Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
Serving proudly since 1873 as the beautiful Nebraska Panhandle's first newspaper
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For most individuals, the probability that an assistive device may be needed seems very unlikely. Walking, and basic movements like getting out of bed, in and out of a car and climbing up the stairs are some of things we take for granted. As one gets older, muscles and joints tend to degenerate, resulting in aches and pains. The fact is, you may need to use a cane / walker or other assistive devices at some point in your life. Age-related pathologies like osteoarthritis or sudden traumatic injuries can lead to difficulty with daily tasks....
How many times have you walked away from the doctor’s office with a prescription for an antibiotic to treat a cold? Probably many. Over the decades we’ve been conditioned to believe that antibiotics are sort of an insurance policy against some malady that might be worse than a cold or that they will make the nasty symptoms magically disappear. In recent years, study after study has shown that this “just-in-case” medicine comes with oodles of side effects and serious consequences that might make patients think twice before dashing off to the...
How many times have you heard politicians say that no bureaucrat should come between you and your doctor? You and your physician should decide when you need to go to the hospital or when you might want to wait out that cold before taking an antibiotic. At least that’s been the American ideal of the doctor-patient relationship. The reality is something very different. We are reaching a crossroads in this country in terms of physician autonomy, says Dr. Luis Collar who writes on the blog KevinMD.com. In an essay a couple of weeks ago he wrote: ...
The spinal column supports the body and provides the structural framework for muscles and bones in the trunk region. It is a bony framework that protects the spinal cord, which serves as a channel of communication between the brain and the rest of the body. It serves as an anchor for a network of muscles that surround the trunk and help in movement and stability of the trunk region. Every time we pull, push, twist, bend and stretch the spine or lift a heavy object, we challenge the muscles surrounding the spinal column. Controlled exercise, und...
When you next eat at McDonald’s, here’s an exercise in consumer choice: Would you choose a Bacon Club House burger with 750 calories, a Big Mac with 550 calories, or the premium McWrap with bacon and grilled chicken giving you 460? You might think twice if you knew that one option gave you 300 calories more than another and, all by itself, proved you with over one third of the calories you need for the day (based on a 2,000 calorie diet). Beginning in the summer 2015, you’ll be able to figure it out. That’s when a provision in the Afforda...
Walking is one of the simplest, safest and most effective forms of exercise, but it can be hard to find time in our busy schedules to participate in physical activity. On Wednesday, April 30th, Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies are sponsoring the 7th annual National Walk @ Lunch Day® to encourage busy people to walk during their lunch break. National Walk @ Lunch Day® is designed to complement, not compete with a busy lifestyle. It was created to improve personal health and decrease the cost of healthcare. The U.S. Department of Health a...
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a clinical condition characterized by excessive fatigue and body pain. It is often preceded by a viral illness and is associated with symptoms like muscle aches and pains, joint pains, difficulty sleeping and at times, depression. CFS symptoms last 6 months or longer and typically have a distinct period of onset, often during periods of additional stress. The symptoms are unpredictable and can vary from mild discomfort to excruciating pain. Depending on its severity, this condition has the potential to alter...
February is American Heart Month, so what better way to celebrate than exercising for a healthy heart. When it comes to your loved ones, the health of the heart is extremely important. Heart disease is the #1 cause of death in the United States, according to Center for Disease Control (CDC). A sedentary (inactive) lifestyle is the biggest cause of heart disease. Fortunately, this is something we can change. Regular exercise can: • Strengthen your heart and cardiovascular system • Lower blood pressure • Improve muscle tone and strength • Str...
“We are so grateful to Regional West Foundation for this generous gift; we just hope we don’t ever have to use it.” With those words Leslie Black, LPN, displayed the brand new heart defibrillator purchased by The Village at Regional West with funds donated by Regional West Foundation. Nearly a year ago, Black administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation to a coworker who collapsed while working at The Village. That day, The Village lost housekeeper Carol Schaneman to an apparent heart attack, and it changed the lives of Black, her fellow emplo...
The board of directors of Garden County Health Services took the first step toward ensuring the availability of local health care for the future by voting Dec. 30 to draft a letter of intent to affiliate with Regional West Health Services in Scottsbluff, Neb. “Affiliation means we’ll become part of a larger, tertiary system,” said Jim Hansel, CEO of Garden County Health Services. “It’s a good move for our community because it secures health care services for the future.” The Garden County Health Services board of directors has been considering...
The science of healthcare is constantly evolving. Treatments are improving, and advances in science now allow individuals to live longer. Physical therapy has seen significant changes, and is now considered an accepted form of treatment for many conditions. Physical therapy can help reduce pain, improve mobility and help patients to live happier, healthier lives. Physical therapists help improve quality of life through optimization of movement. As the new year unfolds, we hope to get the opportunity to inspire you, and your family to enjoy the...
The hamstring muscles, located at the back of the thigh, are comprised of three muscle groups. Injuries to these muscles are common in athletes participating in sports such as football or basketball. They are also common in ‘weekend warriors’ and individuals who participate in walking, jogging or running without a period of adequate warm up and stretching. This muscle group allows your knee to bend, and plays a critical role in every activity involving the lower body. Your hamstrings are contracting every single time you take a step, climb a f...
Hosein and Gloor are third year medical students from UNMC who are completing their family medicine rotation in Sidney. Leroy was a gruff man in his 70s who I met for the first time in clinic. “I’ve got a rash,” he said. His right arm supported his upper body on the armrest as he shifted his thin frame uncomfortably in the chair. Leroy normally avoided the doctorwhen getting sick. This was evident since his last clinic visit had been years ago. This time was different, he shared. He gingerly unbuttoned his shirt to reveal his rash. Red and r...
