Worldwide, a substantial number of men and women who have coronary artery disease die within 28 days after experiencing symptoms: of these, two-thirds die before reaching a hospital.  It is critical that everyone recognizes the warning signs of a heart attack, for yourself and someone you care about, which may include:

• Chest discomfort:  Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.  The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.

• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body:  Can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or even stomach.

• Shortness of breath: Often comes along with chest discomfort.  But it also can occur before chest discomfort.

• Other symptoms:  May include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or light-headedness.

If you feel you are experiencing heart attack symptoms, do not delay.  Minutes matter! Call 911 Immediately.  While waiting for an ambulance, chew one adult strength (325 mg) aspirin tablet.  Aspirin reduces the risk of death by up to 23% if administered when a heart attack is suspected, and for 30 days thereafter.  The use of aspirin as a heart attack first aid could potentially save 10,000 lives each year in the US alone.

MINUTES MATTER – CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY!

Trigger Point injection (TPI) may be an option in treating pain for some patients.  TPI is a procedure used to treat painful areas of muscle that contain trigger points, or knots of muscle that form when muscles do not relax.  Many times, such knots can be felt under the skin.  Trigger points may irritate the nerves around them and cause referred pain, or pain that is felt in another part of the body.  In the TPI procedure, we insert a small needle into the patient’s trigger point.  The injection contains a local anesthetic that sometimes includes a corticosteroid.  With the injection, the trigger point is made inactive and the pain is alleviated.  Usually a brief course of treatment will result in sustained relief.  Injections are given in our office and usually take just a few minutes.  Several body sites may be injected in one visit. TPI is used to treat many muscle groups, especially those in the arms, legs, lower back and neck.  In addition, TPI can be used to treat fibromyalgia and tension headaches, Stop by either office FOR MORE INFORMATION!

Cinnamon is rich in manganese, iron, calcium and fiber.  It has been used since medieval times to cure diarrhea, indigestion and bloating. It helps prevent the spread of cancer cells, the formation of stomach ulcers, and assists in curing bacterial infections. Cinnamon lowers blood sugar levels along with bad cholesterol levels (LDL) while having no effect on the good cholesterol (HDL).  Hence, it’s beneficial for both heart and Type 2 diabetes patients.  The lowering of blood sugar levels and improvement in cholesterol rations helps to reverse insulin resistance or pre-diabetes. since cinnamon is sweet to the taste, it also satisfies the craving for sweet foods that generally afflicts diabetics.           

                                              - A Message from Dr. Sue Stroia