Flu Season Is Going To Be Worse This Year Than Last, The CDC Warns

“It’s still not too late to get the flu shot!”

— Dr. Dale

From Flu Season Is Going To Be Worse This Year Than Last, The CDC Warns  

Here’s what you need to do to protect yourself.

Every year, you’re encouraged to get a flu shot before flu season rolls around, and you may or may not actually take that advice. This year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wants you to know that, yes, you really should get that flu shot, even if you think it’s too late.

According to the CDC, there has been a “slow but steady” increase in reported flu cases in November and December, with numbers expected to increase still. The CDC is also tracking people who visit their doctor with flu-like illnesses and found that the rate of patients seeking care for the flu is now higher than normal.

Not only that, this flu season appears to be dominated by influenza A (aka H3N2), a more serious form of the flu. “When we see a flu season dominated by H3N2, it tends to be more severe,” board-certified infectious disease specialist Amesh A. Adalja, M.D., an assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, tells SELF. “We see more flu hospitalizations and deaths.”

Robert Korn, M.D., medical director at Northwell-GoHealth Urgent Care, tells SELF that flu activity this year is “widespread.” “Usually we aren’t able to get an accurate view of a particular season until it is over, however, so far this year the H3N2 strain is making people sicker than other strains of the virus,” he says.

People with the flu most commonly develop a fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, chills, fatigue, and body aches, although some may also have diarrhea and vomiting, the CDC says. Flu season typically peaks after the holidays, Adalja says, with an influx of cases in February. While seasonal flu viruses can be detected year-round, the CDC says cases are often seen October through May, with the most occurring between December and March.

If you haven’t gotten a flu shot yet, there’s still time. “The flu vaccine helps,” Marc Leavey, M.D., an internist at Baltimore’s Mercy Medical Center, tells SELF. “With many months to go on the current flu season, if one has not yet received a flu vaccine, they should absolutely should get one.” Korn agrees: “It’s still not too late to get a flu vaccine.” However, Adalja points out that it takes about two weeks for the vaccine to give you protection, so the earlier you can get it, the better. And, if you’re wondering, the virus any flu vaccine you get is inactive, meaning you absolutely can’t contract the flu from it.

If you’re pregnant and waffling on the shot, Yvonne Bohn, M.D., an ob/gyn at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, tells SELF that you definitely should get it. “When you’re pregnant, your immune system is already weakened because you’re carrying the fetus,” she explains. “Your system is depleted a little bit — as a result, you get much sicker, much longer, and it’s much more severe.” That’s why the flu shot is recommended for all pregnant women, regardless of how far along they are, she says.

While the flu vaccine is the biggest and most effective way to protect yourself, there are a few other, less-effective methods.

While the flu vaccine is the biggest and most effective way to protect yourself, there are a few other, less-effective methods. One is practicing good hand hygiene (i.e., washing your hands thoroughly and often) to minimize the risk of coming into contact with the flu virus, Leavey says. Bohn also recommends avoiding touching your nose, mouth, and eyes as much as possible.

Adalja says you can also try to stay away from crowded areas where people may be carrying the flu, although he admits that’s tough to accomplish. “It’s hard to minimize your risk other than getting the vaccine,” he says. “The flu is a very successful virus, and it can spread easily.” Some people with the flu have no symptoms at all, but those people are still contagious, he points out. And, for those who do actually develop symptoms, they’re contagious starting the day before they symptoms appear. “Those are some of the tactics this virus uses to be so prolific in its spread,” Adalja says.

If you have the flu or think you’re coming down with it, Leavey recommends staying home from work to limit exposure to other people and seeing your doctor. Antiviral medications can work if you take them within the first few days of getting the flu, he says, especially for the H3N2 virus. “Current strains shows that they are susceptible to those medications,” he says, adding that it’s also important to stay well-hydrated.

But experts stress that you really, really should get a flu shot if you haven’t already. “It’s important to remember that flu is something we have to deal with year-round,” Adalja says. “It’s one of the most prolific infectious diseases and will remain a threat.” So, getting your flu shot now can protect you during this flu season and from contracting the disease during other times of the year.

SculpSure vs. CoolSculpting

“For the people who are curious to know the difference between CoolSculpting and SculpSure.”

— Dr. Dale

From SculpSure vs. CoolSculpting 

Getting rid of unwanted fat has never been easier, and today, it can be done through non-invasive techniques. There have been many comparisons between the different options, especially between SculpSure vs CoolSculpting. Both SculpSure and CoolSculpting are FDA-approved non-invasive fat reduction techniques and have seen success as an alternative to lipo. So which non-invasive procedure is better?

