Questions to Ask Your Doctor Before Surgery

Before you undergo any surgery, you will sit down with your doctor for a full evaluation. Whether you’ve had surgery before or not, it’s important to make sure you feel comfortable about the procedure. That means asking your doctor to clarify anything you’re unsure about.

At Great South Bay Surgical Associates, we understand the need to ensure our patients' questions are answered to their fullest. Below are a few commonly asked, essential questions you might want to consider:

When will I need the surgery?
Making plans for your surgery is an important step towards ensuring you fully understand what to expect. Ask your doctor to explain how time-sensitive the surgery is and how soon you will need to have the procedure.

How long will process take?
Most surgeries take two to three hours, but that time could vary. Typically, this depends on the situation and how invasive it is. Ask if additional time to prepare is necessary and how long you will need to stay in recovery.

What is recovery like?
Ask your surgeon if you should expect any discomfort or pain after the surgery. It’s also common that you might need to limit your amount of activity or take off from work. Knowing if you can get back to your normal routine right away or not will clarify what you need to take care of and prepare for before surgery.

How will I need to prep?
Knowing what you can do before surgery to achieve optimal results can help make the experience run more smoothly. Are there any steps you need to take 24 hours prior to the surgery? Any foods or medications you should avoid? Each surgery and patient is unique, so even if you’ve undergone surgery before, it’s always crucial to ask if you’re unsure.

At Great South Bay Surgical Associates, we pride ourselves in the multitude of services and non-invasive procedures that we offer to our patients in Nassau and Suffolk counties. Comprised of eight leading doctors in the surgical field, our team is committed to providing exceptional services by using state of the art technologies while upholding our traditional values of caring and quality.

For more information or to schedule a consultation, click here to view our website or call 631-321-6801 today.

Signs of a Healthy Colon

Your colon is an essential organ that helps your body eliminate toxins, so keeping it healthy is a priority. From eating the right foods to exercising regularly, you can lower your chances of digestive problems and colon discomfort. It also helps knowing the signs of a healthy colon. Below are three ways you can determine whether or not yours is a healthy one:

Know your diet. Eating plenty of fiber is known to clean out your colon. This is partially because it allows food to be pushed down more easily. So if you’re eating fiber-rich foods, especially fruits and vegetables, then you know your diet is healthy. If your diet is healthy then chances are that your colon is too.

Make a journal. Making note of when you have bowel movements can help you start to see patterns. By making a journal, you can indicate whether or not you are experiencing regular movements. If yoi do experience regular movements, then you probably have a healthy colon. For example, having a larger bowel movements in the morning or smaller ones throughout the day is a sign that your colon is right on track.

Analyze your comfort level. Do you experience bloating or gas? If so, your colon might not be functioning as well as it should, which could indicate that your body isn’t breaking down food the way it should. Also, do you experience pain with bowel movements? If you do, you might want to seek out medical help from your doctor.

If you or someone that you know has signs of an unhealthy colon and suspects the need for colorectal surgery, give Great South Bay Surgical Associates a call at 631-321-6801. Our surgeons are trained and skillful in treating disorders within the stomach and small intestine, and are guaranteed to handle your surgery with the utmost precision and care.

How to Prevent Heart Disease

Heart disease is one of the top leading health conditions in America today. Although risk factors, such as family history can’t be changed, there are a few steps you can take to protect your heart’s health:

Eat a healthy diet. It may seem obvious, but making changes to your diet can significantly impact your overall health and help lower your chances of heart disease. Make it a habit to add plenty of vegetables and fiber-rich whole grains to your meals (or choose them for afternoon snacks). Fish oil (omega-3s) should also be ingested at least twice per week, even if that means taking supplements. 

Create a workout routine. Staying active is one of the most essential ways to strengthen your heart and prevent disease. Choose a fitness routine that best fits your schedule and physical limits and stick to it. Listen to your body and know when it’s time to change up your routine, whether that means speeding it up or slowing it down. 

