In recent years, the dangers faced by athletes have come to the forefront of the national discussion. Too often, athletes receive a head injury during the course of a game or match but continue playing. This is an incredibly dangerous practice and one in which the Centers for Disease Control is seeking to end through raising awareness among coaches and players.

Concussions are traumatic head injuries that occur from both mild and severe blows to the head. Some head injuries may appear to be mild but research is finding that concussions can have serious long-term effects, especially repeat head injuries or cumulative concussions. A concussion is typically caused by a severe head trauma during which the brain moves violently within the skull, causing the brain cells all to fire at once, much like a seizure.

Symptoms of a concussion include:

• Headache or pressure on the head
• Nausea or vomiting
• Balance problems or dizziness
• Double or blurry vision
• Sensitivity to light or noise
• Feeling sluggish
• Concentration or memory problems

As a bystander, here are some signs to look for in a player who has recently experienced a blow to the head:

• Appears dazed or stunned
• Is confused about assignment or position
• Unsure of game, score, or opponent
• Loses consciousness (even briefly)
• Shows behavior or personality changes
• Cannot recall events prior to or after the hit or fall

While it is impossible to completely prevent concussions in sports, it is important to understand the signs of symptoms of concussions in order to ensure the athlete receives proper medical attention. At Rothman Specialty Hospital, we are committed to providing exceptional care for injured athletes through our sports medicine specialists.

There is no question about it; Americans are on their feet a lot. Whether you walk to work each day or are in a profession that requires you to stand for long periods of time, the pressure we put on our feet is immense. Unfortunately, our feet are typically an afterthought. That is until they start causing us pain or discomfort.

Foot pain is not normal. The foot has more bones than in any other part of the body, so it only makes sense that a person would experience foot discomfort at some point in their life. If this is the case for you, it is important to see a podiatric professional to properly diagnose and treat the pain.

Here are some tips for helping to maintain healthy feet:

• Inspect your feet regularly to guard against the onset of fungal or bacterial infections.
• Make sure your shoes fit properly by purchasing shoes later in the day when feet tend to be their largest.
• Replace worn out shoes as soon as possible.
• Select and wear the right shoe for the activity you are engaged in (i.e., running shoes for running).
• Alternate shoes so you are not wearing the same pair every day.
• If you are a person with diabetes, it is vital you see a podiatric physician at least once a year for a foot check-up.

Most people may not realize this, but the ongoing pain in the legs or back could actually be traced back to a problem with the feet or ankles. Oftentimes there is an emphasis on treating the pain instead of seeking out the source of the pain, and most podiatric professionals agree that a problem within the foot or ankle can actually manifest itself in other parts of the body.

For this reason, you should never ignore foot or ankle pain. Ankle injuries are common, whether you play sports or not, and they can often lead to long-term, persistent problems if left untreated. This April during Healthy Foot Awareness Month, make foot health a priority and make an appointment with a podiatric professional today.

CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System is a non-invasive alternative to surgery for the treatment of both cancerous and non-cancerous tumors in the prostate, lungs, brain, spine, liver, pancreas and kidneys. This treatment works by delivering beams of high dose radiation to tumors with extreme accuracy, offering new hope to patients.

While the name CyberKnife may imply a surgical procedure, in reality the CyberKnife treatment involves no scalpels or cutting. It is the world’s first and only treatment system designed to treat tumors throughout the body non-invasively. It provides a pain-free, non-surgical option for patients who have inoperable or surgically complex tumors, or who just may be looking for an alternative to surgery.

So how does the CyberKnife system work?  Leading up to the procedure, the patient is imaged using a high-resolution CT scan to determine the size, shape, and location of the tumor. After the scan is complete, it’s transferred into the CyberKnife workstation where the treatment planning begins. A qualified clinician then uses the CyberKnife software to generate a treatment plan, which determines the desired radiation dose to the identified tumor location while limiting radiation exposure to the surrounding tissue.

Once the treatment plan has been developed, the patient is ready to undergo the CyberKnife procedure. Patients are positioned on the treatment table and the CyberKnife’s computer-controlled robot will slowly move around the patient delivering radiation to the tumor. Each treatment session lasts between 30 and 90 minutes, depending on the type of tumor being treated.

