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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2006 6B "jYk . / cfflfrl-^MB -4)^ Submittd Lora Davis, Perry Hospital Administrator, and Todd Edenfield, Clinical Director of Nursing, present Totsie and Chance Evans with a memorial plaque that will be placed on the door of the patient room their donation helped renovate. Perry hospital receives donation from local family for renovation Special to the Journal Perry Hospital recently received a donation from the Evans family of Perry to renovate and redecorate a patient room in honor of their family. The donation was presented by Chance Evans and his mother, Mrs. Totsie Evans, in memory of the late Dr. Horace E. Different ways to manage irritable bowel syndrome Special to the Journal Although it is a condi tion few people talk about, irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, affects as many as one in five people and about two-thirds of them are women. Its symptoms can impact a person’s ability to work or socialize. Even though help is available, embarrassment causes many people with IBS to suffer in silence rath er than seek treatment. According to Dr. Ravi Shekarappa, internist and member of the medical staffs of Houston Medical Center and Perry Hospital, no one really knows what causes IBS. “It is thought that chang es in the nerves that con trol intestinal movements may be one of the causes,” he explains. “Hormones, particularly in women, are thought to play a signifi cant part as well. IBS is two to three times more common in women, particu larly young women around 20 years of age.” Irritable bowel syndrome is a digestive disorder resulting from an improp erly functioning colon, or large intestine. Often called “spastic colon,” symptoms of IBS include abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, gas, mucus in the stool and episodes of chronic consti pation or diarrhea or alter nating bouts of both. For a person with IBS, pain sen sors in the colon are more sensitive than normal, caus ing them to respond strong ly to stimuli that would not affect most people. “Because there is no spe cific laboratory test avail able to diagnose IBS, we use ‘Rome Criteria’ for the diagnosis of IBS,” explains Shekarappa. ‘“Rome Lc v<u have umettiins 0f{ «es to sell and It’s under v w -XT SK? If, St, (dll cur Computer p art ~ . winl run on 1 Mnw , Evans, Sr., and the late Horace E. Evans, Jr. “We are humbled to receive such a wonderful donation from the Evans family,” says Todd Edenfield, RN, Clinical Director of Nursing for Perry Hospital. “Perry Hospital has been more than a friend to our family,” says Chance Evans. Criteria’ includes abdomi nal pain and diarrhea or constipation for at least 12 weeks, plus the presence of any three of the four fol lowing symptoms: change in frequency or consistency of the stool; feeling of not being able to completely empty the bowel; mucus in the stool; and bloating or abdominal distention.” According to Dr. Shekarappa, for those indi viduals diagnosed with IBS their symptoms can be eas ily triggered by stress and foods such as chocolate, milk, alcohol and caffeine. He says that while IBS can not be cured, most people can manage their symptoms through changes in their diet, stress management and medications. Shekarappa suggests keeping a journal to iden tify specific foods like dairy and wheat that may cause IBS symptoms. In addition, he suggests trying the fol lowing tips: • Eat smaller, low-fat meals more often and eat them slowly. • Consume more high fiber foods like whole-grain breads and cereals and fruits and vegetables. • Drink six to eight glass es of water each day. • Avoid carbonated bev erages and chewing gum, which contribute to gas. • Avoid common triggers such as chocolate, alcohol and caffeine. In addition, Shekarappa says using fiber supple ments may help correct con stipation associated with IBS. Antidepressants and antidiarrhea medicines may also be prescribed to control muscle spasms to relieve symptoms. Prescription drugs are also available today that may be used for short-term treatment of “In life, when you receive beneficial things, you must in turn give back to those individuals. Perry Hospital has been a Godsend to the community of Perry. The staff is wonderful. They couldn’t be any nicer and they are always here when you need them.” Perry Hospital’s IBS symptom, particularly in women. “The bad news about IBS is that once you have it, it will stay with you for life,” explains Shekarappa. “The good news is that IBS is not life a threatening condition. It is an honor felt far beyond the hospital doors, an honor centered in our community and lives of the people we serve. Houston Healthcare is extremely proud to receive the Georgia Hospital Association's Community Leadership Award. Because this prestigious award recognizes healthcare that goes out beyond our walls exemplary health education, wellness, and disease prevention —Houston Healthcare is confirmed in our mission: improving the health of our community. From a prenatal outreach program for healthy births, to Senior Care for lifelong fitness, to a nationally recognized diabetes management program, Houston Healthcare is working hard *for your wellness. We thank all of our staff, physicians, volunteers and community partners for their compassion and commitment. HEALTH Engineering Department renovated and redecorated the patient room, which included a new tile floor and vanity in the restroom, fresh paint and wallpaper and new draperies. The Perry Hospital Pink Ladies Auxiliary donated a new flat screen television to complete the project. There is no risk of colon cancer, Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis associat ed with IBS, and it does not cause inflammation or changes in the bowel tissue. It can’t be cured, but it can be managed.” (v if ! (j • ■ ' ■§ Georgia Mortal Hn IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITY £i fll # jggyi Preventing the risk of stroke Special to the Journal Stroke is the third lead ing cause of death in the country, but many adults are unaware of the signs or symptoms of a stroke. That is unfortunate because stud ies show there is a critical “therapeutic window” —a span of about three to six hours—during which per manent brain damage may be largely or even totally avoided with proper diagno sis and treatment. “Depending on its sever ity, a stroke may result in disability such as motor and vision impairment, loss of feeling, difficulty with speech and language, problems with memory or loss of ability to reason,” explains Dr. Javed H. Fazal, an internist on the medical staffs of Houston Medical Center and Perry Hospital. “A stroke can even cause paralysis, coma or death.” Most strokes occur after the age of 55 and are equally common in both men and women of that age; however, more women than men die of stroke. African-Americans are more than twice at risk for stroke as Caucasians. Dr. Fazal warns that no one is completely safe from stroke. “Certain risk factors are uncontrollable such as aging or a family history of stroke,” he explains. “Other risk factors can be controlled such as being overweight or having high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and cardiovascular or heart disease.” Regardless, he says, a per son can dramatically reduce their risk of stroke by hav ing regular checkups and making healthy lifestyle changes. “The three stron gest risk factors for stroke — high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes—often don’t cause symptoms in the early years,” states Dr. Fazal. “That is why it is impor- ■3" Houston Healthcare HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL Symptoms of 8 Stroks nearby has any of the fol lowing sixofee symptoms, weakness or paralysis in one arm or leg or the entire side of the body • Blindness or dimmed vision in one eye « Sudden trouble hears what is being said • Sudden difficulty with balance or steadi • Convulsions or sud den unconsciousness tant for all adults, especially those with a family history of heart disease and stroke, have regular screenings to detect these conditions while they are still fairly treat able.” For adults, regular health check ups should focus on lowering blood pressure, controlling heart disease symptoms, and managing diabetes. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is the number one risk factor for stroke, contributing to half or more of all attacks. Having Type 2 diabetes is an independent risk factor for stroke that often results from related stroke risks such as high cholesterol and being overweight. Important lifestyle chang es adults should make to lower their risk of stroke include losing weight, eating a low-fat diet, lowering salt intake, exercising regularly, limiting alcohol and quitting smoking.