Health Connection E-newsletter
Building for the Next Generation
When it comes to the health and well-being of mothers and their newborns, Shawnee Mission Medical Center (SMMC) has long been recognized as the area leader in maternity care. SMMC delivers more babies annually than any other hospital in Kansas City – nearly 4,000 each year – and welcomed its 100,000th baby on November 23, 2010.
On Tuesday, May 24, SMMC will break ground on a $42 million maternity expansion designed to meet the demand of the growing numbers of mothers who turn to SMMC for a safe, reassuring environment to deliver their babies.
Take Care of Your Legs During Summer Travel
It’s the first day of a much needed vacation. You’ve just boarded the plane, sat back and kicked your off shoes to enjoy the three-hour flight. Upon arrival at your destination you reach down to put your shoes on, wondering if you happened to have mistakenly grabbed the shoes of the child sitting in front of you. Then you remember the co-worker who told you about the compression garments she wears when she travels to avoid leg swelling. You thought it was because she was overweight, which you aren’t, but now you wished you would have asked more questions.
A Good Night's Sleep is More Than a Luxury
Lost sleep and restless nights take a larger toll on your body than you may realize. In addition to feeling sleepy and tired, sleep loss can lead to other health complications such as heart disease, memory loss and uncontrolled blood sugar levels in diabetics. A sleep disorder is sometimes the reason why a person does not get enough sleep. The most common disorder is insomnia.
Tinnitus Treatment Improves Patient's Quality of Life
At age 59, Alan Rittel remembers struggling with a hearing loss from the time he was in elementary school.
“I’m not sure what caused it, but I have had some difficulty hearing most of my life,” he said.
Like many individuals with hearing loss, Rittel also found himself dealing with the constant presence of what he describes as a very high-pitched chirping sound, better known as tinnitus.
100,000 Babies and Counting
Shawnee Mission Medical Center (SMMC) is preparing to welcome its 100,000th baby. As of October, more than 99,750 babies have been delivered since 1962 and the hospital averages 250 births per month.