Carolinas The magazine of Carolinas Medical Center-Pineville Health www.cmc-pineville.org • Winter 2009 Expert heart care, right here Our Chest Pain Center is standing by Get inspired to lose weight Take control of pelvic pain We can help Flu facts for you! Page 10 All about acupuncture Using the best of both worlds for better health cupuncture belongs to the 3,000-year-old healing have our own unique facility, SouthPark Acupuncture, led art of Chinese medicine. Compared to traditional by licensed acupuncturist Wenhui Li, L.Ac. Amedicine, which focuses on the physical body, Chinese medicine addresses the balance of energy called HOW ACUPUNCTURE WORKS qi (pronounced “chee”) and how it affects the body phys- Qi flows through the body along pathways called ically, emotionally and spiritually. meridians. Each meridian corresponds with a particular This healing art is one type of complementary and organ system. Acupuncture points on the meridians are alternative medicine that’s becoming more widely accepted precise areas where focus is directed to treat specific con- and used along with traditional medicine in healthcare ditions. “In Chinese medicine, it is believed that disease is facilities across the nation. At Carolinas HealthCare, we linked to excess, deficiency or obstruction of qi’s natural flow,” Li says. “Acupuncture aims to regulate the move- ment of qi to correct the energy’s imbalance so that the body can heal itself.” Need proof? According to the World Health Organization, acupuncture is proven to treat conditions and chronic pain disorders such as fibromyalgia, back and neck pain, migraines, carpal tunnel syndrome and arthritis. WhaT TO EXPECT During treatment, sterile hair-fine needles are inserted at key points on your skin. You may feel a minor sensa- tion but no pain or side effects. The needles stimulate deep sensory nerves that tell your brain to release body chemi- cals, such as endorphins, hormones and opioids, which act as painkillers to relieve pain and improve the body’s immune system. Afterward, most patients experience relief from discomfort and feel relaxed, calm or energized. Pain is often greatly reduced after just a few treatments. ABOUT US VISIT TODAY! SouthPark Acupuncture opened in Find out how acupuncture can help your body CMC-Morrocroft Medical Plaza II and mind. For a free 15-minute consultation, call in March 2008. Wenhui Li, L.Ac., SouthPark Acupuncture at 704-512-6293. Treat- a licensed acupuncturist, received ment packages are available for those needing his training at the Heilongjiang six or more treatments. SouthPark Acupuncture is located at CMC-Morrocroft Medical Plaza II. University of Traditional Chinese Wenhui Li, L.Ac. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday–Friday. Medicine. He’s been with Carolinas Visit www.southparkacupuncture.org for more HealthCare since 2001 and has more than information. 20 years of experience. 2 Winter 2009 | Carolinas Health | www.carolinasmedicalcenter.org Your voices LETTERS FROM THOSE WE SERVE ecently, my wife was admitted to Cleveland Regional Medical ❝ [Everyone’s] RCenter for treatment and evaluation. Eventually, she was trans- kindness and ported to Carolinas Medical Center, where she underwent surgery and further treatment. compassion During her stay at both facilities, my wife received the best of care made a difference and treatment. I am so thankful for the doctors, nurses, emergency and medical personnel and all of those who went beyond the call in my wife’s of duty to provide the excellent care they have come to be known recovery. ❞ for. Indeed, their kindness and compassion made a difference in my wife’s recovery and sets the stage for other medical facilities across the nation to follow. I won’t forget them and what they did for my wife. May the Lord richly bless them all. Sincerely, Bud Press, Shelby, NC Editor’s note: We receive hundreds of letters each year from patients and family members who write to share their appreciation of the care they received. With each author’s permission, we will share these letters with you. Please visit www.carolinasmedicalcenter.org/letters for more patient testimonials. Meet our doctors JOIN US IN WELCOMING OUR NEWEST PHYSICIANS To find a physician near you, call 704-355-7500 or visit www.cmc-pineville.org. Ñ Luis Bendezu, MD Ñ James LaRue, MD Mecklenburg Medical Group- Mecklenburg Medical Group- Ballantyne Pineville Ñ Earle Burgess, MD Ñ Katie Mileham, MD Mecklenburg Medical Group- Mecklenburg Medical Group- Pineville & Carolina Lakes SouthPark Ñ Justin Michael Haught, MD Mecklenburg Medical Group- SouthPark Ñ Gregory Kimmerle, MD Mecklenburg Medical Group- Carolina Lakes © 2009 iStockphoto/Oleg Prikhodko Uncompromising Excellence. Commitment to Care. 3 Looking for a reason to kick the habit? North Carolina’s 2010 smoking ban may do the trick fforts to create smoke-free environments are take