- Infectious DiseaseGeneral Page Tier 3BlogSummer is here, and for many families, that means it’s time for a vacation. But with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, traveling now comes with new risks. Taking the right safety precautions is more important now than ever before. If you’re planning a trip this summer, here is what to keep in mind. Outdoors are safer than indoors Many beaches, parks and other outdoor spaces have reopened, usually with restrictions. If you’re looking to get away for a few days, consider taking a camping or hiking trip. Spending time outdoors is also great for your mental and physical wellbeing. Just remember, if you’re traveling to a popular tourist spot, it may be hard to observe physical distancing guidelines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that you stay six feet away from others who are not in your household. Before you book your vacation, think about how crowded it’s likely to be. You might want to seek out locations that are off the beaten path instead. Or think about visiting during less popular hours and choosing activities that will take you away from crowds. For example, rent a kayak or paddleboard instead of playing mini-golf. Take a road trip Driving your own car is the safest way to travel right now. Pack a cooler full of snacks and drinks so you don’t have to stop for food. Make sure to have hand sanitizer and face masks with you for when you do have to stop. If you use cloth masks, bring extras with you in case you aren’t able to wash them every day. A good rule of thumb is to have a mask for every day that you are away. This summer, think about traveling to see relatives and staying at their houses instead of a hotel or resort. If you have family members who are high risk, such as older family members or family members with pre-existing conditions, we recommend quarantining for a week before you travel to see them. If you do have to fly, try to book a flight that’s early in the morning or late at night, when fewer people are flying. Wear a mask any time you are in the airport, even if you are in an area with relaxed restrictions, and while on the plane. Bring your own snacks and an empty water bottle or a thermos that you can fill up at the airport, and wipes so you can clean off your seat on the plane. If COVID-19 is spreading in your area, or in the area that you plan to visit, consider postponing your trip. And if you are sick, don’t travel. Consider “staycations” and day trips The safest way to enjoy your summer is still by staying at home. But if you want to get out of your house, now is the time to plan some fun day trips. This way, you are still beginning and ending the day in your own home. If you have kids, it’s time to get creative! Rather than visiting public pools, set up a sprinkler in your yard for your little ones. Arrange play dates that are outside. The same thing goes for adults. Host gathering with friends outside instead of inside. We know that after several months of stay-at-home orders, everyone wants a change of scenery and a return to normal life. But remember, we must do our part to protect others and ourselves and slow the spread of COVID-19. Authors Michael Remoll, MD, is the director of emergency services at Anne Arundel Medical Center. Stefanie Osterloh, CRNP, is a nurse practitioner at Doctors Community Practices at Crofton.
- Orthopedics, WellnessGeneral Page Tier 3BlogThink strength and resistance training is only for athletes or those who want to bulk up? Think again! Strength training can help everyone. Working it into your exercise routine can have a number of benefits outside of simply gaining muscle. For starters, it’s a great way to burn calories and increase metabolism. When you increase your muscle mass from strength training, you boost your resting metabolism. This means your body will naturally burn more calories. “If you look at metabolic rates — the way we process food and turn it into energy in the body — you can boost that just by getting on a weight training program,” says Louis Ruland, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Anne Arundel Medical Center. Strength training can also help you prevent injury. It builds strength in the muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints. This allows them to absorb more impact and force without breaking or tearing. “If you’re a runner, and you do strength training to build up certain muscles around the knee, those muscles are critical for tracking of the patella,” Dr. Ruland says. “In doing that, you reduce common overuse injuries of the knee.” To achieve this effect, you should participate in a training regimen that strengthens a wide number of muscle groups. Muscle imbalances are one of the most common causes of athletic injuries. That’s why it’s important to work out a variety of muscles, not just the “beach muscles” (to show off at the beach) such as your arms and legs, but more importantly, the trunk or “core muscles.” Dr. Ruland also recommends weight training for people in their 70s and 80s. “The benefits enable that age group to more easily perform activities of daily living,” he says. “It can even increase overall bone density, which produces greater bone strength and can lower the incidence of fractures.” You don’t need a gym membership; push-ups, sit-ups, planks, squats and single leg stance are just a few easy strength exercises that don’t require any equipment. “You can do a variety of simple exercises just using your body weight,” Dr. Ruland says. “In addition, resistance bands or dumbbells are relatively inexpensive, and it’s also possible to do resistance exercises with large books or other heavy household objects.” Get illustrated tips on proper form for performing body weight exercises. Author Louis Ruland, MD, is an orthopedic surgeon at Anne Arundel Medical Center. Originally published Dec. 5, 2016. Last updated July 6, 2020.
