special section - 2010 physicians guide

A PASSION FOR HEALING.THE TECHNOLOGY TO

DO IT WELL.We put our heart into caring for you. But we put our brains and some

pretty amazing equipment into it, as well. The result? A place all of us

on the South Side can be proud of. To learn more or to find a doctor,

call 770-541-1111. RIVERDALE, GA | southernregional.org

PHYSICIANS PROVIDING CARE ARE ENGAGED IN PRIVATE PRACTICES AND ARE NOT EMPLOYED BY THE HOSPITAL .

SIVA MOHAN, M.D.C A R D I O L O G I S T

2 ❙ WINTER, 2011 Physicians Guide Henry Daily Herald ❙ Clayton News Daily ❙ ATL ❙ Jackson Progress-Argus

Henry Daily Herald ❙ Clayton News Daily ❙ ATL ❙ Jackson Progress-Argus Physicians Guide ❙ WINTER, 2011 ❙ 3

Aquatic Therapy provides physical rehabilitation in thedynamics of a heated pool.

• Alleviate pain assoc. with Arthritis, injury, or generalized muscular soreness

• Decrease stress in joints, vascular swelling andmuscle spasms

• Increase circulation, flexibility, strength, sensory awareness, and function

• Conveniently located on exit 221 (Jonesboro Rd) off I-75 south, 1/2 mile west in TowneCenter Park.

• Call Now! (770-288-2441) for a 1-on-1 personalized appointment Physical or Aquatic Therapy

• We accept most commercial Insurances, walk-ins,and referrals from Healthcare Providers.

• Morning and Evening hours available!

SPECIALIZING IN AQUATIC AND LAND THERAPYA Soothing Wave of Therapeutic Intervention!

Physical Therapy in Motion Inc.106 Vinings Drive, McDonough, GA 30253phone: 770.288.2441 • fax: 770.288.2442

www.ptmotioninc.com

Physical Therapy in Motion Inc. continues to help patients get on the move!

PHYSICAL THERAPY IN MOTION

ANDAQUATIC THERAPY CENTER

Aquatic Physical Therapy isused as part of a complete reha-bilitative program for patientssuffering from a progressive ill-ness, injury, surgery, or increasedsensitivity and pain. Designeduniquely for patients by a li-censed physical therapist,Aquatic Physical Therapy cre-ates a safe environment for a pa-tient in need of progressiverehabilitation with goals of re-turning to normal functional landbased activities. The aquatic en-vironment uses four propertiesof water to advance the healingprocess and is beneficial to re-store a person’s functional abili-ties. Buoyancy is utilized byproviding body assistance andsupport, decreasing joint com-pressive forces and stress onmuscles/ bones, and displacingbody weight up to 75% withwater at chest height. WarmTemperatures reduce pain per-ception, encourage muscle relax-ation and improves range of

motion/ flexibility. Hydrostaticpressure improves circulation/venous return while decreasingswelling/ edema and musclespasms. Resistance can pro-mote improvements in balance/coordination and increasingstrength, endurance and sensoryawareness.

Many patients diagnosed with avariety of disabilities may bene-fit from Aquatic Therapy. Listedare some common medical con-ditions treated (not limited to):

❙ Orthopedic Injuries / Trauma ❙ Pre and Post-op rehabilitation❙ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ❙ Guillian Barre Syndrome❙ Arthritis / Fibromyalgia❙ Muscular Dystrophy❙ Multiple Sclerosis

(cooler temperatures)❙ Parkinson’s Disease❙ Neurological Deficits/ CVA❙ Stress Disorders ❙ Joint Replacement

❙ Motor Learning❙ Obesity ❙ Prenatal ❙ Spinal Injury/Disorders ❙ Osteoporosis❙ Generalized Weakness❙ Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy

Although Aquatic Therapy isbeneficial to an array of medicalconditions, there are some condi-tions that are inadvisable factorsto participating in this form ofphysical therapy. Listed aresome common contraindicationsand precautions (not limited to):

