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In This Issue
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December 2016
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News Brief 
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The Importance of Annual Exams and Screenings
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An annual physical exam is an important measure we should all take to keep ourselves healthy. Parents often make sure their children are seen regularly by their doctor, but it becomes increasingly important for adults, as they age, to see their doctor on a regular basis as well. Your doctor will look for signs or symptoms that could indicate a deficiency or the possibility of a serious illness. He or she will also order health screenings such as a mammogram, pap smear, or bone density for women, a PSA test for men and a colonoscopy for both. If your doctor discovers that you have high blood pressure for example, it can often be treated simply with medication. Not treating it can lead to very serious conditions.
Remember that many serious illnesses, if discovered early, are very treatable. The easiest way to prolong life and live healthy is to take measures to prevent illness whenever possible. Annual physical exams, health screenings and living a healthy lifestyle are ways we can take an active role in our health.
If you don't already have your annual physical exam appointment for 2017, make it a new year's resolution to call your doctor's office. If you don't have a primary care physician, see the link to our primary care doctors at the bottom of this newsletter.
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Featured Video
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Feel the Burn: Living with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease presented by Dr. Daniel Wiener, Thoracic Surgeon
Does heartburn keep you up at night? Do you experience chest pains unrelated to a heart attack or have frequent indigestion? You may have gastroesophageal reflux disease, commonly known as GERD. Your esophagus carries food from your mouth to your stomach, and when it becomes inflamed it can cause discomfort. In this video, Dr. Wiener discusses causes of GERD, how to manage the symptoms, and available medical and surgical treatments.
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Question & Answer
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What can we do to boost our immune system, considering the cold winter months are upon us?
The idea of boosting your immune system is intriguing but there is still much that researchers don't know about the immune response. Harvard Medical School advises that your first line of defense is to choose a healthy lifestyle. Following general good-health guidelines is the single best step you can take toward keeping your immune system strong and healthy. Every part of your body, including your immune system, functions better when protected from environmental assaults and bolstered by healthy-living strategies such as these:
- Don't smoke
- Eat a diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and low in saturated fat
- Exercise regularly
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Control your blood pressure
- If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation
- Get adequate sleep
- Take steps to avoid infection such as washing your hands frequently and cooking meats thoroughly
- Get regular medical screening tests for people in your age group and risk category.
Read more from the Harvard Medical School
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Patient Story: Certified Hand Therapy
As a result of a motorcycle accident, Cyndi Paulsen required major surgery. Due to the surgery on her broken wrist and time spent in a cast to keep it immobile, Cyndi's left hand became contracted and stiffened into a claw-like appendage - virtually unusable and painful.
Cyndi knew the condition of her hand would need expert care to regain any mobility. She was aware that Milford Regional's Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine in Milford was one of only a few rehab facilities in the state that has certified hand therapists on staff. Other places said they had "hand therapists", but most of them were not certified.
The special designation of Certified Hand Therapist denotes an added level of knowledge that doctors and patients know can make a significant difference in an outcome. They must have a minimum of five years of clinical experience, including at least 4,000 hours or more of providing hand therapy to patients. They also have to pass a comprehensive test of their clinical skills and knowledge. In addition, they must be recertified every five years.
Milford Regional has four certified hand therapists on staff. To learn more about our Rehabilitation & Sports Medicine Services, go to our
website.
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Healthy Living Tip
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5 Ways to Reduce Holiday Stress
While the holiday season can be a fun and joyous time, it can also be very stressful. HealthLine offers these tips on how to minimize stress and anxiety so you can enjoy this festive time of the year:
- Set a Spending Budget
- Get Plenty of Exercise
- Keep It Simple
- Take Time for Yourself
- Pick Your Battles
The effort of shopping, attending social events, and entertaining guests can quickly become too much to handle.
Read more about making your holiday less stressful.
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Good Things You Should Know
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Stay Connected to Milford Regional
Milford Regional has a redesigned page on the website that is all about keeping you connected to the very latest happenings at the Medical Center. By going to the website
milfordregional.org and clicking on Stay Connected in the purple navigation bar, you will see we have made it easy to link to all of our social media platforms - Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube and the blog called
TakeCare. You can also link directly to our patient stories and publications.
The Stay Connected page invites you to share your experience at Milford Regional as well. Staying connected helps us learn from each other and improve the overall health of our community.
We hope you will visit
this page to see just how easy it is to connect with us!
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Post-Partum Support Group
Milford Regional has a new support group entitled,
Emotional Well-Being After Baby. Beginning in February, this support group will help women who are suffering from post-partum mood disorders. Timoria McQueen Saba will lead the support group. She is a maternal health writer and advocate who has written for the Huffington Post and has her own blog on post-partum mood disorders. She will connect women to various resources with handouts and reading lists and help women work toward their personal goals.
This support group will begin on Monday, February 13 and will meet the second and fourth Monday of each month from 6 - 7:30 p.m. in Conference Room C.
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Tri-County Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery
This practice has moved to a brand new building at 308 Main St. in Milford. Drs. Wilson, Gehani and Recupero are board-certified otolaryngologists who diagnose and treat a variety of diseases and conditions affecting the ears, sinuses, nose, voice box, mouth, throat, as well as cancers of the head and neck. In addition, Dr. Recupero is board-certified in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery.
The new facility is equipped with a hearing technology lab where certified audiologists help patients choose, fit and program hearing aids. The practice has retained the same phone number and appointments can be made by calling 508-478-0555.
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About Our Doctors
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Milford Regional's active medical staff, consisting of over 250 doctors, is highly qualified to treat you and your family through sickness and in health. Whether you need a primary care physician or a specialist, you can be assured of the best possible care.
If you need a physician, please call our Physician Referral Line at 1-888-DRS-HERE (1-888-377-4373). Our Referral Line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For a quick look, see our list of primary care physicians who are accepting new patients. It is important to note that not all physicians accept all insurances. Please call the physician's office directly to find out if they accept your insurance plan. |
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Get To Know Our Thoracic Surgeons
Milford Regional's thoracic surgery team is committed to providing a wide range of diagnostic and treatment services for patients with benign and malignant disorders of the lung, esophagus and foregut, mediastinum (space between the lungs) and trachea.
These highly experienced surgeons, on staff at Milford Regional and Brigham and Women's hospital, offer innovative and minimally invasive surgical treatments as well as traditional surgical procedures. Our surgeons continually work to enhance and improve surgical treatments as new scientific advancements develop. They are committed to providing the highest standard of care with the utmost compassion and respect for their patients.
Read more about these thoracic surgeons.. For those surgeons who are accepting new patients, click on their name to read their bio.
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