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If you’ve ever had a broken heart after the end of a relationship or the death of a loved one, you may have felt like your heart was physically breaking. But can you die from a broken heart?
You may be surprised to learn that there is a heart health condition related to heartbreak. The so-called broken heart syndrome, which is more formally known as stress-induced cardiomyopathy or takotsubo cardiomyopathy, can indeed be fatal in some cases.
While it isn’t tremendously common, sometimes the surge of stress hormones associated with intense emotions and extreme stress—like those caused by the death of a loved one—can weaken the heart. This effect was recently in the news in the wake of the Uvalde school shooting, when the husband of a teacher who died in the shooting passed away from a heart issue days after the tragedy.
How a Broken Heart Affects the Actual Heart
There’s no question that our mental and emotional health have a significant impact on our overall health. In the last few decades, we’ve learned how important it is to take care of both body and mind to stay truly healthy.
But there’s still a lot to learn when it comes to how a traumatic event can impact the heart. Research has shown that intense stress and shock can induce cardiomyopathy, a condition that disables the heart muscle and makes it harder for the heart to pump blood effectively.
Contrary to the name, broken heart syndrome occurs even in those who don’t have a broken heart. It can also be triggered by other shocks to the body, including severe pain, a major injury or illness, a car accident, a major financial loss, intense fear, or even something as seemingly innocuous as public speaking or a surprise party.
This phenomenon, first discovered in the 1990s, is much more common in women than in men. The majority of people who experience broken heart syndrome survive and go on to live healthy lives.
The Symptoms of Broken Heart Syndrome
People with broken heart syndrome often have symptoms that may be mistaken for a heart attack. Symptoms can include an irregular heartbeat, sudden chest pain and shortness of breath.
But unlike a heart attack, which occurs due to blockages in the arteries of the heart, this type of cardiomyopathy occurs when severe stress sends the heart into short-term heart muscle failure.
When the body experiences a shock, it can weaken the heart suddenly and seemingly inexplicably, making it much more difficult for the organs of the body to get the blood they need. This is caused by a weakening of the left ventricle.
How Broken Heart Syndrome Is Diagnosed and Treated
If stress-induced cardiomyopathy feels like a heart attack, how is it diagnosed? In most cases, emergency diagnostic testing is performed.
In a heart attack, imaging scans show evidence of the coronary arteries being obstructed and blood test results suggest heart damage. That’s not the case in someone who has broken heart syndrome. Instead, tests reveal a ballooning of the left ventricle.
In most cases, the symptoms associated with broken heart syndrome don’t last for long. Generally, the person recovers within weeks. Treatment depends on individual symptoms and the severity of those symptoms. The person may receive medications, including those to lower blood pressure, slow the heart rate, decrease fluid buildup and manage the underlying stress that caused the condition.
Because the symptoms of broken heart syndrome are serious, it’s important to seek immediate medical attention if you’re experiencing them.
When your heart’s at stake, you need a medical team you can count on. The Magnolia Heart & Vascular Center is here to offer state-of-the-art heart care in Alcorn County.
Not a golfer? Believe it or not, you can develop golfer’s elbow even if you’ve never picked up a club. Golfer’s elbow, more formally known as medial epicondylitis, is a form of tendonitis that affects the elbow.
If playing a mean game of golf (or even one significantly over par) isn’t required to develop golfer’s elbow, what causes it? Let’s take a look.
Q: What Causes Golfer’s Elbow?
A: To understand what golfer’s elbow is, it’s helpful to have a little knowledge about the anatomy of the arm. Tendons are the structures that attach muscles to bones. In your arm, tendons in the forearm connect the muscle to the bone on the inner side of the elbow.
Occasionally, tendons anywhere in the body can swell or become inflamed due to an injury or other factor. When this happens, it’s called tendonitis. When this happens in your elbow, it’s called golfer’s elbow.
And no, golf is not required, but it gets its name from the repetitive movements golfers make when swinging their clubs. You may develop this form of tendonitis from any repetitive movement that causes you to use your wrist and arms. It also affects people who participate in other sports involving throwing or lifting, such as baseball, softball and tennis.
Q: Who Else Gets Golfer’s Elbow?
A: The condition affects a small percentage of the population each year—less than 1%—and is most common in those between the ages of 40 and 60.
