Tags Posts tagged with "St. Elizabeth Healthcare"

St. Elizabeth Healthcare

Spine Center Helps Chronic Back, Neck Pain

by Amy Scalia - Nov 27, 2017

We hear from the pain specialists at St. Elizabeth Healthcare to learn about the most innovative and progressive treatments now available locally.

Dr. Jonathan Grainger, anesthesiology and pain management specialist at the St. Elizabeth Healthcare Spine Center, performs a radiofrequency ablation on a patient.

When thinking about back and neck issues, some of the most common diagnoses that typically come to mind are scoliosis, slipped discs and whiplash – to name a few.

Patients in the U.S. spend more than $80 billion each year trying to treat back and neck pain and undergo about 1.2 million spinal surgeries as a result. While acute injuries lead to a significant amount of treatments, the majority of spine-related issues are revealed over an extended period of time.

One example: Osteoporosis, a condition in which bones become brittle and fragile from loss of tissue, typically as a result of hormonal changes, or deficiency of calcium or vitamin D.

The St. Elizabeth Healthcare Spine Center offers a variety of innovative and progressive treatments

Here are some signs and symptoms that may stem from lingering back and neck issues:

Severe pain in the back, legs, arms or head
Muscle spasms, stiffness
Chronic joint pain (shoulders, hips, knees)
Numbness and tingling of thehands, fingers, feet and toes

“Chronic back and neck pain can be debilitating,” said Dr. Jonathan Grainger, anesthesiology and pain management specialist at the St. Elizabeth Healthcare Spine Center. “Our goal at the Spine Center is to increase patients’ everyday functionality through a comprehensive approach to pain management and rehabilitation.”

Patients have innovative and progressive treatments available at the Spine Center, including acupuncture, epidural injections, platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections, spinal cord simulators, radio frequency ablations, kyphoplasty and more.

The Spine Center utilizes state- of-the-art imaging and diagnostics, physical therapy, interventional pain management and surgical therapy. It treats the following acute and chronic spine issues:

Cervical radiculopathy: pain and/or neurological symptoms resulting from any type of condition that irritates a nerve in the cervical spine (neck).
Compression fractures: a vertebral bone in the spine that has decreased at least 15 to 20 per- cent in height due to fracture.
Degenerative disc disease: condition in which a damaged vertebral disc causes chronic pain – either low back pain (and/ or leg pain, sciatica) in the lumbar spine or neck pain (and/or arm pain) in the cervical spine.
Spinal stenosis: an abnormal narrowing (stenosis) of the spinal canal that may occur in any of the regions of the spine
Sprains and strains
And more

“We see a majority of our patients between the ages of 40 and 65,” Grainger said. “However, modern lifestyles and an increase in physically demanding activities with patients of all ages is starting to shift treatment needs.” For more information about the St. Elizabeth Healthcare Spine Center, visit stelizabeth.com

Editor’s Note: This is a special advertising supplement, paid for by St. Elizabeth Healthcare

Thinking About Natural Childbirth?

Health

by Amy Scalia - May 29, 2017

Mama-to-be, considering au naturel? A local expert shares seven savvy tips to decrease discomfort and increase joy in the experience.

St. Elizabeth will help guide moms-to-be through unmedicated births at its Family Birth Place in Edgewood.

Melissa Wills had an epidural during her first pregnancy. But, she opted to deliver her second and third babies without the use of medication.

While she experienced the joys of childbirth with all three of her children, she said that joy was intensified when she chose the natural route.

“With the unmedicated births I experienced greater joy and personal strength,” Wills said. “The bond between my husband and I also grew as he coached me through contractions, pushing, and the fear and doubt I had in myself. In essence, unmedicated birth enables women and their families to have all of the ‘feels’ of the miracle of birth.”

In addition to being a mother who has experienced natural birth, Wills is also a labor and delivery nurse at St. Elizabeth’s Family Birth Place in Edgewood.

Both Wills and certified nurse-midwife Sr. Kay Kramer – also at Edgewood – offer these tips for women considering a natural birth:

Choose a provider who has experience with and will support natural birth.

Be willing to ask your providers about their experience: What is their cesarean section rate? What is their episiotomy rate? How many natural childbirths have they done? What are they willing to do to help you through the birth of your child? Will they let you have intermittent fetal monitoring? Will they let you get up and move? Will you be able to eat? When would they induce you?

“The answers to these questions will assist you in making the decision about which obstetrician or midwife provider will best meet your needs. Also, keep in mind there are multiple providers within a practice with varying opinions. Ensuring everyone is willing to support your vision of birth is within your rights as a patient,” Wills said.

Take care of yourself.

Good prenatal care is important for all pregnancies. Take care of yourself and your baby. Exercise and get proper nutrition throughout your pregnancy to help prepare your body and your baby to experience birth, Wills said.

Understand that labor isn’t a nonstop experience of pain.