Avoid smoking. By now, you’re well aware that smoking is bad for your health. But did you know that secondhand smoke is just as hazardous to your health (if not, more)? In fact, non smokers are up to 30 percent more likely to develop heart disease or lung cancer due to secondhand smoke. With that being said, try to stay away from restaurants and other facilities that enable smoking, and ask loved ones to smoke outside your home and vehicle.

Maintain your stress levels. Research shows that long-term stress can increase your heart rate and and blood pressure. And as a result, your may cause harm to your heart’s healthy by damaging the artery walls. If you find yourself feeling stressed on a regular basis, take a look at your busy schedule and prioritize. What can be sacrificed and what is necessary? Once you sort through your schedule and learn new stress management techniques, you can boost your quality of life (and health).

Preventing heart disease means making smart choices when it comes to your health. Without a healthy diet, exercise, and precaution, your health could suffer. So consider these steps as more of a necessity to keep your heart and strong for years to come!

At Great South Bay Surgical Associates, we pride ourselves in the multitude of services and procedures that we offer to our patients in Nassau and Suffolk counties. Comprised of eight leading doctors in the surgical field, our team is committed to providing exceptional services by using state of the art technologies while upholding our traditional values of caring and quality.

For more information or to schedule a consultation, click here to view our website or call 631-321-6801 today.

How To Cure Varicose Veins

Did you know that more than 40 million people in the United States suffer from varicose veins? If you’re one of the many affected by these twisted, bulging veins, you know very well how uncomfortable they can feel.

Fortunately, doctors have created advanced technology to cure varicose veins right down to the source of the problem. One of the most effective methods of treatment is called laser varicose vein surgery.

What is laser varicose vein surgery?

Typically, varicose veins are caused by weakened valves and veins in the legs and stop the blood from flowing up towards your heart. When this occurs, it creates pressure in your legs and a buildup of blood, making your veins become weak and swollen. Laser varicose vein surgery is a form of treatment that can cure the source of this problem through the use of a laser. This laser works to close and shrink the affected vein.

What can I expect during treatment?

When a patient chooses laser varicose vein surgery, they can expect to be numbed from any pain. The doctor will use an ultrasound device to examine the vein before treatment and will then insert a catheter and guide it into the vein to close it up and return blood flow to normalcy. This procedure is quick and minimally invasive, so you should not experience any downtime after treatment.

Although varicose veins aren’t always a medical concern, it’s important that they are treated - especially if you are in a significant amount of discomfort. At Great South Bay Surgical Associates, we offer minimally invasive laser treatment to help you feel good as new. To learn more about our laser varicose vein surgery and other types of vascular surgery, click here or call 631-321-6801.

How to Prevent Colds This Season

Just because the peak of cold and flu season is approaching, doesn't mean you have to catch it. Protect yourself from seasonal sneezing and headaches by following the guidelines below:

1. Wash hands. Think of washing your hands as a necessity - it's one of the most important steps we can take to keep our bodies healthy. By lathering up with soap and running your hands under warm or cold water, you can lessen your chances of getting sick and spreading germs. Below is a list of the most essential times you should be washing up:  

• Before preparing or eating food
• After blowing your nose
• After touching garbage
• Before treating a cut or wound
• Before and after caring for someone who is sick

2. Be careful when sharing. Be cautious when sharing food with others, as this can be an immediate way to spread germs. If you have children at home, teach them the importance of not sharing food or other things at school that come in contact with your mouth. For example, drinking from the same juice box or double dipping potato chips. 

3. Cover when coughing. Whether you’re sick or not, it’s a good idea to cover your mouth when coughing (or sneezing). It’s easy for germs to spread through saliva, so help protect your community and your loved ones by taking precautionary steps to stop the spread of germs. Coughing or sneezing into a tissue is the best way to cover up, but if you don’t have time to grab one, sneeze into your elbow instead. 

4. Avoid touching your face. Touching your eyes, nose, and mouth after being exposed to germs is one way to boost your odds of getting infected. But if you do need to touch any of these spots, wash your hands prior to doing so. This will at least help to protect you from the virus if you’ve come in contact with it.

