The forecasted temperatures today are high enough to warrant a heat advisory, which indicates that air temperatures will be over 100 degrees Fehrenheit, and the heat index will be over 105 degrees. This heat can spell danger for the elderly, children, pets, and anyone outdoors or trapped in a vehicle. Some local sources have compiled some good tips for staying cool and safe in this heat. But of course the most important tips are simple: don't go outside unless you have to, and be sure to drink plenty of water. The Red Cross of Central Illinois provides the following tips for preventing heat stroke:
CiProud.com reports that the Salvation Army has opened a cooling station in downtown Peoria: The cooling center will be located at the Sylvia Fites Center in downtown Peoria. Anyone can stop by from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. for air conditioning and a meal. The Salvation Army says it's prepared for a good-sized crowd. The Sylvia Fites Center is located at 414 North East Jefferson in Peoria. For more information, call 309-655-7272. WEEK and WHOI provide the following narrative about surviving the sweltering heat: ...staying cool and hydrated is key.
"We'll be spraying ourselves with a hose," said Steve McIntire, a local construction worker. Construction workers like him constantly keep cold water and drinks handy in this heat. "It's expected, so we make sure we have enough water, make sure we have the right clothing on, make sure we have enough sunscreen on," said Ben Tellefson, an IDOT Resident Engineer working on Route 8 construction in Washington. "It's been warm all year, so it's not coming out of nowhere." Knowing how to handle this hot spell should be something on everyone's minds. "Those who need to take extra care? People working outside, of course, but also the very young, the very old, and those on medication. Medical experts can't stress enough to take the proper steps to stay cool or face illness like heat stroke. "That's where you get altered mental status, your temperatures skyrockets, and you're in trouble unless you get some help quickly." Dr. Paul Matthews, an attending physician at OSF St. Francis Medical Center, says heat stroke can cause brain damage, even death. He advises upping your liquid intake to eight to ten cups a day and being aware of how you feel. Advice that could help keep you alive, wherever you are this summer. Dr. Matthews says your body will give you warning signs. He says sweating is normal. It's when you stop sweating or start feeling cold that you should get out of the sun and seek medical attention.
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In general, people with asthma tend to avoid exercise and other strenuous activities for fear of an asthma attack or worsening of their symptoms.
However, physical training was well tolerated among people with asthma, and improves heart and lung function, according to a systematic review of the research literature published at the Cochrane Database. In fact, as a result of the research, the authors of the review recommended that people with asthma should perform regular exercise training. When exercise is performed in moderation and within your personal abilities, it can have many positive benefits. The research indicates that fear of asthmatic attacks should not prevent you from creating a personal exercise habit. From the New York Times: Workplace insurers spend an estimated $1.4 billion annually on narcotic painkillers, or opioids. But they are also finding that the medications, if used too early in treatment, too frequently or for too long, can drive up associated disability payouts and medical expenses by delaying an employee’s return to work. Workers who received high doses of opioid painkillers to treat injuries like back strain stayed out of work three times longer than those with similar injuries who took lower doses, a 2008 study of claims by the California Workers Compensation Institute found. When medical care and disability payments are combined, the cost of a workplace injury is nine times higher when a strong narcotic like OxyContin is used than when a narcotic is not used, according to a 2010 analysis by Accident Fund Holdings, an insurer that operates in 18 states. [snip] In a sense, insurers are experiencing the consequences of their own policies. During the last decade, they readily reimbursed doctors for prescribing painkillers while eliminating payments for treatments that did not rely on drugs, like therapy. Those policies may “have created a monster,” said Dr. Bernyce M. Peplowski, the medical director of the State Compensation Insurance Fund of California, a quasi-public agency. For patients, such policies had consequences. Dr. Eugenio Martinez, a physician in the Boston area who specializes in rehabilitative medicine, said one patient, a former waitress who hurt her back five years ago in a fall, recently won a court fight to force her insurer to pay for physical therapy. The insurer had cut off those payments five years ago after a few sessions, and the woman, now disabled, had no option but to take strong painkillers, Dr. Martinez said. “It certainly did not help that she was cut off,” he said. (read the whole thing) Chiropractors have long known that painkillers mask the real cause of the pain, and do not help to cure any conditions. In fact, patients who take painkillers are more likely to cause reinjury to themselves, since they "feel" completely healed even though their bodies are not yet recovered.
Studies continue to prove that chiropractic is cost-effective and gets results, precisely because chiropractors look to find and fix the cause of the problem, instead of simply masking it with addiction-generating opioids. If you are looking for an alternative to the painkiller culture, e-mail Dr. Johnson with your questions. |
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DisclaimerUnless otherwise attributed, all content is written by Kyle Johnson, DC, of Johnson Family Chiropractic of Peoria.
All images used are under Creative Commons license. Although every effort has been made to provide an accurate description of our chiropractic care and its benefits, the information given on this website and blog is not intended to be, nor should it be interpreted as, medical advice for any condition. If you have any questions regarding your condition, you should seek the help of Dr. Johnson in person, so that he may properly assess your condition. This blog is provided by Johnson Family Chiropractic of Peoria, S.C., proudly located in Peoria, IL. |