CLEVELAND CLINIC Checkup Health Information from the Family Health Center Closest to You FAMILY Spring/Summer 2003 Play it Safe This Summer! ummer’s breezes entice motorcyclists to the open road, beckon boaters and swimmers to lakes and rivers, and prompt plans for backyard fun. Cleveland Clinic family health center physicians hope you’ll enjoy summer by putting safety first. That wind in your hair may feel great, but... please wear a helmet! Motorcyclists who cruise at speeds of just 25 mph can sustain low-impact head injuries that severely damage the brain. This can lead to personality changes, coma, disability or death. After 40, your brain is even more vulnerable to injury, especially if you take aspirin or other blood thinners to protect against heart attack or stroke. Scooters and skateboards: rolling out new guidelines... The American Academy of Pediatrics rec- ommends scooters for kids 8 and up, and skateboards for kids under 10 only if supervised. Scooters have created a surge in ER visits. In the first nine months of 2001, 84,000 kids were treated in ERs for scooter injuries. Insist on helmets to prevent head injuries, and encourage wrist- and kneepads to prevent fractures. Steer skateboarders toward skate parks with smooth surfaces, far from traffic. A healthy respect for the water... Water safety is important for the whole family. Drowning is the second leading cause of death among children; toddlers and teens are at greatest risk. Keep an eye on toddlers, even in wading pools. CPR training for everyone — even your sitter — can ease your mind. Out on the lake, always wear your life jacket; have kids wear them dockside, too. Bring your trusty ship-to-shore radio when venturing out on the water. Tell a friend where you’re headed — and when you’ll return. On Ohio rivers, watch for low-head dams, signaling sudden drop-offs; carry your canoe or kayak around them to safety. Backyard trampolines: accidents waiting to happen... If your kids love the trampoline, schedule supervised sessions with a gymnastics instructor. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that home trampolines be banned, noting the 140 percent spike in trampoline-related injuries between 1990 and 1996, when 83,000 trampoline accidents required an ER visit. Thirty percent involved fractures, and often hospitalization and surgery. In rare cases, spinal cord injuries occurred. So make sure your kids keep their heads up — and their feet on the ground. And enjoy your summer! S Sunday appointments for urgent problems can be scheduled between 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. through Nurse on Call: 216/444-1234 Free Health Talk: Occupational Medicine June 12 Call 216/444-3641 Coming: CT Scanner Solon Family Health Center Chagrin Falls Family Health Center For appointments with our family health center specialists, call the Cleveland Clinic Appointment Center between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., 365 days a year, at 216/444-2273 or 800/223-2273.
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CLEVELAND CLINIC Checkup · Peggy Zeller, R.D., L.D., is a registered dietitian available for consultation at Cleveland Clinic Solon. For appointments, please call 440/519-6800. Guarding
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CLEVELAND CLINIC
CheckupHealth Information from the
Family Health Center Closest to You
F A M I L Y Spring/Summer 2003
Play it SafeThis Summer!
ummer’s breezes entice motorcyclists to the
open road, beckon boaters and swimmers to lakes
and rivers, and prompt plans for backyard fun.
Cleveland Clinic family health center physicians
hope you’ll enjoy summer by putting safety first.
That wind in your hair may feel great,
but... please wear a helmet! Motorcyclists who cruise
at speeds of just 25 mph can sustain low-impact head
injuries that severely damage the brain. This can lead to
personality changes, coma, disability or death. After 40,
your brain is even more vulnerable to injury, especially
if you take aspirin or other blood thinners to protect
against heart attack or stroke.
Scooters and skateboards: rolling out new
guidelines... The American Academy of Pediatrics rec-
ommends scooters for kids 8 and up, and skateboards for
kids under 10 only if supervised. Scooters have created
a surge in ER visits. In the first nine months of 2001,
84,000 kids were treated in ERs for scooter injuries. Insist
on helmets to prevent head injuries, and encourage wrist-
and kneepads to prevent fractures. Steer skateboarders
toward skate parks with smooth surfaces, far from traffic.