It’s not exclusively a sports injury either. Even those who don’t play sports can develop the condition if they frequently make bending, twisting or grabbing motions, which cause the tendons in the elbow to tear slightly.
In general, neither the right nor left arm is more likely to develop golfer’s elbow, but the condition most frequently affects your dominant arm.
The cause is repetitive motion, so it isn’t necessarily tied to a particular action. But golfer’s elbow can occur when you make the same motions repeatedly, particularly over a long period of time.
Q: What Does Golfer’s Elbow Feel Like?
A: If you have golfer’s elbow, you may experience a wide range of symptoms affecting the elbow and arm. These can include:
- Pain on the inside of the elbow and difficulty moving the elbow
- Stiffness and weakness in the hand or wrist of the affected arm
- Tingling or numbness in the fingers
While pain normally originates in the elbow, it’s not uncommon for it to radiate down the arm, affecting the wrist and fingers. Every person experiences the discomfort of golfer’s elbow a little differently, so in some cases the pain may feel similar to a strained elbow.
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, check in with your primary care provider. He or she can perform a physical examination and a test to diagnose golfer’s elbow. The exam typically involves moving the arm in specific ways to gauge pain.
Q: How Is Golfer’s Elbow Treated?
In most cases, golfer’s elbow will improve after a few weeks with some basic at-home care. Your provider may recommend resting the arm, applying ice, using over-the-counter pain relievers or anti-inflammatory medications to alleviate symptoms, and performing strengthening exercises to build up the tendons in the elbow and restore range of motion.
Preventing golfer’s elbow from recurring is also a good idea. If you have developed golfer’s elbow more than once, your provider may also recommend physical therapy to help you adjust your movements to avoid tendonitis flare-ups in the future. This can include making changes to your golf swing if you are a golfer.
After treating golfer’s elbow, using correct form, stretching regularly and building up your arm strength can help prevent it in the future.
If you think you may have golfer’s elbow, the team at Magnolia Regional Health Center’s Orthopaedic Center of Excellence can help with a diagnosis and treatment plan. Get in touch today to schedule an appointment.
It’s entirely normal to feel concerned when you feel a lump in your breast. But while some breast lumps are signs of cancer, that’s not always the case.
Many lumps in breast tissue are the result of some other medical condition that’s benign, or noncancerous. In fact, as many as 80% of breast lumps turn out to be benign after they’ve been tested.
If you feel a lump, it’s important to have it checked out by your OB-GYN or another provider. But have peace of mind in knowing that it may be something other than breast cancer.
Finding a Breast Lump
Breast tissue changes all the time, particularly as a woman moves through different stages and phases of life. Because of that, it can be difficult to know what’s normal and what’s cause for concern.
The best thing you can do to protect your breast health is to be proactive. If you’re age 40 or older, talk with your provider about a breast screening regimen, which may include an annual mammogram or ultrasound, depending on your risk of breast cancer. Regardless of your age, it’s also a good idea to stay familiar with your breast tissue.
While formal monthly breast-self exams are no longer recommended as part of breast cancer screening guidelines, you should still check your breasts regularly. Know what they look and feel like and report any changes to your provider.
When you’re examining your breasts, you want to check for lumps or other symptoms, including pain or tenderness, skin irritation, redness on the breast skin, nipple pain, and discharge from the breast.
All of these signs can be symptoms of breast cancer, but they can also be related to benign breast conditions, which is why it’s best to have them checked out promptly.
Different Kinds of Breast Lumps in Women
There are a number of common benign breast conditions that can cause lumps and other related symptoms, including:
- Cysts. Fibrocystic breast changes or breast cysts are the most common cause of noncancerous breast lumps. These cysts often occur during ovulation. Fibrocystic lumps may enlarge and become more painful during a woman’s period, decreasing after the period is over.
- Fat necrosis. This noncancerous condition often occurs after breast tissue is damaged or injured.
- Fibroadenomas. These are benign tumors made up of fibrous and glandular tissue. They’re most common in young women and are the most frequent cause of breast lumps in those younger than age 25.
- Papilloma. This type of wart-like lump grows near the nipple. Those who have a papilloma may experience clear or bloody nipple discharge.
- Mastitis. This condition occurs when the breast tissue is inflamed, usually due to an infection. While it’s commonly related to breastfeeding, it can occur in women at other times and may cause swelling around the milk ducts, pain and redness.
