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[Stress] F M eel as tl life is one endless rat race? Between the demands of work, family and life in general, the amount of stress a person faces on a daily basis can be overw helming. The holiday season often brings about added stress. The key to surviving stress and the adverse effects it can have on an individual's physieal and mental health is learning how to manage it. Stress is defined as a feeling of emotional or physical tension. I motional stress usually occurs w hen situations are considered difficult or unmanageable, and it can be triggered by different things for different people such as financial issues, relationship difficulties, or serious illness. Physical stress refers to a physical reaction the body has to various stressors such as pain. Ironically, physical stress often leads to emotional stress, w hich is frequently experienced as a physical discomfort of some kind such as stomach cramps or headaches. According to Burton Carriker. a licensed counselor and Program Administrator for Houston Healthcare's Behavioral Health Services, not all stress is bad though. "The fight-or-flight response that kicks in when we are facing an emergency protects us by preparing our bodies and minds to act quickly." he explains. “Stress becomes a problem w hen everyday annoyances trigger this fight-or-flight response. Research indicates that chronic stress can play a major role in high blood pressure, heart disease and other ailments." Carriker suggests keeping a stress journal' and write down when something causes stress, including any reactions to the stress and coping techniques. “Sometimes it is clear w here stress is coming from." he Wound Care Treatment... Specialized Care Available at Houston Medical Center mosl people, pound heals naturally w ithout any complications. But when the body's natural healing process is hampered by medical conditions such as diabetes or vascular disease, a wound can become a complex medical problem requiring specialized treatment and care. Houston Medical Center’s \\ ound Care l nit offers specialized treatment for skin w ounds due to chronic illnesses such as diabetes or resulting from a surgical incision to more critical wounds from bums and traumatic injury. Management 101 continues. "But other times it may not be so clear why you feel stressed. Once you know that, then you can take steps to reduce the stress or handle it more productively." According to Carriker. an individual stress management program should focus on positive thinking w ith an emphasis on refocusing the negative to be positive and making a concentrated effort to stop negative thoughts, lie also suggests taking a mini-vacation periodically such as a long weekend to relax and have some fun. "Nothing or no one has the power to make us feel stressed." he explains. ‘lt's our ow n internal reaction to external events that generates our stress. If you are one of those people w ho frequently overreacts to stress, adopting a new attitude may help you cope with life's little curve balls in a more relaxed way." Carriker suggests trying the following steps to manage and reduce everyday stress: ■ Prioritize. Use a calendar or a notebook to figure out what needs doing and w hat doesn't. Make realistic to-do lists and allow ample time to accomplish each task. ■ .lust say no. Don't say 'yes' out of guilt. An excuse is not needed to say 'no' graciously. ■ Rely on social support. The support that family , friends and co workers have to offer may be crucial to reducing stress. Social involvement with others w ill also help avoid isolation and depression, conditions that increase stress. ■ Concentrate on the present. A lot of stress builds up when one worries about past events or what will happen in the future, especially those that are uncontrollable. Instead, concentrate on present conditions that can be changed. “We perform various types of treatments for w ounds, mainly compression wraps for leg ulcers and negative pressure treatment where a special dressing is attached to a pump that is then applied to the w ound. The pump puts suction on the wound to manage drainage." explains April Herndon. RN, Certified W ound. Ostomy and Continence Nurse at Houston Medical Center. "The negative pressure treatment is cutting edge technology that can shorten healing time by up to one-third." Approximately 50 percent of patients treated in wound healing centers hav e a diabetes-related chronic, non-healing wound. "The most common wounds we treat at £. .Jr*** v _ ■ Tackle problems one at a time. It is much easier to work out a solution to one problem than three or four at once. Isolating problems also tends to make each one less intimidating. ■ Relax. Read a good book, go for a walk or jog, get a manicure or meditate. Devote at least 20 minutes each day to relaxation ■ Pick your battles. Some things are just not worth getting angry about. When it comes to v oicing complaints, choose wisely. ■ Get an emergency plan. Keep doctors' numbers posted and insurance information handy. Make car-pool prov isions for when the car is sidelined. ■ Don't overreact. Keep in mind that some of the stress may actually be created