A healthy respect for the water... Water safety
is important for the whole family. Drowning is the second
leading cause of death among children; toddlers and
teens are at greatest risk. Keep an eye on toddlers, even in
wading pools. CPR training for everyone — even your
sitter — can ease your mind. Out on the lake, always wear
your life jacket; have kids wear them dockside, too. Bring
your trusty ship-to-shore radio when venturing out on the
water. Tell a friend where you’re headed — and when
you’ll return. On Ohio rivers, watch for low-head dams,
signaling sudden drop-offs; carry your canoe or kayak
around them to safety.
Backyard trampolines: accidents waiting to
happen... If your kids love the trampoline, schedule
supervised sessions with a gymnastics instructor. The
American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that home
trampolines be banned, noting the 140 percent spike in
trampoline-related injuries between 1990 and 1996, when
83,000 trampoline accidents required an ER visit. Thirty
percent involved fractures, and often hospitalization and
surgery. In rare cases, spinal cord injuries occurred. So
make sure your kids keep their heads up — and their feet
on the ground. And enjoy your summer!
SSunday appointmentsfor urgent problems canbe scheduled between8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.through Nurse on Call:
216/444-1234
Free Health Talk:Occupational Medicine
June 12Call 216/444-3641
Coming: CT Scanner
Solon Family Health CenterChagrin Falls Family
Health Center
For appointments with our
family health center specialists,
call the Cleveland Clinic
Appointment Center between
7 a.m. and 11 p.m., 365 days a
year, at 216/444-2273 or
800/223-2273.
Kid’s KornerKid’s Korner
Sports Physicals:Summer Is the TimePractice for fall high school sports typically begins in
August. Be sure to schedule a pre-participation eval-
uation for your athlete beforehand. Now’s the perfect
time to make an appointment.
Ohio High School Athletic Association regula-
tions require participation forms for athletes in
grades 9 through 12 to be completed and signed by a
physician, the participant, and a parent or guardian
before the first practice. Ohio law permits an M.D.,
D.O., chiropractor, physician’s assistant or advanced
nurse practitioner to perform physicals.
High schoolers should also have comprehensive
regular exams by their primary care physician to
assess their overall health.
To schedule sports physicals with Solon pediatri-
cians or family medicine specialists, call 440/519-
6800. To schedule them with Chagrin Falls family
medicine specialists, call 440/893-9393.
Peanut Allergies: Cause for ConcernFrom potato chips to hot chocolate, many foods are
processed with peanut products. Experts say that may
be why peanut allergies — lifelong in 80 percent of
cases — are so common, and the leading cause of
fatal or near-fatal food reactions.
A promising genetically engineered drug made
headlines in March when early studies showed it pre-
vented allergic reactions to peanut flour. However, it
has not yet been commercially developed.
So avoiding peanuts — and foods processed or
flavored with them (sometimes labeled as “natural”
flavors) — remains a must.
Check the ingredients of every snack and meal
for children; if ingredients aren’t labeled, pass on the
dish. Be wary in restaurants — traces of peanut
products may be found in oil, pans or utensils used
to prepare “peanut-free” dishes. Warn children
against sharing food, especially at school. Some chil-
dren can develop reactions by touching those who’ve
just eaten peanut butter, or toys or play equipment
they’ve handled.
Reactions range from itching in the mouth and
throat, to airway closure within minutes. Keep self-
injectable epinephrine and a liquid antihistamine
on hand, and be sure that teachers and child
care providers know how to handle an emergency.
For appointments with Solon pediatricians and
family medicine specialists, please call 440/519-
6800; for Chagrin Falls family medicine specialists,
call 440/893-9393.Svetlana B. Pomeranets, M.D., a board-certifiedpediatrician practicing at Solon, provides gen-eral pediatric care. She has a special interest inthe care of internationally adopted children.
Arthritis Not a ForegoneConclusion for Aging Backs
MILLIONS OF OLDER AMERICANS ACCEPT BACK PAIN as an inevitable part of aging, along
with arthritis. But neither condition comes naturally with age. However, arthritis — particularly
osteoarthritis — is a common cause of back pain, according to the Arthritis Foundation, and can occur
anywhere along the spine.
