Medical

In my experience, few other dermatological conditions are surrounded by more myths and misconceptions than acne.  Variously called “teen acne,” “adult acne,” “zits,” pimples or more technically, acne vulgaris, acne is one of the most common problems seen in any corrective skincare business.  While not life threatening, it has long been the cause of considerable emotional and physical suffering for millions of people.  The scarring that may result from uncontrolled, severe acne can adversely affect the quality of a person’s life well after its active stages have disappeared.  Acne is nothing to joke about.  The embarrassment and loss of self-esteem caused by acne and acne scarring can be very serious. 

Choosing a running shoe is often a daunting task.  There are so many to choose from, technology has evolved, and there are so many different features that play into the construction of a shoe.  Many people buy based on how the shoe looks.  This should be the last deciding factor once you select the right shoe for you and your foot type and activity.  Many people try to find sales and try to get the best shoe for the least amount of money, an understandable strategy in these economic times, but can often get someone in the wrong shoe, and can contribute to injuries.

What thoughts come to mind when you think of springtime?  Warmer weather, birds singing, trees and flowers blooming? There is an upsurge of energy as everything moves upward and forward. There is an excitement in the air full of hope and promise. Have you ever considered how these external changes affect our body, physically and mentally?

Whiplash is one of the most common injuries from auto accidents.  This happens when the force of an impact “whips” the head violently in one direction beyond its normal limits, then violently back in the opposite direction.  The result:  muscles, tendons, and ligaments supporting the spine can be overstretched or torn.  The spinal cord and delicate nerve endings in the neck can be stretched, pinched, and irritated.  The soft, cushioning discs occupying the spaces between vertebrae (spinal bones) can herniate (bulge), or even rupture (tear).  Symptoms of whiplash may take hours, days, or even weeks to appear.

I’m stunned by this statistic, but it’s true, falls are the leading cause of injury-related deaths among people aged 65 and over.  The physical trauma resulting from a fall is certainly enough to kill a senior.  But the psychological trauma is nearly as damaging, because once someone has fallen, whether or not they’ve been injured, there is always the fear they will fall again.

Untreated hearing loss has serious emotional and social consequences for older persons, including depression, according to a large-scale study by the National Council on Aging (NCOA). 

Although the study was released almost a decade ago, it remains a classic in debunking “the myth that hearing loss in older persons is a harmless condition,” according to Dr. Firman, president and CEO of the council.

There are many painful and chronic conditions that acupuncture can treat.  The use of acupuncture to naturally relieve pain is well established in America.  A recent study led by Brian Berman, director of the University of Maryland Center for Integrative Medicine, and published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, found that acupuncture is safe and effective for reducing pain and improving physical function in those suffering from arthritis.

Do you feel like your eyes are being assaulted by springtime?  When others are “oohing” and “aahing” over the beauty of the blooming plants, are you rubbing your eyes and reaching for the tissues?  If this sounds familiar, we can help.

Symptoms of allergy eyes may include: redness, itching, watering, swelling and burning.  The problem is actually caused by an overreaction of your immune system.  Your body has identified a substance in your environment (in this case, the pollens that are so abundant in the spring) as an enemy (similar to a cold virus) and is trying to protect your eyes from injury from the pollen, but the result is making you miserable.

Now is the perfect time to take advantage of our beautiful weather and get fit for summer at the same time!  Many people believe that getting beach ready means logging endless hours of boring cardio. Not so.  The best way to burn off the winter fat is to hit the trails or hop on your bike and do higher intensity interval training.  New research from the University of New South Wales in Australia has shown that running intervals (sprints with intermittent rest periods) burns three times as much fat as running at slow consistent speeds.  Athletes looking to improve performance can benefit from intervals of two to five minutes, but for fat-burning effects, a simple 60-second interval is very beneficial. 

Since 2003, Dr. Reza Salmassian has been serving the needs of his patients and enhancing their lives with great orthodontic care. A Harvard graduate, Dr. Salmassian is also a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics, an accomplishment achieved by less than 25 percent of all orthodontists in the United States. He is an active member in the American Board of Orthodontics, The World Federation of Orthodontists, The American Association of Orthodontists, the California Association of Orthodontists, The Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists, the American Dental Association and the California Dental Association.

Your smile says so much about you, it’s the first thing many people notice and it makes a lasting impression. Because of this, you want to be sure your smile gets the care it needs. We believe you deserve high quality, family dentistry with affordable fees.

In a recent study published by Harvard Medical School, 80 percent of Americans at some point in their lives experience lower back pain.  It’s the fifth most common reason for visiting a doctor, one of the top reasons people miss work, and the most common cause of work-related disability in people under age 45.  Outside of trauma, research suggests that more than half of those suffering are caused by improper biomechanics of the feet.  This is also true with knee and hip pain.

Golf has become a power game. It’s all about power and distance.  Statistically, most people drive the ball less than 200 yards, but they get a big case of ‘distance envy’ when they see the pros on television reaching 300 yards.  Trying to match what the pros are doing often leads to injury.  This is simply because the average golfer does not have the flexibility or conditioning to swing that hard.  Most golfers go until they get hurt, and then look for help.  Back pain is a warning sign that there is an underlying problem responsible for the symptom that will likely get worse. 

The performance of the body during athletics is more dependent on the spine than any other skeletal structure.  The spine serves as a pillar for the body and also supplies the nervous control for the many muscles of the trunk, arms and legs.  All athletes, from the weekend warrior to Olympians, want the best possible performance from their body and to avoid injury.  A structurally and mechanically balanced body has a greatly reduced risk of injury.  Even the slightest biomechanical issue (pronated foot, misaligned spinal bone, imbalance in the muscles of the rotator cuff, etc., etc., etc.) will eventually lead to reduced performance, breakdown and injury. 

My suggestion when seeking a doctor who performs non-surgical decompression is: ask to see the research for the specific machine that he/she will be using for you.  If the research does not include the name of the prospective treatment table, don’t do it! The DRX 9000 is the most researched spinal decompression system available.  Some cheaper systems like the ATX, DOC, AccuSpina, and others claim spinal decompression based on the research performed on the DRX 9000.  Some even attempt to spice it up by adding flexion and rotation.  But the truth is, not one of these machines has the documented research to back it up.  Past research has shown us that adding rotation to the disc under force is the last thing you want to do. It is important to use all of the information available when making your treatment choice.  As of now there is no other decompression system available that can compete with the DRX 9000.

Dear Patient,
In this time of economic uncertainty, we are doing our part to help make things better for you and your family.  We know that it’s been a tough year for many people and we are all looking for ways to help each other.  Here’s how we’re helping our patients and how we can all help each other.

Providence Holy Cross Medical Center has formed a partnership with the prestigious UCLA Department of Radiation Oncology to further advance treatment at Providence cancer centers in the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys.
Starting in May, UCLA’s radiation oncologists will bring their cutting-edge radiation therapy program to Providence Holy Cross patients.  The new partnership will build on relationships UCLA has created in the communities served by Providence Holy Cross Medical Center.

During the course of pregnancy, a woman’s body undergoes innumerable changes biochemically and structurally which can create postural strain, neck and back pain.  A brief look at the anatomy of the spine provides insight as to why chiropractic adjustments can facilitate a healthier, more comfortable pregnancy.

The vertebral column is a strong, flexible rod composed of a series of bones, vertebrae, which enclose and protect the spinal cord, support the head, and serve as an attachment for the ribs and muscles of the back.  This “spine” is able to rotate and move anteriorily, posteriorily and laterally.  The vertebral column shows four normal curves which increase its strength, helps maintain balance in the upright position, absorbs shock, and helps protect the column from fracture.