❙ Incontinence of bowel

❙ bladder Infection/fever/contagious skin rash

❙ Open wounds/ unhealed surgical incisions

❙ Communicable disease (Hepatitis A, Strep)

❙ High/Low blood pressure❙ Seizure disorders ❙ Impaired lung capacity❙ Tracheostomy

❙ Unstable Angina❙ Severe Impulsivity❙ Colostomy❙ Acute stroke❙ Vertigo❙ Orthostatic hypotension❙ Chlorine allergy❙ Extreme fear of water❙ Diarrhea❙ Vomiting❙ DVT❙ Respiratory Diseases

Aquatic Therapy can be an es-sential part of many rehabilita-tion programs with goalstowards returning to land basedfunctional activities. It is mind-ful to understand the dynamicproperties of water in establish-ing and achieving desired goalsfor patients during the healingprocess. Overall, Aquatic Ther-apy can help improve mobility,strength, and function toquickly promote patient compli-ance and independence withhome based programs.

Aquatic Physical TherapyCoy Leverette III, MPTPhysical Therapy in Motion and Aquatic Therapy Center


DENTISTRYBrooks and Maddox70 Westridge Parkway, Suite 200McDonough, GA 30253(678) 583-0330www.brooksandmaddox.com

McDonough Center for Family Dentistry1867 Jonesboro Road, Suite 6McDonough, GA(678) 432-0209www.McDonoughDentistry.com

Tooth Fairy Dental6175 Old National Highway, Suite 430Atlanta, GA 30349(770) 996-9523www.toothfairydentalatl.com

FITNESS CLUBSCurves1510 Southlake Pkwy. Ste. 1GMorrow, GA 30260(770) 968-2646

7574 Highway 85Riverdale, GA 30274(770) 897-8255

9434 S. Main St., Ste 1400Jonesboro, GA 30236(770) 473-0200www.curvers.com

HOSPICESacred Journey Hospice138 Peach DriveMcDonough, GA 30253(678) 583-0717www.sacredjourneyhospice.com

HOSPITALEmory Healthcare(404) 778-7777www.emoryhealthcare.org

Henry Medical Center960 Hospital DriveStockbridge, GA 30281(678) 251-1099www.henrymedical.com

Southern Regional Health System33 Upper Riverdale RoadRiverdale, Georgia 30274(770) 522-8855www.southernregional.org

MEDICAL BILLINGChronicles Billing130 Eagles Springs Court, Suite #D Stockbridge, GA(770) 954-1358www.chroniclesbilling.com

MEDICAL CLINICFamily Medical ClinicMcDonough1631 Hwy. 20 WestMcDonough, GA 30233(770) 288-2822

Locust Grove334 GA Hwy. 155Locust Grove, GA 30248(678) 583-0241www.familymedicalmcdonough.com

PAIN MANAGEMENTPhysical Therapy in Motion andAquatic Therapy Center106 Vinings DriveMcDonough, GA 30253(770) 288-2441www.ptmotioninc.com

PHARMACYMoye’s PharmacyDowntown McDonough62 Key’s Ferry Street(770) 957-1851

McDonough NorthHwy 155 & Crumbley(770) 957-1852

Hampton104 Woolsey Road(770) 946-5172

Locust Grove3798 Highway 42 South(770) 957-6004

Jodeco1920 Hudson Bridge Road(770) 507-1234

Stockbridge4467 North Henry Blvd.(770) 474-0704www.moyespharmacy.com

SENIOR LIVINGBenton Village201 Evergreen TerraceStockbridge, GA 30281(770) 389-3889www.principleseniorliving.com

HENRY DAILY HERALDHENRY COUNTYʼS NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1874

770-478-575338 Church Street, Jonesboro, GA 30237

www.news-daily.com

Clayton News DailyCLAYTON COUNTYʼS NEWS SOURCE

CONTACT US:770-957-916138 Sloan Street, McDonough, GA 30253

www.henryherald.com


Considered to be the model for

quality, compassionate care, hos-

pice takes a team-oriented ap-

proach to assisting patients with a

life-limiting illness. Hospices

provide expert medical care, pain

management, and emotional and

often spiritual support expressly

tailored to the patient's needs and

wishes. At the center of hospice

care is the belief that each patient

has the right to live the remainder

of their life pain-free and with

dignity.

