Men are not always the best about seeking preventive health care, but every June offers an opportunity to get back on track. June is Men’s Health Month, a time dedicated to educating men and their loved ones about important issues, including preventive care. If the men in your life are reluctant to get the preventive care they need, point out these advantages to them.

Reduced risk of heart attack and stroke

One of the things that physicians check during preventive care appointments is blood pressure and cholesterol numbers. Each of these results tells doctors a great deal about your risk for having a heart attack or stroke.

When a physician diagnoses high blood pressure or high cholesterol, he or she can begin a treatment plan to get them under control so that they don’t lead to a heart attack or stroke. Without preventive care, however, the first time you may learn you have these conditions is when you are getting emergency care.

Men need these tests every 3-5 years between the ages of 18 and 39 and annually after that. If you have heart disease, your physician may want to check them more often.

Reduced risk of prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is generally slow to progress, so with early diagnosis, it is generally very treatable. Since men are screened for prostate cancer during their preventive care appointments, it gives them an opportunity to get diagnosed early, when treatment is less invasive and more effective.

Prostate cancer often doesn’t cause any symptoms in its earliest stages, so preventive screenings are even more important. Your physician may recommend screenings beginning at age 50, or earlier, based on your risk factors.

Reduced risk of colon cancer

Much like prostate cancer, colon cancer is slow moving and highly treatable when diagnosed early. During a colonoscopy, your physician can find and remove polyps before they even become cancer.

Most men start screenings at age 50, but your physician will help you determine the right time for you, based on your family history of the disease.

Encourage the men in your life to contact Southern Hills Hospital and Medical Center for a referral to a physician who can provide preventive care. Simply call our hospital in Las Vegas at (702) 916-5023 for a physician referral and to get answers to your questions about our services.

Headaches are among the most common reason people seek emergency care, and migraines are to blame for many of those ER visits. How do you know if you should go to the emergency room when you experience a migraine? Here are some of the signs that you should consider getting emergency care for a migraine.

You are having the worst headache you’ve ever experienced.

Whether you are accustomed to having migraines but are having a headache that is more intense than normal or you’ve never had a migraine before, a sudden and severe headache should be evaluated in the ER to determine the cause.

For some people, this kind of headache could be the first time they have a migraine, and so the symptoms are a new experience. However, in some cases, a crippling headache can be the sign of another condition, such as a stroke or brain aneurysm, that could be life-threatening in the absence of immediate treatment.

You’ve tried home remedies that haven’t worked.

Most people who get migraines have a home care strategy they use when a headache begins. This plan could include the use of medications to treat the pain and nausea as well as getting away from bright lights and loud noises and applying a cool cloth to the forehead.

If you’ve tried these remedies, but you are not getting relief, it could be time to get emergency care. This is especially true if the migraine lasts over multiple days.

You’re experiencing signs of dehydration

Not only can dehydration contribute to migraines, but when you have a migraine, you can become even more dehydrated, particularly if you vomit. It can also be difficult to drink fluids when your migraine is severe. If you believe you could be dehydrated, you may need IV fluids.

Whenever you’re experiencing symptoms that concern you, don’t take the chance of delaying emergency care. Southern Hills Hospital and Medical Center’s ER is open 24 hours a day to provide the emergency care in Las Vegas when you need it most. For more information about our hospital and all of our services, please call (702) 916-5023.

Swimming and water sports are popular ways to beat the heat during the hot Las Vegas summers. If your family has a pool or you’re thinking of using a community pool, there are a few safety precautions you need to know about. Near drownings are, unfortunately, entirely too common. Many of the drowning accidents that claim the lives of children happen in backyard pools. When life-threatening events occur, families can trust the emergency care team at Southern Hills Hospital.

Supervise children near water

Parents of young children already know that accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. The most effective way to protect your kids around bodies of water is to ensure that they are supervised every second by a responsible adult. If your child is having a pool party with friends, there should be at least a couple of adults keeping an eye on the kids.

Learn CPR

CPR saves lives, but many people don’t know how to perform it. Consider checking your local hospital or community center for CPR classes. New parents can often find infant and pediatric CPR classes in maternity hospitals.

If you do need to perform CPR because of a drowning accident, continue to do rescue breaths and chest compressions until breathing resumes or emergency responders arrive.

Enroll children in swimming lessons

Formal swimming lessons aren’t a foolproof way to prevent drowning. Children still need to be supervised around bodies of water. However, formal swimming lessons can certainly help reduce the risk of an accident.

Consider talking to your children’s pediatrician about how old they should be when they start swimming lessons.