Aside from these common causes of noncancerous breast lumps, sometimes breast tissue can simply thicken and have the appearance and feel of a lump. This is why it’s important to know what your breasts look and feel like, so you can spot changes.
While a lump in the breast isn’t always cancer, it’s important to have it checked out! The Cancer Center at Magnolia has the screenings and diagnostic tests you need for peace of mind.
If one or more of your toes has been changing over time, and you aren’t sure what is happening, it might be something called hammer toe. But what is a hammer toe?
What Does a Hammer Toe Look Like?
A hammer toe, sometimes referenced as hammertoe, gets its name from the appearance of the affected toe, which bends in such a way that it resembles a hammer. This type of deformity affects the second, third or fourth toes. When a person has this condition, the toe is bent at the middle joint (the proximal interphalangeal joint), which causes it to look like a hammer.
In some cases, a person who has a hammer toe may also develop other issues with their feet, as the deformed toe rubs awkwardly against shoes and other objects. Corns and calluses are common.
What Causes a Hammer Toe?
A number of factors can combine to cause this toe deformity. The joint of the toe ultimately bends when too much pressure is placed on the tendons and joints in the toe. This is often the result of a muscle imbalance.
Your shoes play a large role in causing the imbalance. Improperly fitting shoes that are too narrow or short can force the toes into an awkward position. High heeled shoes are also a common cause, since they push the foot down, putting a lot of pressure on the muscles in the toes.
While anyone can develop a hammer toe, some people are at a higher risk due to age, or conditions such as diabetes and arthritis.
How Hammertoe Is Diagnosed and Treated
Wondering whether your sore toe is a hammer toe? In addition to seeing a visible bend in the toe, you may also experience swelling or redness, inability to straighten out the toe and have difficulty walking.
Talking with your primary care provider is a good first step. He or she will perform a physical examination, confirming whether you have a hammer toe or another similar condition, like mallet toe.
Depending on the severity of your toe deformity, your provider may recommend you see a certified orthopaedic specialist, who can confirm a diagnosis and offer treatment options.
If you’re diagnosed with hammer toe, recommended treatment will depend on several factors, including the severity of the toe bend and your other symptoms. In many cases, a hammer toe caught in the earliest stages can be cared for with nonsurgical treatment.
This type of treatment may include a recommendation to wear shoes that fit properly, medical advice about specific exercises you can do to strengthen your toe joint and muscles, and recommendations for products that may provide relief, such as supportive shoe cushions for high arches.
In severe cases of hammer toe, surgical treatment may be required. Surgery is usually only recommended when the toe joint can no longer be extended and nonsurgical treatment hasn’t worked. Surgical options may include tendon lengthening, tendon transfer or joint fusion to help the tendon function more naturally, allowing the toe to extend.
Looking to alleviate the discomfort of hammer toe or another orthopaedic health condition? Magnolia Regional Health Center’s Orthopaedic Center of Excellence is here to get you moving again.
Losing weight can often feel like a lonely journey. However, when you decide to make a serious lifestyle change, it’s important to have support—like the team of professionals who are with you if you decide bariatric surgery is the right move.
Bariatric (weight loss) procedures may take only hours, but recovery takes longer—and you’ll also need to adjust to new realities after the surgery. With the support of your weight loss team, you aren’t alone. From the moment you decide to pursue weight loss surgery to your surgical procedure, recovery and beyond, an entire team at the Center for Surgical Weight Loss at Magnolia Regional Health Center is here to help.
Bariatric Surgery Procedures to Help You Lose Weight
When you’re thinking about bariatric surgery, the first step is to determine which type of weight loss surgery is right for you. There are three bariatric surgery procedures common in the U.S.—gastric bypass surgery, gastric sleeve and adjustable gastric band placement. Of these, the gastric bypass and gastric sleeve procedures are performed more frequently and can help many people who need bariatric surgery.
If you have decided weight loss surgery might be your best move to improve your health, you may be wondering how to get the ball rolling.
First, schedule a consultation with our weight loss team. During this appointment, we’ll step through your options and carefully assess whether weight loss surgery is right for you.
Bariatric surgery is a medical procedure, but it also represents a significant change that will affect your physical, mental and emotional health. The procedure will allow you to take significant steps toward your best health but will also require a change in mindset for how you handle your health and well-being after surgery.
