With the beginning of a new year, many of us have made new resolutions. Some may have decided it is time to make changes in habits to live a healthier lifestyle, or it may simply be time to call to make an appointment for an annual physical. Whatever your situation is, we hope you will make your health a priority.

There are many reasons a person may develop shortness of breath. Even fit athletes can become breathless after a sudden burst of activity or exercise in extreme temperatures or at high altitude. An overweight person will become breathless sooner than a normal weight individual given the same activity and level of fitness. A smoker also knows what it’s like to huff and puff prematurely. Usually, however, shortness of breath occurs because of a problem that makes it difficult to deliver oxygen or remove carbon dioxide from body tissues. Most of these problems occur in either the heart or the lungs and are reason to seek medical attention. Read more.

Persons having trouble breathing because of lung or heart problems often benefit from pursed lip breathing. Relax your neck and shoulders, inhale through your nose and then exhale slowly through pursed lips. This is a less tiring, more efficient way of removing carbon dioxide, a major cause of breathlessness in persons with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This type of breathing might also be helpful for breathlessness related to emotional distress or anxiety.

Q & A

Q: What is epilepsy?
Submitted by Jaya Kumar, MD

Epilepsy, also known as a seizure disorder, is usually diagnosed after a person has had two or more seizures that were not caused by some known medical condition (such as alcohol withdrawal or extremely low blood sugar). It can also be diagnosed after one seizure, if a person has a condition that places them at high risk for having another seizure.

Epilepsy affects 3% of the general population. It is diagnosed via patient history, neurological examination and diagnostic tools such as electroencephalograph (EEG) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain. Once the diagnosis is made, the decision to treat becomes a highly individualized one, and the appropriate medication is chosen by the doctor. Read more.

Hospice Care

Milford Regional’s hospice program received Massachusetts’ Department of Public Health certification in December 2009. We have been laying the groundwork for this new program throughout the year beginning with hiring David Levesque, a highly experienced hospice manager.  In addition to the manager, the hospice team includes two nurses, a spiritual care/bereavement counselor, a volunteer coordinator, a social worker and home health aides. Families in Milford Regional’s service area will now be able to access hospice care for patients who no longer wish to receive cure-oriented treatment, and want to live their final days in the comfort of their own home. For more information please call the VNA and Hospice of Greater Milford at 508-473-0862.

Phototherapy

The VNA and our Rehabilitation & Sports Medicine teams have had great success using phototherapy, a treatment that reduces pain, improves blood circulation in the smallest vessels (microcirculation) and promotes wound healing. This non-invasive treatment uses light energy that penetrates the skin’s surface and underlying tissues to stimulate the body’s natural repair processes.

Phototherapy helps tissue heal faster, strengthens tissue repair, increases bone healing, reduces or even eliminates pain, decreases swelling and inflammation and stimulates the immune system.

Phototherapy can be used to treat a variety of conditions including musculoskeletal symptoms found with soft tissue injury, fractures and inflammatory conditions. The treatment is especially good for neuropathy because it stimulates circulation in the smallest vessels, improving blood flow to the area. If you think you may benefit from this kind of treatment, please call Rehabilitation & Sports Medicine at 508-422-2388 or VNA and Hospice of Greater Milford at 508-473-0862.

MS Center

Located on the 3rd floor of the Hill Building at Milford Regional, The Center for Multiple Sclerosis offers comprehensive care for MS patients. Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease that affects the central nervous system.

Symptoms can be mild (numbness in the limbs) or severe (paralysis or loss of vision). At the MS Center, you are evaluated by a neurologist and a MS nurse and a course of treatment is determined. A comprehensive rehabilitation plan is formulated and referrals to ancillary services are made for you. 

Patient and family education is a priority at the MS Center. On-going counseling is available, and there is a resource library with information about new treatments and advances in research. Participation in The Center for Multiple Sclerosis requires a referral from your primary care physician or a specialist. For more information, please call The MS Center at 508-422-2697.

Milford Regional’s active medical staff, consisting of over 200 doctors, is highly qualified to treat you and your family through life’s ups and downs. Whether you need a primary care physician or a specialist, you can be assured of the best possible care.

If you need a primary care physician, please call our Physician Referral Line at 1-888-DRS-HERE (1-888-377-4373). Our Referral Line, a free service available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, has access to physicians who are accepting new patients. You may also call our Referral Line to find a specialist.

See our list of Primary Care Physicians who are accepting new patients. It is important to note that not all physicians accept all insurances. Please call the physician’s office directly to find out if they accept your insurance plan.

Neurology

If you or a family member has suffered from head trauma, stroke, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease or Multiple Sclerosis, you would have been referred to a neurologist. A neurologist is a physician who specializes in the diagnoses and treatment of a wide variety of nervous system disorders.

We are fortunate to have five highly trained and experienced neurologists on our active medical staff that practice at Neurology Associates in Hopedale. The most recent addition to the group is Dr. Jaya Kumar who joined the practice in November. Dr. Kumar completed a fellowship in epilepsy at Massachusetts General Hospital. Read more.