The benefits of CyberKnife treatments include:

• Pain-free
• Non-invasive
• No anesthesia required
• Outpatient procedure
• No recovery time
• Immediate return to normal activity

If you are interested in learning more about Rothman Specialty Hospital’s CyberKnife program, please visit www.rothmancyberknife.com

Since February is already known as the ‘month for love,’ it only makes sense that it’s also recognized as American Heart Month.

Most Americans may not realize that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. In fact, one in every three deaths is from heart disease — an equivalent of 2,200 deaths per day. In addition to being a leading cause of disability, cardiovascular disease is also very expensive. Together heart disease and stroke hospitalizations in 2010 cost the nation more than $444 billion in health care expenses and lost productivity.

To combat the cardiovascular epidemic, the Centers for Disease Control and the Department of Health and Human Services launched Million Hearts in September 2011. Million Hearts is a national initiative with the goal of preventing one million heart attacks and strokes in the U.S. over the next five years. Million Hearts seeks to accomplish this goal by empowering Americans to make healthy choices and improve care for those who need treatment.

Examples of ways to improve cardiovascular health include avoiding tobacco use and reducing the amount of sodium and trans fats consumed. Ultimately, these changes will reduce the number of people who need medical treatment for high blood pressure or cholesterol, which should lead to a lower rate of heart attacks and strokes.

To improve care for those needing treatment, there is a focus on the “ABCs”:

• Aspirin for people at risk

• Blood pressure control

• Cholesterol management

• Smoking cessation

February is also when the American Heart Association celebrates its Go Red for Women campaign, which is aimed at reducing heart disease in women. Long considered an “old man’s disease,” cardiovascular disease is actually the number-one killer of women, claiming nearly 500,000 lives a year.

Because women have been largely ignored as a specific risk group for cardiovascular disease, their awareness of this often-preventable disease has suffered. So do yourself — and your loved ones — a favor and take the steps necessary to make 2012 your healthiest year yet by improving your cardiovascular health.

Each January, Cervical Cancer Awareness Month is observed. While this disease claims the lives of close to 5,000 women a year, the number of deaths has dropped significantly since 1955 because of early detection techniques. In fact, cervical cancer is considered one of the great success stories in cancer research because it is now known what causes it, the risk factors for it, and that early detection and prevention efforts potentially could eradicate it.

Cervical cancer grows slowly, so with appropriate screening, most women who develop it — or are on the path to developing it — can be easily diagnosed and hopefully cured. However, because cervical cancer often have no signs or symptoms, it is important that woman have regular Pap tests. Sadly, too often women will look after others at their own expense, putting off a Pap test for years, or even decades, when early detection is crucial to successful treatment. When symptoms do occur, it is often when the cancer is further along and has spread to nearby areas.

It is important to note that a Pap test is a screening test, not a diagnostic test. An abnormal Pap test result often means that other tests will need to be done to find out if a cancer or a pre-cancer is really there. There are various types of diagnostic tests, including colposcopy, cystoscopy, proctoscopy, or various imaging studies, such as a CT or PET scan.

For cervical cancer, the most important risk factor is infection with a virus known as HPV (human papilloma virus), which is actually a group of nearly 100 related viruses that can infect cells on the surface of the skin. In fact, many doctors believe that a woman must be infected by HPV before she develops cervical cancer. Some types of HPV cause genital warts, while other types cause cervical cancer. The kinds that cause cancer are called “high-risk” HPVs. HPV is typically referred to as a sexually transmitted disease, but the reality is that it can be passed from person to person by any kind of skin-to-skin contact with a part of the body infected with HPV.

While many women may have HPV, very few of these women will ever get cervical cancer. In most cases the body fights off the virus, and the infection goes away without any treatment. But in some women, the infection lasts and can cause cervical cancer.

Since early detection is key to fighting cervical cancer, encourage the women in your life to receive annual Pap tests in order to help ensure early detection.

Rothman Specialty Hospital is the only specialty hospital in partnership with the prestigious Rothman Instistute. The hospital is also accredited by the Joint Commission.

Rothman Specialty Hospital Highlights:

• Equipped for joint replacements, orthopedic surgery, pain management and spine surgery
• Offer treatment for sports medicine, foot & ankle surgery, shoulder & elbow surgery and hand & wrist procedures
• Healthy, gourmet meals prepared on-site.

To learn more, click here.

