Expert Health Articles

  • How Fall Yard Clean-up Can Affect Your Health
    Did you know that raking leaves is just as strenuous on your heart as shoveling snow? Leaves, especially when wet, can be just as heavy as snow to move. There is also a lot of bending and twisting that goes into raking leaves. When taking all of this into account, raking leaves could be considered a vigorous workout, and if too much exertion is put onto your heart too quickly, it can cause a heart attack.
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  • Treatment for Spinal Stenosis
    Spinal stenosis is a debilitating condition characterized by narrowing of the spinal canal or neural foramen that can lead to compression of the spinal cord and nerves. There are various treatment options to help this condition.
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  • Risks Associated with Tobacco Use and Benefits of Quitting
    According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of disease and death in the United States. Those who smoke are at risk of developing disease and dying from smoking-related illnesses.
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  • Support Networks and Safety Plans: Lifesaving Features of the Mental Healthcare Landscape
    The holiday months (mid-November to post-January) can be extremely difficult for loved ones suffering from mental illness. It’s postulated that family members and friends can reach intolerable levels of anxiety and depression during this time due to accentuated family dynamics, financial strain, and other stressors.
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  • Healthier Holiday Eating and Habits
    It’s that time of year again and the holidays are quickly approaching. The holidays are a busy time, and it can be easy to get off track with your eating habits.
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  • Identifying & Managing Chronic Pain from Head to Toe
    Chronic pain is a complex and often debilitating condition that affects more than 50 million Americans nationwide. It can manifest from head to toe, including persistent headaches and neck pain to neuropathic pain in your feet and anywhere in between. It is important to understand that chronic pain is not merely a symptom but a distinct medical condition that requires comprehensive management.
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  • Midwifery
    Although midwives have been around for hundreds of years, the term midwife is one that not many are able to clearly define. There is often confusion surrounding the many types of midwives and the span of roles a midwife might play.
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  • The Role of a Medical Physicist
    There are only approximately 13,000 medical physicists in the United States. You may ask yourself, what role could someone who studies the physics of subatomic particles and planetary motions play in the medical field?
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  • The Importance of an Annual Wellness Exam
    It is important to have an annual wellness exam to maintain your overall health and to discuss preventative services you may need based on your age and condition. A wellness exam is important for both your mental and physical health and will help you reach your health goals.
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  • The Life Cycle of Philanthropy & How it Supports Healthcare/Nonprofit Organizations
    Have you ever considered that philanthropy has a life cycle? Many people assume that they need to be fully retired or extremely wealthy to make a gift to a nonprofit organization. I did not think I could help any charitable organization in my early career because I could not make a five-, six-, or seven-figure gift. This was not true.
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  • Treating Sacroiliac Joint Pain
    The sacroiliac joint is a large joint in your lower back and buttocks region. There are two sacroiliac joints, one on each side, with ligaments in each joint that hold the bones together. Sacroiliac (SI) joint pain can be difficult to diagnose as other conditions can cause similar symptoms. Treatment of sacroiliac pain depends on the underlying cause of the sacroiliac joint pain and your symptoms.
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  • The Importance of Annual Exams
    Women, start checking your calendar now. View these important reasons to stay on top of your health and to plan an annual visit with your OB/GYN.
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  • What is Palliative Medicine?
    Palliative Medicine is a commonly misunderstood and underutilized service that greatly benefits someone who is dealing with a chronic illness. You may have heard of palliative care or hospice but are unsure the differences or which service would better meet your needs.
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  • A "Heads Up" About Concussions
    "When can I play again?" This is a common question first asked by athletes after sustaining a head injury. Removal from the game and rest is recommended as the first line of defense, but how long do they actually need to rest? Recent research suggests that after an initial period of rest lasting 24 to 48 hours, progressive re-engagement in activity (instead of strict rest) can improve an athlete’s recovery.
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  • Treatment Can Help With Osteoarthritis
    Do you have achy hips, a stiff neck, back pain or swollen knees? If any of these things sound familiar to you, you could be one of the millions of people in the U.S. who have symptomatic arthritis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 58.5 million people have been diagnosed by a healthcare provider with some form of arthritis. In 2016, 25.7 million people, or about 44% of people with diagnosed arthritis, reported activity limitations due to the arthritis. In fact, it is one of the leading causes of work-related disability.
