Effingham, Mt. Vernon, Greenville, Highland Call: 618-816-0715
Shiloh, Edwardsville, Columbia, Breese, Jerseyville Call: 618-628-0715

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Celebrate National Heart Month with a Healthy Heart!

February is National Heart Month. This February, learn more about heart health so that you may have the knowledge you need to live a healthy-heart life and deal with potential heart emergencies.

According to Cleveland Clinic, heart attacks cause more deaths in the US every year than all forms of cancer combined. Coronary artery disease, the disease that causes heart attacks, is largely preventable (Cleveland Clinic, 2018). As Cleveland Clinic physicians recommend (Cleveland Clinic, 2018), “ask your doctor to measure your blood pressure, blood sugar and LDL cholesterol levels.” Knowing your family history and your risk of hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol will help your doctor determine your individual risk for heart disease. Also with this information, your doctor can recommend and discuss the medications or lifestyle changes you need. Some studies and reports have suggested a change in diet and exercise may decrease your risk for heart disease; talk to your doctor to see if any changes are necessary (Cleveland Clinic, 2018).

ABC News provides some helpful information regarding subtle signs and symptoms you can monitor to keep your heart and body healthy. Watch for these signs and consider speaking to your doctor if you experience the following: extreme fatigue, feet swelling, extreme pain when walking or moving, feeling dizzy or light-headed, shortness of breath even though you are fit, and migraines (ABC News, 2018). It is important to note that these symptoms can be caused by other health conditions. Talk to your doctor to discuss whether or not any symptoms you are experiencing could be pointing to your heart. If you are concerned about your own heart health, or the health of a loved one, speak to your doctor to get the answers you need to keep your heart healthy!

References
Cleveland Clinic. (2018). Health Essentials: How much do you know about heart health? Retrieved February 12, 2018, from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2018/02/how-much-do-you-know-about-heart-health-heres-whats-important/.

ABC News. (2018). Health.com: Subtle signs you could have a heart problem. Retrieved February 12, 2018, from http://abcnews.go.com/Health/subtle-signs-heart-problem/story?id=29283170.

Picture of Beth Fernandez, AuD
Beth Fernandez, AuD

Dr. Beth Fernandez is an audiologist who specializes in adult and pediatric diagnostics and adult hearing aid fitting and verification. Dr. Fernandez possesses a passion for improving the quality of life of individuals with hearing loss and tinnitus and employs the latest in evidence-based hearing aid fitting procedures in order to maximize patient outcomes.

In 2005, she graduated summa cum laude with her bachelor's degree in speech pathology and audiology from Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville. She then obtained her doctorate in audiology from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri in 2009. Dr. Fernandez is an advocate for the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss and her clinical services include hearing conservation counseling and the fitting of custom hearing protection, swimplugs, and earbuds. In addition, she provides in-office treatment for positional vertigo. Dr. Fernandez enjoys sharing her passion for the profession of audiology through teaching and public outreach.

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Effingham, Mt. Vernon, Greenville, Highland
Call: 618-816-0715

Shiloh, Edwardsville, Columbia, Breese, Jerseyville
Call: 618-628-0715