Prairie Doc Perspective the Week of January 21st, 2024
Even In Darkness You can be Found By Nicola Park LAC, LPC-MH “I’ve lost everything…but I just can’t stop”. “Once I take that first drink that is all I think about”. “I use to take the pain away”. These are some of the many things you might hear someone who struggles on a daily basis with an addiction say. Addiction is a chronic disease that can physically and mentally change a person from who they once were. When we hear the word addiction, we might automatically go to ‘the person on the street looking to score their next fix’, but these are people who struggle every minute of their day to make the unconscious choice to feed this compulsion without thinking of the consequences of what this might do to them or their family. Addiction doesn’t pick and choose, have a ‘type’ or have a criteria, so anyone from any gender, class, race etc. can fall victim to this disorder. In my time at various jobs, I have heard addiction described as their own worst enemy, their best (and only) friend, or the one thing they wish they could take back from their life. Now don’t forget, addiction doesn’t just stop at substances. You will see a wide range including gambling, shopping, eating, pornography and this is only just naming a few that can consume a persons every waking thought. As hopeless as addiction might feel, the good news is there is hope and recovery is possible. Now there might not be a cure for addiction, but with the right tools, you can certainly make positive changes to help maintain prolonged sobriety. Now, I can sit here and say these words quite easily, but the road is far from that. These words are not said to discourage or make you scared, but to give a real perspective that it takes a lot of work, time, dedication and change, but with that, recovery is possible. Whether you choose treatment, AA/NA (and others), other peer support groups, or taking your recovery into your own hands, there are some core components that need to happen to gain a better chance of being successful. You can start doing this by surrounding yourself with positive supports, changing your playgrounds by not frequenting the same places, gaining healthy coping skills and taking it one day at a time. To finish, I always tell my patients, make sure you are addressing your mental health as well as your substance use. A beautiful life is waiting for you, but you just need to take that first step in admitting to yourself you have a problem and asking for help. Nicola Park LAC, LPC-MH is a licensed mental health professional/counselor (LPC-MH) and a licensed addictions counselor (LAC) at Avera Behavioral Health in Sioux Falls. She have been in the counseling field since 2011 and have worked in both inpatient, outpatient, and residential school settings. Ms. Park has a masters in clinical mental health counseling and my bachelors in addictions counseling and psychology. Follow The Prairie Doc® at www.prairiedoc.org and on Facebook featuring On Call with the Prairie Doc® a medical Q&A show providing health information based on science, built on trust, streaming live on Facebook most Thursdays at 7 p.m. central. Jan 18, 2024 | Live
#2218, Sleep Interrupted: Sleep Apnea The Threat in Your Bedroom By Dr. Debra Johnston My family has a fondness for crime dramas and thrillers. It isn't uncommon to watch a scene in which a peacefully sleeping individual wakes when a shadowy figure approaches their bedside with a pillow. Predictably, the assailant calmly presses that pillow over the face of their victim and waits until the struggling stops. For millions of us, the threat in our bedrooms isn't some malevolent other, but rather our own bodies and brains. We may get our next breath, but for those with sleep apnea, it can be a struggle. Sleep apnea has two basic types. In the most common, obstructive sleep apnea, the relaxation of sleep causes some part of the airway to essentially collapse, blocking off airflow. Those afflicted may come to medical attention because their partners complain about their snoring and have to nudge them to prompt that next breath. Their brains have to wake up enough to restore that muscle tone, opening the airway, and allowing them to breathe. This happens repeatedly throughout the night, multiple times an hour. In central sleep apnea, there are problems with the brain sending the instruction to breathe. Some people experience episodes related to both types of apnea, especially as they adjust to treatment for their obstructive sleep apnea, and some people have other types of sleep-disordered breathing. Sleep apnea is a serious condition. It is linked to many other health problems, among them high blood pressure, diabetes, coronary artery disease, heart rhythm abnormalities, heart failure, strokes, depression, and dementia. Even when statistically subtracting out the risk factors that may be common to both sleep apnea and these other conditions, the relationship remains. Of course, there is the obvious risk of accidents caused by dosing off behind the wheel, or in other perilous situations. Then there is the less quantifiable cost, of couples who want to share a bedroom but don't, because the snoring of one partner, or anxiety about that next breath, means neither really sleep. The first step to diagnosing sleep apnea is to visit with your primary care provider. They can determine if you qualify for a home sleep study, or if you might be better off having a test done in a sleep lab, where more monitoring is possible and more complex problems can be detected. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, treatment options can be explored. Most people receive some form of breathing support overnight. This is usually considered the gold standard and is suitable for all forms of sleep apnea. Many of my patients are surprised at just how easily they adjust to using it, and tell me that their partners often will wake them up to put it on if they doze off without it. Many of those who initially struggle with their CPAP can overcome the problems with a dose of determination and the help of a talented sleep therapist. For some people, dental appliances and various surgical procedures are possibilities. I like to remind my patients that sleep deprivation is considered by the UN to be a form of torture. Don't let it be part of your bedtime routine. Debra Johnson, M.D. is part of The Prairie Doc® team of physicians and currently practices family medicine in Brookings, South Dakota. Follow The Prairie Doc® at www.prairiedoc.org and on Facebook featuring On Call with the Prairie Doc® a medical Q&A show providing health information based on science, built on trust for 22 Seasons, streaming live on Facebook most Thursdays at 7 p.m. central. Prairie Doc Perspective Week of January 7th, 2024