Today, one out of three people

in the United States choose hos-

pice care when they are in the

final stages of an illness or injury.

When you speak to a loved one of

a hospice patient, they will often

express that they wish they had

started hospice earlier. Sometimes

the doctor, patient or family

member resists hospice because

he or she thinks it means there is

no hope, but electing hospice care

is not giving up. Hospice care

promotes quality of life; it does

not limit life. Hospice focuses on

what each patient and his or her

family needs - it is family-cen-

tered care.

Hospices serve individuals who

have, if the illness follows the ex-

pected course, a life expectancy

of six months or less. While many

hospice patients have some form

of cancer, others have cardiac and

respiratory disease, renal disease,

Alzheimer’s, Lou Gehrig’s dis-

ease, AIDS and cirrhosis. In most

cases, care is provided in the pa-

tient's home, but can also be pro-

vided in in-patient hospice

centers, hospitals, and nursing

homes and other long-term care

facilities based on the needs and

desires of the patient and family.

Most hospices take an interdis-

ciplinary approach to care. While

nurses address to symptom con-

trol and comfort, cer-

tified nursing assis-

tants help with

physical needs like

bathing and hygiene

and chaplains may

tend to spiritual needs. Social

workers help a patient and/or his

or her family identify what they

might need to make a difficult

time more manageable, and

trained volunteers can sit with a

patient so the family can take a

much-needed break, go to the

store or attend to their own med-

ical needs. The patient’s physi-

cian continues to provide

oversight of the patient’s overall

care or the hospice’s Medical Di-

rector may assume medical over-

sight if the patient chooses.

Hospice is covered under

Medicare, Medicaid, most pri-

vate insurance plans, HMOs, and

other managed care organiza-

tions. To be eligible for hospice

benefits, a doctor must certify a

life expectancy of six months or

less, though the patient may be

recertified at the end of this pe-

riod if needed. No referral is

needed for most forms of hos-

pice care.

While hospice provides many

patients with the type of compas-

sionate care they desire during

the final stages of life’s journey,

hospice care is not for everyone.

For more information about ad-

mission requirements and bene-

fits, contact a Hospice

Admissions Counselor who can

assess your individual needs and

situation.

Considering Hospice

You already know that Curves

works! Our complete, 30-minute

workout includes strength train-

ing on every major muscle

group, sustained heart rate for

cardiovascular fitness, and flexi-

bility training to improve joint

mobility. We do all of this on the

Curves Circuit by alternating

strength training machines with

aerobic recovery exercises. The

Curves workout and weight man-

agement plan is the most re-

searched fitness program in

history, and it has been proven to

protect and build muscle, burn

body fat, and raise metabolism.

In clinical trials, exercisers

burned up to 500 calories in just

30 minutes!

Zumba Fitness is a wonderful

mix of high-energy Latin and in-

ternational music with

unique moves and rhythmic

combinations. It is based on the

principle that a workout should

be “fun and easy to do” so that

participants can stick with it and

achieve long-term health bene-

fits. The magic of the music mo-

tivates participants to perform

movements with more intensity,

and participants keep coming

back because they are having so

much

fun.

The Curves Circuit withZumba is a new evolution that

brings the best of Curves and

Zumba together. By adding the

Curves Circuit with Zumba for a

few hours a week, we’re provid-

ing all the proven benefits of our

strength, cardiovascular, and

flexibility training, with a new

way to motivate members to

stick with their program and get

great results. We are excited to

offer Curves Circuit withZumba to our members in 2011.

Weekly classes will begin in

January, 2011. Call the Curves

in Morrow, Riverdale or Jones-

boro to join Curves and get

started with the Curves Circuitwith Zumba.


