Page 17 - Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens- June '24

Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens, Page 17
Commissioner’s Update

Preparing For Hurricane information at Home Chemical Disposal | Solid Waste
Authority of Palm Beach County, FL (swa.org) or by calling
Season 2024 With Hundreds Of (561) 697-2700 or (866) SWA-INFO (toll-free). Register
now for Palm Beach County’s Emergency Notification
Thousands Of New Residents System, better known as AlertPBC by visiting discover.
pbcgov.org/publicsafety/dem. AlertPBC allows you to opt
By Vice Mayor Maria G. in to receive notice via phone calls, text messaging, emails
Marino and more, about city/county or weather safety hazards or
Fl ori da , wi t h i t s concerns. All registered information is protected and is not
picturesque beaches, vibrant to be used for any other purpose.
culture and year-round the event of a storm. It includes checklists for supplies, You can download the Palm Beach County Disaster
sunshine, has long been the and questions to ask yourself about the condition of your Awareness and Recovery Tool (DART) app on your
beacon for those seeking to home, or if you are located in a mandatory evacuation area. smartphone to track evacuation zones, shelter open/closed
live in paradise. However, If so, the guide also includes transportation and shelter status, damage assessment information and many other
alongside the allure of its information, what you should do to secure your home, and features to help you during a disaster.
tropical climate comes what to bring with you.
the ever-looming threat of Your plan should include a kit of essentials for sheltering
hurricanes. As thousands in place, that includes nonperishable food, health and
of new residents flock to the Sunshine State each year, it first aid supplies, paper goods, a full prescription of your
becomes increasingly crucial to emphasize the significance required medications, a waterproof container to store
of hurricane preparedness and prevention measures. Beyond important documents, cleaning supplies, tools, candles,
safeguarding property and infrastructure, the well-being and flashlights, batteries. Likewise, remember to prepare a kit
safety of Florida’s residents are at stake. for your pets. Also, if you haven’t fired up your generator, Lastly, instead of buying water in bottles, consider using
June 1 is the official start of the Atlantic hurricane test it now and make sure you have gas for it. Residents your own tap water and fill all of those containers you already
season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, and researchers should keep their vehicles’ gas tanks at least half full during have at home. This will save you money and save our landfills.
at Colorado State University are predicting an extremely hurricane season to ensure they have enough fuel to evacuate Be well, and be prepared. If I can assist you, please contact me
active season with 23 named storms, including 11 that will as soon as possible without worrying about long lines at at (561) 355-2201 or by email at mmarino@pbc.gov.
become hurricanes and five reaching major hurricane strength gas stations and to avoid gas shortages prior to a storm. For
(Category 3 or higher.) While these may be sobering statistics, Floridians with electric vehicles, it’s recommended that the
particularly for new residents who are largely unfamiliar with battery be maintained between 50 and 80 percent capacity
hurricanes, there are many resources available through Palm at all times, depending on the type of vehicle and what the
Beach County’s Division of Emergency Management. Before vehicle’s manual recommends.
the season begins, it’s important to take care of things that Now is the time to prune your yard vegetation and
require a bit more time, which will have you prepared and perform your major tree cutting, because once a storm
ready to respond when the warnings come. watch or warning is issued there is no certainty that your
Start building your hurricane kit with the Official Palm hauler will be able to collect your yard trimmings and only a
Beach County Hurricane Planning Guide, which you can maximum of one 6-cubic-yard pile of yard waste is collected
find at https://discover.pbcgov.org/publicsafety/PDF/ each week. Additionally, if you have expired hurricane
Hurricane-Guide.pdf. For any additional information, or supplies that may include power tool batteries, propane
if you do not have Internet access, contact the Emergency tanks or fuel, dispose of them properly at any of the Solid
Information Center at (561) 712-6400 or our office can Waste Authority Home Chemical and Recycling Centers.
mail one to you. The guide is a comprehensive source for The North County Transfer Station is located at 14185 North
“everything-you-need-to-know” about being prepared in Military Trail, Jupiter, 33458, and you can find additional

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SPOTLIGHT ON HEALTH CARE

Chronic pain sufferers find welcomed

relief through pain management.

By Valerie Staggs
When Dr. Nathaniel Drourr started his and depression specifically is exceed-
career as a pain management physician 26 ingly common in people with chronic
years ago, the specialty was a new concept pain,” says Drourr. He encourages pa-
in the medical field. While the idea of a tients to be advocates for themselves. “You
physician solely dedicated to helping treat have every right to ask your doctor for
patients with chronic pain might have another opinion. If you’re not happy with
seemed unusual back then, today physi- where you are, ask for a referral or make an
cians like Drourr are bringing welcomed appointment yourself.”
relief to patients who have often given up
hope that they will ever be pain-free.

“Usually by the time patients get to us
they have tried a fair amount of things,”
says Drourr, who has been practicing at
Jupiter Medical Center for his entire ca-
reer. “Many have been to surgeons, they
have tried physical therapy, they’ve “Patients come to us for a whole list of rea- way to treat many different conditions
sometimes done pretty significant pain sons. The most common is back pain and is through multiple different avenues,”
medication. We’re that next step after a leg pain or sciatica type pain, but patients says Drourr. “However, we always like to
lot of the common treatments fail.” can also have neck or arm pain, shingles start with non-invasive therapies first.”
type pain or pain related to cancer.” Non-invasive therapies can include hot/
Chronic pain is defined as pain that no cold therapy, anti-inflammatory medica-
longer serves a useful purpose. Drourr uses Pain management physicians see new pa- tions, physical therapy, massage therapy,
the analogy of burning your hand to ex- tients at an initial consultation where they chiropractic care and TENS unit, a mild
plain. “If you stick your hand near a flame are asked in-depth questions about their electrical nerve stimulation technique. If
and it burns, you pull your hand away for pain. Typical questions touch on where non-invasive treatments alone do not stem
good reason. Once that burn heals and the the pain is located, what makes it better the pain, pain medication therapies and
initial pain goes away, any pain you have or worse and what treatments the patient injection therapies may be added to the
past that normal time is chronic pain.” has already tried. A physical examination treatment plan. Surgery and spinal cord
is also conducted. The goal in the initial stimulators can also be a consideration for Nathaniel Drourr, MD.
Patients are often referred to a pain man- consultation is to develop a treatment some conditions.
agement physician by a primary care doc- plan to address each patient’s specific type
tor or another physician such as a surgeon of pain. Left untreated, chronic pain can cause a For more information about pain
or orthopedic specialist. Some, like Dro- host of other health problems. “Psycho- management treatment, visit:
urr, also accept self-referrals from patients A wide range of options are explored in logically, how they feel about them- jupitermed.com/services/
directly. developing each treatment plan. “The best selves, how they interact with others, pain-management
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