Phillips Health Care Newsletter
5970 South Rainbow Boulevard Las Vegas, Nevada 89118  Phone: (702) 363-4000    Fax:  (702) 362-0086   Email: phillipsclinic@cox.net
Office Hours:
Monday  8:00 - 5:00  Tuesday  7:30 - 6:00  Wednesday  7:30 - 6:00  Thursday  7:30 - 6:00  Friday   8:00 - 5:00 Saturday  9:00 - 4:00
Phillips Clinic 
Family Practice  Wellness, Stem Cell Therapy & Anti-Aging Medicine

Phillips Health Care Newsletter

THE HOLIDAYS AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

by Phillips Clinic on 12/04/22

The holiday season is a time filled with busy schedules, family visits, traveling and parties. It’s also a time when our stress levels increase, which can mean an increase in our blood pressure. Holiday stress has real health implications. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a known side-effect of stress and puts you at risk for health problems including heart failure and stroke.

Maintain healthy eating habits. Eat a healthy breakfast and limit sweets. If dinner is going to be a feast, opt for a light lunch. It's OK to indulge in a little but be sure to include healthy meals, too.

Drink plenty of water. Staying hydrated is important in controlling your blood pressure. Drink one-half your body weight in ounces of water a day.

Keep track of medications. Heart attacks and strokes increase in the winter months, so continue to take your medication as prescribed by your doctor.

Be wary of decongestants. These drugs relieve a stuffy nose but can also raise blood pressure. Use a decongestant for the shortest amount of time necessary.

Stay active. Incorporate healthy activities into your daily routine, such as a walk with family or friends, or active chores with your kids.

Beware of party perils. To avoid overeating at parties, eat a healthy snack before you go. If you’re the host, offer healthier options of recipes.

Give yourself the gift of peace. When invitations pile up, don’t be afraid to say no to some of them. Take time to relax and recharge.
Consult your doctor if you’re concerned about the possibility of not being able to regulate your blood pressure.

USE YOUR HEALTH BENEFITS BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR

by Phillips Clinic on 11/28/22

USE YOUR HEALTH BENEFITS BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR

The holiday season has arrived and your calendar is filling up. But, even though your time is already limited, it might be worthwhile to add a medical appointments to your schedule. Yes, you'll be extra busy, but you might save a significant amount of money by taking care of these appointments now, instead of waiting until next year.

PHILLIPS CLINIC OFFERS

ON-SITE EXAMS, TESTING, SCREENINGS and

IMMUNIZATIONS

Wellness Exams:

Have you had your yearly physical? A comprehensive wellness exam benefits anyone who has concerns about his or her health status. In particular, regular exams are considered the best way to prevent life-threatening illness and identify potential health issues before they become serious.

To help people achieve and maintain their well-being, we review each patient’s family and medical history, listen to how the patient perceives their own health, identify potential concerns, and help implement a plan for the patient to ensure their well-being for years to come. 

Immunizations

Immunizations for children AND adults.

 We help you determine whether your symptoms are related to allergies by listening to your complaints and concerns. We can take it a step further with skin or blood allergy testing. This can narrow down what you are allergic to, as well as, determine severity and help you decide on a more effective treatment plan.

Gynecological Exams:

Gynecology is health care specifically for the female body, focusing on the sexual and reproductive organs. Proper gynecological care helps prevent many undesired cancers, diseases, and other illnesses by allowing for early detection.

On Site Radiology:

Our Clinic is one of the few in the Las Vegas Valley with access to an in-house x-ray machine. We have an x-ray technician on site and highly-skilled healthcare professionals available to read and interpret these x-rays.

Bone Density Scans:

At Phillips Clinic we offer bone density scans on-site. Our highly trained health professionals use bone density testing to assess the strength of bones and the probability of fracture in patients at risk of osteoporosis. 

On Site Ultrasound:

Phillips Clinic offers a full spectrum of ultrasound treatments for your convenience. These services include evaluations of the heart, vascular system, renal system, abdomen, pelvis, thyroid, soft tissue masses, and much more.

Echocardiography

Cardiac echo (or simply an echo), is a sonogram of the heart is also offered at Phillips Clinic. Echocardiography, which uses ultrasound to create images of the heart, allows providers to assess heart-health.

Peripheral Vascular Testing

Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) affects the areas that are “peripheral” (outside) your heart. Testis for PVD include ultrasound and treadmill.

Make Your “End of the Year” Appointment by creating your account and signing in 

on our PATIENT PORTAL!

