Tips For Handling The Holidays With Braces
The holiday season is here, and while we know everyone is looking forward to some well-deserved time spent relaxing and reconnecting with loved ones, things are a little more complicated for those wearing braces. While delicious, many of the foods and snacks we love to enjoy during the holidays can pose a serious threat to braces. To help you make it through the holidays without harming your braces, here are a few guidelines for how to keep your braces safe during the holidays. Maintaining a Braces-Friendly Diet Having braces doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy holiday treats, but it does mean you’ll have to be a little more careful than normal. In general, you’ll want to avoid 3 main kinds of food: hard foods, which can include hard candy, peanut brittle, peppermint, and raw vegetables; sticky foods, which can include taffy, caramel, bubble gum, and jelly beans; and any food or drink that’s loaded down with sugar or carbs. Just because you have braces doesn’t mean you have to miss all the fun, though! There are plenty of delicious, braces friendly, and healthy holiday treats to dig into this season. Chocolate dipped strawberries or bananas are a great option, as are…
Holiday Decorating Safety Tips by Dr. Allegra
‘Tis the season to start decorating your homes for the holidays! Did you know that ladder-related injuries are on the rise this time of year? The following information can help you avoid ladder injuries this season. Each year, more and more people are treated in emergency rooms because of injuries directly related to improper ladder use. A large chunk of these occurred in the fall. Most injuries are cuts, bruises, and fractured bones, but some are far more serious like neck and head injuries. If you plan to use your ladder for any reason, take extra precaution and take your time! Other tips include: • Inspect the ladder. Check for any loose screws, hinges, or rungs that may need adjusting or replacing. Also, clean off any mud or other liquids that might have accumulated on the rungs. • Place the ladder on level ground. Then open it completely, making sure all locks are engaged. • Always face the ladder when climbing. Be sure to wear slip-resistant shoes, such as those with rubber soles. • Always position the ladder close to the work. Overreaching or leaning far to one side could cause you to lose your balance and fall. • Be…
Are you in pain? Is your body not moving the way it used to? By Dr Allegra
Many people reach for a bottle of anti-inflammatory or pain relief rather than reaching for the source of the problem. A quick visit to Dr. Marshall Allegra, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon in private practice, will allow him to supervise each phase of your diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. One option to explore with him is Physical Therapy. Physical Therapy can help you optimize your quality of your life through prescribed exercise, hands-on care, and patient education. With Dr. Allegra’s diagnosis and instruction, your qualified physical therapist will generate a personalized treatment plan specific to your needs. Not all patients are of equal age, strength, or ability so it is essential to have your PT Program tailored to you and monitored for you. This is why there are various specialties in physical therapy: Orthopedic Physical Therapy usually takes place in the hospital or an outpatient clinic directly following surgery. Pediatric Physical Therapy is designed for early detection of health problems among infants, children, and teenagers to strengthen gross and fine motor skills, strength, balance, and even cognitive functioning. Geriatric Physical Therapy is geared toward those who have trouble with the aging process. Neurological Physical Therapy is one possible treatment path for patients with a neurological disorder or disease—such…
October 17th is Breast Reconstruction Awareness Day
Today, October 17th is Breast Reconstruction Awareness Day. Or “BRA DAY.” This day to raise awareness for breast reconstruction was initially started in Canada in 2011. Over the past past 7 years this day has blossomed into a wonderful campaign to inform women with breast cancer of the many options that they have for breast reconstruction that they may not know about. Thanks to events such a BRA Day and other initiatives to increase awareness for breast reconstruction, the number of breast reconstructions that have been performed in the United States has been increasing every year. An important aspect of breast reconstruction that many people even in the medical field may not be aware of is that it is a federal mandate that private insurance companies MUST Cover Breast Reconstruction. This is a direct result of the Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998 (WHCRA). According to this law, group health plans and individual health insurance policies must cover: * All stages of reconstruction of the breast on which the mastectomy is performed * Surgery and reconstruction of the other breast to produce a symmetrical appearance * Prostheses and physical complications of of all stages of the mastectomy When…
How Hormone Havoc Prevents Weight Loss
