Community News
Suffering From Heel Pain?

Plantar fasciitis is usually caused by repetitive overstretching of the ligaments that support the arch. Having proper supportive footwear, along with gel heel insoles, will help with your symptoms and make walking more tolerable. Be sure to roll the arch of your foot first thing in the morning and wear slippers on hardwood and laminate flooring at home to cushion the heel and avoid further inflammation. Pain relieving modalities such as ultrasound, acupuncture, and shockwave therapy, along with appropriate stretches and exercises, can also help reduce pain and inflammation and get you healing the proper way.

Benefits of Blue Light-Blocking Glasses

Exposure to artificial light at the wrong times of day is one of the largest often-overlooked health risks of living in the 21st century. Blocking blue light serves an important biological purpose, helping to regulate your internal clock to control sleep patterns and other body functions; avoiding blue light at night is crucial to protecting your health. One of the least expensive and simplest ways to protect your body’s internal rhythm, and thereby support healthy sleep and a lowered risk of many chronic diseases, is to wear blue-light-blocking glasses at night.

What You Don’t Hear

When someone has moderate hearing loss they will hear relatively well if you are talking to them face to face in a quiet environment. They will not hear well if you are walking away from them, in a different room, or if noise is present. People with hearing loss may be unaware of the extent of it: that’s where loved ones come in. Family members who have grown frustrated with them not being able to hear are the ones to prompt them to get a hearing test. Encourage them to have their hearing tested, you will be doing them and yourself a big favour in the long run.

Book Club

Hack Your Anxiety: How to Make Anxiety Work for You in Life, Love, and All That You Do. What if anxiety is not a monster to be tamed, but a resource to be tapped? In this revolutionary book, Dr. Alicia Clark recognizes anxiety as the unsung hero in the path to success and happiness. It can become the motivating force that will lead to a better you, and The Anxiety Advantage aims to restore anxiety to its rightful place as a positive resource. Reclaim your anxiety as a powerful energy source, ad bring yourself peace, growth and success.

Benefits of a Removable Partial Denture

A removable partial denture (RPD) replaces one or more missing teeth. Your denturist will personally design an RPD to help limit movement (tipping and migrating) of your natural teeth. The design will also provide even contact between teeth to allow for better grinding/chewing of your food for easier digestion. Metal partials are preferred, as they are structurally superior, thinner, and more hygienic than an acrylic partial. By replacing any missing natural teeth with an RPD, a natural appearance and speech clarity is restored, along with the ability to chew more efficiently.

Exercise for SAD

SAD stands for Seasonal Affected Disorder, which is mainly attributed to the reduction in sunlight hours in winter and is your body’s reaction to the changes in season. With SAD you might feel sluggish or moody, have a loss of appetite, and even lose interest in activities you normally love. One way to combat these feelings and the wintertime blues is to get your body moving! Exercise, even light exercise, has been shown to improve mood and energy through increased blood flow and the release of certain endorphins, as well as improve sleep and alertness, and reduce anxiety and stress.

When You’re Missing Teeth

Missing teeth due to an accident, genetics, disease, and other reasons can cause patients to experience various problems. People’s confidence can decrease from having teeth missing from their smile because they feel more self-conscious and insecure. Missing teeth can also cause people to chew differently, which may mean they are not breaking up food properly. This can result in choking problems, digestive problems, and issues with their jaw. Infections can develop in those who are missing teeth if bacteria collect in those areas, and speech can also be negatively affected. The good news is that the right dentures can eliminate these problems.

Medication: Take with Questions!

Medication mix-ups can and do happen. Asking questions is a powerful action that can improve medication safety. It’s easy for even the average person to lose track of what they are taking and how often they are taking it. Ask your pharmacist and other members of your healthcare team about your medications. Be sure to ask questions every time a new medication is prescribed, given, or purchased. And finally, ask questions in the hospital, at the pharmacy, and during healthcare appointments. Questions save lives; it’s safe to ask.

Aging at Home

85% of seniors have done nothing to prepare their home for aging. It is important to be aware of the day-to-day tasks your loved one may face and assess the risks accordingly. This can be done by adapting their home to make sure they are safe on their own. Beneficial aids can help an older adult look after their home with dignity. These include chairlifts, ramps, rails, reaching tools, grabbers, and remote controls. These changes can also reduce stress for them. Minimizing risks and making a home safe is so important. Let’s support our loved ones in living healthy, independent, enjoyable lives.

Seniors and Medication Use

It’s important to help seniors use their medications properly and consistently to ensure they get the intended benefits and avoid the possible side effects. Ensuring that seniors are able to access their medication is the first step. For those who are no longer able to drive, having someone provide them with transportation can ensure they are able to pick up their medications when they need to. Seniors who have trouble keeping track of their medications and when to take them may need assistance with scheduling and storage of their medications. Monitoring for side effects may also be required in case they are unaware of their symptoms.

Tinnitus

Described as ear or head noises, tinnitus can take the form of ringing, buzzing, hissing, or similar sounds, and it can be constant or intermittent. In some cases, tinnitus can result from medical conditions such as wax buildup or ear infection, which can be treated, often resulting in total relief of symptoms. In many cases, tinnitus is the first sign of hearing loss. The first step in managing any type of tinnitus is to undergo a complete hearing assessment by a hearing professional. If hearing loss is found and medical intervention is not the answer, your hearing health professional will go over additional treatment solutions with you, such as tinnitus maskers or hearing aids.