in oxygen and eliminate carbon dioxide.” It is taking place across the United States. Thirty-seven possible to prevent this and other smoking-related illnesses, Estates now have laws that ban smoking from work- though—make the commitment to quit smoking today. places, restaurants and bars. And soon, you’ll need to think twice before lighting up in North Carolina. Effective TaKE ACTION January 2, 2010, a smoking ban will prohibit puffing in Once you’ve decided to quit, it’s important to first visit public places, government-owned buildings and vehicles, your doctor to make sure you’re on the right track. Here and places of employment. are some suggestions that may help you along the way: Why the ban? Each year, more than 430,000 people die from tobacco-related diseases, making it the leading PREPARE TO QUIT cause of preventable death. An additional 50,000 people Ñ Write it down. Jot down your personal STEP die from exposure to secondhand smoke, and more than reasons for wanting to quit. Reflecting on 1,000 children become smokers each day. If you smoke, 1 these reasons can motivate you down the road. this ban may motivate you to kick the habit. Need more Ñ Pick a quit date. If you smoke mostly on weekends, help? Read on for strategies and support. choose a weekday. If you take frequent smoke breaks during the workday, try quitting on a weekend. A HEalTH haZARD Ñ Know your barriers. If your partner or co-worker The negative health effects of smoking are count- smokes, or if you’ve quit before but started smoking again, less. “Cigarette smoke damages the airways and lungs,” says John D. Doty II, MD, a pulmonologist at Carolinas Medical Center. “Over time, smokers may develop TRYING TO QUIT? chronic bronchitis, a condition where the lungs produce Call 704-512-3820 for information about excessive, thick mucus; or emphysema, in which normal participating in a smoking-cessation class. lung tissue is destroyed, making it difficult for the lungs to Heart ashtray © 2009 iStockphoto/futureimage 4 Winter 2009 | Carolinas Health | www.carolinasmedicalcenter.org you’ll feel more confident if you have coping strategies Ñ Nasal spray deliv- (such as taking a walk, chewing gum or phoning a friend) ers nicotine into nasal in place ahead of time to fight any temptations. passages, where it’s Ñ Get support. Let your family and friends know about absorbed. your plan. They can lend a sympathetic ear and give you Ñ An inhaler contains encouragement if you’re having a tough time. Also, ask nicotine that you inhale them not to smoke around you. like a cigarette. Ñ Bupropion (sold USE PROVEN TOOLS under the brand names Some people go cold turkey using sheer Zyban and Wellbutrin), STEP determination to quit, while others need help. is a nicotine-free pre- 2 But remember, support is always within your scription medication reach. Sign up for a smoking-cessation class (see “Trying that mimics the effects of smoking on the brain. to quit?”) or check out the American Lung Association’s Freedom From Smoking® program at www.ffsonline.org. STAY SMOKE-FREE There are many quit-smoking products available to Getting through the first few weeks of STEP help ease your cravings: not smoking can be challenging. But keeping Ñ The patch delivers controlled amounts of nicotine 3 away from cigarettes is crucial. “The average through your skin each day. person tries to quit several times before they’re able to Ñ Nicotine gum contains a dose of nicotine. After chew- remain smoke-free,” Dr. Doty says. So, if you start ing it briefly, it’s placed against the cheek so the nicotine is smoking again, figure out what made you relapse and try absorbed through the skin in your mouth. to quit again. It’S NEVER TOO latE No matter how long you’ve smoked, the positive effects that quitting has on your body are measurable. In fact, according to the American Lung Association, within minutes of quitting, a smoker’s body begins renewing itself: TIME SINCE laST CIgaREttE HEalth BENEFITS Ñ 20 MINUTES Blood pressure and pulse rate are lowered Ñ EIGHT HOURS Carbon monoxide level in blood drops, while oxygen level increases to normal Ñ 24 TO 48 HOURS Chance of heart attack decreases, nerve endings start regrowing and ability to smell and taste is enhanced Ñ TWO TO THREE MONTHS Lung function increases, circulation is boosted and walking is easier; sinus troubles, fatigue, shortness of breath and coughing decrease Ñ ONE YEAR Risk of coronary heart disease is lowered to half that of a smoker Ñ FIVE YEARS Stroke risk is reduced to that of a person who has never smoked Ñ 10 YEARS Risk of lung cancer drops to one-half that of a smoker; risk of mouth, throat, esophageal, bladder, kidney and pancreatic cancer decreases Ñ 15 YEARS AND BEYOND Risk of coronary heart disease is the same as someone who never smoked; risk of death returns to nearly the level of someone who never smoked Uncompromising Excellence.