That’s why bariatric surgery teams feature many different experts, including a surgeon, a psychologist, a dietitian and an exercise coach. All members of the multidisciplinary team work together to help ensure you’re prepared for surgery and ready for what comes next.
The Role Each Team Member Plays
Each member of the bariatric surgery team plays a unique role in preparing you for surgery and recovery. In addition to your surgeon, you’ll meet with the following important medical professionals.
The bariatric psychologist helps determine whether you are mentally prepared for bariatric surgery and the changes it will bring. During pre-surgical consultations, the psychologist will ask why you want bariatric surgery and whether you’re committed to the lifestyle changes necessary before and after the procedure. They will also help you understand the emotions you may face during the days ahead.
This may seem strange, but remember that undergoing an elective surgery that alters how your body works is a major change. We want to make sure you’re prepared for it. Counseling is also available after your surgical procedure to help you cope with changes and feelings you may experience.
The dietitian will work with you both before and after surgery. In many cases, particularly if your surgery is covered by insurance, you will be required to lose some weight prior to the procedure. A dietitian can help you make the changes needed to achieve that goal.
You’ll also receive guidance about how to eat after surgery, as your stomach will be smaller, and your body will have different cues for fullness and hunger. The dietitian can help determine an eating strategy that will work best to accommodate your new needs.
The exercise coach plays a similar role to the dietitian. He or she will help you make necessary changes to your exercise habits before and after surgery. While bariatric procedures will drastically reduce the size of your stomach and cut down on what you’re able to eat, exercise will play a key role in helping you achieve your overall goals.
Physical activity will help you drop excess weight, relieve stress and stay mentally healthy. Your exercise coach can help you find activities and specific exercises to reach your goals.
Ready to take the next step in your weight loss journey? Set up a consultation with the Center for Surgical Weight Loss at Magnolia Regional Health Center to get started.
We hear a lot about the dangers of high blood pressure, but is it also possible to have blood pressure too low? In general, low blood pressure is better than high blood pressure, but there are a few exceptions.
What to Know About Low Blood Pressure
A normal blood pressure reading is less than 120 (systolic pressure) over 80 (diastolic pressure). Very low blood pressure, or hypotension, isn’t diagnosed unless your blood pressure is 90/60 or lower. And even if your blood pressure drops to that level, it may not be considered a health issue until it causes noticeable symptoms.
The Symptoms of Low Blood Pressure
In most cases, blood pressure that dips a little low isn’t considered a danger. To determine whether consistently low blood pressure is a health issue, your provider will look at whether you’re also experiencing symptoms of decreased blood volume, such as:
- Blurry vision
- Cold or clammy skin
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- Fatigue
- Inability to concentrate
- Nausea
- Rapid or shallow breathing
- Unusual thirst
In some cases, someone who is dehydrated will experience low blood pressure as a result, and dehydration can also be a sign of hypotension.
Understanding What Causes Low Blood Pressure
There are two types of low blood pressure—absolute hypotension and orthostatic hypotension.
Absolute hypotension is diagnosed when your resting blood pressure is below 90/60.
Orthostatic hypotension, also called postural hypotension, is diagnosed when a person experiences a sudden drop in blood pressure that occurs within a three-minute timespan after moving from sitting to standing.
These two types of hypotension happen for different reasons and often in different groups of people. Orthostatic hypotension often occurs in older adults and may be associated with conditions like Parkinson’s disease.
Absolute hypotension can occur in anyone at any age, and it may be caused by use of alcohol or certain medications, diabetes-related nerve damage, arrhythmias, dehydration or heart failure.
Severely low blood pressure, which may require medical intervention but is usually not life-threatening, often occurs after a trauma of some sort, such as a sudden loss of blood, an infection, a heart attack or allergic reactions causing anaphylaxis, which is a severe allergic reaction.
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms outlined above, stop and check your blood pressure. If it’s very low, it’s a good idea to seek medical attention. Your medical provider or a cardiologist will be able to advise whether treatment is necessary.
If treatment is recommended, it may include taking medications to increase blood pressure, adjusting doses of other medications, drinking more fluids or making lifestyle changes, such as altering your diet.
Find a primary care provider who can help you keep your blood pressure at a healthy level.