New members only. Valid only at participating clubs. Free week may be exchanged for a special first visit discount. Not valid with any other offer. © 2011 Curves International, Inc. Zumba®, Zumba Fitness®, and the Zumba Fitness logos are registered trademarks of Zumba Fitness, LLC. Used with permission.

curves.com

770-968-2646

1510 Southlake Pky Ste 1GMorrow, GA 30260

770-897-8255

7574 Highway 85Riverdale, GA 30274

770-473-0200

9434 S. Main St Ste 1400Jonesboro, GA 30236

Welcome to the Curves Circuit with Zumba!

www.bentonvillage.com

benton villagea senior living community

770-389-3889

You want the best for your loved one. Let Benton Village help.

a s e n i o r l i v i n g co m m u n i t y

Choosing the best option for a senior loved one can be a confusing and overwhelming process. At Benton Village we stand ready to serve you, even if we’re not your ultimate choice. Call us today to have your questions answered.


STOCKBRIDGE, GA: Ac-

cording to a recent AARP study,

over 65 million people, 29% of

the population, care for a chroni-

cally ill, disabled or aged person

in any given year. This number is

expected to increase dramatically

in the coming decades. For many

families it isn’t a question of if

they will be involved in assisting

a senior loved one, it is only a

question of when.

Today there are a myriad of op-

tions available for seniors includ-

ing services at home, independent

living, assisted living and skilled

nursing. Each option has its own

set of variables to consider includ-

ing services, ability to meet needs

and of course costs. Our experi-

ence shows families who follow

the guidelines below feel more

confident in their decision-making

and more satisfied with their

choices. I encourage you to adopt

them as part of your own plan.

1. Start Research Early-Know-

ing your options in advance is

one of the best ways to feel more

confident and prepared for future

changes. This includes investigat-

ing the various services available

in the area. Knowing these op-

tions in advance will save you

valuable time (and reduce stress)

should needs change unexpect-

edly. Face to face visits are im-

portant. A decision as important

as the care of a senior loved one

just can’t be made over the phone

or from brochures.

2. Involve the Senior Loved

One-One of the benefits of re-

searching options early is the sen-

ior loved one can be fully

involved in the discussion. Talk-

ing about aging issues can be sen-

sitive. However, candid

discussions about what a senior

loved one desires are an important

component in providing assis-

tance. Today there are some won-

derful resources available to help

families start these conversations.

3. Set Realistic Expectations-

Avoid blanket statements such as

“I’ll never…” or “I’ll always…”

The reality is no one knows the

future or how needs might

change. Keeping flexibility in

your plan allows for everyone to

adapt to unexpected changes.

4. Keep in Touch and Keep It

Real-Developing a plan based on

open communication provides the

foundation for assistance. Once

in place it is important to continu-

ally listen and observe to update

if changes occur. This includes

making sure reality is part of the

discussion. For example, while

mother may wish to stay at home,

if you are concerned her forget-

fulness might result in her wan-

dering off or leaving the stove on,

you must take action. Deal with

these issues sensitively but do

deal with them.

5. Give Yourself A Break-Our

community helps families deal

with aging issues every day. We

have a good understanding of the

challenges and potential solutions

for most situations. But for most

caregivers this is a new experi-

ence and can seem overwhelm-

ing. Please remember there is no

perfection in this process and to

give yourself a break if things

don’t always go exactly as

planned.

Determining the best option for

a senior loved one can seem to be

an overwhelming task. However,

there are wonderful professionals

dedicated to helping caregivers

sort out their best options. For

more information on available

support resources feel free to call

Benton Village at 770-389-3889

or visit us at

www.bentonhouse.com

Communication and Preparation Key to Assisting Seniors

8 ❙ WINTER, 2011 Physicians Guide Henry Daily Herald ❙ Clayton News Daily ❙ ATL

Henry Daily Herald ❙ Clayton News Daily ❙ ATL Physicians Guide ❙ WINTER, 2011 ❙ 9


70 Westridge Parkway, Suite 200McDonough, GA 30253

678-583-0330

New Patients Welcome

www.brooksandmaddox.com

Robert S. Brooks, D.D.S., M.A.G.D. B. Wells Maddox III, D.M.D.