Catching a cold isn’t fun for anyone, but if you take steps to prevent the spread of germs, you can significantly lower your chances of becoming sick.

For more tips on how to stay healthy this season, connect with Great South Bay Surgical Associates on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+!

At Great South Bay Surgical Associates, we pride ourselves in the multitude of services and procedures that we offer to our patients in Nassau and Suffolk counties. Comprised of eight leading doctors in the surgical field, our team is committed to providing exceptional services by using state of the art technologies while upholding our traditional values of caring and quality.

For more information or to schedule a consultation, click here to view our website or call 631-321-6801 today.

Types of Vascular Disease and How to Treat Them

At Great South Bay Surgical Associates, it is our goal to provide the highest quality care for all our patients when it comes to their vascular health needs. There are many types of vascular disease out there, and we are prepared to help you get better. Below are a few common vascular diseases and how we can treat them:

Varicose Veins and Spider Veins - These two medical terms are typically used interchangeably, but they have their differences. For example, varicose veins are often bulky and protruding from under the skin while spider veins are slightly smaller and flatter. Although there are multiple procedures that can be used for both, some work better for one than the other. Sclerotherapy injection treatments are effective in curing both varicose veins and spider veins, but sometimes a more invasive surgical procedure is necessary for varicose veins.

Pulmonary Embolism - Essentially, pulmonary embolism is a blood clot that forms in a vein, travels through your bloodstream, and lodges in your lungs. Shortness of breath and chest pain are common symptoms you may experience as a result of Pulmonary Embolism. This vascular complication calls for a medical emergency due to its life threatening effects. An effective form of treatment is IVC (inferior vein cava) filter replacement, which involves the use of image guidance to place a filter in the IVC, the large vein in your abdomen that returns blood from the lower body to the heart.

Aneurysm - An aneurysm is an abnormal enlargement in the wall of a blood vessel, which occurs when the artery wall weakens. Although they can develop slowly over time without any symptoms, an occurring condition near the skin’s surface can be quite painful and may include swelling near the affected area. To cure an aneurysm, surgeons often rely on AAA (Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm) Surgery. AAA surgery is a minimally-invasive procedure use to repair a weakened area in the wall of the aorta (the main artery).  

At Great South Bay Surgical Associates, we understand our patients’ needs for vascular surgery to restore good health, which is why we offer several types of treatments: Laser, Sclerotherapy injections, inferior vena cava (IVC) filter placement, and more.

To learn more about our vascular surgery options, click here or call 631-321-6801 to schedule a consultation today.

Why Early Detection is Important

You may notice that more people are wearing pink this month in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast Cancer is one of the most common types of cancer among women in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society, about 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime, which accounts for more than 182,00 women.

At Great South Bay Surgical Associates, we know that early detection is key in treating this disease. So let’s take this opportunity to learn how certain steps for early detection can better our health:

Catching breast cancer early when it is localized means you are more likely to prevent it from spreading. Whether you go for yearly mammograms or routinely follow the five steps of a breast self-exam, you can significantly improve the chances of early diagnosis. At Great South Bay Surgical Associates, we recommend the following guidelines:

• Women over the age of 40 should go for an annual mammogram, which can detect up to two years before the tumor can be felt by your doctor.

• Women in their 20s or 30s should have a Clinical Breast Exam (CBE) around every three years as part of their annual medical checkup.

• Women over the age of 20 should perform a breast self exam monthly to help you recognize changes in the body.

Being able to detect early signs calls for a more successful treatment. Research shows that the earlier breast cancer is diagnosed, the more curable it can be. This is because the disease is simpler to treat when located in one spot. With that being said, take time this month to start becoming more aware of what your body is trying to tell you.
 
At Great South Bay Surgical Associates, we pride ourselves in the multitude of services and procedures that we offer to our patients in Nassau and Suffolk counties. Our team is committed to providing exceptional services by using state of the art technologies while upholding our traditional values of caring and quality.

For more information or to schedule a consultation, click here to view our website or call 631-321-6801 today.