Health-N-You

‘Tis the season for sharing germs

No one ever wants to be sick, yet the winter seems to be the time for flu, colds, and stomach illness. Washing your hands frequently and avoiding sick people are two easy ways to prevent getting sick. Dr. Doyle, Medical Director at UHCS, recently commented on the importance of the flu vaccine in the Huntington News. And one student shared how easy the process of getting the vaccine was for her. Learn more about the flu and prevention here. Unfortunately, stomach illnesses don’t have vaccines like the flu. Norovirus is the most common stomach virus in the United States. Symptoms which include nausea, vomiting diarrhea and stomach cramps typically last about 1-2 days. If symptoms persist longer, contact UHCS or your health care provider. Suggestions for the prevention of the Norovirus are very similar to the recommendations for avoiding the flu virus with frequent hand washing once again being at the top of the list. Since Norovirus is transmitted in a hand to mouth manner, hand washing just prior to eating is particularly important. If you have the Norovirus or live with someone who does, keeping shared surfaces like countertops clean will also decrease the risk of transmission. If you do contract the virus, do not panic. Try to keep a good fluid intake despite any vomiting (sips of liquid every 5 minutes helps) and take only simple foods. If you feel like you can’t control your symptoms or keep even tiny sips of water down, see us at UHCS or go to a local Emergency Room.

Freshman 15 is a myth

Check out the latest research on the freshman 15. It seems to be that a couple more pounds is actually just part of getting older.

http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/health/articles/2011/11/01/new_research_debunks_myths_on_college_weight_gain/

I missed class because I was sick...what should I do now?

We do not provide written excuses for students who miss class due to illness or injury. This policy was highlighted in the Provost’s guidelines for missed classes during the H1N1 flu epidemic of 2009. 

Students who need to miss class due to illness/injury are encouraged to notify their professor that they are ill or injured and unable to attend, preferably prior to the class. It is the right of the faculty to determine when or if a student will be excused from class.  

Our policy is consistent with our commitment to maintain confidentiality, appropriately use health care resources, and support the faculty/student relationship. Integrity in this process is an expectation of the Northeastern Academic Integrity Policy.

Download a sample email notification to send to your professors if you miss class.

Do I have bed bugs?

Bed bugs are tiny insects that feed on blood leaving small bite marks typically on your arms, chest, and back. It’s important to act quickly if you suspect bed bugs in your apartment or room.  An expert must confirm the problem is truly bed bugs. If you reside in an apartment building, you should contact your landlord immediately. If you reside in the residence halls on campus, contact your RA or RD. If bed bugs are confirmed, you will be advised of the prescribed room treatment and how to prepare for it. Click here for important health information from NU.

What do I look for to see if I have bed bugs?
When cleaning or changing bedding, look for:

• Dark spots (about this size: •) which are bed bug feces
• Eggs and eggshells, which are tiny (about 1mm) and white
• Skins that nymphs shed as they grow larger
• Live bed bugs
• Rusty or reddish stains on bed sheets or mattresses caused by bed bugs being crushed

What do I do with my belongings if I think I have bed bugs?

Once you have contacted your RA or building manager, it is extremely important that you do not remove or relocate anything from your room or other areas of your apartment. It is unnecessary to discard potentially infested furniture, mattresses, and other belongings. DO NOT relocate laundry to laundry rooms or other areas until AFTER a bed bug inspection, and follow instructions you receive for any treatment to your room.

Can I prevent bed bugs? 

There are some precautions you can take to help prevent bed bugs:

• Check secondhand furniture, beds, couches for any signs of bed bug infestation as noted above.
• Use a protective cover to encase mattresses and box springs
• Reduce clutter to reduce hiding places for the bed bugs
• When traveling in hotel rooms check the mattress and headboard for signs of bed bugs-keep belongings off the floor and unpack directly into the washing machine upon return home.

Wash your hands!

Wash your hands! How many times have you heard this and wondered if it really helps keep you healthy.

The answer is yes.

Not only does hand washing keep germs from affecting you, but it stops any bacteria from getting passed to others and causing illnesses ranging from the common cold, flu, viral meningitis, to the far more serious ones such as E. Coli.