“ ”Listed in Atlanta Magazine’s

Top Dentists List of 2010

(ARA) - What's the secretto living a longer, health-ier life? The answer is -there is no secret. Rather,a healthy life depends ontaking several simplesteps to improve health-impacting habits, fromeating well and maintain-ing a positive attitude toflossing daily.

Making the change to ahealthy lifestyle does nothave to be difficult. Sim-ple changes such as takinga daily vitamin, playingboard games or practicinghealthy oral health habitscan help add years to yourlife. Here are a few tips tohelp you live a longer,healthier life.

◆ Maintain a healthyweight by choosing an ef-fective diet you can livewith. Consume plenty ofantioxidants, like vitamin

E, to help slow diseases as-sociated with aging andkeep free radical damageat bay. Avoid high fat diets,smoking, excessive drink-ing and lack of exercise.All reduce your chancesof achieving a healthy,older age and increase thelikelihood of a longer pe-riod of poor health in ashorter life.

◆ Flossing, while an im-portant part of your dailyroutine, is often over-looked. Make it easier bychoosing a floss that helpseliminate any difficulty ordiscomfort. For example,Crest Glide Floss is ultra-thin, silky smooth andshred-resistant to help thefloss glide through tightspaces easily, helping tomake flossing easy andpainless.

"Practicing a healthy oralcare routine is an impor-

tant step in helping tomaintain a longer, health-ier life," says Leslie J.Winston, DDS, PhD, adentist and Director ofScientific Relations withCrest. "Flossing dailyhelps protect against gin-givitis by removingplaque and food particles,keeping your teeth andgums healthy, while giv-ing you a beautiful smile."

◆ Exercise for at least 30minutes every day. Youdon't have to be a fanaticabout exercise, but it's im-portant to keep your mus-cles active. Not exercisingcan take five years off yourlife expectancy.

◆ Give your brain a work-out. Social networks andbrain-building games canhelp keep your brain ac-tive, which can add yearsto your life expectancy.

Crossword puzzles, bridge,jigsaw puzzles, readingand learning foreign lan-guages can all help keepyour brain sharp.

◆ Manage stress. Stresscan cause a hormonal im-balance that negatively af-

fects important organs andimpairs everyday func-tioning. Practice stress-re-duction activities likemeditation or exercise.And keep a positive atti-tude about aging - it canadd a couple of years toyour life.

What does your smile say about your health?


All About Generic MedicationsGeneric drugs are a therapeutic "copy" of

brand-name drugs.

Every year, consumers save an estimated $8

to $10 billion dollars by using generic med-

ications, according to the Congressional

Budget Office.

The FDA regulates generic medications.

They are allowed on the market only after

testing has proved they produce the same ef-

fect on the body as their brand-name counter-

parts.

Not every drug has a generic. Generally,

when brand-name drugs are first introduced,

a patent protects them for 17 years before a

generic alternative can be manufactured.

Drug companies can apply for extensions of

this patent protection period. If the patent pe-

riod isn't extended, other companies can in-

troduce their version of the brand-name

product after 17 years.

Lower costPrescription medications are one of the

fastest-growing areas of U.S. health care

spending.

One way to reduce the high cost of pre-

scription drugs is to switch to generic drugs,

which are priced 25 to 80 percent lower than

the equivalent brand-name versions.

One reason generic drugs cost less than

their brand-name equivalents is that manu-

facturers of generics spend less money on

advertising and product development be-

cause the brand-name equivalent already is

well-known.

Quality assuredFDA rules state that a generic drug must be

"bioequivalent" to the brand-name drug,

meaning it must have the same active ingre-

dients, strength, dosage form, safety, quality,

purity, stability and performance. The

generic drug also must be absorbed at the

same rate.

Drug makers must adhere to strict manufac-

turing requirements to earn approval to sell

their products. Keep in mind that generic

drugs bought over the Internet from places

outside the United States are not regulated by

the FDA and may not meet the same stan-

dards for equivalency or safety as those sold

in this country.

