Page 3 - Healthbeat June 2017

“I’m finally comfortable to go out in public again!” That’s what Michael Minor of Hot Springs exclaims after receiving the “All on Four” implant procedure from Dr. Jirik. It was indeed a life-changing experience in every way. I previously received implant surgery elsewhere and it just didn’t work out at all. I was never confortable with those implants and I felt that I had to settle for oversized teeth that impeded my ability to speak. I was self-con- scious and afraid to go out in public and withdrew from
many social activities. I could tell people were uncomfortable trying to watch me speak and talk to me. Before I came to Dr. Jirik I was told my tongue was too big and that was why I had trouble speaking.
Dr. Jirik and his team listened to me and addressed my every concern. After receiving my first temporaries things changed dramatically for me. I saw a change in myself and also in how my wife saw me. Dr. Jirik gave me my face back...I look like myself again. Every aspect of the All on Four procedure is customized including the size, shape and color of the restorations.
My investment speaks for itself and I now have beautiful natural looking teeth again. I will tell anyone that you’re in good hands with Dr. Jirik. You can expect the latest most advanced implant and cosmetic procedures from Dr. Jirik and his team and they can give you a sensational new smile.
SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS
Send your health-related questions to healthbeat@arkansasonline.com.
on call Q:
Will eating honey reduce my spring
SHASHANK KRALETI, M.D.
FAMILY MEDICINE • UAMS
allergy symptoms?
Some believe that consuming small
amounts of pollen found in locally produced honey can be a natural remedy for springtime allergies because it helps them build up immunity to the pollen in the air. This is a misconception because the pollen in the wind carried by non-flowering trees, weeds and grasses trigger allergies and not the pollen in flowers carried by bees.
It is true that pollen from the air can get mixed in with the pollen carried by bees from flowers to the honeycomb; however, this amount is minimal and not enough to stop itchy, watery eyes and sniffles. Even if it was possible to eat enough honey to subdue allergies, it is almost impossible to make a honey from just one specific type of pollen, for example, only a certain type of tree or grass. If you decide to take honey, do not ingest unpasteurized honey because of the risk of infection.
For those wanting to reduce allergy symptoms, allergy testing with resultant immunotherapy may be the best option. This therapy is administered through shots or drops under the tongue containing small doses of the things that trigger the allergic reaction in a person. Most get these shots once or twice a week for several months; then the doctor will gradually move the frequency to once or twice a month.
The drops are a newer method and are a daily treatment. Use of nasal steroids can alleviate the seasonal allergies caused by pollens and other nasal irritants and do not require allergy testing. Newer antihistamines can stop symptoms with just one pill a day.
If I’m outdoors a lot, should I be wor- ried about getting Lyme disease? Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi,
which is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected Ixodes ticks.
These ticks are found in the northeast- ern and north-central parts of the United States. Although Lyme disease is absent in Arkansas, there are several more likely tick-borne diseases in Arkansas, including Rocky-Mountain Spotted Fever, Ehrlichiosis and, rarely, tularemia and anaplasmosis.
Though most tick bites are harmless, if you experience an unusual skin rash, headache, fatigue or fever, it’s best to immediately see a doctor, especially if you have traveled recently.
If symptoms go untreated, the infection can spread to the joints and nervous system. Though they could result in more serious problems, many cases of tick-borne illnesses are successfully treated with antibiotics.
Your best bet before heading outdoors is to use insect repellent and to carefully and quickly remove all ticks from your body as soon as a tick is spotted. The best way to remove a tick is by using fine-tipped tweezers to firmly grasp the tick as close to your skin as possible.
Pull the tick away from your skin with a steady motion; then thoroughly clean your skin with soap and warm water. Make sure the mouth parts of the tick are detached from the skin as you remove the tick.
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