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Keep the flu away
Fall is the right time to get a flu shot
Early flu shot recommended
We’ve been fortunate to have enjoyed some of the best summer weather on record. But these beautiful, warm days are fading as we enter the cool, crisp weather of fall. And who knows what this winter will bring? One thing we do know is that we want to stay healthy during the winter months. And one of the best ways to do just that is to get your annual flu shot. It’s the single best way to prevent the flu. You can get your flu shot at one of the public flu clinics held at convenient locations in communities throughout Rutland County and in Dorset and Rupert. Rutland Area Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice (RAVNAH) has scheduled a number of community flu clinics for peoples age 18 and older, through Oct. 25. RAVNAH offers regular strength flu and pneumonia vaccines and a high dose flu vaccine especially developed for people age 65 and older. Ask your doctor if the high dose vaccine is right for you. RAVNAH is also working with the Vermont Department of Health to provide adults the tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough/pertussis (Tdap) vaccine at no cost.
When should I get a flu shot? Here in Vermont flu activity most commonly peaks in January or February. Getting vaccinated any time between September and November can ensure you have immunity to protect yourself through the flu season.
Who should get a flu shot? The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends flu shots for: n Anyone 6 months of age and older.
See SHOT, pg. 2
Experts say prevention, including a flu shot, is best at fighting the flu
Vermonters with chronic conditions particularly vulnerable It’s not too early to get a flu shot, and vaccine is now widely available around the state in health care provider offices, pharmacies and public clinics. Go to www.healthvermont.gov to find a flu vaccine clinic. The Vermont Department of Health recommends that nearly everyone age 6 months and older protect themselves against the highly contagious influenza virus – especially people who have chronic conditions such as asthma that put them at risk of serious consequences. Forty-two percent of adult Vermonters had a chronic condition in 2010, and only half of them received an annual flu vaccine. Nearly half (48 percent) of adult Vermonters with a chronic condition did not receive their recommended flu vaccine in 2010. “Infection with influenza can have serious consequences for anyone with the virus, but especially those with chronic disease,” said Chris Finley, immunization program chief for the Health Department. “Because flu is unpredictable and we never know when it will arrive each season – and how severe it will be – a flu shot is the best protection.” Vermont’s asthma prevalence in 2010 was one of the highest in the nation. One in 10 Vermont children had asthma, and approximately 11 percent of the adult population. Of those Vermonters with asthma in 2010, 46 percent adults and 27 percent of children did not get their annual flu shot in 2010, according to survey data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. “Immunization helps protect everyone who is close to you and prevents exposure to the virus, for example grandparents who are immunized
See EARLY, pg. 2
Chiropractic treatments can help relieve pain Anyone who has ever suffered back pain, whether that pain is mild, moderate or severe, understands just how unpleasant it can be. Back pain can make life extremely difficult, affecting everything a person does, including performance at work, time spent with the kids or even sleeping at night. For those with back pain, chiropractic care might be the best way to relieve that pain. A nonsurgical treatment of the disorders of the nervous system and/or musculoskeletal system, chiropractic medicine focuses on spinal manipulation and the treatment of the structures surrounding the spine. Understanding chiropractic care can
help men and women dealing with pain better determine if it’s for them.
What conditions do chiropractors treat? A chiropractor can treat a number of conditions, but most treatments focus on a handful of common and often painful conditions. Those conditions include: n joint pain in the arms and legs n mid- and lower back pain n neck pain n headaches
What do chiropractic treatments entail? Many people with lower back pain
find such pain so unbearable that they seek the help of a chiropractor. Despite that, many more people remain wary of visiting a chiropractor for myriad reasons. But chiropractors can effectively treat pain in a number of ways. A chiropractic treatment is commonly referred to as a spinal manipulation. During a treatment, the chiropractor will move a joint beyond its usual range of motion. The joint might be moved through twisting, pulling or pushing, but it won’t be moved beyond the range of motion it’s designed to move. Those being treated for the first time should expect to hear some popping or cracking during the treatment. The goal of a spinal manip-
ulation is to improve functionality while reducing nerve irritability and restoring range of motion in the back. In addition to spinal manipulation, a chiropractor might try other types of treatments, including: n ultrasound n the application of heat or ice n certain strength and conditioning exercises n relaxation therapy
Are there side effects to chiropractic treatments? Perhaps the reason some people are
See CHIRO, pg. 7