Differences between brand-name and

generic drugs that may make a difference in

how compliant a patient is in taking the med-

ication are the size, shape and coating. These

differences do not affect the quality, effec-

tiveness or safety of a drug. Other differ-

ences between brand-name and generic drugs

include taste and inactive ingredients.

Doctor approvedDepending on the medications you take and

how often you take them, you could save

hundreds of dollars every year by taking

generics instead of brand-name medications.

When your health care provider gives you a

prescription for a brand-name medication,

ask if he or she can prescribe the generic

equivalent instead. You also can ask if you

can switch from brand names to generics for

medications you already take.

In some cases, providers prefer brand

names for medical or technical reasons. If so,

your provider should be able to explain why.

If you have questions about generic alterna-

tives for your medication, ask your Moye’s

pharmacist to review your options with you.

(ARA) - Health care legislationpassed earlier this year maymake Medicare annual enroll-ment season particularly chal-lenging for the millions of babyboomers aging into Medicareand for seniors already enrolledwho are considering differentcoverage for 2011. Annual en-rollment runs from Nov. 15 toDec. 31, allowing people to se-lect their Medicare coverage for2011.

"Choosing a Medicare plan canbe overwhelming in any year,"says Adrienne Muralidharan,senior Medicare specialist for theAllsup Medicare Advisor, aMedicare plan selection servicefor people with disabilities andthose 65 and older. "However,this year there are not only theusual changes, such as premiumand coverage changes, you alsoneed to understand how the Pa-tient Protection and AffordableCare Act may affect your 2011Medicare coverage."

According to Muralidharan, themost important ways the newhealth care legislation will affectMedicare beneficiaries for 2011include:

• Prescription drug costs shouldbe lower in the "doughnut hole."For 2011, Medicare beneficiarieswill receive a 50 percent dis-count for the cost of brand-nameprescription drugs and a 7 per-cent discount for generic drugsthey are taking while in the pre-scription drug doughnut hole.

• Medicare Part B (medical in-surance) will fully cover preven-tive care. Beginning in 2011,Medicare beneficiaries will nolonger have to pay deductibles orco-pays for preventive servicesthat fall under U.S. PreventiveService Task Force guidelines,such as an annual wellnessexam.

• More beneficiaries may havehigher costs for Medicare Part B

and Part D (prescription drug)coverage. The Part B incomethreshold freezes at the 2010 lev-els through 2019. As a result, in-dividuals with modified adjustedgross income (income) exceed-ing $85,000 and married coupleswith income exceeding $170,000will have to pay higher premi-ums. Because this will not adjustwith inflation, it's likely morepeople over time will be subjectto higher premiums. In addition,the law reduces the MedicarePart D premium subsidy for indi-viduals with incomes abovethese levels.

* Opportunities to change cover-age after the annual enrollmentperiod will be more limited. His-torically, an open enrollment pe-riod ran from Jan. 1 throughMarch 31, immediately after an-nual enrollment ended. Duringopen enrollment, people wereable to switch from their existingMedicare plans to similarMedicare coverage, choosingfrom "like to like" options.

Now, open enrollment has beenreplaced with a shorter annualdisenrollment period, which runsfrom Jan. 1 through Feb. 14.During this period, the onlychange that can be made is todisenroll from a Medicare Ad-vantage plan in order to enroll intraditional Medicare and join aMedicare Part D plan. Other se-lections will not be available toconsumers.

"It's easy to get confused overthe various Medicare enrollmentperiods," Muralidharan says."However, it's now more impor-tant than ever to look at annualenrollment as your main oppor-tunity to choose your coverage."

Reasons to review your medicarecoverage

Changes brought on by healthcare reform are just one reasonpeople should evaluate theirMedicare coverage. Each year,individuals with Medicareshould consider different healthcare coverage if they experience

any of the following:

• Your health situation haschanged in the past year.

• Your provider situation haschanged (for example, you hos-pital or physician left your plan).

