Some key services recognized by the award include:
• In 1998, the County received a grant to provide mental health services designed specifically for children, youth and their families. When the funding ran out, the County continued to provide, promote, and increase services showing it’s commitment to better serve the needs of families.
....HHSA’s Mental Health Services aids children and adolescents who are emotionally disturbed, and their families through a wide variety of services, from early intervention to residential services. Annually, about 17,000 children under 18 years of age take advantage of services provided through County-operated services or through the County’s many mental health partners.
“This is a great achievement for the County,” said Alfredo Aguirre, Director of HHSA’s Mental Health Services. “Kudos to all our staff and many partners for providing family-centered services that meet the unique linguistic and cultural needs of the diverse clients we serve.”
More information about County of San Diego Mental Health Services
Union of Health Authorities Develop A National Call to Action:
“Cancer: What It Means To You”
....Cancer is the general name for more than 100 diseases in which cells in a part of the body begin to grow out of control. Untreated cancers can cause serious illness and even death. Sadly, at least half of the new cases that will occur this year could have been prevented or detected early, when cancers are most treatable.
....To protect Americans from cancer, promote improved survivorship, and advance our nation’s health, the four most recent U.S. Surgeons General led the development of the evidence-based National Call to Action. The U.S. Surgeons General who led the development are: Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., 17th U.S. Surgeon General (2002-2006) and President of Canyon Ranch Institute; David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D., 16th U.S. Surgeon General (1998-2002); Joycelyn Elders, M.D., M.S., 15th U.S. Surgeon General (1993-1994); and Antonia C. Novello, M.D., M.P.H., Dr.P.H., 14th U.S. Surgeon General (1990-1993). Continued
MEDICARE’S Online Tools Will Help Beneficiaries
With Prescription Drug and Health Plan Choices For 2009
.....The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that beneficiaries, their caregivers, and family members can begin to review 2009 Medicare prescription drug plan and health plan information online through the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Finder and Medicare Options Compare found at the website listed below. The 2009 Plan Finder allows beneficiaries to compare prescription drug coverage from both stand-alone Prescription Drug Plans (PDPs) and Medicare Advantage (MA) plans that provide prescription drug coverage (MA-PD plans) and to view premiums, formularies, and availability of coverage in the gap. Additionally, the 2009 Medicare Options Compare tool allows beneficiaries to compare Medicare health plan options, such as HMOs and PPOs. Beneficiaries can search drug plans for the best price and coverage include, estimated out-of-pocket costs, pharmacy networks, and Medicare news and updates. According to CMS Acting Administrator, Kerry Weems, “Some beneficiaries may see significant premium increases or changes, such as reduced coverage in the gap, if they stay in the same prescription drug plan in 2009. Yet, almost 97 percent of beneficiaries enrolled in a stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP) will have access to Medicare drug and health plans in 2009 whose premiums would be the same or less than their coverage in 2008.”
.....For more information, and to use these tools, please visit: http://www.medicare.gov |