“Benefits of Pasteurization” By Andrew Ellsworth, MD My father-in-law is a farmer. He grew up on the family farm in southwest Minnesota, where his dad grew up, too. Blessed by fertile soil, the farm has provided for the family for several generations. It is invaluable for my children to experience the farm, see the crops grow, help with animals, and learn about the cycles of life on the farm. The farm no longer has cows, but it did at one time. My father-in-law used to milk cows. He remembers they had a pasteurizer. His mother would pour in raw milk. The cream rose to the top, and the milk would have chunks of fat and protein in it, from curdling. He remembers thinking how lucky the townsfolk were, having cartons of smooth milk, without the chunks. The process of pasteurizing milk was invented by Louis Pasteur over 150 years ago. One of the “fathers” of bacteriology, germ theory, and microbiology, he helped develop sterilization procedures to kill off bacteria. He disproved a common belief at the time in spontaneous generation, proving that living beings do not spontaneously arise out of nothing. He invented the process of treating milk to stop bacterial contamination, now known as pasteurization, named in his honor. Rich in nutrients, milk is an excellent medium for growing bacteria. In pasteurization, milk is heated to destroy pathogens like bacteria and spoilage organisms like yeast and molds. This helps to extend the shelf life of milk. Very little nutrients are lost in the process, and often additional good nutrients are added like vitamin D and vitamin A. Improperly handled raw milk is the leading cause of hospitalization for any food-borne disease source. Pasteurization can help prevent numerous diseases and kills the harmful bacteria Salmonella, Listeria, Yersinia, Campylobacter, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli, among others. As more and more people are further removed from farm life, some people do not know where or how their food is made. Some take for granted the work and steps in getting the food to the grocery store. It is the pasteurization of milk that allows it to be safely consumed by anyone, far from the farm. Without it, we could be at risk of getting sick from bad milk. Without it, we might not all be able to enjoy the nutritional benefits of milk, helpful for our bones and overall health. Andrew Ellsworth, M.D. is part of The Prairie Doc® team of physicians and currently practices family medicine in Brookings, South Dakota. Follow The Prairie Doc® at www.prairiedoc.org and on Facebook and instagram featuring On Call with the Prairie Doc® a medical Q&A show celebrating its 22nd season of health information based on science, built on trust, on SDPB an streaming live on Facebook most Thursdays at 7 p.m. central. Prairie Doc Perspective Week of December 31st, 2023
"Seizures” By Andrew Ellsworth, MD A seizure can be one of the most frightening things for a family member, friend, or anyone to witness. However, for some people with epilepsy, seizures may be fairly common and not unexpected. Roughly 1 in 10 people may have a seizure at some point in their lifetime. A seizure occurs when there is a burst of uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain. This may cause a sudden change in awareness or full loss of consciousness, unusual sensations or thoughts, or temporary problems in muscle tone or movements, such as stiffness, twitching, or limpness. The two main types of seizures are focal and generalized. A focal onset seizure starts in one area of the brain and spreads, causing mild or severe symptoms. A generalized seizure occurs when both sides of the brain are affected. Generalized seizures may include: · Absence - which causes a staring spell, the “petit mal” seizure · Atonic - which causes someone to go limp suddenly · Myoclonic - which causes sudden body jolts or increased tone briefly · Tonic - which causes muscle stiffness · Clonic - which causes muscles to spasm and jerk · Tonic-clonic - a combination of jerking and muscle stiffness, the “grand mal” seizure If you witness someone having a seizure, stay with them until the seizure ends and they are fully awake. Stay calm, it should end in a few minutes. Ease them to the floor and turn the person gently to one side which can help them breathe. Clear the area of anything hard or sharp to help keep them safe. Consider putting something soft and flat like a folded jacket under their head. Consider removing their glasses or sunglasses. Loosen ties or anything around the neck. Not all people who have a seizure need to go to the hospital. Time the seizure and consider calling 911 if the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes. Other reasons to call 911 include if they have never had a seizure before, if they have difficulty breathing or waking after the seizure, if they have another seizure soon after the first, if they get hurt from the seizure, if it happened in water, or if they have a known health condition like diabetes, heart disease, or are pregnant. Do not hold the person down or try to stop their movements. Never put anything in their mouth or forcefully open a tightly clenched jaw, since that could harm them. It is a myth that someone having a seizure is in danger of swallowing their tongue. After the seizure, the person is likely to be unconscious or sleepy for a few minutes more. This is the post-ictal phase, when the brain is still very active and trying to contain the electrical impulses. Once someone is alert, they are likely to be sore, confused, or frightened themselves. Tell them what happened in a calm and simple manner. Seizures can be quite frightening to witness, but with some knowledge, you may be better prepared to help. |
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