Are you dizzy? Feel unsteady or have ringing in your ears? Do you have difficulty riding in the backseat of  a car? Is it difficult to walk a straight line or balance on one foot? You may have a vestibular problem.  These symptoms can be caused by an inner ear problem, pathology in the neck, Menier’s Disease, labyrinthitis or benign parosysmal positional vertigo. 

The Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma held their 70th SemiAnnual General Council Meeting at the  AST Little Axe Health Center on November 10, 2012. The Absentee Shawnee Tribal Health System, AST  Tribal Programs and visiting health booths had a great time visiting and meeting AST Tribal members  and their families, while providing health information and screening. According to evaluation results  the Health Fair and Fun/Run Walk was a success. Thank You for the opportunity for allowing the Health  Departments and others to share important health information. 

AST Fall Health Fair Evaluation Results 

Nov 10, 2012 

N = 62 

1. How would you rate the health fair in general?  

a. Excellent = 78%  

b. Fair = 19%  

c. Poor = 3%

2. Do you plan on making any personal health changes as a result of what you learned  today or screening that was provided to you?  

a. Yes = 63%  

b. No = 37% 

Are you at risk for diabetes, have diabetes or know someone who does?  Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes and affects millions of Native Americans. Many people are unaware that they have diabetes or  pre-diabetes. Native Americans are twice as likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than others. Some common signs and symptoms include:

•  Frequent infections

•  Blurred vision

•  Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal

•  Tingling/numbness in the hands/feet

•  Recurring skin, gum, or bladder infections

This past month has been a very great month for all the health programs. We have be reorganizing some of the programs and adding a few more benefits for the tribal members. In the Shawnee Clinic, Dr. Walsh is a part time internal medicine physician who is slowly building up her practice. Because of this, there are many patients still waiting to get appointments and because of the need for another provider, we are going to add a full time physician in Shawnee. We are currently advertising for medical providers and hope to have someone hired by the end of the year. This will help to add more patients to the Shawnee location and have a full time medical provider in the Shawnee Clinic that help with the patient load currently being carried by Stacy Curtis, PA. Once we get a physician hired, we will make sure to announce this in the tribal newsletter.