Kramer said many women think of labor as constant pain for hours and hours.

“It’s important to understand that, in the space of an hour, most women experience no more than 20 contractions that last one minute,” Kramer said. “So, that’s 20 minutes out of 60 that she might be experiencing pain.”

Wills often reminds her patients that the pain of delivery is only temporary.

Plan to have continuous labor support.

Having a supportive person by your side coaching you through the pain can make a huge difference, said Wills.

Learn about natural options to ease discomfort.

St. Elizabeth’s Family Birth Place recently installed three birthing tubs, Wills said. Many laboring women find comfort in the water of the tubs or in the show to help ease their pain. Wills also encourages her patients to try the birthing balls, squat bars, peanut balls and birthing stools to assist women to find a more comfortable position.

“Ambulating, massaging, breathing techniques, music, a focal point – these all make a difference in the experience of pain,” Kramer said.

“Without medication, you have the advantage of mobility. Being mobile assists the baby in finding its way out, Wills said. “Positioning and movement of the mom help the baby descend into the pelvis and rotate to an optimal position for delivery. Optimal positioning and controlled and coached pushing decreases the incidence of tearing of the perineum, which ultimately decreases healing time and recovery.”

Educate yourself.

Wills suggests reading books such as, Birthing from Within, Birthing without Fear, Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth, Bradley Method Classes and Hypnobirthing. Find the method you think will work best for you.

Believe in your body.

“I try to help women to understand that their bodies are strong,” Kramer said. “Women have been having babies forever and anesthesia is really a recent development. Be aware of your own strength.”

For more information on natural childbirth options at St. Elizabeth Healthcare, including midwives, visit the Family Birth Place.

Women’s Wellness

by Sara Sybert - Apr 24, 2017

From St. Elizabeth Healthcare’s state-of-the art technology to Wine & Watercolor classes, see how this heavy hitter in local healthcare is enhancing its women’s wellness programs.

St. Elizabeth events for women include birthing classes, grandparents classes, breastfeeding classes, big brother/big sister classes, mother to daughter classes, mobile mammography and cardiovascular screenings, Take Time for your Heart classes, and Wine & Watercolor classes

Based in Northern Kentucky, St. Elizabeth Healthcare dates back to 1861 when it was founded as one small hospital. Fast forward to 2017, and St. Elizabeth now operates seven facilities throughout Northern Kentucky to provide medical care and wellness programs to Greater Cincinnati.

According to Laura Sipple, head of Oncology and Women’s Wellness Marketing, St. Elizabeth’s was recently awarded an “A” for Patient Safety in the Spring 2017 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade. Which makes sense, she says, because St. Elizabeth’s mission is to provide comprehensive and compassionate care that improves the health of the people they serve. This goal is met by using state-of-the-art technology and its personnel, who are dedicated to helping the community, she adds.

The healthcare provider recently donated $30,000 to four community organizations and athletic trainers in Northern Kentucky to aid in the purchase of at least 20 automated external defibrillators while also bringing in new procedures to the facilities such as total knee replacement robotic surgery.

St. Elizabeth Healthcare is changing women’s wellness throughout the Tri-State with mobile healthcare, wellness programs, and other healthy events.

A specific area of focus for St. Elizabeth, though, is women’s health. In fact, it has an entire in-depth program dedicated to women’s wellness. Through these programs and events, Sipple says, St. Elizabeth Healthcare hopes to make it as easy and fun as possible for women take charge of their health.

This year has been big for the provider’s women’s wellness program, as it was recognized as 2017 Women’s Choice Award winners in Obstetrics, Heart Care, and Patient Safety.

“St. Elizabeth’s is hosting several events for women in the community, including a variety of birthing classes, grandparents classes, breastfeeding classes, big brother/big sister classes, mother to daughter classes, tours, mobile mammography and cardiovascular options, Take Time for your Heart classes, and Wine & Watercolor classes,” says Sipple.

On April 26, and again on October 25, St. Elizabeth will host its FORCE Support Group. According to Sipple, these get-togethers are ideal for those who have a family history of breast, ovarian, or a related cancer.

“[If you’re] considering genetic testing, waiting for results, or have already tested positive for a BRCA mutation or another gene associated with an increased cancer risk,” says Sipple. “These get-togethers are your chance to meet others who know what you’re going through, to ask questions, learn, or just listen in a safe and supportive environment.”

Sipple says guests can RSVP for the get-togethers by emailing Brandi at brandif@facingourrusk.org or by calling St. Elizabeth Healthcare Hereditary Cancer Genetic Counseling at 859-301-5396.

According to Sipple, other upcoming events include the March of Dimes March for Babies on April 30, Northern Kentucky Night at the Cincinnati Reds on May 20, and Heartchase Northern Kentucky on May 20.

To learn more about St. Elizabeth Healthcare, visit https://www.stelizabeth.com/. You can also follow along on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.