Teach children about poolside safety

Children need frequent reminders to follow poolside rules. Give your kids a refresher course before opening your pool at the start of the season. Here are some basic pool rules:

• Only go near the water with an adult present.
• No running or roughhousing near the pool.
• No playing near drains or suction outlets.

The emergency care team at Southern Hills Hospital is available 24/7, although we truly hope your family will never need to see us. Our community hospital is committed to healthcare excellence across all of our departments, which include maternity, stroke care and orthopedics. Call a registered nurse in Las Vegas at (702) 916-5000.

Good health is about more than just the absence of disease. It’s about enjoying quality of life, and reaping the benefits of a strong mind and body. Each May is Mental Health Month, and the geriatric psychiatric specialists at Southern Hills Hospital are celebrating by spreading the word about the mind/body connection. If you’re experiencing mental health challenges, consider visiting our hospital to meet with a caring specialist.

The physical effects of stress on your body

Severe or chronic stress takes a heavy toll on both mind and body. Stress can manifest in vague aches and pains. It can also result in the following:

• Excessive fatigue
• Headaches
• Chest pain
• Heart palpitations
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Lightheadedness
• Shortness of breath
• Insomnia
• Changes in appetite

Stress can even cause a spike in blood pressure.

The behavioral effects of emotions

If you’re having trouble coping with difficult emotions, you might notice that your daily routine is a little off. You might skip breakfast—or you might eat ice cream for breakfast. You might lose the motivation to exercise.

On the other hand, if you’re feeling mentally strong and emotionally healthy, you might decide to join a gym or indulge in a delicious salad. The state of your mental health can influence your physical health by altering your typical behaviors.

The methods of supporting mental resiliency

Mental resiliency and physical health are both essential for good quality of life. If you’ve been struggling with signs of mental health disorders like depression or anxiety, consider talking to your doctor about it. Your doctor genuinely wants to help you feel well, and you won’t be pressured into trying treatments that don’t appeal to you.

You can support your mental resiliency by eating well and exercising, even if you don’t feel motivated to do so. Practice good stress management techniques, like listening to your favorite music, escaping in a novel or getting out on a nature trail.

Southern Hills Hospital specializes in the psychiatric needs of our geriatric patients in the Las Vegas area. We provide compassionate inpatient and outpatient care for adults ages 50 and older, and our community hospital is working on an expansion project to meet the psychiatric needs of younger adults and adolescents. You can direct questions about our geriatric psychiatric services to a registered nurse at (702) 916-5023.

If the health benefits of exercise could be packed into a pill, countless seniors would consider taking it. Unfortunately, that would mean missing out on one of the most attractive perks of working out—having fun! Exercise gets a bad reputation for being boring and repetitive, but the truth is that working out can be just as invigorating and engaging as you want it to be. Here at Southern Hills Hospital, it’s the mission of our orthopedic, stroke and geriatric specialists to help older adults enjoy great quality of life. Let us know how we can help you get active.

Try Wii fitness games

Videogames are usually a sedentary activity enjoyed by youth—but not when it comes to Wii fitness games. Nintendo Wii is designed specifically to get people up and moving. With the handheld console, you can play simulated games like the following:

• Yoga
• Skiing
• Bowling
• Tennis
• Baseball
• Golf
• Fishing
• Archery
• Swordplay

As you can see, there’s a Wii game to suit everyone’s interests. As an added bonus, playing Wii games together with your grandkids is a great way to develop closer relationships.

Strength train with your groceries

If you’d rather not purchase a gaming system, you can use what you already have in your home to build muscle strength. You can use pantry items to do bicep curls and overhead presses. Start with something lighter, like cans of vegetables, before moving on to heavier objects like half-gallon water jugs.

Consider talking to a physical therapist or fitness trainer before you start. It’s important to use proper form to prevent injuries while strength training.

Learn martial arts

Martial arts can be fun for all ages. Consider joining a low- or non-contact martial arts class like Tai Chi, Qigong, Bagua or Hsing-I.

These are the internal martial arts. This means they focus on cultivating mental strength. With their rhythmic, dance-like movements, these martial arts can help you develop:

• Balance
• Coordination
• Physical stability
• Lower body strength

Check your local senior center or community center for martial arts classes designed for adults.

For the compassionate, patient-focused care you deserve, you can put your trust in Southern Hills Hospital. We are a leading provider of superior orthopedic care, stroke care, geriatric psychology and emergency care for patients of all ages in the Las Vegas area. You can speak with a member of our dedicated nursing team by calling (702) 916-5023.