Look at the microbial growth on this petri dish. A) no disinfection B) after hand washing with soap C) using alcohol based cleanser. 
 

Watch this video to learn how to wash your hands properly from the CDC

Summer heat

Nobody likes a sunburn, but that's not the only thing to watch out for during a heat wave.  Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are other unpleasant side effects of hot weather.  Prevention is the best defense during hot weather.

 

• Fluids: Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink.  Drink more fluids (nonalcoholic) than usual, regardless of your activity level. While exercising, drink two to four glasses of cool, nonalcoholic fluids each hour.  A sports beverage can replace the salt and minerals you lose in sweat.
• Keeping Cool: Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing. Stay indoors during the peak heat hours of the day. If your apartment or res hall does not have air conditioning, go to the Curry Student Center, the shopping mall, library or other air conditioned space –even a few hours   spent in air conditioning can help your body stay cooler when you go back into the heat. 
• Outdoor Activity: Limit your outdoor activity and exercise to morning and evening hours when the sun is lower in the sky. It is important to rest often in shady areas.
• Protection: Protect yourself from the sun by applying sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher, wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses.

Ticks

Spring and summer mean better weather and enjoyment of the great outdoors. A word of warning though, please be aware of our least favorite members of the natural world – TICKS. 
These little insects are in forests, tall grasses, sand dunes, fields of clover and other beautiful spots.  They survive by leaping on us (and dogs and cats) and sucking our blood so they may reproduce before they die.  Unfortunately this unpleasant form of contact can allow the transmission of illnesses like Lyme disease, Erhlichiosis, Babesiosis and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

As with many illnesses, prevention is the best protection!  Long, light colored clothing helps prevent ticks from getting on the skin and aids in their detection.  A self check for ticks after an outdoor activity is also an excellent idea. Be sure to have a mirror available to visualize those hard to see areas.  After a self check, a thorough bath or shower is a must. 

Most tick borne illness requires a tick to be feeding on its human host for greater than 24 hours so don’t panic if you find one after your outdoor activity.  If there is any sign of rash or infection around a tick bite or anywhere on the body, you should make an appointment at UHCS or with your primary care clinician.  If you develop a fever above 102 degrees F, rash or decreased mental functioning after a tick bite, you should be checked out right away. 

The bacterial diseases a tick bite can transmit have symptoms that range from mild fever, body aches, headache and fatigue to a life threatening septic shock.  Long term health problems are possible and become more likely with delays in diagnosis and treatment.  Fortunately, treatment is fairly routine and if caught early, highly effective.  Testing and therapy is available here at UHCS and we are happy to examine any insects brought in.

So, go forth and enjoy the world but be sure to check yourself upon the return from the outdoors and please seek medical attention if you have any questions. 

Measles in Boston

The media is continuing to report on more cases of measles in the Boston area. Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease which spreads in the air by breathing, coughing or sneezing.  Symptoms of measles include a blotchy rash all over the body, fever, runny nose, cough, conjunctivitis, feeling run down, and tiny white spots with bluish-white centers found inside the mouth.

Being proactive is our safest strategy.  The best defense is to receive two MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) immunizations. Northeastern students’ immunization requirements include two (2) MMRs. It is strongly recommended that all students, staff, and faculty check their vaccination history to be sure they have record of two doses of MMR vaccine given at least one month apart. Persons who are not fully vaccinated against measles are at the highest risk for infection.  Measles immunizations are available at UHCS.

Remember, there is no treatment for measles - prevention is the only way to reliably avoid a potentially life threatening infection!

If you think you’ve been exposed, it is important that you be seen by a medical clinician right away to see if you need to be vaccinated. The vaccine should be given within 72 hours after exposure in order to prevent or decrease the severity of the disease.

For more information about measles, click here.

Are you ready...?

Does the spring weather have you motivated to get outside more?  Are you thinking that a walk around Boston sounds fun?  Ready to start a new exercise program?

Spring temperatures and sunny days can motivate everyone to get out of their apartments/res halls but its important to do it safely.

