Medical

Breast augmentation is one of the most popular operations in cosmetic surgery.  However, a significant number of patient experience hardening of their implants.  This is called capsular contracture.  It results from scar tissue forming around the implant and confining it to a tight space.  The breasts can feel firm, be distorted and even painful. 

There are people who go through their entire lives with the blessed ability of eating whatever kind of foods their heart desires.  There are others, however, who must be very keen on the foods they are digesting, due to various allergies.  There is now an allergy that causes people to react against the protein gluten.  Often connected to Celiac disease (an inherited, autoimmune disease in which the lining of the small intestine is damaged from eating gluten and other proteins), people who cannot eat gluten become very limited in their choice of foods.

As families prepare for flu season and the release of vaccines for both the seasonal flu and H1N1 (swine flu), Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital’s Lactation Services Team urges mothers and healthcare professionals to promote, support, and encourage breastfeeding, which provides infants with antibodies that can help fight illness and disease.

We all know how good it feels to get a compliment.  Our self-esteem rises and we generally feel more positive.  This has a remarkable effect on mental health and even transfers to our physical health by releasing endorphins.
When we eat right and exercise, our body releases the same hormones that improve our mental health, plus we get the added satisfaction of more energy and a smaller waistline, resulting in compliments!

Do you take some sort of medication for your problems?  Including life problems?
We, unfortunately, live in a “fix it now, fix it fast” society, yet not everything has a quick fix.  Every day we are bombarded with prescription drug commercials that promise to solve your problems in a jiffy, but if you listen to all the quickly blurted “fine print” of the side effects, it becomes clear that they could also cause more problems than they solve.

How’s your track record when it comes to relationships?  How do you feel about choices you’ve made?  Do you know what qualities to look for in a partner?  Do you know how to develop and nurture a healthy relationship?  We’re not born with the knowledge of how to choose a partner and develop and keep a relationship new and alive.  Being a reaction to our parents may not work for us.  Have you taken the time to learn the simple, basic skills that make relationships more effective and enjoyable?  Whether you’re seeking a partner or looking to enhance your existing relationship, do you feel you’re prepared to succeed?

Glaucoma is a the name used for a group of diseases that result in damage to the optic nerve.  “Open angle glaucoma” is the most common type and is usually associated with elevated pressure inside the eye.  This causes a gradual, painless loss of vision, beginning with peripheral vision.  Because it happens so slowly, a person usually doesn’t recognize that there is a problem until the central vision is affected.  Because of its lack of symptoms, it is recommended that a screening examination for glaucoma be performed on anyone 40 years of age or older.

I remember going to the dentist every six months when I was a kid.  My mom was very diligent about taking my brother and me.  I always loved going and I always had to go first.  I’d be so happy to report to my mom and of course brag to my brother that I had no cavities.  My mom also made sure that we brushed our teeth at least twice each day.  When I was older the dentist suggested that I see an orthodontist because my eyeteeth were impacted. 

Happy Thanksgiving!  As the cool fall weather starts to take over I’m excited about heating up the oven and baking up a storm.  I like to think of the oven as a multi-functioning appliance.  Not only does it bake up yummy foods, but it also keeps my house warm and fills the air with comforting aromas.  But when I bake I always make sure to make the most efficient use of my oven.  Here is what I’m doing for dinner tonight (with leftovers to spare).

Want a break from your nerve-wracking routine, but don’t have time?  Want to be healthier, revitalized, refreshed, but can’t find the time to join a spa or gym?  Don’t despair—there is hope.  For the price of one belt-stretching champagne brunch for two, you can have all of this without the hangover.  A one-hour colonic (or colon hydrotherapy), provides a terrific boost to your health and overall sense of well-being.

Got gout?  If so, a Valencia foot and ankle surgeon has a recommendation for surviving the holidays: Watch what you eat and drink.
Changes in diet, including overindulging in certain foods and beverages, can cause gout attacks this time of year, says Dana Lavian and Leslie G. Levy, D.P.M., F.A.C.F.A.S.  Lavian and Levy are members of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons ACFAS with offices in Valencia and Northridge.

Cough, a main symptom of the lung problems, may result either from attack by exogenous pathogenic factors disturbing the dispersion of qi of the lung, or from disorders of the lung itself or other diseased zang-fu organs affecting the lung.

When weight loss becomes too much to handle, it’s time to turn to knowledgeable professionals that can offer sound advice and quality services to help you reach your goal.  Let the professionals at Town Center Surgery step in.  Owner Marc R. Lussier, M.D, F.A.C.S has been in the business for 12 years.  As the Medical Director of a skilled and experienced team at Town Center Surgery, Dr. Lussier performs services and procedures to guide patients to a better self. 

Do you have unused funds just sitting in your flexible spending account that need to be allocated before the end of the year?  Have you been contemplating orthodontic treatment for yourself or for a member of your family?  If so, this may be the perfect time to get started on the road to that perfect smile!

One of our ICU nurses was experiencing chest pains and a blood test revealed he was having a heart attack.  His EKG spoke of trouble so we headed straight to the cardiac catheterization lab.
The first picture showed a 99 percent blockage in the left artery and a 99 percent blockage in another major branch. 

The lymphatic system is a type of secondary circulation system that is intertwined with the circulatory system.  The lymph is the body’s waste disposal system.  It is the primary system for nourishment and waste removal of tissue cells.  There are approximately 12 quarts of lymph in the body, compared to three quarts of blood plasma.

Operating requires intense concentration on the part of the surgeon so when anything other than a minor procedure is being done it’s a good idea to have an anesthesia provider monitoring the patient’s pulse, blood pressure, and other vital signs to assure that the surgical experience is a safe one.  Since opening the first operating room outside of a hospital setting in the Santa Clarita Valley in 1983, I have performed thousands of outpatient procedures in my office surgical suite.

Fall is upon us as we feel a chill in the air, taking our children to their soccer games or staying home too watch Sunday football on our plasma television.  As the changing seasons approach we begin wearing heavier clothes and begin eating heartier meals.  For people watching the weight it is often difficult to start the holidays, since Halloween represents the starting gate to a holiday feasting frenzy.