Medical

Did you know that men are less likely than women to take care of their physical health and, according to research; their oral health is equally ignored?  Good oral health has been linked to longevity, yet one of the most common factors associated with infrequent dental checkups is just being male.  Men are less likely than women to seek preventive dental care and often neglect their oral health for years, visiting a dentist only when a problem arises.

Researchers found that seven weeks of acupuncture treatment reduced the severity of nighttime hot flashes by 28 percent among menopausal women compared with a six percent decrease among women who had a sham acupuncture treatment.
The effects of acupuncture versus a sham acupuncture (placebo) treatment on the severity and frequency of nighttime hot flashes were compared.  Taking part in the study were 29 menopausal women experiencing at least seven moderate-to-severe hot flashes per day.

When microdermabrasion, chemical peels, or photofacials aren’t giving you the results you want, your answer may be fractional laser treatment.  What is fractional laser?  Years ago the gold standard of treatment was traditional laser resurfacing done with a Carbon Dioxide (C02) laser.  While this laser provided outstanding results, it also had a long period of recovery that included bandages, crusting, prolonged redness, and swelling. 

For many people, the best treatment for wisdom teeth is to remove them.  This treatment helps prevent future dental problems and maintains a healthy mouth and smile.
Your last molars, called the third molars or wisdom teeth, typically begin to come in during the late teens or early 20s.  When they don’t have room to grow in properly, they are considered impacted. 

We all know that we need that twice per year “teeth cleaning.”  It is so refreshing to have smooth shiny teeth.  But we need to keep in mind that it is more than a “teeth cleaning.”  This appointment helps maintain your periodontal health, identify oral cancer, screen for high blood pressure and diagnose dental disease at its inception.

When we listen to people addressing issues, negativity seems to be the preferred approach.  Is it truly the most effective approach, or do we just mimic the approach of others?  Are you more likely to hear the other person when they present a negative or a positive approach?  Do you present what you are most receptive to or stick to familiar ineffective patterns?

The City of Santa Clarita and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health will host a free, walk-in H1N1 vaccination clinic on Friday, December 4 at the City’s Sports Complex Activities Center. The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., or until the vaccination supply is depleted. 

Christmas time is just around the corner and everyone is searching for the best gift.  What is the best gift a person can give?  The answer is definitely a subjective one.  If you ask me, I say it is the gift of sight.  It is a wonderful feeling to have crisp clear vision.  Your eyes are always giving and providing for you everyday, from the time you open your eyes until you shut your eyes to go to sleep.  What a spectacular thing your sight is!

Our immune system is basic to our health and well being.  When it is deficient, it makes us especially vulnerable to illnesses such as bacterial infections, viruses (the common cold and flu), asthma, allergies, rheumatoid arthritis and even cancer.  When our immune system is not functioning well, either because of low reactivity or hyper-activity, it can affect every organ in our body, including our inflammation response.

Holidays are a wonderful time of the year, and frequently they are the one or two times a year we are able to spend time with parents or other aging loved ones.  If we do see them daily, sometimes we can’t see the forest for the trees, and may not recognize a cognitive and/or physical decline.  Regardless of whether you see someone daily or occasionally, here are some recommended “Quick Check” activities.

“I hate the Dentist!”
I must hear this at least once a day, but you know, we have the technology to treat most patients with Sedation Denistry.  In my experience, this technique allows the dental team to correct years of problems in one appointment.  The patient is safely sedated with intravenous medications allowing the patient to “sleep” through the treatment.

I am a patient of Dr. Jun’s and I feel stronger than I ever have in my entire life.  I can actually fight off a cold within a week, which is a miracle for me.  Before I started going to Dr. Jun, I would dread every flu season because I just knew I would be so sick for at least a month during this time. 

The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the body, and encounters large forces during certain activities, often up to several times our body weight.  Achilles tendonitis is typically an overuse type of problem, exacerbated by running or walking on hills, incline on the treadmill, or activities like step aerobics.  One of the worst things you can do with Achilles tendonitis is to ignore the pain and run or exercise through it. 

Everyone wants a brighter, whiter, younger-looking smile.  There are many options available today for patients to whiten their teeth.  Most people can achieve a whiter smile through bleaching or veneers.
Over the counter bleaching products may work, but because the concentration of the bleach is less than what is offered through a professional dental office, the results may take longer to achieve or be less than what the patient desires.

For a few months now we have been dealing with not one, but two different strains of flu!  Needless to say it has increased the stress levels on the community locally and nationally.  Oriental medical philosophy asserts that when a person’s qi (chee) or life force energy is constricted in any way, the body’s ability to maintain a balanced flow of energy is decreased and the potential for illness is increased.  What constricts the qi? 

With over 22 years of experience I have been treating gastro intestinal (GI) disorders with the use of thin needles inserted in very precise areas along the different rivers of energy, which are called meridians.  The body is made up energy which is called Chi. 

An 18 year-old patient was seeing me for chest pains.  He hesitantly admitted he was using GHB (Gamma Hydroxybutyric Acid), liquid ecstasy.  “I’ve missed out on so much!  I want to live, but I’m careful!  This drug makes me feel like I can’t breathe!” “Breathing is a good thing, don’t you think?”  “Yeah, I guess, the other day, I took GHB, mom’s Vicodin, dad’s liquor, and just went wild; I don’t know how I made it, but now I’m better Dr. K!”

Many patients tell me they would love to have whiter teeth, however in the past, after a whitening procedure they experienced quite a bit of tooth sensitivity, which is the main reason why whitening is no longer an option for them.  The question then: “Is there a way to get whiter teeth without the sensitivity?”