Have you ever thought there must be more to losing weight than just dieting and exercise? Well, it turns it you are right! Gaining and losing weight can be due to many things, for example: Sleep deprivation, nutritional imbalances, genetics, environmental toxins, gut flora imbalances, food addictions, allergies, and inflammation. (1) Frequently ignored is the impact of hormones on weight and metabolism. Hormones determine what your body does with food; therefore, balanced hormones are crucial to controlling weight. In men and women, hormone production declines with age which can trigger a sluggish metabolism and weight gain. Body shape changes (almost always an indicator of hormonal imbalance) with fat appearing around your middle, belly, breast, and arms. (2) Hormones affecting weight in both men and women are cortisol, insulin, thyroid, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. When any of these are imbalanced, hormonal disorders ensue causing weight gain and or difficulty losing weight. Cortisol Stress — real or imagined — throws the body into panic mode and cortisol is released into the bloodstream. Cortisol raises blood sugar and breaks down fat for energy. This response is lifesaving when faced with life threatening situations. When the immediate stress ends, cortisol rises, leading to craving…
Morristown Doctor Successfully Pioneers Use of New Treatment for Brain Trauma in New Jersey
A revolutionary procedure gave way to a quick recovery for Larry Garfinkel, 87, after a fall outside his Summit, New Jersey home. When Larry Garfinkel arrived at Overlook Medical Center, he didn’t know what his diagnosis – or his treatment options – would be. Earlier that day, he was walking up the back steps to his home in Summit, New Jersey, when he tripped and fell backward onto the driveway. “My head was in pain, so I called 911, and they transported me to the hospital for observation,” recalls Larry. “After undergoing several CAT scans, the doctors told me I had a chronic subdural hematoma, a type of brain bleed, as a result of the fall.” “Subdural hematomas occur when blood vessels rupture and leak fluid between the brain and the covering of the brain, oftentimes after a serious fall or trauma to the head. This exerts abnormal pressure on the brain and can cause a stroke,” explains Dr. Ronald Benitez – a board-certified neurosurgeon and president of Atlantic NeuroSurgical Specialists (ANS) – who treated Larry at Overlook. One of few neurosurgeons specializing in both the surgical and endovascular management of cerebrovascular disease – conditions affecting blood vessels in the…
New Treatments For Chronic Tendon Pain By Apex Sports and Regenerative Medicine (732) 385-2739
Chronic tendon pain is one of the most common conditions seen in Sports Medicine and Orthopedic practice. Tendons are the fibrous ends of muscle that attach the muscle to bone. Every time a muscle contracts it causes stress on that tendon. Tendinitis happens when this stress occurs over and over again, leading to inflammation. If the tendinitis is not treated or doesn’t improve with conservative treatment, it can become a chronic condition called tendinosis. Patients often experience chronic tendon pain in their elbow (sometimes called tennis or golfer’s elbow), in their Achilles tendon, rotator cuff tendons, patellar and quadriceps tendon. Although not a tendon, plantar fasciitis is also a very similar condition. The initial treatments for all of these conditions are RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation), anti-inflammatory medication (Advil, Motrin, Aleve) and physical therapy. If there is still pain after trying these treatments, the next step was a steroid injection. If that failed, the last option used to be surgery. Now with advancements in medicine there are many new treatments to help avoid surgery. Some of these treatments are; high dose laser therapy, extracorporeal pulse activation therapy (EPAT), regenerative therapies (PRP, Stem cells) and Tenex. High Dose Laser Therapy, or…
Student Athlete Safety Tips By Dr. Marshall P. Allegra
It’s here…Autumn. The footloose days of summer are behind us and families of school aged children are getting back into their school year routine. It’s the back-to-school mad rush to be sure your little student has all of the right gear to start the school year off right. If your child loves sports, make sure they have the right gear for this too, especially if they play competitive or team sports. Injury prevention is essential, let them go out on their playing field and give it their all with the proper precautions to protect them. Schools generally require Sports Physicals. This is a great start, being sure Jen and Joe are in good physical shape before Game Day. As a parent, it is up to you to be sure the examiner has full information of your child’s medical history and issues so they are properly addressed. Getting them on the playing field is one goal, keeping them safe and well is the primary one. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nationwide 300,000 concussions occur during sports related activities, with more than 62,000 concussions annually in high school contact sports. Athletes, coaches, and the parents or guardians should…
Ascending water and descending fire.
