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March 3, 2006     Barnstable Patriot
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March 3, 2006
 
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Asthma on Cape Cod: growing threat for adults and children Action plan helps them breathe easier By Heather Wysocki hwysocki@barnstablepatriot.com More than 17 million people in the United States are af- fected by it. Many it affects dismiss it as harmless. Many don't even know they have it. But asthma, a respiratory disease that can affect anyone, at any age, can be more serious than people know. Asthma affects the breath- ing of its sufferers, said Dr. Joely Edwards , a pediatri- cian at Wellfleet Health Center..The airways shrink and become narrower and hypersensitive. The disease can result in coughing, chest tightness, shortness of breath , and wheezing. • This time of year, wood stoves, fireplaces, and other cold weather staples can exacerbate the symptoms of people who suffer from asthma or allergies. And winter can convince even the hardiest smoker to stay indoors for cigarette breaks. "We're forced to go inside," said Marjorie Crabtree , nurse practitioner at Barnstable High School's Cape Cod Hospital School Based Health Center. Edwards also works with the center as its medical director. But though winter can take anyone 'sbreath away, asthma sufferers,are affected through- out the year; each season affects patients differently, Edwards said. Like most areas that experience a defined spring, summer, fall, and winter, the Cape is host to many of the most serious asthma trig- gers. "Fall, it's the leaves, it's the mold, it'sthe pollen. Spring it's the grass and the trees. Dust is bad in winter," said Crabtree. Asthma can also be trig- gered by allergens such as pollen or pet dander, tobacco smoke, poor air quality, and chemical fumes. People who are in con- tact with asthma sufferers , especially parents of children with asthma, "should never smoke in the house," said Edwards. Edwards and Crabtree see many cases of asthma that are caused by rhinitis, which occurs when airborne aller- gens cause histamines to be released in the eyes, nose, and throat. It may seem there are too many triggers to effectively control asthma attacks. Mas- sachusetts medical profes- sionals , including Crabtree and Edwards, urge use of the "asthma action plan," which sets up guidelinesfor asthmat- icsto follow when they suspect an attack. "Most asthma attacks can be prevented ," said Crabtree. Though asthma is com- monly known as a child's disease , it can affect anyone. Seniors are also frequently affected. And though late- onset asthma is difficult to get rid of, it can be dealt with, through proper tech- niques and medications , at any age. "Asthma is something we still don't understand every- thing about ," Edwards said, but the asthma action plan goes a long way toward help- ing any sufferer understand this disease. To begin, an appointment with a specialist can help people with asthma learn how to deal with their specific symptoms and triggers . Crabtree recommends the use of a peak flow meter, a device that reveals whether breathing is within normal ' levels, or whether the patient needs to begin a treatment plan. Doctors can also recom- mend proper medications to prevent and treat the symp- toms of asthma. "Proper adherence to the AAA (asthma action plan ) and taking prescriptions as prescribed" will go a long way toward making a difficult dis- ease much easier to deal with, Edwards said. These guidelines can help asthmatics and their fami- lies learn how to control the disease , said Crabtree. But sometimes, even with proper observance of the asthma action plan and avoidance of personal triggers, asthma can happen. The guidelines of the AAA can help prevent the con- sequences of unexpected encounters with triggers. Followers of the plan, when faced with "a cat at their aunt's house...know what to do," said Crabtree. New technology helps old knees Recent CCH purchase will ease replacement surgery By Pat Wolfe www.capecodhealth.org If your knee is severely dam- aged by arthritis or injury, it may be hard for you to perfonn simple activities such as walk- ing or climbing stairs. You may even begin to feel pain while you're sitting or lying down. Many Cape resi- dents suffer from diseased or damaged cartilage in the knee that can lead to so much pain they often require total knee replacement surgery. One of the most impor- tant orthopedic surgical ad- vances of this century, knee replacement surgery, was first performed in 1968. Improve- ments in surgical materials and techniques since then have greatly increased its effectiveness. About 267,000 total knee replacements are performed each year in the United States, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Whetheryou havejust begun exploringtreatment options or have already decided withyour orthopedic surgeon to have to- tal knee replacement surgery, Cape Cod Hospital has some positive news for you. Cape Cod Hospital recently purchased the StrykerNaviga- tion System - a state-of-the- art, computer-guided tech- nology designed to improve the surgical performance and the clinical outcome of knee replacement surgery. "Joint replacements are dynamic , moving structures: the more perfectly they can be aligned, the slower they wear and thus, the longer they last," said Timothy Kinkead , M.D., a board-certified orthopedic surgeon on staff at Cape Cod Hospital . "Navigation helps the surgeon achieve optimum alignment of the components, even in the presence of signifi- cant deformities and unusual anatomy. More immediate benefits can be better range of motion and faster rehabili- tation." "Navigated total knee re- placement is a successful way to treat patients suffer- ing from severe knee pain," said Timothy Kinkead , M.D., a board-certified orthopedic surgeon on staff at Cape Cod Hospital. "It is technology that enhances our ability to restore range of motion and overall function. " The Stryker Navigation Sys- tem has