 

10 Resons to Get Your Flu shot!!

by Phillips Clinic on 09/27/22

10 reasons to get a flu shot

1. A flu shot can save your life.

The flu can cause some serious complications that sometimes require hospitalization, such as dehydration, worsening of chronic illnesses, bacterial pneumoniaear infections and sinus infections.

“Every year, about 200,000 people are hospitalized because of the flu,” says Dr. DeVeau.

In fact, influenza can lead to death in serious cases. During the 2017-2018 flu season, the CDC estimates 80,000 people died.

2. Getting a flu shot can reduce your sick days.

Whether you are hospitalized or take time off to recuperate at home, it’s going to cost you and your employer. The flu accounts for 111 million lost workdays and nearly $7 billion in lost productivity and sick days annually, says Flu.gov.

3. Most people are eligible to get the flu shot.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has made it easy to know who should get a flu shot.

“Pretty much anyone over six months of age should get a flu shot,” says Dr. DeVeau.

4. There is a needle-free flu vaccine.

Afraid of needles? No problem – a needleless flu vaccine is available.

“A nasal spray can be given to people between the ages of 2 and 49 who are healthy, not pregnant and don’t have asthma,” he says.

Another version, the intradermal shot, has a very small needle that can be used on people 18 to 64.

“Really, you can’t feel the needle at all,” he says.

5. There is a flu shot for older adults.

There’s the regular flu shot that’s given to people over the age of six months, as well as a version suitable for people 65 and over, which gives them even better protection against the flu.

6. You won't get the flu from the flu shot.

A common misconception is that you can contract the flu from a flu vaccine, but Dr. DeVeau says that is not possible because the shot uses a deadened form of the virus.

7. The flu shot changes each year. 

Before each flu season, the CDC determines which strains of influenza appear to most likely to occur that year. The vaccine will still reduce your chances of contracting certain strains of the virus and if you do get sick, having the vaccine can significantly reduce the severity of your symptoms.

“They kill that strain and they introduce it through the flu shot into our body,” he explains. “When your immune system comes into contact with that killed virus, it activates the immune system and creates antibodies. When you do come across the real flu, then you’re ready to fight it off and not get sick from the flu.”

8. Flu shot side effects are usually mild.

There are a few possible side effects from the vaccine, such as headache, stuffy nose or sore throat. While many people experience no side effects, if you do, they should only last for a day or so. Considering that the flu itself typically lasts for one to two weeks and the symptoms can be severe, the flu shot is a better alternative.

9. The sooner you get the flu shot, the better.

Flu season usually starts sometime in October and can last until May, so it is important to get vaccinated early.

“We used to want to wait until later in the flu season to give the shot, but because it’s so variable, the CDC now recommends that when you’re able to find a flu shot, you go ahead and get the flu shot at that time,” says Dr. DeVeau.

Ideally, the flu shot would take effect right away, but it takes about two weeks for your body’s immune system to create the necessary antibodies to fight off the flu so you’re protected against getting sick.

10. The flu shot helps with herd immunity.

“There’s a concept called herd immunity that refers to populations getting immunizations,” he explains. “If we all get immunizations, of course we can’t spread the virus elsewhere, so we’re all protected from it.”

The flu virus spreads easily – you can contract it when an infected person coughs, talks or sneezes and droplets get in your nose or mouth. You can also get the flu by touching something that has the virus germs on it, then touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

“It’s easy to give to other people, and we see people all over the place, so you really are at risk,” says Dr. DeVeau. “The bottom line is definitely get your flu shot. It’s so important not only for yourself, but for the community to get your flu shot and keep us all protected.”

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

by Phillips Clinic on 09/04/22

WHAT IS OVARIAN CANCER?
Cancer starts when cells in the body begin to grow out of control. Cells in nearly any part of the body can become cancer, and can spread to other areas of the body. 

Ovarian cancer begins in the ovaries. Ovaries are reproductive glands found only in females (women). The ovaries produce eggs (ova) for reproduction. The eggs travel through the fallopian tubes into the uterus where the fertilized egg implants and develops into a fetus. The ovaries are also the main source of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone.
 One ovary is on each side of the uterus in the pelvis.

STATISTICS FOR
OVARIAN CANCER
The American Cancer 
Society estimates for 
ovarian cancer in the United States for 2016 are:
About 22,280 women will receive a new diagnosis of ovarian cancer.
About 14,240 women will die from ovarian cancer.
Ovarian cancer accounts for more deaths than any other cancer of the 
female reproductive system. A woman's risk of getting ovarian cancer during her lifetime is about 1 in 75. Her lifetime chance of dying from ovarian cancer is about 1 in 100. 

