$79 Easy DOT Physical Exam Grand Junction Colorado

Acute Myocardial Infarction

An acute myocardial infarction is just a fancy term for heart attack. It occurs when a section of the heart muscle becomes blocked and affects the flow of the oxygen rich blood. Furthermore, if this happens and isn’t restored fast enough, that section of the heart muscle begins to die.

Symptoms

Acute Myocardial Infarction
Acute Myocardial Infarction

Common warning signs or symptoms are:

  • Chest pain or discomfort – discomfort is often in the center or left side of the chest and lasts a few minutes
  • Shortness of breath – can occur with chest pain or discomfort while resting or after being physically active
  • Upper body discomfort – can be pain or discomfort in the arms, shoulders, back or neck

Other possible symptoms also include:

  • feeling unusually tired and sluggish
  • light headedness/dizziness
  • Nausea/vomiting

For more information about myocardial infarction, also check out this article on PubMed Health.

How it Affects your DOT Physical Exam

First of all to be physically qualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle you must have no current clinical diagnosis of myocardial infarction. However, if you experience a heart attack you still can be certified if you are being monitored and stabilized on medication.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the maximum certification length for someone who has had a heart attack is 1 year if the driver:

  • is asymptomatic
  • tolerates medications
  • obtains a satisfactory exercise tolerance test (ETT)
  • receives a resting left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) greater than or equal to 40%
  • has no electrocardiogram ischemic changes

In addition you will need to bring a medical clearance letter from a cardiovascular specialist who understands the functions and demands of commercial driving to your DOT physical exam.

Consequently a driver will not be certified due to any of the following:

  • chest pain at rest or change in chest pain patterns within 3 months of examination
  • ischemic changes on rest electrocardiogram (ECG)
  • intolerance to cardiovascular therapy and medications

Schedule Your DOT Physical Exam in Grand Junction

Here is how the process works:

  1. Schedule and pay for your exam by clicking here
  2. Arrive ready to complete minimal paperwork
  3. We’ll do a thorough examination and determine your certification length
  4. Also, you have the option of having us recommend wellness strategies that’ll improve your health

Make life easier by scheduling and paying for your DOT Physical in Grand Junction, Colorado at www.dotgj.com and save $10

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Requirements

Obstructive sleep apnea is a breathing-related sleep disorder. It affects your sleep, daytime alertness, and performance. If it is left untreated it may be more difficult to stay awake, react quickly, or focus your eyes. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has obstructive sleep apnea requirements in place to ensure the safety of the DOT driver as well as the other drivers on the road. The FMCSA has more information on sleep apnea such as risk factors and symptoms in this article. With a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea, you will need to be recertified at least annually.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Requirements DOT Exam Grand Junction

Requirements

When you come in for your DOT Physical we recommend you bring:

  1. Medical opinion letter from treating physician
  2. Compliance Log – If you do not know how to retrieve this log from your CPAP machine please call your medical device representative for further assistance
  3. A list of medications with the correct dosage and prescribing physician

 

 

 

Disqualifications include:

  1. Moderate to severe sleep apnea
  2. Non-compliant with CPAP treatment
  3. You have experienced a crash associated with falling asleep
  4. You are experiencing excessive sleepiness while driving

Schedule Your DOT Physical Exam in Grand Junction

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Requirements DOT Exam Grand Junction

Here is how the process works:

  1. Register and pay for your exam by clicking here
  2. Arrive ready to complete minimal paperwork
  3. We’ll do a thorough examination and determine your certification length
  4. Also, you have the option of having us recommend wellness strategies that’ll improve your health

Make life easier by registering and paying for your DOT Physical in Grand Junction, Colorado at www.dotgj.com and save $10

Reducing Stress While Driving

Reducing stress while driving is important for truck drivers to work on. However, it can be hard to manage stress while being behind the wheel for many hours and dealing with the pressures off delivery schedules.

There are two types of stress: Acute and Chronic. Chronic stress is the worst and can lead to serious health problems such as heart disease, obesity, depression, and high blood pressure. There are ways to detect stress though. For more information on stress read this article.

Signs of Stress (emotionally or physically):

  • Unable to focus
  • Worried
  • Angry
  • Depressed
  • back pain
  • headaches
  • tense muscles
  • weight gain or loss
  • sleeping problems

There are also ways for truck drivers to deal with stress in a healthy manner to prevent serious health conditions from arising.

Reducing stress while driving
Reducing stress while driving

 

Tip #1: Quality Sleep – Truck drivers should be getting good quality sleep in order to for the body to be rested and strengthen the immune system. Drivers should aim to get 6 to 8 hours of restful sleep each night.

Tip #2: Physical Activity – Physical activity provides many positive health benefits for our bodies. It also releases endorphins which can energize you and give you a happy feeling. Drivers should strive to get between 15-30 minutes each day by simply just walking around the truck stop and getting the heart  rate up.

Tip #3: Healthy Diet – Healthy foods can help your physical health as well as your brain health. Drivers should try to include a variety of fresh vegetables and fruits. Doing this will limit the need and want for unhealthy foods such as hamburgers and french fries. Also, drivers should try to consume more water and avoid soft drinks to reduce the risk of serious health problems.