Time in the Market

CoolSculpting has been available in the commercial market since 2010 and has established itself as a proven alternative to invasive lipo. On the contrast, SculpSure has only been on the market for less than 6 months. With CoolSculpting, doctors understand all of the possible outcomes and long-term effects. SculpSure just hasn’t been out long enough to know the long-term effects of lasers to your fat! When looking at these facts, it’s easy to say that CoolSculpting wins on this front.

Winner: CoolSculpting

Procedure

CoolSculpting uses the process of freezing and killing your fat cells. After the procedure is done, those fat cells die and are flushed out of the system, never to return. SculpSure uses a direct laser that heats the fat cells in a concentrated area and causes them to release into the body, dissipating fat in that treated area. Both CoolSculpting and SculpSure have had success, however, CoolSculpting has been scientifically supported through dozens of FDA research articles, while SculpSure still has many concerns about its procedure, specifically related to efficacy being lost when the heat is turned down due to pain during the procedure. Many organizations consider SculpSure as “Experimental” (including a Cynosure Training facility!) and strongly believe that freezing fat is more effective and safer long term. If a Cynosure training facility isn’t comfortable offering SculpSure, that says something!

Winner: CoolSculpting

Training

In most states, anyone holding a medical Ph.D is cleared to operate non-surgical procedures, including CoolSculpting and SculpSure, but is this enough? So many doctors are “qualified” to operate CoolSculpting and SculpSure equipment with little to no training! However, CoolSculpting requires a certification program that trains and educates any CoolSculpting operators to ensure maximum results and minimize the chance of injury. To this date, there is no documentation nor any proof that SculpSure has any such training programs. Because of the lack of evidence of training from SculpSure, CoolSculpting wins the training section.

Winner: CoolSculpting

Time

Both CoolSculpting and SculpSure are considerably less time than invasive lipo procedure, which makes non-invasive procedures extremely desirable for those that want to lose stubborn fat! That being said, SculpSure does have a slight advantage over CoolSculpting in the length of the procedure. SculpSure has an average of 30 minute procedure compared to 45–60 minute for CoolSculpting. Both procedures have no downtime, which is a million times better than the average 1 week downtime after traditional liposuction. Time wise, SculpSure wins this round.

Winner: SculpSure

FDA Approval

CoolSculpting received their first FDA approval in 2010 and is currently FDA approved for the abdomen, flanks, thighs, and chin. SculpSure received their first FDA approval in late 2015 and is only approved for abdomen and flanks. Don’t be fooled when doctors offer treatment for arms, back, calves, etc — these areas are NOT FDA approved! Both CoolSculpting and SculpSure CAN treat most areas, but only the above areas are FDA approved. CoolSculpting is currently the only non-invasive fat reduction procedure that is FDA approved for the chin area. Having been cleared to for more treatment areas and for longer, CoolSculpting is the winner of this round.

Winner: CoolSculpting

Track Record & Reviews 

Currently on top review sites such as RealSelf, SculpSure has only 23 reviews on RealSelf compared to CoolSculpting’s almost 800 reviews. The main issue with sites like RealSelf is that anyone can post a review, but I don’t want to get on a soapbox… I’ll save that issue for another blog. RealPatientRatings is a great website for reviews since the request for a review comes straight from the doctor, ensuring all reviews are real. Coolsculpting has almost 400 reviews on realpatientratings.com, while SculpSure has no reviews. While the verdict is still out on SculpSure, CoolSculpting has a proven track record and has consistently shown results.

Winner: CoolSculpting

And the Winner Is…

CoolSculpting has been showing consistent results with no long term side effects for years, while even Cynosure’s training facilities won’t offer their own product, SculpSure, since it’s experimental. In SculpSure vs CoolSculpting, CoolSculpting comes out on top 5 to 1.

Getting Older, Sleeping Less

“For my patients who have insomnia.”

— Dr. Dale

From Getting Older, Sleeping Less 

Insomnia is like a thief in the night, robbing millions — especially those older than 60 — of much-needed restorative sleep. As the king laments in Shakespeare’s “Henry IV, Part 2”: O sleep, O gentle sleep, Nature’s soft nurse, how have I frightened thee. That thou no more will weigh my eyelids down, And steep my senses in forgetfulness?

The causes of insomnia are many, and they increase in number and severity as people age. Yet the problem is often overlooked during routine checkups, which not only diminishes the quality of an older person’s life but may also cause or aggravate physical and emotional disorders, including symptoms of cognitive loss.

Most everyone experiences episodic insomnia, a night during which the body seems to have forgotten how to sleep a requisite number of hours, if at all. As distressing as that may seem at the time, it pales in comparison to the effects on people for whom insomnia — difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or awakening much too early — is a nightly affair.