Healthy life style is defined in various ways depending upon different cultures and beliefs. Cultures that have been developed in cold weather tend to focus on keeping body warm and cultures on the other spectrum focus on cooling body. Modern medicine focuses heavily on quantifiable test results to measure health and utilizes medicines and lifestyle changes to control them to desirable range. If a healthy life style reflects culture and understanding of the human body, what are the principles of a healthy lifestyle spoken in eastern medicine? Eastern medicine bases all of its theories on Yin and Yang. To be more exact, balance of yin and yang is the basic principle to promote proper bodily function. Yin and yang theory is well known theory that is fundamental to eastern medicine and philosophy. They are opposites of each other, yet complementary to each other as well. Interaction of Yin and yang creates. For example, men are considered yang and women are considered yin. Men and women complement each other very nicely, but they act as if they are from different planets. Also, interaction of men and women creates another form of life. Fire is considered yang and water is considered yin.…
What Is Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy and What Can It Treat?
Many patients are contacting our office to learn more about platelet-rich plasma therapy after hearing about it in the news. With famous athletes using this treatment like Tiger Woods, this innovative solution has become more mainstream. This is a good thing because it can be highly effective for everyone, not just professional athletes. In fact, the majority of people who visit our office are not athletes at all. Instead, they are adults looking to promote healing, increased mobility and strength and to live their best life. With that in mind, here is what you need to know about platelet-rich plasma or PRP treatments. What is platelet-rich plasma? To understand platelet-rich plasma therapy, it is important to know a little bit about biology and how the body works. Everyone knows that blood is essential to the body. The heart has to pump enough of it for the body to continue functioning. However, few people realize what the blood is made of. The liquid portion of the blood is called plasma, and this makes up the majority of the blood. In addition, blood contains platelets which are necessary for clotting blood. They also contain growth factors. Growth factors are proteins and they…
GRIEF AND ITS COMPLICATIONS by Bonnie Gorscak, PhD. Red Bank NJ (412) 275-4905
In the throes of grief, the pain, longing, sadness, and emptiness we feel can become so unbearable that it may seem they will overwhelm us forever. And yet, while grief may be with us always, we also have a remarkable ability to adapt to the disorienting and unwelcome changes brought on by the loss of someone we love. With compassionate support, self-care, and opportunities for pleasurable and meaningful activities, most bereaved people can look forward to a fulfilling, meaningful life, comforted by warm memories, keeping their loved one close in their heart. For some people, though, adapting to the unwanted reality of a life without the person they lost can seem impossible, and the bereaved person can become “stuck” in the acute, intense pain or adapt in ways that can restrict their capacity for living a fulfilling life. When grief interferes with the bereaved person’s life and becomes increasingly debilitating, evidence-based psychotherapy can be helpful. Is grief an illness? Grief is not an illness; it is our natural way of learning to live with the injury that a loved one’s death inflicts upon us. Just as following any other major injury, it is unsurprising when bereaved people don’t look…
Elbow Injury Tennis Elbow
Question: I don’t play tennis; how can I have tennis elbow? Answer: Easily, lateral epicondylitis, a.k.a. tennis elbow has little to do with tennis and lots to do with constantly using your arm in a repetitive motion. Epicondyles are the bony bumps on the inside and outside of your elbow. Epicondylitis is the inflammation of these. 95% of people suffering from this do not play tennis, but this is a common sports related injury. This can be a result of any sport where your arm is in a similar position or even work related such as carpentry, plumbing or constant use of a computer keyboard. Even musicians are vulnerable! After repeated use, the tendons at the elbow end of the extensor carpi radialis brevis (ECRB) muscle may develop small tears. This leads to inflammation and stress on the rest of your arm. It is a form of tendonitis. This can be a result of any activity that requires repetitive arm, wrist, or elbow movement. The extensor tendons are used when extending your wrist and fingers. The flexor tendons are needed for closing wrist and fingers. Both flexor and extensors are used in thousands of tasks, and often handle very high…
