Medical

We are proud to announce that we have added the latest technology to treat acute and chronic pain and inflammation.  It’s a new form of energy medicine called Class IV High Power Therapeutic Laser.  Orthopedic and neurosurgeons in California and Florida are using this technology instead of epidural injects and cortico-steriod injects.  Why?  Because it’s non-invasive (no needles, or drugs) and does not have side effects or risks. 

The ADA recommends the following for good oral hygiene:

• Brush your teeth twice a day with an ADA-accepted fluoride toothpaste. Replace your toothbrush every three or four months, or sooner if the bristles are frayed. A worn toothbrush won’t do a good job of cleaning your teeth.

A young mother from Mission Hills made local history at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center. She was the first in an area covering the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys to undergo a new procedure that requires just one small incision in the belly button to remove the gallbladder.

Acupuncture is as effective as the corticosteroid, prednisone, for the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), according to a new study.
The randomized, controlled study that was published in the May 2009 issue of The Clinical Journal of Pain, investigated the efficacy of acupuncture compared with steroid treatment in patients with mild-to-moderate carpal tunnel syndrome as measured by both nerve conduction studies and symptom assessment surveys.

I find it amazing that in a world where technology abounds and every kind of convenience exists to make our lives easier, we have less and less time to do what we really want.  And I mean important things like relaxing with our family and friends, caring for the kids, chauffeuring little ones, or reading the paper, just to mention a few.  With so much to do in so little time, no wonder we have no time to exercise.

Back in July, weSPARK Cancer Support Center held a program called “Fighting Cancer with a Fork.”  We invited 10 women from weSPARK to a cooking class in Sherman Oaks, California, led by Pam Herskovitz.  Pam has worked at UCSD in Cancer Prevention and Control for 10 years and on various research projects investigating the relationship between diet and cancer. 

We all remember the awkwardness, stumbling through our first relationships.  We were too embarrassed to admit that we didn’t know what we were doing, so pretended we did.  This led to many experiences that were less than ideal.  I know that I would have loved to have had a mentor teach me the basic skills that would have reduced the pain of early experiences, but I didn’t know that these skills existed, yet alone where to acquire them.

Medical doctors prescribe drugs to create changes in the body’s chemistry and bring symptoms under control.  All drugs have side effects.    The sixth-largest killer in America is drug-related deaths.  But there are times when drugs save lives!  We need to be aware of the goals of drug therapies and whether or not there are safer alternatives.

Women whose skin has poor elasticity may develop a “pooch” in the abdomen after weight loss or pregnancy.  Exercise can tone and strengthen abdominal muscle but if the skin has stretched beyond its capacity to snap back, no amount of exercise can completely reverse the damage.  Excision of the excess skin with plastic surgery is often the only option. 

Last time we talked about frontal headaches, one of the most often seen headaches. Today, we want to talk about side headaches. The meridian line goes though the side of the head so it is obvious that side headaches come from problems in the liver and the gall bladder.

Improvements are not all created equal.  I love dentistry!  One of the things I like best about the profession is that I will never grow bored.  How could I, in a field that changes with the speed of light?  Dental school was a starting ground of basic skills that gave me the ability to grasp this ever changing and exciting world I practice in. 

Parents can prevent a common childhood foot problem by following some simple recommendations, according to two Valencia foot and ankle surgeons.

Valencia foot and ankle surgeons Leslie G. Levy, DPM and Dana Lavian, DPM, FACFAS, say ingrown toenails are one of the most frequent conditions both doctors treat in children. 

Providence Health & Services medical centers in the San Fernando Valley and the South Bay are preparing now for the winter flu season, anticipating more patients because of the new H1N1 flu – a milder strain of influenza than seasonal flu, but one that is expected to spread more easily.

It’s old news that sugar and artificial sweeteners are poison and detrimental to your health. But there is another sweetener and its evil twin that are in many of the products we consume. They actually increase insulin resistance and contribute to that ugly stuff known as “belly fat.”

“The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it.”  Does that sound like some radical “New Age” thought to you?  It wasn’t even new when Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121-180A.D.) said it.

All of us have the ability to change.  However, the willingness to change is a different story.  With each time we’ve come up short, failed or returned to our old behavior patterns, we may start to believe that it’s just too hard. Conquering negative thinking and bad habits may require some major shifts in perspective, not just at a mental level, but emotional and physical as well.

Athlete’s Foot
What it is: Flaky, dry, cracked, itchy skin.  Smelly feet sometimes appear red, moist or with blisters.
What causes it?  Shoes can create a warm, dark and humid environment that encourages fungal growth.  It can also be contracted in dressing rooms, locker room showers, hotel rooms and swimming pool locker rooms.
How to prevent it:

As specialists in the treatment of foot and ankle conditions, podiatrists will often recommend the use of orthotics, or custom shoe inserts.  They can be used for the treatment and prevention of many different conditions affecting the foot or ankle.  I would like to discuss what orthotics are, and some of the reasons why they are prescribed in the treatment of foot and ankle problems.

The human body consumes energy and produces energy. Energy is our life force, without it we’re simply lifeless. So, we constantly burn fuel (Catabolism) and breakdown cells as a normal function of our existence. The higher the quality of nutritional intake, yields an optimally healthy individual. The lower the quality of nutritional intake, yields a malnourished individual. Simply put, the way we feel and perform is directly connected with our nutritional, physical, and spiritual decisions.