A survey done in 1995 by researchers at the National Institute on Aging among more than 9,000 people aged 65 and older living in three communities revealed that 28 percent had problems falling asleep and 42 percent reported difficulty with both falling asleep and staying asleep. The numbers affected are likely to be much larger now that millions spend their pre-sleep hours looking at electronic screens that can disrupt the body’s biological rhythms.

Insomnia, Dr. Alon Y. Avidan says, “is a symptom, not a diagnosis” that can be a clue to an underlying and often treatable health problem and, when it persists, should be taken seriously. Dr. Avidan is director of the sleep clinic at the University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine.

So-called transient insomnia that lasts less than a month may result from a temporary problem at work or an acute illness; short-term insomnia lasting one to six months may stem from a personal financial crisis or loss of a loved one. Several months of insomnia are distressing enough, but when insomnia becomes chronic, lasting six months or longer, it can wreak serious physical, emotional and social havoc.

In addition to excessive daytime sleepiness, which can be dangerous in and of itself, Dr. Avidan reports that chronic insomnia “may result in disturbed intellect, impaired cognition, confusion, psychomotor retardation, or increased risk for injury.” Understandably, it is often accompanied by depression either as a cause or result of persistent insomnia. Untreated insomnia also increases the risk of falls and fractures, a study of nursing home residents showed.

There are two types of insomnia. One, called primary insomnia, results from a problem that occurs only or mainly during sleep, like obstructive sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome (which afflicts 15 to 20 percent of older adults), periodic limb movements or a tendency to act out one’s dreams physically, which can be an early warning sign of Parkinson’s disease.

Unless noted by their bed partners, people with primary sleep disorders may not know why their sleep is disrupted. An accurate diagnosis often requires a professional sleep study: spending a night or two in a sleep lab hooked up to instruments that record respiration, heart rate, blood pressure, bodily movements and time spent in the various stages of sleep.

The other, more common type of insomnia is secondary to an underlying medical or psychiatric problem; the side effects of medications; behavioral factors like ill-timed exposure to caffeine, alcohol or nicotine or daytime naps; or environmental disturbances like jet lag or excessive noise or light — especially the blue light from an electronic device — in the bedroom.

Among the many medical conditions that can cause insomnia are heart failure, gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), lung disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease and incontinence. Treating the underlying condition, if possible, often relieves the insomnia.

Regardless of the reason for insomnia, it can become a learned response when people anticipate having difficulty falling asleep or returning to sleep after middle-of-the-night awakenings. They may spend hours lying awake in bed worrying about being unable to sleep, and the anxiety itself impairs their ability to sleep.

The more one frets about a sleep problem, the worse it can get. When on occasion I awaken in the wee hours of the morning and can’t get back to sleep, I usually get up and do something useful, which takes the curse off my insomnia. If I’m worried about forgetting something important, I write it on a pad kept next to the bed, taking care not to turn on a light. (Bright light in the middle of the night can reset your biological clock; if you get up to use the bathroom, use a night light near the floor.)

Nonmedical causes of insomnia are often successfully treated by practicing “good sleep hygiene,” a concept developed by the late Peter J. Hauri, a sleep specialist at the Mayo Clinic. That means limiting naps to less than 30 minutes a day, preferably early in the afternoon; avoiding stimulants and sedatives; avoiding heavy meals and minimizing liquids within two to three hours of bedtime; getting moderate exercise daily, preferably in the morning or early afternoon; maximizing exposure to bright light during the day and minimizing it at night; creating comfortable sleep conditions; and going to bed only when you feel sleepy.

If you still can’t fall asleep within about 20 minutes in bed, experts recommend leaving the bedroom and doing something relaxing, like reading a book (one printed on paper, not on a brightly lit screen), and returning to bed when you feel sleepy.

Many people mistakenly resort to alcohol as a sleep aid. While it may help people fall asleep initially, it produces fragmented sleep and interferes with REM sleep, Dr. Avidan and others report.

For those who still need help with insomnia, cognitive behavioral therapyhas proved most effective in clinical trials, though finding a specialist may be challenging in some parts of the country.

Sleeping pills can be problematic, especially for older people who are more sensitive to their side effects, including daytime hangover. Even short-acting drugs like zaleplon (Sonata), zolpidem (Ambien) or ramelteon (Rozerem) can have side effects.

Alternatives include over-the-counter remedies like melatonin or valerian, which have more anecdotal evidence than research to attest to their efficacy. The brain makes melatonin, the body’s natural sleepiness hormone, in response to darkness.

There may also be some useful dietary aids, like bananas, cherries, kiwis, oatmeal, milk and chamomile tea, though evidence for these is also primarily anecdotal. One friend told me she solved a longstanding sleep problem by eating a banana two hours before bedtime.