Tuesday, June 19
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Tuesday, Aug. 7
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Illnesses from Mosquito, Flea and Tick Bites on the Rise
What causes vertigo or dizziness and is there any treatment for this condition?
Food Safety During the Summer
Featured Video: Hip Replacement Surgery
Patient Story: Arthroscopic Knee Surgery
Introducing a New Patient Portal
Pain Management Alternatives
Weight Loss Surgery Program Received
New Designation and Accreditation
Do You Need a Primary Care Physician?
Get to Know our Pulmonary and Critical
Care Physicians
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Illnesses from Mosquito, Flea and Tick Bites on the Rise
According to a report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Illnesses from mosquito, tick, and flea bites have tripled in the U.S., with more than 640,000 cases reported during the 13 years from 2004 through 2016.
Illness from ticks is the most concerning in Massachusetts considering the large number of blacklegged ticks in the state and that many of them are carrying diseases. The blacklegged tick carries at least five different illnesses; Lyme disease is the one with the greatest number of cases. The season for ticks in Massachusetts is April through December, with the peak season occurring in May through August.
Ticks are tiny bugs most likely found in shady, damp, brushy, wooded, or grassy areas (especially in tall grass), including your own backyard. They attach to animals or people that come into
direct contact with them. Usually the tick needs to be attached for 24 hours before it can spread a germ. These ticks are capable of spreading more than one germ in a single bite.
Ticks like to attach to people in warm, moist areas like along the belt line, back of the knees, armpits, in the groin area, along the scalp, back of the neck and behind the ears. Early symptoms will usually occur 3 to 30 days after a tick bite. The symptoms you should look for with tick-borne diseases include fever, chills, headaches and muscle aches. With Lyme disease you may also see a rash around the site of the bite that looks like a bullseye, but not always. If you suspect you may have been bitten by a tick, call your primary care provider. Early treatment with antibiotics will prevent later more serious problems such as chronic arthritis in joints, nervous system problems or heart rate issues.
You shouldn’t be afraid to go outside during the summer months because of ticks, but you and your family should take precautions to avoid a tick bite.
- Wear pants and long-sleeve shirts when doing yard work or if you are hiking or walking in areas where ticks are usually found.
- Use an insect repellent with Deet when spending time outside, and be sure to use it according to directions on the label.
- Do a daily tick check on yourself, your children and your pets after being outside. Run your hand over your skin and check for any abnormal bumps. Ticks are very small, so the bump will be subtle.
- Shower within two hours of working outside or walking in areas where ticks are found. If you do have a tick on you, it will wash right off, if done promptly. The least amount of time a tick can latch on, the less likely it will spread disease.
If you find a tick attached to your body, remove it as soon as possible using a fine-point tweezers. Do not squeeze or twist the tick’s body, but grasp it close to your skin and pull straight out with steady pressure.
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What causes vertigo or dizziness and is there any treatment for this condition?
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) occurs when the crystals in one’s inner ear become dislodged and it feels like a “room spinning” sensation. The vestibular system is the system in your body that provides your sense of balance and spatial orientation, allowing you to move in a coordinated manner. There are several vestibular system deficits that may result in the sensation of dizziness and being off balance. One of the most common issues that may occur is difficulty or dysfunction with habituation and gaze stabilization.
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Food Safety During the Summer
It is finally Spring in New England and that means it’s time to dig out the grill and begin planning a barbecue! While cooking and eating outside is such a welcome change, it is important to handle and cook food properly to avoid any type of food contamination. The CDC estimates that 48 million people get sick from food-borne illnesses each year!
Foodborne illnesses tend to increase during the summer since bacteria tends to multiply when it is warm and because we are cooking and eating outside. Here are some helpful tips:
When cooking on the grill
- Always use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw meat and ready-to-eat items like bread or fruits and vegetables.