- Pediatrics, WellnessGeneral Page Tier 3BlogSummer’s here which means it’s a great time for kids to get outside and play, but the heat can also take a serious toll on little bodies when we aren’t careful. Heat exhaustion is one of the most common conditions kids experience in the summer. A child’s body surface makes up a greater proportion of their overall weight than an adult’s, which puts them at greater risk of dehydration and heat exhaustion. Symptoms of Heat Exhaustion Severe thirst Nausea Fast and shallow breathing Headaches Muscle pain Cool, clammy skin If your child is experiencing these symptoms you should immediately bring them to a cooler place, remove any excess clothing, encourage them to drink cool fluids and call your doctor for advice. You can prevent heat exhaustion by being proactive about keeping your child hydrated. Make sure they drink cool water early and often. If they’re going out to play or to a sports practice make sure they’re fully hydrated before leaving and then make sure they take regular breaks to drink – even if they aren’t thirsty. Heat exhaustion starts slowly but if it’s not identified and treated quickly it can progress into heat stroke. Symptoms of Heat Stroke Pounding headache Dizziness and light-headedness Red, hot, dry skin Cramps or muscle weakness Rapid, shallow breathing Nausea, vomiting Confusion Unconsciousness Heat stroke is very serious and is considered a medical emergency. If you think someone has heat stroke, call 911 immediately. While you wait for medics to arrive you can try and cool the person down by moving them to a shady or cool area, fanning them and cooling down their skin with water. Author By David Afzal, DO, a family medicine physician with Anne Arundel Medical Group (AAMG) Waugh Chapel Family Medicine. To find an AAMG doctor in your area, visit MyAAMG.org. Originally published May 29, 2015. Last updated July 6, 2020.
- Infectious DiseaseGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAfter returning to Maryland from an international trip, I started having symptoms of what I thought might be a cold or the flu. I thought I would quickly recover from it. But on March 29, I started to exhibit more symptoms, including a fever, chest pressure, cough, a prolonged headache, labored breathing and loss of appetite. I scheduled a Zoom call with my primary care physician on April 6, had a test on April 7, and found out I was positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) on April 9. After my diagnosis, I was told to head to Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) for a CT scan of my lungs. My husband and I were scared to death, especially not knowing much about COVID-19 during the early stages of the pandemic. It’s hard to believe that I’m still the only one in my core group of friends and family members who has been diagnosed and has recovered from this virus. Looking back, I’m glad I’m here to tell my story. The care that I received at AAMC was great. The staff treated me with great respect. I really felt that my care team, along with my primary care physician, cared about my wellbeing and wanted to see me recover. On May 22, I was asked if I wanted to donate my plasma to aid in the fight against this deadly virus. I quickly said yes. I was asked about 15 to 20 antibody screening questions and on May 28, it was determined that I was able to donate. Many close to me ask why I would want to donate. My question to them is, why not? To me, I had to donate. I’m one of the lucky ones to beat this out of hundreds of thousands of people. I have to pay it forward and help someone else. There was no way that I wasn’t going to donate. The donation process was fast and easier than I expected. Now, as an “official” plasma donor, I have to wait 55 days to donate again, and I already have my date scheduled. It’s been three months since my diagnosis. I’m pretty much back to normal. My stamina has returned, though it took a while to get back to my pre-COVID self. My daily routines took a little longer to complete, as I would often get a little winded doing simple things like walking up stairs. As a COVID survivor, I want to remind people of a few things as we begin to re-open. We must continue wearing masks. We must continue practicing social distancing. We must make sure that we are correctly washing and sanitizing our hands. We need to get into these habits and be rigorous in following safety guidelines from the state and from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Author Clare Vanderbeek, a mid-60s resident of Edgewater, Maryland, is a COVID-19 survivor.
- Infectious DiseaseGeneral Page Tier 3BlogI started feeling the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) on Friday, March 20. I remember it like it was yesterday. I went to work like always. By mid-day, I began to have a headache and felt sluggish. So I went home to rest. The next morning, I woke up to another headache and again tried to go about my day. But my head would not stop hurting. I put up with it for as long as I could, but once again had to go home early. I just chalked it up to allergies and thought I should tough it out. By Tuesday, I felt even worse. I still had a headache and a new symptom: A fever of 102 degrees. On top of my fever, I started having loose stools and could not keep food down for long. I decided to go to urgent care, where I was told that I needed to get a doctor’s referral before I could be tested for this new virus. I wanted to be brave for my wife and son. But I was getting weaker by the day and felt no relief. Besides, I wasn’t coughing, which is one of the symptoms of COVID-19. I only had a fever, diarrhea and a headache that wouldn’t go away. My wife took my temperature again, and it was still high. She wanted to take me to the hospital. I told her that if my fever didn’t change by the morning, then I would go. Needless to say, she won the argument. I was admitted to Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) 23 pounds lighter and nine days after my first signs of COVID-19. I was in very bad shape. I began my time at AAMC in the Observation Unit. I was initially diagnosed with pneumonia and given an MRI. The nurses and doctors took great care of me and checked on me every four hours. By my second day in the hospital, I could barely breathe and was given oxygen. I got weak and couldn’t walk more than a few steps to the bathroom. My oxygen levels dipped to the low 70s. By day four, I was moved to the ICU, and there was talk of putting me on a ventilator. But one doctor decided to try another oxygen machine, and I began to improve slowly. At one point, my fever was still high and the nurses placed packs of ice around my body to cool me down. After spending five days in the ICU, I was then released to the fifth floor, where I would remain for seven more days. My health care team did a great job meeting my medical needs. Because of the no-visitor policy, I could only talk to my family and friends on the phone. There was one man from Food Services who always checked on me before his shift ended. I appreciated him going above and beyond for me. I decided I wanted to thank the doctors and nurses, including those in the ICU and in the Emergency Department, who took such good care of me. So I treated them to Ledo’s Pizza a few days before I left AAMC. I didn’t expect to be so vulnerable. I’m in my early 50s and very active. But I knew I was in good hands and that reassured me that I could beat this virus. I went home after being in the hospital for 16 days. It took three more weeks to fully regain the strength in my legs. I can still feel a little difference in my breathing. But all in all, I am just about fully recovered. Author Anthony Dozier, 54, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland is a COVID-19 survivor.
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