Many trivia questions about the smallest bones in the human body have brought fame to the malleus, the incus and the stapes (also known by their shapes as the hammer, anvil and stirrup). Just inches inside the ear, these three tiny connected bones, together called the ossicles, give movement to the sounds we hear, all in an instant. Sounds are waves that vibrate the eardrum (tympanic membrane) that then make these bones quiver. That movement sends waves of vibrations into a pool of liquid (the cochlea) that is lined with thousands of hair cells...
SCOTTSBLUFF – Eight nurses were recognized May 2 for outstanding service to patients and coworkers in celebration of National Nurses Week atRegional West Medical Center. Nursing award winners were selected in each of eight categories that represent nursing leadership. The award winners were nominated by colleagues and nursing students. The 2013 Regional West Medical Center Nursing Awards recipients include: ICU/PCU nurse Travis Hargreaves, BSN, RN, as Outstanding Nurse Preceptor; Cardiac Catheterization Lab nurse Lenna Booth, BSN, RN, for S...
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Hospitals and clinics are replacing paper files with sophisticated electronic health records. And although some systems can’t share information with each other, which could be a serious problem in an emergency, smartphones are starting to bridge that electronic gap. That capability is already available to Medicare patients and veterans. The Medicare Blue Button and a similar Veterans Affairs medical program allow patients to download three years of their medical history into a simple text file on their smartphones or per...
An estimated 66 million Americans get the common cold every year, and spend app. $40 billion a year on fixing it! In a two week high risk period it is estimated that a third of the United States will have a cold. Here’s something you may not know.having a cold may be your body’s attempt at getting rid of built up toxins, wastes, and bacterial overgrowth. With a cold your glands are affected and as your endocrine system is on a 6 day cycle, and a cold normally lasts a week it stands to reason that your system might be detoxifying. So let...
WASHINGTON (AP) — We’re in denial: Americans underestimate their chances of needing long-term care as they get older — and are taking few steps to get ready. A new poll examined how people 40 and over are preparing for this difficult and often pricey reality of aging, and found two-thirds say they’ve done little to no planning. In fact, 3 in 10 would rather not think about getting older at all. Only a quarter predict it’s very likely that they’ll need help getting around or caring for themselves during their senior years, according to the poll...
MILWAUKEE (AP) — The federal government has launched a new livestock identification program to help agriculture officials to quickly track livestock in cases of disease. It is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s second attempt at implementing such a system, which officials say is critical to maintaining the security of the nation’s food supply. An earlier, voluntary program failed because of widespread opposition among farmers and ranchers who described it as a costly hassle that didn’t help control disease. There has been talk for years a...
There will be a Health and Wellness Fair on Saturday, April 30 from 8 a.m. to noon at the Cheyenne County Community Center. Admission is free. The Health Center Foundation (HCF) will host this year’s annual event a part of an ongoing focus with Sidney Regional Medical Center (SRMC) to encourage the members of the community to pursue a healthy lifestyle and to provide preventive care tips. This year’s event includes more than 35 booths which will be offering services such as discounted blood screenings, car seat safety checks, health risk ass...
We go along doing our normal routine when suddenly for no apparent reason, we fall off the cliff. Maybe not a literal cliff but figuratively speaking our health seems to suddenly run downhill. Many of us will play the shoulda, woulda, coulda game thinking we should have seen this coming. I would have done something different. I could have changed things. Well obviously, that’s not going to change anything about where we are today. Maybe you have been doing what you thought was right all along just to find yourself in a similar situation. You h...
BEIJING (AP) — A 4-year-old boy has recovered from a new strain of bird flu that has killed nine people in China, a doctor said Wednesday, as the country’s premier said the outbreak was under control. The child from Shanghai is among 33 people confirmed to have been infected with the H7N9 virus. The official Xinhua News Agency said he was the first to completely recover and be discharged from a hospital. A doctor at the Infectious Disease Department of the Pediatric Hospital affiliated with Shanghai’s Fudan University confirmed the boy had reco...
Safe Routes Nebraska invites kids, parents, educators and community leaders to take a step toward healthy lifestyles by participating in Nebraska’s sixth annual Spring Walk to School Day on Wednesday, April 17. Communities across Nebraska will be hosting Spring Walk to School Day events, including walkathons, walking school buses, health and wellness fairs, safety presentations and more. Though the event is just three weeks away, there’s still time to register and organize an event, said Angela Barry, Safe Routes Nebraska program coo...
SCOTTSBLUFF – Expectant parents and their families and friends are advised that access to Regional West’s Birth & Infant Care Center will be re-routed during a construction project that will begin early next week and continue for an estimated 7 to 10 days. The north entrance to the hospital will remain open, but the lobby at the north entrance will be closed. During the construction project, please follow the directional signs from the north entrance, down the main north-south hallway, past the chapel and the Medical Staff office to reach the...
WASHINGTON (AP) — A new global plan aims to end most cases of polio by late next year, and essentially eradicate the paralyzing disease by 2018 — if authorities can raise the $5.5 billion needed to do the work, health officials said Tuesday. Part of the challenge will be increasing security for vaccine workers who have come under attack in two of the hardest-hit countries. And the plan calls for changing how much of the world protects against polio, phasing out the long-used oral vaccine in favor of a pricier but safer shot version. Intense vac...
