Page 14 - PeaceHealth-OregonRegion

Ask an expert

Q My doctor says not

getting enough sleep is bad for my heart. Is that true?

Q We look forward

to July 4 fireworks each year. Are there any precautions we should take?

Q How do I know if

I’m starting to lose my hearing? I sometimes have trouble hearing in a crowded room or work meeting.

A

common early sign of hearing loss is noticing that you can hear fne when speaking one-on-one in a quiet environment, but struggle to hear when you are in a situation with background noise.

Other signs include straining to understand what is being said or asking people to repeat words more frequently. You may notice you understand better when looking at a person’s face. An audiologist can conduct a diagnostic hearing evaluation and determine if you have hearing loss, the nature of the hearing loss and possible solutions.

A

ccording to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 9,000 freworks-related injuries occur each year. Nearly 30 percent of these episodes involve injury to the eyes, with one-quarter of eye injuries leading to permanent vision loss or blindness. Children are particularly susceptible to injuries from freworks. In fact, half of all eye injuries from freworks happen to children.

Be sure to wear protective eyewear and stay a safe distance away from all lit freworks. Fireworks use should be restricted to adults practicing appropriate safety standards and avoiding alcohol consumption.

T

here is compelling research showing that getting too little sleep raises the risk of heart disease.

In 2003, researchers studying nearly 72,000 female nurses reported that women who averaged fve or fewer hours of sleep a night were 39 percent more likely to develop heart disease than women who slept eight hours a night. The research suggested that getting enough sleep may be nearly as important to heart health as eating right and exercising.

By making sure you hit the pillow for a good night’s sleep, you may be doing your heart—and your life—a very big favor.

Matthew Trojan, MD Cardiologist

Oregon Heart & Vascular Institute 3311 RiverBend Drive Springfield, OR 97477 541-484-4332

Daniel Bustos, MD Ophthalmologist

PeaceHealth Medical Group 1162 Willamette St. Eugene, OR 97401 541-687-6257

M. Ann Perez, AuD Certified Audiologist

Senior Health and Wellness Center 4010 Aerial Way Eugene, OR 97402 541-242-8300

Sleep Hearing Loss Eye Safety

Do you have a health question? Ask an expert! Visit www.peacehealth.org/ askanexpert to post a question and to read answers to other people’s questions.

14 Health Connection