three components: Infrared camera , computer and instruments with in- frared light emitting diodes (LED's). The LED' s are inserted through the surgical incision. The infrared camera senses the LED's and relays the pertinent mathematical equa- tions back to the computer. Fixed reference markers are then placed on each bone in the knee , to provide relative positioning. Information is then stored in a mini-com- puter inside of the instrument. Once all correct information is available , the orthopedic surgeon can make bone cuts more precisely. "It'savery precise and accu- rate tool," said William Man- ning, M.D., a board-certified orthopedic surgeon on staff at Cape Cod Hospital. "It allows us the optimum placement of the new knee." The Stryker Navigation System is unique in that it provides surgeons with pre- operative , intraoperative and post-operative assessments of the patient'sjoint kinematics (movement). Throughout the procedure , the surgeon can continually monitor the me- chanical alignment and soft tissue situation. "It provides us with a com- prehensive understanding of the patient's anatomy before any bone cuts are made ," Dr. Manning added. "It is the most advanced system in joint replacement and it is good news for our ortho- pedic patients that we now offer this system at Cape Cod Hospital ." Pat Wolfe , Physical Therapist , is Director of Cape Cod Healthcare Orthopedic Services and Cape Cod Healthcare Rehabilitation Services. If you would like more information on Orthopedic Services or Rehabilitation Services at Cape Cod Healthcare , please contact Pat Wolfe at 508-790- 8376. Dr. Manning can be reached at 508-771-0169. Dr. Kinkead can be reached at 508-775-8282. |Is total knee replacement for you? * Reasons you may want to consider total knee replacement commonly include: • Severe knee pain that limits your everyday activities, including walking, going up ; and down stairs and getting in and out of chairs. • Moderate or severe knee pain while resting, either day or night. [ • Chronic knee inflammation/swelling that doesn't improve with rest/medications. t • Knee deformity - a bowing in or out of your knees. » • Knee stiffness -inability to bend and straighten your knee. • Failure to obtain pain relief from non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. [ • Inability to tolerate pain medications or complications from the meds. • Failure to substantially improve with other treatments such as cortisone injections, * physical therapy or other surgeries. • Most patients who undergo total knee replacement are age 60 to 80, but orthopedic » surgeons evaluate patients individually. Recommendations for surgery are based on a ? patient's pain and disability,not age. UNIQUE HOME DETOX™ for drugs and alcohol. Private & confidential. Physician Directed. Covered by most insurance plans. ! PLEASE SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS... They're Your Friends and Neighbors! Driving over 55 A refresher course could keep you , and others , safe By Pamela R. Higgins newsiffibarnstablepatnot.com Would you like to reduce your chance of getting in an accident? It may be time to tune up your driving skills. If you are age 50 or over, organizations such as the AARP, AAA, and the Registry of Motor Ve- hicles believe that taking a driving course can help. "I' m 84 years old , have been driving for 67 years , have only one speeding ticket and no accidents ,"said Reg- gie Judson , who teaches the AARP's "hands on" course on driving safety, presented in two four-hour sessions, at assisted living facilities and senior centers across the Cape. "It's a refresher," said Jud- son of the course. "It's not a written test. We want to bring them up to speed on changes to rules and their bodies. " The course focuses on . among other things, "safe ways to change lanes and make turns, the effects of medications on driving, mini- mizing the effect of danger- ous blind spots and main- taining physical flexibilit y." Judson reminds his stu- dents of the transformations taking place in their bodies and educates them on how this may affect their ability to drive. "Your perception chang- es," he said, speaking about eyesight. "I do not drive at night because I can 't see signs or trees." "Night vision is very diffi- cult for an elder driver," said Michele Ellicks, community outreach coordinator for the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV). "First and foremost. vision is the key to driving and light perception de- creases as we age. Our vision is at its peak at age 20. " Eyesight det eriorates at such a rate that by the time we reach 60, we need almost 10 times more light to see an object , according to El- licks who teaches "Shifting Gears," a free one-hour pro- gram on elder driving safety for the RMV. The program includes information on the warning signs of unsafe driv- ing, provides safety tips for drivers , makes suggestions for families dealing with un- safe drivers and details how to obtain a disabled plate or placard. " "You have to think of the changes that are taking place within your own body," said Judson. "We want you to reflect on your ability to drive. " He cites other issues that affect driving ability such as decreased reaction time, cognitive ability and hearing. A study showed that reac- tion time is one second for a person who is 20; this slows to CONTINUED ON PAGE B:4 Looking For A New Place To Workout? Come Check Out Our Facility! YOGA CORE CONCEPTS ON THE BALL STRENGTH & CONDITIONING Other programs include Personal Pruning. Nutritioncounseling and SportsConditioning ^I Tl P l LAlXr Call or logon today for more information (508) 477-6128 The FitPlan at Cape Cod Rehabilitation 800 Falmouth Rd., Mashpee 02649 WWW.F1TPLAN.COM ^ ftNN M 8*J»CT *l D Eye Exams • Consultations • Second Opinions .,M!,IB!_.,D Eye Care For: Cataracts • Glaucoma • Retina ¦Cornea '"•'¦*"* Macular Degeneration • Lid Plastic Surgery m_ „ Diabetic Disease • Laser Surgery • LASIK Surgery ******* JEFFREYS HIIER. 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