• Your coverage has changed (forexample, certain drugs, proce-dures or conditions are no longercovered).

• Your plan premiums and/or co-payments have increased.

• You have moved to a new loca-tion.

• Your current plan no longerwill be available.

Additionally, people now turn-ing 65 and becoming Medicare-eligible for the first time shouldcarefully review their options -and make certain they follow theenrollment guidelines. Failing todo so can trigger costly penaltiesand may mean certain coverageis unavailable in the future.

"The choices you make aboutyour Medicare coverage canhave a significant effect on yourhealth care and your finances,"says Muralidharan. "If you areuncertain about which Medicareplans are available to you, orwhich would best meet yourneeds, seek help before en-rolling."


CONSULTING• Medical Coding • Medical Billing

• A/R Clean Up - Follow Up• Medical Collections

• Chart Review • Credentialing

CONSULTING• Medical Coding • Medical Billin

• A/R Clean Up - Follow Up• Medical Collections

• Chart Review • Credentialing

130 Eagles Springs CourtSuite #D • Stockbridge

770-954-1358 •�800-467-0141

www.chroniclesbilling.com

Medical Billing &

Coding Classes Starting

Soon!

How health care reform affects your Medicare enrollment


6175 Old National Highway • Suite 430 • Atlanta, GA 30349Phone: 770-996-9523 • Fax: 770-996-5839

www.toothfairydentalatl.com

Tooth FairyD E N T A LFOR HAPPILY EVERAFTER DENTAL CARE!

Our Philosophy:At Tooth Fairy Dental we arecommitted to providing a fun, relaxingand positive dental experience so thatour patients actually look forward totheir future dental appointments!We strive to educate our patients so that they may develop healthy dental habits to ensure a lifetime of beautiful smiles!

(ARA) - With school, sports, friendsand hobbies, today's tweens leadbusy and active lives, and some-times they don't take the time -- orknow -- to practice good hygiene.While discussing proper hygienewith your tween can be difficult, itis possible to address the topicwithout making him or her feel un-comfortable or self-conscious. Oneapproach parents can take is to ap-peal to your tweens' growing ma-turity by making it clear that theseself-care tasks are their responsi-bility. Giving your tween the re-spect and encouragement to maketheir own choices in these transi-tional years can help them develophealthy habits for life.

To help empower your tween totake better care of their hygiene,parents can follow these tips:

Make it Fun: The tween yearsare all about finding a uniquesense of style. This also applies tocosmetics and accessories. Allowyour tween to choose their sham-poos, soaps and oral care products.

This will encourage them to takeinterest in their hygiene withoutyou having to ask.

Brace Face: Tooth brushing canbe a struggle at this age. Your childmay go in the bathroom for 30seconds and declare that he or shehas brushed. Kids should knowthat good oral care is just as impor-tant as taking a shower, especiallyif your child has braces. Make theprocess a little easier and ensurethey are brushing for the properamount of time by keeping a twominute timer in the bathroom. Bysupplying your tween with prod-ucts in the flavors (e.g. not-too-spicy, not-too-sweet) and cooldesigns they will like, such as theCrest Pro-Health FOR ME Fluo-ride Anticavity Toothpaste, theymight even forget they are doingsomething healthy and those twominutes will fly!

"Oral health is an important issueparticularly for kids in their ado-lescent years. Tooth decay is still

recognized as the most commonchronic disease affecting childrenin the United States. According tothe American Academy of Pedi-atrics, 51 million hours of schoolare lost each year due to dental-re-lated illness1," says Dr. JenniferSalzer, orthodontist, dentist andmother of a tween. "Not only canpoor oral hygiene affect the healthand well-being of a child, it alsoplays a role in self-esteem."

Under Armor: Puberty is thefirst time adolescents have to dealwith body odor. Help your tweenunderstand how to control odorsby explaining the difference be-tween deodorant, which controlsbacteria while adding fragrance,and antiperspirant, whichstops or limits sweating.Remind your tween thatboth deodorant and an-tiperspirant will helpif they put it on be-fore they startsweating, notafter.