Tip#4: Route Planning – Planning your trip ahead of time can help reduce stress. Drivers should have a GPS, smartphone or trucker’s road atlas to ensure you get accurate directions and can allow yourself to take a break at appropriate times without being stressed out that you will miss appointments for deliveries or pick-ups.

For a few other tips on reducing your stressing while on the road check out this article.

We know you’re busy and when you need a DOT physical we’re here to help.  If you’re able to pay online and register this saves you $10 and a bunch of time when you arrive to your exam. Reducing stress while driving is important and we wish to help by providing an easy process for your DOT physical in Grand Junction.

Reducing Stress While Driving plus Schedule Your DOT Physical Exam in Grand Junction

Here is how the process works:

  1. Register and pay for your exam by clicking here
  2. Arrive ready to complete minimal paperwork
  3. We’ll do a thorough examination and determine your certification length
  4. You have the option of having us recommend wellness strategies that’ll improve your health

To make your life easier you can register and pay for your DOT Physical in Grand Junction, Colorado at www.dotgj.com plus save $

 

 

Diabetes Prevention

Diabetes Prevention
Diabetes Prevention

Diabetes prevention is a big priority especially if you have an increased risk of diabetes based on family history or being overweight. If you start your prevention now it will not only help reduce your likelihood of developing diabetes but it will also help you avoid serious health complications later on and make for an easy, stress free DOT physical.

Prevention Tip #1: Increase your intake of fiber – this will help improve your blood sugar control, promote weight loss, and reduce your risk of heart disease

Prevention Tip #2: Eat whole grains – this will help maintain your blood sugar levels.  Look for “whole” on the packaging to ensure you are getting the right grains and also aim to make half of your grains whole grains

Prevention Tip #3: Increase your physical activity – doing this will help you lower your blood sugar, lose weight, and boost your sensitivity to insulin (insulin helps keep your blood sugar in a normal range)

Prevention Tip #4: Lose weight – exercising regularly will not only help you lose the extra weight but it will also do what was mentioned in tip #3.

Prevention Tip #5: Forgo those fad diets – fad diets will help you lose weight but it will not help you maintain that weight so skip the diets and start adding a healthy variety in your eating choices and consider portion control.

Diabetes Prevention
Diabetes Prevention

Diabetes prevention has been shown to work. In this article from the New York Times, it was stated that of the adults at risk for Type 2 diabetes in this clinical trial from 2002, there was a reduced incidence of diabetes by 58% just by being involved in a lifestyle modification program and the weight loss from the program. The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention is hoping on board and in 2012 they started a National Diabetes Prevention Program.

For more information on the long term benefits of diabetes prevention from lifestyle modifications check out this article.

We know you’re busy and when you need a DOT physical we’re here to help.  If you’re able to pay online and register this saves you $10 and a bunch of time when you arrive to your exam. Reducing stress while driving is important and we wish to help by providing an easy process for your DOT physical in Grand Junction.

Diabetes Prevention plus Schedule Your DOT Physical Exam in Grand Junction

Here is how the process works:

  1. Register and pay for your exam by clicking here
  2. Arrive ready to complete minimal paperwork
  3. We’ll do a thorough examination and determine your certification length
  4. You have the option of having us recommend wellness strategies that’ll improve your health

To make your life easier you can register and pay for your DOT Physical in Grand Junction, Colorado at www.dotgj.com plus save $

Sleep Apnea Prevention

Sleep apnea is a restriction of the airway in the back of the throat either partly or completely restricted. When this happens you may observe some sleepiness, snoring, and obesity which could prevent you from getting a two year certificate at you DOT physical. However, there are some sleep apnea prevention tips to ensure that sleep apnea is not an issue.Sleep Apnea Prevention

Lifestyle Modifications –

  1. Weight Loss
  2. Reduce alcohol consumption
  3. Avoid medicines that make you tired
  4. Quit smoking
  5. Reducing blood pressure
  6. Sleep on your side instead of your back in order to help keep your throat open – Read more at Sleep Health Foundation
Sleep Apnea Prevention
Sleep Apnea Prevention

Making lifestyle modifications will help prevent sleep apnea and reduce the likelihood of needing a CPAP, mouth pieces, or surgery but should be discussed with your doctor in order to make sure you have the correct diagnosis. To understand more about how sleep apnea is treated read this article from National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

If your doctor suggests you have Obstructive Sleep Apnea they’ll require you to have a sleep study to measure the quality of sleep.  If you’re currently using a CPAP at night because you have a diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea you will want to print off your you can read this forum to see if there are any good suggestions or call your medical device company.  They’ll know how to print if off for you.

We know you’re busy and when you need a DOT physical we’re here to help.  If you’re able to pay online and register this saves you $10 and a bunch of time when you arrive to your exam. Reducing stress while driving is important and we wish to help by providing an easy process for your DOT physical in Grand Junction.

Learn Sleep Apnea Prevention plus Schedule Your DOT Physical Exam in Grand Junction

Here is how the process works:

  1. Register and pay for your exam by clicking here
  2. Arrive ready to complete minimal paperwork
  3. We’ll do a thorough examination and determine your certification length
  4. You have the option of having us recommend wellness strategies that’ll improve your health

To make your life easier you can register and pay for your DOT Physical in Grand Junction, Colorado at www.dotgj.com plus save $

 

Company Info

First Aid Occupational Health
2140 N 12th
Grand Junction, CO 81501

tel. (970) 712-8193

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