Strokes Can Strike at Any Age
“After being erroneously diagnosed with a sinus and ear infection, Lindsey Singh, 31, headed into her regular morning spin class. Within 15 minutes, she suspected vision disturbances in her right eye. “I also began feeling lightheaded and dizzy – just like when I had a ministroke,” says Lindsey. A ministroke, or transient ischemic attack (TIA), happens when there is a blockage that obstructs blood flow to the brain. Symptoms mirror those of a stroke — including vision problems and weakness on one side of the body — but don’t cause permanent brain damage. “Fortunately, I knew the warning signs and that I needed to get to the hospital right away,” explains Lindsey. “Lindsey’s situation shows while most strokes occur in patients over the age of 65, strokes can strike at any age,” says Dr. Paul Saphier, a board-certified neurosurgeon and stroke specialist at Atlantic NeuroSurgical Specialists, who would end up treating Lindsey. Dr. Saphier advises patients to follow the American Stroke Association’s “FAST” acronym to spot baseline stroke symptoms — face drooping, arm weakness or speech difficulty — then call 911. When Lindsey arrived at Hackettstown Medical Center with her husband, Avtar, doctors discovered one of her carotid arteries —…
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment Dr. Daniel Savarino at Apex Sports and Regenerative Medicine in Tinton Falls
Sonex: The Evolution of Carpal Tunnel Release Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is one of the most common conditions treated by Sports Medicine and Orthopedic physicians. It affects more than 12 million people per year in the US and carpal tunnel release is the second most common surgery performed, with over 230,000 performed annually. Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by compression of the median nerve, as it passes through a narrow space in the wrist called the carpal tunnel. Compression of this nerve typically causes numbness, tingling and weakness in the hand, specifically the thumb, index, middle and inside part of the ring finger. If left untreated, this condition may worsen over time and can even cause burning pain, muscle atrophy or muscle wasting. The most common cause of carpal tunnel syndrome is repetitive motion of the wrist, like when using the computer or doing repetitive movements at work. Underactive thyroid, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes and pregnancy can also increase the risk for carpal tunnel syndrome. If conservative treatments like bracing, ice, NSAID’s (ibuprofen, naproxen), physical therapy or injections fail to relieve the symptoms, the last step is surgical release of the carpal tunnel. Traditionally, carpal tunnel release was performed as an…
Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension … The “False Brain Tumor” That’s Increasingly Affecting Americans
Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH) is not something you hear about every day. In fact, this condition – caused by cerebrospinal spinal fluid (CSF) pressure within the skull that is too high – is considered a rare disorder because it affects only one in 100,000 Americans. Yet, with the epidemic of obesity in our country, a key factor in IIH, the number of cases is increasing. “IIH is a disorder you should be aware of because – while its symptoms are often commonplace and dismissed as nothing – it can lead to blindness,” Dr. Pinakin R. Jethwa, a board-certified neurosurgeon at Atlantic NeuroSurgical Specialists (ANS), explains. The most common symptoms of IIH are headaches, loss of vision, blind spots, poor peripheral vision, double vision, temporary blindness, ringing in the ears, neck and shoulder pain. Because these indicators can also resemble those of a brain tumor, IIH is often called a “false brain tumor.” While IIH is most common in overweight women aged 20 to 50, it can also occur in patients who are pregnant, have recently given birth or take oral contraceptives. That was the case for Nancy Collins, a 31-year-old from Jackson, NJ. Having had a stroke a few years ago…
SKIN CANCER by GLENN KOLANSKY, M. D.