Osteoarthritis causes the cartilage cushioning the joints to wear away, allowing bones to rub against
each other. It causes mild to severe pain, restricted movement and sometimes, numbness. Different fac-
tors set the stage for osteoarthritis:
■ excess weight or obesity putting pressure on joints
■ sports or work injuries
■ cartilage defects occurring at birth
Seeing a doctor when back pain first develops can prevent disability. A safe, effective management
plan may include physical therapy, anti-inflammatory or pain medication, and nutrition advice to pro-
mote weight loss. Physical therapists can provide exercises to keep the back limber and increase muscle
strength. Braces or supports for the spine, and heat or cold for pain relief, can also be prescribed.
Family medicine specialist Fredrick P.Wilson, M.D., specializes in the treatmentof low back and neck pain. For appoint-ments with Dr. Wilson at Solon’s Back andNeck Center, call 440/519-6800.
Healthy Summer EatingAS SUMMER APPROACHES, many of us want to
shed pounds along with layers of clothing. According
to the American Dietetic Association, the popular
high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets suggest that
carbohydrates are “bad for you” and make you gain
weight. But high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets
tend to be low in calcium, fiber and nutrients that
protect against heart disease and cancer.
Dieters who eat more total calories and get less
physical activity will wind up gaining weight. Our
niques. Eat fewer fast foods, measure portion sizes,
and increase your intake of fruits, vegetables and
foods low in fat and high in whole grains. Eat fewer
calories than you burn, and increase your physical
activity.
Variety and moderation are key, as are total calo-
ries. Eat fewer calories and/or get more exercise, and
you’ll lose weight.
Peggy Zeller, R.D., L.D., is a registered dietitian
available for consultation at Cleveland Clinic Solon.
For appointments, please call 440/519-6800.
Guarding Against West Nile Virus
Mosquitoes — once mere annoyances — now pose a threat due to West Nile
virus, which can infect mosquitoes, birds, horses and people. Last summer, eleven
of 211 Cuyahoga County residents with infections died.
Typically, West Nile virus causes no symptoms, the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention reports. In 20 percent of cases, mild fever, headache, body aches,
skin rash and swollen lymph glands develop. In one of 150 cases, severe illness
ranges from headache, high fever and stiff neck to stupor, coma, convulsions and
paralysis.
West Nile virus doesn’t appear to spread from animals to people, or directly from
person to person. In rare instances, it has been transmitted through breast milk and
organ transplantation, but risks are slight, experts say.
Meanwhile, protect yourself with insect repellent containing DEET (N, N-diethyl-
meta-toluamide) on skin and clothing outdoors, and wear long-sleeved shirts and
pants. Stay inside at dawn, dusk and early evening, when mosquitoes are hungriest.
And eliminate standing water (mosquito breeding grounds) from your yard.
Solon family medicine or internal medicine specialists and pediatricians are avail-
able to discuss your concerns; call 440/519-6800. To consult Chagrin Falls family
medicine specialists, call 440/893-9393.
MANY people temporarily
experience tinnitus (ringing,
buzzing, whistling, hissing
or rushing noises) in their ears or head. For more
than 12 million people, it’s a persistent problem.
For some, it interferes with the demands of every-
day life.
If you have tinnitus, Cleveland Clinic family
health center otolaryngologists can rule out
health-related conditions causing the problem. Our
audiologists can then do a thorough hearing eval-
uation. Together, they can determine whether you
are a candidate for the Tinnitus Management
Clinic at Cleveland Clinic main campus.
While there is no universal cure, certain mea-
sures provide relief. Tinnitus rehabilitation plans
may include sound therapy and/or noise genera-
tors, biofeedback and behavior modification
For evaluations by Solon otolaryngologists
Tom Abelson, M.D., Robert Katz, M.D., or Steve
Hunyadi Jr., M.D., and audiologists Sally Rachek,
M.A., CCC-A, or Sheryl Booher, M.A., CCC-A, call
440/519-6800.
What’sThatNoise?
CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME can make key-
boarding, operating a cash register and working on
an assembly line difficult. Swollen tissues in the car-
pal tunnel at the base of the palm put pressure on
the median nerve, causing pain, tingling, numbness
in the fingers, weakness in the thumb, and a tenden-
cy to drop things.
Initial treatment usually involves splinting to re-
strict movement and allow swelling to subside; anti-
inflammatory medication may be prescribed. If these
measures do not help, outpatient surgery may be rec-
ommended.