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  • Exercise After Breast Cancer
    After a patient has been through the rigorous diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, sometimes they are looking forward to returning to their typical physical activity or workout routine. Their medical support team has usually educated them on the signs and symptoms of lymphedema, but the patients are still not sure how to return to their daily activities and workout routine safely.
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  • Caffeine & Kids
    Caffeinated beverages are no longer limited to just coffee and soda these days. Caffeine is here to stay and will be a part of some people’s daily lives. Increasing public awareness around these drinks can lead to healthy decisions for our kids.
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  • Avoiding Heat Illness in Working Environments
    The body normally cools itself by sweating. During hot weather, especially in high humidity, sweating isn’t enough. Body temperature can rise to dangerous levels if precautions are not taken. Workers exposed to hot and humid conditions are at risk of heat illness, particularly to those doing heavy work tasks or using bulky protective clothing and equipment.
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  • Asthma-Related Health Disparities
    Asthma is a heterogeneous respiratory disease that affects an estimated 25 million Americans, with six million being children. The financial cost of asthma exceeds $81 billion every year and despite all the resources invested, asthma is responsible for over 3,500 deaths annually in the nation. The prevalence of asthma is proven to be higher among individuals of low socioeconomic status in contrast to those with higher socioeconomic status.
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  • The Importance of Crawling
    The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently eliminated a total of 216 milestones from their guidelines, including crawling. While the CDC has stated that there is no evidence that supports the idea that 75 percent of children will crawl, many therapists (including myself) still strive to encourage and teach our pediatric patients to crawl.
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  • Summer Sun Safety
    As we enjoy the warmer weather, it is important to remember the importance of sun safety. While the sun and ultraviolet (UV) radiation can be beneficial for vitamin D synthesis and can increase mood, it is also responsible for numerous damaging effects on the human skin. Some of the effects of unprotected sun exposure include sunburn, early skin aging and skin cancer. With these risks, The American Academy of Dermatology recommends sunscreen and sun safety practices to reduce the harmful effects if UV exposure.
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  • Decreasing Your Risk for Cancer Through Lifestyle Choices
    Nutrition plays a role in cell growth and can help reduce your risk of developing cancer by providing an adequate amount of nutrients needed to support healthy cell growth. Cancer is a disease that is multi-factorial including, but not limited to lifestyle, environment, age and genetics. While we cannot control all of these factors, we can control some of them, which will help decrease the risk of developing cancer.
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  • Drowning Prevention Tips
    Drowning is a serious and preventable cause of death in children in the summer. As a parent, caregiver or healthcare provider, it is important to take steps to prevent drowning.
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  • Physical Activity Decreases Pain and Enhances Quality of Life
    In June 2023, Medscape Medical News reported adults who consistently engage in moderate physical activity experienced the highest pain tolerances, while even light exercise demonstrated significant improvements in pain levels.
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  • The Role and Importance of a Care Navigator
    The role of a care navigator is to assist you, the patient, in the management of your health. Care navigators are registered nurses located in area primary care offices that work closely with your primary care physician or provider to ensure you have the resources available to take control of your health. Care navigators focus on chronic disease management and coordinating transitions of care.
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  • The Benefits of Playground Play for Children
    The playground offers a unique environment for building skills. There is a lot of development and therapeutic growth that can happen in an environment like a playground. Other than the obvious areas of development, such as strength and gross motor skills, children also learn body awareness, sensory regulation, executive functioning skills and self-esteem.
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  • Sun Protection Tips for Children
    With summer quickly approaching, it’s important to remember the value of using sunscreen, especially on our children. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, one in five Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70. Having five or more sunburns doubles your risk for melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer.
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  • Types of Headache Pain and Treatment Options
    Although cephalgia (headache) is considered one of the most prevalent health complaints, the substantial societal and individual burden associated with headaches is often overlooked. Knowing the different types of headaches and their treatment modalities can help manage and potentially prevent headaches.
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  • Fit Pregnancy Tips
    Physical activity is important in all stages of life, pregnancy included! Many women desire to adopt a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy or maintain their current fitness level. In most cases, this is achievable and desirable for the overall health of mom and baby.
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  • Avoiding Burnout
    Burnout is “A state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity.” We see this in family life, work life and even as a whole community. How do we know if we’re suffering from burnout? Here are just a few signs: fatigue, this does not mean just sleepy, but also unmotivated or lack of energy; feeling apathetic or dissatisfied with work; headaches; cynical outlook; changes in sleep pattern.
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