Ovarian cancer mainly develops in older women. About half of the women who are diagnosed are 63 years or older. It is more common in white women than African-American women.

The rate at which women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer has been slowly falling over the past 20 years.


WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS
Researchers have discovered several specific factors that change a woman's likelihood of developing epithelial ovarian cancer..
Age
The risk of developing ovarian cancer gets higher with age. Ovarian cancer is rare in women younger than 40. Most ovarian cancers develop after menopause. Half of all ovarian cancers are found in women 63 years of age or older.
Obesity
Various studies have looked at the relationship of obesity and ovarian cancer. Overall, it seems that obese women (those with a body mass index of at least 30) have a higher risk of developing ovarian cancer.
Reproductive history
Women who have been pregnant and carried it to term before age 26 have a lower risk of ovarian cancer than women who have not. The risk goes down with each full-term pregnancy. Women who have their first full-term pregnancy after age 35 or who never carried a pregnancy to term have a higher risk of ovarian cancer. Breastfeeding may lower the risk even further.
Birth Control
Women who have used oral contraceptives (also known as birth control pills or the pill) have a lower risk of ovarian cancer. The lower risk is seen after only 3 to 6 months of using the pill, and the risk is lower the longer the pills are used. This lower risk continues for many years after the pill is stopped.

A recent study found that the women who used depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA or Depo-Provera CI®), an injectable hormonal contraceptive had a lower risk of ovarian cancer. The risk was even lower if the women had used it for 3 or more years.
Gynecologic Surgery
Tubal ligation (having your tubes tied) may reduce the chance of developing ovarian cancer by up to two-thirds. A hysterectomy (removing the uterus without removing the ovaries) also seems to reduce the risk of getting ovarian cancer by about one-third.

Fertility drugs

In some studies, researchers have found that using the fertility drug clomiphene citrate (Clomid®) for longer than one year may increase the risk for developing ovarian tumors. The risk seemed to be highest in women who did not get pregnant while on this drug. Fertility drugs seem to increase the risk of the type of ovarian tumors known as "low malignant potential" (described in the section, "What is ovarian cancer?"). If you are taking fertility drugs, you should discuss the potential risks with your doctor. However, women who are infertile may be at higher risk (compared to fertile women) even if they don’t use fertility drugs. This might be in part because they haven't carried a pregnancy to term or used birth control pills (which are protective).
Gynecologic surgery
Tubal ligation (having your tubes tied) may reduce the chance of developing ovarian cancer by up to two-thirds. A hysterectomy (removing the uterus without removing the ovaries) also seems to reduce the risk of getting ovarian cancer by about one-third.
Fertility drugs
In some studies, researchers have found that using the fertility drug clomiphene citrate (Clomid®) for longer than one year may increase the risk for developing ovarian tumors. The risk seemed to be highest in women who did not get pregnant while on this drug. 
Family history of :
Ovarian cancer, breast cancer, or colorectal cancer

What are Symptoms of 
Ovarian Cancer?
Ovarian cancer is difficult to detect, especially, in the early stages. This is partly due to the fact that the ovaries are deep within the abdominal cavity. 

Some of the signs and symptoms of ovarian 
cancer:
Pelvic or abdominal pain
Trouble eating or feeling full quickly
Feeling the need to urinate urgently or often

Other symptoms of ovarian cancer can include:
Fatigue
Upset stomach or heartburn
Back pain
Pain during sex
Constipation or menstrual changes
To learn more log on to ovarian.org
 or call 1-888-OVARIAN


Recommended Immunization Schedule for 18 years and under

by Phillips Clinic on 08/01/22

Make Sure Your Child’s Immunization Are Up To Date BEFORE School Starts.

Recommended Immunization Schedule for 18 years and under:

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/hcp/imz/child-adolescent.html

SPORTS PHYSICALS

SPORTS PHYSICALS

A sports physical is a check-up to evaluate your child’s health and fitness for participation in the chosen sport. It is not the same as a regular physical. During the sports physical, the doctor is looking for anything that could make it unsafe to play. Call for your child’s appointment!

Call Phillips Clinic Family Practice for your appointment.

 

 

 



 

CALL US AT:  702-363-4000   TEXT US: 702-321-3545