While repeated use of the hands or wrists at work
does not cause carpal tunnel syndrome, certain fac-
tors increase your risks for it:
■ age (50s and 60s)
■ female gender, especially during pregnancy
and around menopause
■ concurrent illness
■ obesity
■ poor physical condition
■ smoking
To decrease pain at work, keep wrists straight and
minimize repeated flexing, extending or twisting,
and rest your hands periodically. Meanwhile, address
risk factors you can control: give up smoking, in-
crease physical activity and lose weight, if necessary.
To schedule an appointment at Solon withMark Hendrickson, M.D., call 440/519-6800.
When Carpal TunnelSyndrome InterferesWith Work
Plastic surgeon Mark Hendrickson, M.D., spe-cializes in hand and wrist surgery, congenitalhand surgery, microsurgery, reconstructivesurgery, melanoma and aesthetic surgery.
Other Family Health Centers
Beachwood 216/839-3000
Brunswick 330/225-8886
Creston 330/435-5400
Elyria 440/366-8822
Independence 216/986-4000
Lakewood 216/521-4400
Lorain 440/204-7400
Strongsville 440/878-2500
Westlake 440/899-5555
Willoughby Hills 440/943-2500
Wooster 330/287-4500
AppointmentsCleveland Clinic Solon29800 Bainbridge RoadSolon, OH 44139440/519-6800 or 800/648-0022
Monday through Thursday: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday: 8 a.m. to noon
Cleveland Clinic Chagrin Falls551 East Washington StreetChagrin Falls, OH 44022440/893-9393 or 800/232-0263
Monday through Thursday: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday: 8 a.m. to noon
Urgent Care Center
440/542-6868
Monday through Friday: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
www.clevelandclinic.org/fhcCleveland Clinic Family Health Centers on the Web
Visit our Web site for■ information and services for each
family health center
■ physician directories
■ community calendars
■ free health information
■ maps
■ Family Checkup newsletter
www.clevelandclinic.org/fhc
CLEVELAND CLINIC
Nurse on CallTo speak with a nurse, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, about your adult and
pediatric health concerns, call
216/444-1234800/801-2273
Cancer Answer LineTo speak with a nurse about any cancer
symptoms and concerns from 8:30 a.m. to
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, call
216/444-7923800/862-7798
Cleveland Clinic Family Checkup is published by theDivision of Marketing to provide up-to-date health infor-mation and news about Cleveland Clinic Family HealthCenter services. The information contained in ClevelandClinic Family Checkup is for educational purposes onlyand should not be relied upon as medical advice. It hasnot been designed to replace a physician’s medical assess-ment and medical judgment.
Editor: Cora Liderbach
Art Director: Amy Buskey-Wood
Photographer: Tom Merce
Illustrations: Doreen Klimkiewicz
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RESEARCH SHOWS A NEW U.S. HEALTH TREND has markedly increased patient satisfaction. In
shared medical appointments, patients gain much faster access to a physician, with whom they can
spend 90 minutes — far more time than a traditional visit allows. They also have the opportunity to
share experiences with other patients.
Cleveland Clinic family health centers are now of-
fering this new appointment option, called “Clinic
Care Plus,” for patients with certain health problems.
In a shared-setting medical visit, patients see a physi-
cian for prevention, treatment and follow-up. A behav-
ioral health specialist is also on hand to address
medical concerns. Talk to your physician to see if
these sessions might be appropriate for you.
At Cleveland Clinic Solon, shared medical appoint-
ments are offered by Fredrick P. Wilson, D.O., a spe-
cialist in low back and neck pain, assisted by
behavioral health specialist Cathy DeGross, R.N. Dr.
Wilson will perform spinal manipulation as needed.
This fall, Solon rheumatologist Rochelle Rosian,
M.D., will also offer Clinic Care Plus appointments.
For a free brochure, call 216/444-3178.
New Shared Medical Appointments Offered
Clinic Care Plus PhysicalsWhen required, patients can signup for “Clinic Care Plus Physicals”to receive a private exam and stillspend 90 minutes with their phy-sician. Solon family medicinespecialist Richard P. Kratche,M.D., who has a special interestin health maintenance and sportsmedicine, offers Clinic Care PlusPhysicals with the assistance ofMarianne Harris, R.N. For moreinformation on Clinic Care Plusand Clinic Care Plus Physicals,call 440/519-6800.