by overreacting to life’s unavoidable situations. Stop and think. "Is this really worth getting worked up about ’" More often than not. the answer is no. ■ Accept life. Take action when appropriate, but most important, let go when a situation is uncontrollable. Carriker says that because stress is unavoidable in life, it is important to find ways to decrease and prevent stressful situations and decrease negative reactions to stress. "A large part of stress is a matter of perception how you view a situation determines how much stress it causes you." he adds. "Only you can best evaluate the amount of stress in your life and learn better ways of coping with it." Houston Medical Center are circulatory leg ulcers and diabetic foot wounds," comments Herndon “For diabetic wounds, we do extensive and fairly aggressive treatments such as debriding. w here w e remov e the dead tissue from the wound to speed up the healing process and to prevent infection which can lead to gangrene and possible amputation. We also make sure the patient has the proper footwear to guard against future wounds.” Failure to successfully treat critical and chronic non-healing wounds costs health care providers billions of dollars each year not to mention the pain and suffering it causes for patients and their families. According • n «,, J JNI Common symptoms of stress include: ■ Rapid heartbeat ■ Headache ■ Stiff neck and/or tight shoulders ■ Backache ■ Rapid breathing ■ Sweating and sweaty palms ■ Upset stomach, nausea or diarrhea Stress can also be exhibited in one's thinking, behavior or mood. A person under stress may: ■ Become irritable and intolerant of even minor disturbances ■ Feel irritated or frustrated, lose their temper more often, and yell at others for no reason ■ Feel jumpy or exhausted all the time ■ Find it hard to concentrate or focus on tasks ■ Horry 100 much about insignificant things ■ Doubt their ability to do things ■ Imagine negative, worrisome or terrifying scenes ■ Feel they are missing opportunities because they cannot act quickly Burton Carriker, Program Administrator for Houston Healthcare 's Behavioral Health Services and a licensed counselor, will lead a class on stress management on Monday. November 13 at 7pm at the Houston Health Pavilion EduCare Center Call 923-977/ to pre register for the class. to Herndon, early intervention is crucial in wound treatment, particularly for those with diabetes. "Patients with diabetes should examine their feet regularly or have their feet examined bv a physician or other health care provider on a regular basis." she says. "Routine examination is the most basic and easiest preventive action that can be done in wound care." The Mound ( are Unit at Houston Medical Center also offers monthly prev entiv e foot care clinics for diabetics. Patients must be referred by their primary care physician for the foot clinic as well as for treatment. Call (478) 322-4849 for more information. I!m (!\ki; A Service nr Houston Healthc are Arthritis Day .loin us for lunch and four sessions focused on arthritis Topics include Houston Healthcare's Human Motion Institute program, arthritis drugs, pain management and more Must pre-register Wednesday November 13 10 am 3pm Lunch will be seis ed tram 12 12:30 pm Houston Health Pavilion EduCare C enter Call 033-0771 to pre-register Georgia National Fair Health Fair Bring the family and join Houston Healthcare in Reaves Arena for health screenings, education and information. Booths will be open to the community on all areas of health education for all ages. Screenings available will include: free blood pressure screenings, glucose screenings for SI. and lipid panels (cholesterol) for 525. There is no charge for attending the health fair. Wednesday October II 2:1111 6:00 pm Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agrii enter Reaves Irena Call 023-0771 tor more information Peripheral Vascular Disease Screenings Leg pain while exercising may not be due to overexertion, feeling tired or merely a sign of old age. These symptoms may be due to Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD). Diabetics and individuals with other cardiac problems may be especially at risk. To be screened, you must have an appointment which can be made by calling 923-9771. Thursday December 7 Want 4pm Houston Wellness Center Education Room Houston Mall Appointments only Cost is 320 When Your Student Has Asthma! Asthma has reached epidemic proportions worldwide, especially among school-aged children. Understanding basic facts about asthma and how to manage it at school becomes a critical issue for anyone who works at a school or with school-aged children. This FREE educational seminar will provide teachers, coaches, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, administrators, day care prov iders, school nurses and other personnel a basic understanding of all aspects of asthma including how to manage it at school. Guest speakers include Dr. Steve Wade, pediatrician, and Darlene Rumph, Respiratory Therapist. Refreshments will be served. Seating is limited. Pre-registration is required. Tuesday. October 1 7 6 Rpm Houston Health Pavilion EduCare Auditorium Call 023-977! to pre-register.