Flip-flops and heels are not the best footwear option for that walk around town. They can change your gait in subtle ways that can lead to serious sole, heel and ankle problems. Throwing on a good pair of sneakers will be better for your feet. Walking in bare feet is also good for your feet, but weather, safety and cleanliness - as well as the ability to go into a store or a Dunkins - may argue against it.   

The sunny days and warmer weather also means sun exposure. Every day application of sunscreen is important to protect your skin from ultraviolet rays. If you are swimming or sweating, remember to check the label for the best variety AND to determine if reapplication is necessary.

We hope that you can apply the suggestions we make and start putting yourself on your Springtime/Summer path to good health! Note: Always consult your doctor prior to beginning any new exercise regiment!

Everyone needs a dose of spring air and sunshine!

Many people say they love spring. But instead of enjoying it, the average American spends most of the season stuck inside. All this indoor living isn't doing much for everyone’s health. We have lost sight of the benefits and value in fresh air and sunshine. So, don’t spend most of your day indoors if you can find the time to get outside.

Fresh air not only provides essential oxygen to your lungs but it also helps purify the blood and cells.  After you take in air through your lungs, your red blood cells pick up the oxygen and carry it to the rest of your body. This steady supply of oxygen is needed by your brain and every single cell of your body.

Sunshine is the best source for Vitamin D.  Simply being in sunlight triggers skin to make vitamin D. It is shaping up to be a potent cancer fighter and protector to certain chronic disease. When outside make sure to protect your skin with SPF 15 or higher. Not only will sunshine help in combating disease it also improves moods.

So get outside, breathe some fresh air and bask in the rays of the beautiful sunshine.  You will be amazed by how refreshed and energized you will be.

Not everything that happens on spring break stays on spring break

It’s never easy to come back from spring break whether you went on vacation or went home.  Here are a couple things to make the return to life at NU, a little easier.

1 – Reestablish healthy patterns.  Maybe you didn’t go to bed as early as you know you should, or maybe you’re still recovering from a case of jet lag.  Either way, now’s the time to catch up on your sleep, before the semester gets going again and your sleep debt starts to catch up with you.  Getting a healthy, balanced diet back on track and visiting Marino or Squashbusters a few times a week might not be a bad idea either.

2 - Not everything that happens on spring break stays on spring break.  If you’re worried about more than just the memories of that spring fling coming home with you, schedule an appointment with a clinician at UHCS for STI testing.  It’s confidential!

3 – Be on the lookout for international stowaways.  Did you choose an alternative spring break this year?  Eat some questionably cooked food while helping out in the Congo?  Dined on mystery hash in Haiti? Chilled out in a lake in Chad? If you’re feeling more under-the-weather than you would expect from your post-vacation blues, you might have picked up a tropical infection..  So, if you have fever, chills, night sweats, lingering cough, mysterious itch, rash, unusual bleeding or bruising, diarrhea, vomiting, or anything else outside the norm for you, consider scheduling an appointment at UHCS.

Post by Cathryn Imperato, Nurse Practitioner at UHCS

Measles Update

From Dr Doyle:

We are sure that you are aware of the recent press reports of several cases of measles in the Boston area.  Although there are currently no confirmed cases that put NU at particular risk, I believe that being proactive is our safest strategy.  To this end I strongly recommend that all students, staff and faculty check their vaccination history to be sure they have record of two doses of MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine given at least one month apart.  For students who are missing these records or who are unvaccinated, UHCS is currently offering the MMR vaccine at no cost!  Remember, there is no treatment for measles - prevention is the only way to reliably avoid a potentially life threatening infection!

Bitter cold. Arctic cold. Wicked cold

Frostbite is an injury to the body that is caused by freezing.  Frostbite causes a loss of feeling and color in the nose, ears, chin, cheeks, fingers, and toes.   Seek medical care if you think you have frostbite. 

Take steps to prevent frostbite.   
Dress warmly. Wool is better than cotton.
Wear a hat, a scarf or knit mask to cover the face and mouth, sleeves that are snug at the wrist, mittens (they are warmer than gloves), water-resistant coat and boots (no flip flops), and several layers of loose fitting clothing.