2016 PGH To Offer Free Screening & Discounted Testing In January

MEDIA RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Putnam General Hospital, Navicent Health Partner
Jennifer Edwards, Director of Marketing & Public Relations
Direct: 706-923-2028
Email: Send Email

PGH To Offer Free Screening & Discounted Testing In January

Eatonton, GA - December 23, 2015 - To celebrate Thyroid Awareness Month, Putnam General Hospital, Navicent Health Partner (PGH) will be offering thyroid (TSH) testing free of charge during the month of January for up to 300 patients.

Thyroid disease is more common than diabetes or heart disease and affects approximately 30 million people worldwide - up to 60 percent of those with thyroid disease are unaware of their condition. The thyroid gland produces thyroid hormone, which controls virtually every cell, tissue and organ in the body. If your thyroid is not functioning properly, it can produce too much thyroid hormone, which causes the body's systems to speed up; or it can create too little thyroid hormone, which causes the body's systems to slow down. Untreated thyroid disease may lead to elevated cholesterol levels and subsequent heart disease, as well as infertility and osteoporosis.

Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) - symptoms may include fatigue, sensitivity to cold, constipation, dry skin, weight gain, puffy face, hoarseness, muscle weakness, elevated blood cholesterol levels, muscle aches, tenderness or stiffness, pain, stiffness or swelling in your joints, heavier than normal or irregular menstrual periods, thinning hair, slowed heart rate, depression, impaired memory.
Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) - symptoms may include sudden weight loss - even when your appetite and the amount of food you eat remains the same, rapid heartbeat, increased appetite, nervousness, anxiety or irritability, tremors, sweating, changes in menstrual patterns, increased sensitivity to heat, changes in bowel patterns, enlarged thyroid gland (goiter), fatigue, muscle weakness, difficulty sleeping, skin thinning, fine/brittle hair.

To screen for thyroid disease, a simple blood test called TSH is used to check your body's production of thyroid stimulating hormones (TSH).

Family history: A familiar place to look for thyroid disorder signs and symptoms is your family tree. If you have a first-degree relative (a parent, sibling or child) with thyroid disease, you would benefit from thyroid evaluation. Women are much more likely to be thyroid patients than men; however the gene pool runs through both.
Prescription medications: If you are taking Lithium or Amiodarone, you should consider a thyroid evaluation.
Experience hypothyroidism symptoms.
Experience hyperthyroidism symptoms.
Radiation therapy to head or neck: If you have had any of the following radiation therapies, you should consider a thyroid evaluation: radiation therapy for tonsils, enlarged thymus or acne.

Research shows that there is a strong genetic link between thyroid disease and other autoimmune diseases, including types of diabetes, arthritis and anemia.

In addition to free TSH screenings, PGH is also offering complete blood work testing at a discounted rate of $45. Complete blood work is recommended annually for both men and women. Complete blood work testing includes complete blood count (CBC), comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP) and lipid panel (cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol and calculated LDL cholesterol).

These screenings will be offered weekdays from 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM beginning Monday, January 4, 2016 and ending Friday, January 29, 2016. No preparation or fasting is needed for TSH testing; however 8 hour fasting is required for complete blood work. Participants are to check in at registration where they will be asked to complete a short registration form and provide payment if required. Following registration, the patient will be taken to the lab where a blood sample will be drawn. All participants will be notified of their results via letter, and those requiring follow up care will be directed to see their primary care physicians.

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Putnam General Hospital, Navicent Health Partner
Putnam General Hospital, Navicent Health Partner (PGH) has proudly provided community based healthcare to Putnam County and the surrounding lake country since 1968. Putnam General Hospital is a Joint Commission Accredited 25-bed Critical Access Hospital and offers a comprehensive range of services: acute and skilled care; a full range of outpatient diagnostic, rehabilitation and physical therapy services; occupational health care; outpatient and general, minimally invasive surgery; radiology services; and a state-of-the-art 24-hour emergency room. Putnam General Hospital, Navicent Health Partner has been recognized for achieving consistently high levels of patient safety and quality patient outcomes by the Georgia Hospital Association and other rating agencies and was named a Coverdell Champion Hospital for Stroke Prevention and Care by the Georgia Coverdell Acute Stroke Registry and received Chest Pain Center Accreditation from the Society Of Cardiovascular Patient Care. For more information, please visit www.putnamgeneral.com.