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COLORECTAL
CANCER
Say yes
to a test
There might be a thousand
things you’d rather do than
get screened for colorectal
cancer. But if you’re 0 or
older, it’s time to say yes to
a test. Why? Consider:
1
Colorectal cancer is the
second leading cancer killer
in the U.S. Getting screened
helps you avoid becoming
part of that statistic.
2
Screening can spot
cancer early, when it’s easi-
est to treat. If you wait for
symptoms to develop, the
disease is likely to be in an
advanced state.
3
Screening may prevent
cancer. That’s because most
cases of colorectal cancer
start as a growth (polyp)
inside the colon. Some
screening tests allow a
doctor to find and remove
these growths before they
become cancerous.
4
Colorectal cancer can
run in families. If your test
reveals polyps or cancer,
your children or other close
relatives may be at a higher
risk for the disease. Know-
ing that, they may choose
to get screened sooner than
age 0, which can reduce
their chances of developing
the disease.
Sources: American Cancer Society; Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention
PR IMARY CARE PROV IDERS
A good healthmust-have
ne of the best things you can do for your health is to have an ongoing relationship
with a primary care doctor, experts say.
In fact, people who see a primary care doctor regularly have better health out-
comes, lower death rates and lower total costs for health care than people who don’t
routinely see a doctor, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians.
A primary care doctor is the lead person on your health care team. He or she
helps you prevent disease and maintain good health.
Your primary care doctor is able to diagnose and treat a wide variety of illnesses.
When more specialized care is needed, he or she works with other types of doctors.
There are a number of different types of health care providers who fall into the
primary care category. For example:
Family physicians.
These doctors diagnose and treat problems that occur any-
where in the body and deal with all kinds of diseases. They treat people of all ages.
Pediatricians.
These doctors are experts in children’s health. They work on
preventing and managing health problems among newborns, infants, children,
teens and even young adults.
In addition to those mentioned, other medical professionals can also serve as
primary care providers. These may include nurse practitioners, physician assis-
tants and some other health care providers. Often they work in conjunction with
a primary care physician.
STROKE
Seconds count
Have you ever heard your boss say time
is money?
If so, you probably didn’t need to ask for
an explanation: Wasting time on the job is
the same as wasting the company’s money.
When it comes to recognizing the signs
of a stroke, the message should be just as
clear: Time is brain. Because wasting time
before getting help is the same as wasting
brain cells.
A stroke interrupts the flow of blood
and oxygen to your brain. Once the stroke
starts, brain cells begin to die. And dead
brain cells can’t be revived.
However, fast medical treatment may
halt a stroke as it’s occurring.
Most strokes are caused by blood clots.
If you get to the hospital and are diagnosed
quickly, a clot-busting medication may be
able to help.
The medication is called tissue plas-
minogen activator (TPA). It should be
given within ½ hours of a stroke’s on-
set. So call 11 at
the first sign of
stroke.
Stroke symp-
toms are sudden
and may include:
●
Weakness or
numbness in the
face, arms or
legs, especially
on one side of
the body.
●
Trouble seeing out of one or both eyes.
●
Trouble talking or understanding what
others are saying.
●
Severe headache for no known reason.
●
Confusion.
●
Loss of coordination or balance.
Sources: American Stroke Association; National Institutes of Health
O
SAMAR I TAN PHYS ICAL THERAPY
Keeping a positive outlook
By Judy Davıs, patıent
I would like to commend Eric Olson for his excellent work in physical therapy. I
broke my left wrist falling on ice Jan. 21, 201, and after surgery and my cast was
off, I started 13 weeks of physical therapy.
Eric is very positive, explains what he is doing to improve your motion and why
it is important. He tells you what you can do at home to help yourself, and he has a
good sense of humor, which helps the patient get through some of the discomfort.
The outcome is worth it—my wrist appears better than the surgeon expected.
I first had Eric for physical therapy nine years ago when I had an accident
where my wrist and ankle were broken, and over the years I have used his advice
and told others about how important stretching can be and some exercises that
help our bodies, which I still use today. I would recommend Eric Olson to anyone
for physical therapy.
W I N T E R 2 0 1 5
T H E S A M A R I T A N
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N E W S , V I E W S & T I P S
S A M A R I T A N H E A L T H