Community News

BALTIMORE, MD – October 7, 2024 – Did you know that holding your arm in a certain position may make a difference in your blood pressure measurement? Common arm positions during routine blood pressure checks can cause a significant increase in blood pressure reading. Therefore, blood pressure readings might not be accurate unless the arm is in the correct position to take a measurement.

In a recent study published on October 7, 2024, in the Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine, blood pressure readings were obtained while people held their arms in 3 different positions. The arm was leaning on a surface, resting on the lap or hanging by the side of the body while the blood pressure was taken. The study found that the most accurate measurement was obtained by having the arm rest on a surface near heart level. Holding your arm in your lap or by your side, lower than the heart, can result in a higher systolic number. The higher number, known as the systolic pressure, is the amount of pressure in a person’s arteries when the heart contracts and propels blood throughout the body.

The study was performed at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 133 adults had their blood pressure measured in each of the 3 arm positions.

Health care providers and patients will be able to measure more accurate blood pressures and avoid false diagnosis and unnecessary treatment. These findings are supported by the American Heart Association.

Listen to the full report below:

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA – October 4, 2024 – My wife and I have become climate refugees following western North Carolina’s destruction by Hurricane Helene. We lost electricity, running water, cell service and internet access for most of 5 days. We ran out of food to eat and water to drink. My wife’s blood pressure was high for the first time in her life at her medical appointment one week later.

Your body reacts to stress by releasing a surge of hormones as part of the “fight or flight” response. These hormones allow the body to better adapt by increasing the blood flow to your muscles so you can react. It’s considered normal for your blood pressure to increase for a short time during times of stress. Long-term high blood pressure can increase the risk of heart disease, heart attack, kidney disease and stroke.

Adrenaline and cortisol are the main hormones that are elevated. The former increase your heart rate and your blood vessels to narrow; while cortisone can raise your blood sugar and improve its utilization.

Learning how to manage stress can lower blood pressure. Your blood pressure should normalize once the stress goes away. Sticking to an exercise routine and having enough sleep can help lower stress.

Listen to the full report below:

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

ASHEVILLE, NC – October 16, 2024 – The CDC’s COVID Dashboard for the week ending on October 5^th shows:  

• Almost 2% of the deaths in North Carolina were due to COVID, the 2^nd lowest level of 6 groups and increased since last week.
• Emergency department visits for COVID-19 are minimal in North Carolina, less than 1.5% of all visits and a substantial decrease since last week.

Wastewater monitoring can be used to provide early warning for COVID outbreaks. The Buncombe & Henderson counties wastewater data on the North Carolina COVID Dashboard for the week ending on October 2^nd was unknown for the week, including:

• The number of viral gene copies in each water sample
• The 15-day rate of change of the number of viral gene copies in each water sample.

Vaccine protection wanes over time and newer variants evolve to evade the body’s defenses. Persons in high-risk groups, ages 65 and older, with chronic health conditions and weakened immune systems, are more likely to develop severe illness. At-risk people can be protected, by staying home when not feeling well and keeping current with vaccination.

Americans can order up to 4 free COVID tests at COVIDtest.gov. I just did.

A new COVID vaccine is available for currently circulating strains. It is recommended for everyone 6 months and older. The timing is optimal to protect against getting severely ill during the winter surge of respiratory infections. Check with local pharmacies for availability.

Listen to the full report below:

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

WASHINGTON, DC – October 9, 2024 – Unless you live in a cave, everyone in western North Carolina knows that it rained there a lot from September 25 to 27. Afterwards, the French Broad and Swannanoa Rivers flooded roads, homes and businesses causing massive destruction. Our region has not ever had the amount of rain and floods that we encountered since the ‘Great Flood’ of 1916. Hurricane Helene has inflicted more death and destruction on the continental U.S. since Katrina in 2005. So why should anyone prepare for such a catastrophic event that has never occurred before?

I lost my electricity, running water, internet access and cell service. Even the ability to send a text message was iffy. My rechargeable flashlight ran out of charge, so I used battery power flashlights. I had to drive my car around town to recharge my cell phone. I was advised to boil low-pressure water before washing my hands, brushing my teeth, or using it for food preparation. However, I didn’t hear the instructions correctly on the radio and boiled it for one hour not one minute. My wife told me that half the water had evaporated away!

My food and water supplies were dwindling over the course of 4-5 days. I was eating dry cereal for breakfast, a low glycemic energy bar for lunch, and used the grill to eat the remaining frozen food for dinner (hoping that I didn’t run out of propane). After about 4-5 days, my frozen and refrigerated food became warm and was no longer safe to eat. I ran out of low-pressure water to boil at about 4-5 days too.

I learned that there were 4 roads in and out of Asheville. Only 1 was passable and it headed south. To get to my son’s house (10 hours away in Chicago), I would have to drive west, but this road was impassible. I could add 2 hours to the drive by driving north, but this road was out too.

I was starting to get hungry and thirsty, and this was affecting my brain, which told me that I need to eat food and drink water. I developed the strong urge to stay healthy. Therefore, I packed a day bag and drove to Charlotte via Greenville. Greenville looked like Asheville with long gas and food lines and no traffic lights. After 5 days in a hotel room in Charlotte, including 2 trips back to Asheville to clean the bathrooms and kitchen sink and assess for any return of power (yes!) and running water (no!), I was invited to a friend’s house 10 hours away in northern Virginia. Food and water never tasted so good!

I have become a climate refugee. According to Wikipedia, a climate refugee is a person who is forced to leave their home region due to sudden or long-term changes to their local or regional environment like due to extreme weather events. These changes can interfere with their well-being or livelihood. It has also been referred to as being an ‘environmental migrant’ or ‘climate migrant.’

Ashevillians have flocked to many places to stay healthy. My story will end when I return home after my running water returns. I am lucky! Some people can have health problems from catastrophic events. Infectious disease, musculoskeletal injuries, and mental health problems are only a few of the conditions that can arise after this extreme weather event.

Listen to the full report below:

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

WINSTON-SALEM, NC – October 4, 2024 – I heard a phenomenal interview on the Winston-Salem radio station WFDD on October 4^th. WFDD’s David Ford interviewed Dr. Christopher Ohl, a professor of internal medicine and infectious diseases at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine. He offered some great tips on how to stay healthy during major floods, the psychological impacts of floods, and the many important uses of water.

Staying healthy during major floods is challenging. He emphasized trying to stay clean to reduce the risk of getting ill. He suggests keeping hands clean before eating and after going to the bathroom.

The mental health impact after floods may be the biggest health problem in the long run because they may last longer than other health problems. Natural disasters like floods can cause someone to feel helpless, grief stricken, and anxious. Grief reactions can occur from personal loss. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with the trauma following a major flood. Anxiety and panic attacks can occur after a natural disaster. Other mental health problems can include depression and suicide.

We must have water to survive. This point seemed obvious to me. Water keeps people hydrated and healthy. You need it to stay clean and to bathe. It has many applications for sanitation like flushing toilets. I would add to the list food preparation and washing clothes and dishes.

Some of the not so obvious uses of water is for cooling. Hospitals need it for their large equipment including CT scanners and communication gear. Schools must have water too.

The doctor recommended being prepared for major catastrophic events like floods. His suggestions were stockpiling food and water, staying up to date with vaccination for respiratory illnesses, and have an evacuation plan like staying out-of-town with friends or relatives. He also feels that having strong mental health services available is vital.

Listen to the full report below:

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]