Today you have a one in five chance of developing skin cancer in your lifetime, and malignant melanoma, the most lethal type is the most rapidly increasing cancer in this country. The occurrence of melanoma is predicted to increase to one out of every 7 persons. Dramatic increases are occurring in both sexes, as well as in younger and older age groups. Fortunately, early detection is the surest way to a cure and by examining yourself monthly you can find it when it is treatable. The principal cause of skin cancer is universally accepted by medical experts to be over exposure to sunlight. You can think of exposing your body to sunshine like putting money in an interest bearing retirement account with the benefits being skin cancer. As your exposure to the sun accumulates, you add to the account at the Sun Bank and at some point in the future when you have saved enough sunshine with compounded interest, you develop skin cancer. Many people who are no longer are exposing themselves to the sun still develop skin cancer as a result of their earlier “deposits” in the sun bank No one knows your body better than yourself and simply…
Minimally Invasive Orthopedic Surgery Helps Baby Boomers Stay Active
Orthopedics is in great demand, specifically from an aging baby boomer generation. Some of the more common surgeries are total knee and hip replacements, which topped 906,000 in the US in 2009, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. The majority of people that are getting these surgeries are baby boomers, those born between 1946 and 1964. A study released by Drexel University forecasts that this age group will account for a 17-fold increase in knee replacements alone, surmounting 994,000 procedures annually, by 2030. Baby boomers are unlike older generations in that as their joints are wearing thin, but they want to maintain a high level of activity. Their activeness may be a reason why they need replacements as over exertion accelerates osteoarthritis, the main reason cartilage fades away from joints. The orthopedic surgical trend is moving towards minimally invasive surgery. Total knee replacement (also called knee arthroplasty) is a common orthopedic procedure that is used to replace the damaged or worn surfaces of the knee. Replacing these surfaces with an implant or “prosthesis” will relieve pain and increase mobility, allowing patients to return to normal, everyday activities. Minimally invasive knee replacement differs from traditional knee replacement in that…
Regenerative Medicine Treatments to Help You Recover
What if the body could rejuvenate itself and get back to the point where everything functions like it did before becoming injured or you started experiencing pain? This is actually possible with regenerative medicine. We offer a wide range of non-surgical treatments to heal injuries, improve bodily function and provide patients with relief from pain. This type of regenerative medicine can often eliminate the need for surgery, making this an excellent option for anyone who has reached the point where they are considering an invasive procedure. Types of regenerative medicine treatments Some of our regenerative treatments include: 1. Diowave laser therapy This high-dose laser therapy stimulates tissue growth and repair at the cellular level. Since it is noninvasive, patients do not experience any discomfort from the treatment itself. Additionally, by delivering healing laser energy to specific tissue, we are able to speed up healing, decrease pain and inflammation. This treatment can also be used aid in wound healing. It has been proven to help speed up wound healing after an accident, etc. Also, those who have had a joint replaced may heal up to 50 percent faster by having Diowave laser therapy. 2. Platelet rich plasma (PRP) We use PRP…
Healing Chronic Neck Pain is Possible: Artificial Disk Surgery Exterminates Decades of Neck Pain for Lakewood Man in Days
Kevin Mills, who suffered from neck pain for years, offers hope to those afflicted with persistent pain. Formerly a licensed exterminator, Kevin Mills used to make a living by removing unwanted pests. However, there was one pesky thing he couldn’t get rid of: his neck pain. “I’ve had problems with my neck for as long as I can remember,” explains 58-year-old Kevin of Lakewood, New Jersey. According to the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, chronic or severe pain affects nearly 50 million American adults. Kevin’s health took another turn when he began experiencing terrible migraines and couldn’t move his neck at all without being in pain. After having X-rays taken, his doctor advised him to contact a surgeon. That’s when he connected with Dr. Pinakin R. Jethwa, a board-certified neurosurgeon at Atlantic NeuroSurgical Specialists. “Kevin’s decision to see a neurosurgeon, instead of another type of surgeon who would have to consult a neurosurgeon, was spot on,” says Dr. Jethwa. Dr. Jethwa discovered two disks in Kevin’s cervical spine were exerting pressure on the nerves, causing intense pain. He recommended Kevin undergo a two-level cervical artificial disk surgery. During this procedure, the damaged disks would…
Ask a Physical Therapist To “Screen” Your Movements This Spring
By David Bertone, PT, DPT, OCS Let’s talk about the last time you—or someone close to you—interviewed for a new job. Chances are that the first step was a phone screen with your potential employer, and when you passed that portion of the process with flying colors, you were then invited for an in-person interview. At that stage, the employer probably asked you to answer a series of questions and to demonstrate your skills through a test or two. The process is set up in a way that narrows down the options intl the most suitable candidate is found. Makes sense, right? Just as job recruiters screen applicants to find the best ft for an open position, your PT will ask you to perform a series of exercises so that she can observe and understand your body mechanics to uncover any issues or limitations. Used in combination with a full evaluation and assessment, these so-called movement screens are just one tool in identifying the most appropriate treatment or prevention program for you. But unlike that test you may have taken during a job interview, the screen is not testing your skills or abilities, it’s simply a way of identifying how…