Good Samaritan Hospital

Turn in Your Unused of Expired Medication to Community Against Substance Abuse for Safe Disposal on April 27th!

Got drugs?  Turn in your unused or expired medication for safe disposal 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 27.  Community Against Substance Abuse will accept all controlled, non-controlled and over-the-counter medications for safe disposal at the Los Gatos Parks & Public Works Service Center, 41 Miles Ave., Los Gatos (Downtown, off University Avenue).  Do not bring aerosols, IV solutions, injectables or syringes.  There’s a safe syringe disposal bin at Good Sam near the VTA stop.

The Parents' Guide to Infant Immunization

Once your baby is born, you will probably be willing to go to great lengths to ensure that he or she has excellent medical care for a good start in life. However, one of the most important steps you can take for your baby’s health is also one of the simplest: following an immunization schedule. Immunizations are not only important for admission to public schools and daycares, but they also help to protect children from life-threatening medical conditions. Here are some facts about infant immunizations that all parents should know.

Every child should be vaccinated according to an immunization schedule
During one of your first visits to the pediatrician, you will be presented with an immunization schedule for your newborn, showing recommended vaccinations from birth to age 18. These vaccinations protect your child from a wide range of diseases, including polio, whooping cough, tetanus, and the measles. Your child’s pediatrician can discuss each vaccination in more detail with you and help you schedule appointments for your child to receive them.

Side effects from vaccines are generally mild and temporary
Recently, news has circulated that vaccines are linked to the onset of autism, but there is no scientific research to support this claim. In fact, most vaccines only cause mild discomfort, which is generally isolated to the area of the shot. While it may be difficult to see your infant in any sort of pain which may result from immunizations, this will be far less traumatic than seeing your child suffer from the diseases that vaccines protect against.

Natural immunity is not a substitute for vaccines
When babies are born, they have temporary immunity from conditions to which their mothers are immune. However, once this natural immunity diminishes, your baby will be highly vulnerable to disease and infection without the protection of immunizations. Natural immunity can also occur after exposure to certain diseases such as chickenpox, but this type of immunity is risky because your child will need to fight off the infection before developing antibodies to fight it.

If you want to find additional information about infant immunizations and pediatric care, contact Good Samaritan Hospital during National Infant Immunization Week this April. You can reach us on our website or by calling our Contact-A-Nurse healthcare referral line at (888) 724-2362.

The Benefits of a Good Diet During Pregnancy

When you are pregnant, you may assume that eating for two will require significant weight gain by the third trimester. However, it is not ideal for your health or your baby’s health to put on too much weight.

As this video explains, you should gain some weight while you are pregnant, but it is important to keep this weight gain in check through healthy diet and exercise. Diet is of particular importance because the right foods will nourish you and your baby with the nutrients you need to reduce the chances of serious complications such as preeclampsia.

For more tips to help you have a healthy pregnancy, connect with Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose. You can schedule a tour of our Maternity Center or sign up for Childbirth Preparation Classes through our Consult-A-Nurse healthcare referral line at (888) 724-2362 or by visiting us online.

Why You Should Not Ignore Your Chest Pain

Chest pain is one of the leading causes for trips to the ER in the United States, but there are still numerous health issues associated with chest pain that are not properly addressed with medical care. If you are experiencing chest pain, the accredited Chest Pain Center at Good Samaritan Hospital can identify the cause of your discomfort and offer the care you need for a rapid recovery. To help you understand the urgency of addressing chest pain, here is a look at the reasons you need to pay attention to this serious symptom.

Chest pain has a number of causes
While chest pain is frequently associated with heart attacks, it can also be caused by digestive discomfort, respiratory issues, and other cardiac conditions. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the cause of chest pain rapidly so that the right kind of care can be applied. In some cases, pain or pressure from a heart attack can be mistaken for heartburn, so it is best to find out for sure why the pain is occurring.

Rapid care is integral to heart attack recovery
If a heart attack is the cause of your chest pain, every second counts when it comes to treatment. Other heart attack indicators that may accompany your chest pain include nausea, dizziness, upper body soreness, and trouble breathing.

Accurate and prompt care is available
At Good Samaritan Hospital, you will not have to spend much time waiting in the ER lobby before your chest pain is evaluated. Our Emergency Department and Chest Pain Center are both dedicated to providing the most prompt care available at all hours of the day, because a heart attack will not wait for regular clinic hours.

To discover more of the benefits of trusting Good Samaritan Hospital for your emergency medical care in San Jose, visit us online or call our Consult-A-Nurse healthcare referral line at (888) 724-2362. You can also download our iTriage app for your smart phone so that you always have helpful health information at your fingertips.

Find Important Health Information by Clicking Through These Links

Let Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose be the expert resource to guide you to a healthier future. Take a look at our educational programs and healthcare services by visiting our website or call us at (888) 724-2362 with your questions. For more on our latest blog topics, read the recommended articles below.

• KidsHealth.org offers some tips for parents of children who have been diagnosed with cancer.
• A healthy and balanced diet can significantly improve your cancer treatment. EatRight.org explains why nutrition makes such a big difference.
• The American Cancer Society can help to soften the blow of a cancer diagnosis with some straightforward information for newly diagnosed patients.
• The National Institute of Senior Health explains why colorectal cancer is a problem for senior health and how to prevent it.
• Are you up-to-date with your colorectal cancer screening? Find out with this article from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.