- The best way to know if meat or poultry is safely cooked is to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. Foods are properly cooked when they are heated for a long enough time and at a high enough temperature to kill the harmful bacteria. The CDC website states that you cannot tell if meat is safely cooked by looking at it. Check out this chart of safe minimum cooking temperatures.
- Always use a clean plate and tongs for serving cooked food. Never reuse items that touched raw meat or poultry to serve the food once it is cooked.
When serving food outdoors
- Perishable food should not sit out for more than two hours. In hot weather (above 90 °F), food should NEVER sit out for more than one hour.
- Serve cold food in small portions, and keep the rest in the cooler. After cooking meat and poultry on the grill, keep it hot until served – at 140 °F or warmer.
- Keep hot food hot by setting it to the side of the grill rack, not directly over the coals where they could overcook.
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Featured Video
Hip Replacement Surgery
Do you struggle with hip pain, whether it is from arthritis or an injury, and are considering hip replacement surgery?
Hip replacement surgery can relieve pain and improve your mobility. Watch this lecture video given by Orthopedic Surgeon and Join Replacement Specialist Susan Barrett, MD, about what to expect during and after surgery.
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Arthroscopic Knee Surgery
Having injured his knee scrambling onto rides at Hampton Beach with his granddaughter, John was reminded that he is not getting any younger.
Actually, John probably wore his left knee down over the years; if it had not given way in New Hampshire, it would have given out sooner or later.
John thought it was just a middle-age irritant that would go away on its own, but over time, the pain grew worse until he finally saw orthopedic surgeon Dr. David Magit. An MRI revealed two tears in his meniscus . Dr. Magit recommended repairing it with arthroscopic knee surgery.
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Introducing a New Patient Portal
Milford Regional Medical Center will soon be introducing a new patient portal called My
Health
Link. My
Health
Link will be replacing our existing Patient Portal effective June 18, 2018.
My
Health
Link will provide even greater access to pertinent health information through our secure, online web portal. In addition, we are offering a My
Health
Link mobile app to make accessing your health information even easier.
If you are a current Milford Regional Patient Portal user, you will receive information via email with instructions on how to register for the new portal. If you have never used our patient portal, beginning the week of June 18
th
, you can register by going to our website, milfordregional.org and click on the new portal button in the upper right corner.
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Pain Management Alternatives
We have created a new page on Milford Regional’s website describing a large number of alternative ways to manage pain without medication. We recognize that individuals experience pain at different levels and various strategies for relieving pain can often be very helpful.
It is best to speak to your primary care physician about which alternatives might work for you depending on what is causing your pain.
Check out this resource list.
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Weight Loss Surgery Program Received New Designation and Accreditation
Excellence in our weight loss surgery program was affirmed through Blue Cross Blue Shield and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).
The Center for Weight Loss Surgery has been designated as a BCBS Blue Distinction
Center for Bariatric Surgery, in addition to being an accredited Comprehensive Center from ASMBS.
Blue Distinction Centers have demonstrated their commitment to quality care,
resulting in better overall outcomes for bariatric patients. They offer a broad range
of bariatric surgery services, including inpatient care, post-operative, outpatient
follow-up care and patient education.
A Comprehensive Center is approved to provide care for patients 18 years of age and older and may perform all approved procedure types.
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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.
Need a Primary Care Physician?
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 Pulmonary and Critical Care Physicians
Residents within Milford Regional’s service area can take comfort in knowing that if they or a loved one ever find themselves in our intensive care unit (ICU), they will receive a high level of care. The ICU at Milford Regional is staffed with intensivists who are highly experienced, board-certified pulmonologists and additionally certified in critical care medicine. They are trained in dangerous acute care medical situations in a variety of specialties such as cardiology, neurology and post-operative care. They also receive education in end-of-life decisions.
Our pulmonary and critical care physicians also see patients in their private offices. They treat patients with allergies, lung diseases and also sleep disorders.
Read more about these specialists
. Click on their name to read their bio.
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508-473-1190
TTY/TDD: 508-473-5103
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