Page 13 - Southern Exposure - June '24
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Southern Exposure, Page 13



                                                          CommIssIoNer’s Update




                               Preparing For Hurricane Season 2024



                  With Hundreds Of Thousands Of New Residents



                                                                   By Vice Mayor Maria G. Marino

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

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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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