A cancer diagnosis changes your life. During this time, it’s critical to know your options and it’s even better to find those options are convenient and located close to home. In April, Pete S. was diagnosed with Stage I prostate cancer. Despite the gravity of the diagnosis, the 67-year old realized the importance of thoroughly researching his options before making a treatment decision. He began his search by discussing conventional treatment methods with his doctor. These options included surgery, radiation treatments 5 days a week for nine weeks, or brachytheraphy, the placement of radioactive seed materials into the prostate.

Eventually, Pete’s inquisitive search led him online where he found the website for Accuray, a radiation oncology company that develops and sells treatment solutions for cancer patients. At the Accuray website Pete discovered CyberKnife, a non-invasive treatment method for tumors. The website pointed him to www.rothmancyberknife.com for CyberKnife treatment at Rothman Specialty Hospital.

Further armed in his fight against cancer, Pete and his wife visited a number of CyberKnife facilities in the Pennsylvania area. In addition to treating his Stage 1 prostate cancer diagnosis, Pete also needed a facility that could accommodate his size of 300 pounds. After visiting a number of CyberKnife providers, Pete’s search led him to Rothman Specialty Hospital where he spoke with Barbara Fischer, RN, the hospital’s CyberKnife program coordinator. Pete shared his Stage 1 prostate cancer diagnosis along with his height and weight considerations with Barbara and she assured him that he could be treated at Rothman Specialty Hospital.

Next Pete met with Eric Gressen, MD, a radiation oncologist and CyberKnife treatment specialist who deals specifically with prostate and lung cancers at Rothman Specialty Hospital. Together they discussed and compared the five-year results of treatment with conventional radiation versus the results of treatment with CyberKnife. After realizing that both methods offered similar results, Pete decided that CyberKnife was the way he would treat his cancer. After completing his initial evaluations and being informed about the possible side effects, Pete began CyberKnife treatments in December.

“This was a well thought out decision for me, and ultimately it was a simple decision to make,” Pete said. “The people I met at Rothman Specialty Hospital were very much a part of why I made my decision, and they made sure that I received the royal treatment.”

This treatment included special consideration for the claustrophobia Pete felt during the CT scan. During his scan, Dr. Gressen, Barbara, and Lori and Kathy, two technicians at Rothman Specialty Hospital, stayed in the room so that he remained comfortable throughout the process. Pete commented that Lori and Kathy played a major role in keeping him feeling calm. Over the next two weeks, Pete received five CyberKnife treatments while his Frank Sinatra cd played in the background.

“I believe that any decision regarding your health is a personal one, but I would encourage anyone in this position to consider CyberKnife,” Pete said. “The CyberKnife treatment is so much easier and much less stressful, but a large part of my positive experience was the compassion of the staff at Rothman Specialty Hospital and their ability to help keep me calm and consistently appraised of the situation at all times.”

By maintaining a healthy weight you can prevent numerous diseases and conditions and control the acceleration of existing health problems. Avoiding the burden of excess pounds can also prevent cardiovascular disease, stroke, polycystic ovarian syndrome, gout, stress incontinence, sleep apnea, and early death.

Finding and staying at a healthy weight decreases the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, gallstones and gallbladder disease, breathing problems, certain cancers, high cholesterol, joint problems, osteoarthritis, and back pain.

Here are a couple of ways to evaluate your weight. Plug in your statistics to a Body Mass Indicator (BMI) calculator online or use a tape measure to determine the circumference of your waist. A BMI calculator can be found online at www.bmi-calculator.net. Another online option is a body fat calculator, www.bmi-calculator.net/body-fat-calculator.

BMI calculations                                              Healthy Waist Circumference

Underweight – Less than 18.5                             Less than or Equal to 30 inches – women

Normal weight – 18.5-24.9                                  Less than or Equal to 40 inches – men

Overweight – 25-29.9

Obese – 30+

Talk to your primary care physician if you have questions or need assistance in creating a healthier lifestyle.

Top cancer diagnoses in men

1. Prostate cancer
2. Lung cancer
3. Colon and rectum cancer (colorectal)
4. Urinary bladder cancer
5. Melanoma
6. Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
7. Kidney and renal pelvis cancer
8. Oral cavity and pharynx cancer
9. Leukemia
10. Pancreatic cancer

CyberKnife can destroy tumors or other lesions without the need of open surgery. The FDA has cleared CyberKnife for use in both primary and metastatic tumors located in the spine, brain, lung, prostate, liver, head and neck cancers, kidneys, and benign tumors. For more information about CyberKnife, please visit www.rothmancyberknife.com