Skincare 101: Changing hor-mones typically bring about oilierskin, especially on the nose andforehead. Teach your tween towash their face once or twice a daywith a cleanser and discouragethem from picking, as this causesinflammation and scarring.

Lead by Example: Whetherthey admit it or not, your tweennotices your habits. Set an exam-ple by showing that a healthy hy-giene routine is important to youtoo.

Encouraging Good Hygiene Habits for Tweens


Normal is one of the words weAmerican’s use a lot. Being re-ferred to as “normal” is probably agood thing, and although it maysound a bit boring, that’s usuallythe worst of it. Normal representsa range. Not everything includedin what we’d call normal is com-mon, and some common thingsare just not normal. Back pain islike that, common and not normal.There’s a long list of diseases thathave back pain as a symptom. Al-though some serious conditionsneed to be excluded by your doc-tor, for the most part, the majorityof back pain is nonspecific, or“mechanical”. Many treatmentsfor nonspecific back pain havesimilar outcomes at six to eightweeks time. Surgery is not usuallythe initial approach, if it’s an op-tion at all. None of this soundsencouraging, I agree. If you haveback pain, it may even come off alittle bleak or grey. Six to eightweeks is a long time to be uncom-

fortable, and there’s no guaranteethat’ll be the end of it. It just “nor-mally” lasts that long.

When we talk about mechanicalback pain, it’s helpful to think ofthe condition as having two differ-ent but related components. First,there’s the obvious part, the pain.It can have a lot of different char-acteristics, and some of thoseoverlap with more serious ill-nesses. Your physician will gen-erally ask questions that seek out“red flag” symptoms in order toproperly consider why you maybe having the pain. So, it’s impor-tant to get checked out. Second,there’s the subtle part, the loss ofwhat we refer to as “range of mo-tion”. The body moves in waysthat it does because of how it’smade. When the joints and mus-cles are functioning normally,there are certain things we can dothat seem almost impossible whenwe’re injured. Often times, the

pain is what appears to limit ourrange of motion; however, loosingrange of motion can also worsenthe pain. Being stiff after an in-jury can certainly make otherbody parts hurt when we rely onthem to compensate; moreover,the injury itself will take time healand regain normal motion. It’s im-portant to remember both of theseaspects when coping with a backinjury.

An important caveat to manag-ing mechanical back pain lies inrestoring the normal range of mo-tion. This can be accomplished afew different ways, dependingupon personal preference and theadvice of your doctor. My experi-ence treating mechanical backpain has proven to me that usingall of the appropriate tools willgenerally give better results thancan be achieved by any onemethod alone. For example, pre-scription medicines that treat the

components of pain and musclespasm, used in concert with man-ual techniques that restore free-dom of motion, give verysatisfying results. This isn’t amagic bullet. It addresses the is-sues that undermine recoveryfrom the injury, and at the sametime provides reasonable relief sothe person can return to their dailyactivities as quickly as possible.To be clear, the manual techniqueswe’re discussing are not chiro-practic. I am a physician, BoardCertified in Family Medicine,who treats high blood pressure,diabetes, asthma, pneumonia, anda lot of other illnesses, includingmechanical back pain. If youhave questions or are looking forhelp with your medical needs, youcan find me, Dr. Jeffrey Reed andmy colleagues, at The FamilyMedical Clinic at Heron Bay.

Back Pain

Total Family HealthcareNow with 2 Locations to Better Serve You!

• Family Medicine and preventative care

• Minor emergencies and procedures

• On-site x-ray, lab and pharmacy

• School and sports physicals

• Worker’s Compensation

• Board Certified providers

• Open 7 days a week until 8pm

• Most Insurance accepted

McDonough: 770-288-28221631 Hwy. 20 West, McDonough, GA 30233

Directly across from Kohl’s Department Store

Locust Grove: 678-583-0241334 GA Hwy. 155, Locust Grove, GA 30248

At the entrance to Heron Bay Subdivision No Appointment Neededwww.familymedicalmcdonough.com


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