Spring 2013 - Memorial Hospital of South Bend

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ListenUp! 5symptomsthatshould sendwomen directlyto the doctorWhen your husband came down withthe flu, you made him a doctor appointmentright away. When your childfell off the jungle gym at school, youwere the first one in the line at urgentcare. So why do you ignore your ownailments? You don’t need to answerthat. The fact is, women everywhereput their loved ones’ health beforetheirs. And noble as it is, you won’tbe doing your family any favors if anignored symptom turns into somethingserious. See your doctor for yearlycheckups and, in between, listen toyour body for these symptoms, whichshould never be ignored.1FAtIgUEBeing tired is one thing, but ifyou are fatigued, it could be morethan just an overloaded to-do list.“Fatigue could be a sign of an underactivethyroid gland, which is commonin women as we age,” says ModupePopoola, M.D., a family medicine physicianat Med-Point24. Called hypothyroidism,an underactive thyroid can alsolead to weight gain,sensitivity to cold,dry skin and hairand muscle aches.It’s easily treatedwith medication.Fatigue could alsobe a symptom ofModupe Popoola,anemia, depressionM.D.or sleep apnea, allof which should be treated.2UNUSUAL BLEEDINgRectal bleeding could be dueto hemorrhoids or a sign ofcolon cancer, so it’s best toget it checked. And if you are postmenopausaland you experiencevaginal bleeding, see your doctor.“It rarely is endometrial cancer, butit’s easy to diagnose with a biopsy,”Dr. Popoola says. “Another causemight be atrophy. That’s when thewalls of the vagina become thinand cause spotting.”NEEd URgENt CARE?For minor health emergencies, visit Med-Point24, 6913 N. Main St.,granger, the region’s only 24-hour urgent care center. It featureseight exam rooms, three procedure rooms, radiology services anda full-service laboratory in order to test, diagnose and treat a widearray of conditions.3LEg SwELLINgIf you have swelling in one orboth legs that can’t be attributedto injury, get it checked.Swelling in one leg could signal ablood clot. Other symptoms includeskin redness, soreness and warmth inthe affected leg. And if you take birthcontrol or hormone replacement, areobese or have traveled recently, you’reat higher risk. Seeking treatmentquickly is key. Otherwise, you run therisk of the clot breaking off and travelingto the lungs, causing a pulmonaryembolism, which can be deadly.Swelling that occurs in both legsshould also be evaluated. It could be asign of heart, kidney or liver failure.4ChESt DISCOmFOrtEven when women have asymptom as serious as chestpain, we still lean toward explainingit away as indigestion. “But justlike men, women have to worry aboutheart disease,” Dr. Popoola says. “Don’tthink just because you’re a woman,you’re immune from heart disease.”If you have chest discomfort thatlasts more than a few minutes or goes14 PULSE | Memorial Hospital of South Bend • 574.647.6800
away and comes back, seek immediatemedical attention. While mentypically describe heart attack chestpain as “crushing,” women might feela fullness or pressure in the chest.And sometimes they don’t have chestpain at all. Women are more likelythan men to experience more subtlesymptoms of heart attack, includingshortness of breath; nausea or vomiting;discomfort in one or both arms,or the back, neck or jaw; or just feelingas though “something isn’t right.”5SUSPICIOUS LUmP“Don’t ever disregard a lump,”Dr. Popoola says. But there’sno need to panic, either, asmost breast lumps have nothing to dowith cancer. They’re most often causedby fibrocystic changes (associatedwith the menstrual cycle), fibroadenomas(benign tumors) and cysts (fluidfilledsacs that can appear anywhere inthe body).Any lump should be evaluated. Otherreasons to call your doctor includedimpled breast skin, nipple discharge,an inverted nipple or a bruise on thebreast that cannot be explained.7 More YouShouldn’tIgnoreDo you have symptoms thatdidn’t make the list? Here areseven more from Dr. Popoolathat should prompt you to callyour doctor:D Unusual bloatingD Unexplained weight lossD Persistent abdominal orpelvic painD Change in appearance ofa moleD Excessive hair lossD Heart palpitationsD Severe headacheThe bottom line is to listen toyour body. If you feel somethingis wrong, get it checked out.Chances are, it’s nothing. But atleast you’ll have peace of mind.And that’s priceless.Strawberry,Spinach andChicken SaladThis entrée salad, which usesingredients that are low onthe glycemic index, is not onlydelicious but may also helpyou feel full longer.INGREDIENTS1 small boneless, skinless chickenbreast, cooked, cooled, diced(6 oz.; 1¼ c.)1½ c. sliced fresh strawberries4 c. baby spinach¼ c. low-fat buttermilk¼ c. reduced-fat bleu cheesecrumbles1 tsp. white balsamic vinegar1 tsp. olive oil¹/8 tsp. salt¹/8 tsp. pepper2 Tbsp. sliced almondsDIRECTIONS1. Place chicken in very largesalad bowl. Add strawberriesand spinach. Toss gently.2. Combine buttermilk andcheese in small bowl. Usea fork to mash cheese intobuttermilk. Stir in vinegar, oil,salt and pepper. Just beforeserving, pour dressing oversalad. Toss gently but well.Sprinkle with almonds.Makes 2 (3½-cup) entréeservings.Nutritional information perserving: 300 calories, 12.5 g totalfat, 33 g protein, 15 g carbohydrates,77 mg cholesterol, 413mg sodium, 4.5 g dietary fiber.Spring 2013 | qualityoflife.org15
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