Medical

We have all seen the recent information regarding an important aspect of women’s health come to the forefront of the news.   Throughout time the incidence of cervical cancer has decreased.  However, the number of women experiencing abnormal Pap smear tests is increasing.  This rise indicates that an increasing number of women are at risk for cervical cancer.  Development of cervical cell abnormalities has been linked to the presence of the Human Papillomavirus or HPV.

By now everyone has heard of the cosmetic benefits of Botox® for treating wrinkles.  Now there is another great use for this product.  Botox® is also used for treating a condition called hyperhidrosis.

Doctors of chiropractic, such as myself, think of pain as the body’s way of signaling a deeper health concern.  They don’t consider pain an isolated problem requiring a drug solution.  Like a car’s dashboard warning light, pain alerts you to issues needing attention.  The big cover up: what’s wrong with painkillers?  Treating pain with medication is like taping over a car’s warning light- you no longer see the warning, but the problem remains and will only further deteriorate without attention.  Doctors of chiropractic always investigate why the “warning light” is on, probing for the origin of pain, rather than simply masking symptoms.

Radial keratotomy (RK) is a refractive surgical procedure that became very popular during the 1980s and remained so through the mid-1990s when the excimer laser was approved by the FDA in November of 1995.  RK was used to treat low to moderate near-sightedness (myopia).  It was often combined with astigmatic keratotomy to treat astigmatism.  In RK, deep radial incisions were made in the cornea using a precision diamond blade. 

Toenails withstand the brunt of your daily activities.  Your feet must endure walking, running, wearing shoes, and so many other activities.  Thus, your daily lifestyle may eventually cause problems with your toenails; including ingrown nails, fungal infections and hematomas (blood beneath the toenail).

Although the skin does not actually produce that much more oil in the summertime, humidity excess perspiration and sunscreen can make you feel a bit slippery.  As a result, many people tend to use stronger cleansers and oil-controlling products to help cut through the greasy feeling. 

White and bright teeth are the dream for everybody.  Unfortunately, many of people have cosmetic tooth problems, more or less, such as discolored, chipped, misshapen or missing teeth.  Teeth whitening is a cosmetic dental technique to reduce discoloration and staining on teeth, or simply to provide the patient with whiter, brighter teeth.  I’ve prepared a series of articles on teeth whitening for you to better understand what teeth whitening can do for you. 

Many people wanting to slim down are jumping on the low-carbohydrate diet trend in an attempt to lose weight.  However, as dieters shed pounds, many are saying goodbye to carbs and hello to halitosis. 

Soccer season is full swing and a local foot and ankle surgeon strongly urges parents and coaches to think twice before coaxing young, injury-prone soccer players to “play through” foot and ankle pain.

As I meet more and more families faced with the costly challenge of, either for themselves or for an aging loved one, wanting to age in place in the comfort of their own home and looking to obtain in-home care to do so, I am concerned.  If long term care insurance is not in place, and with home care not being covered by private health insurance, Medicare or Medical, I see families hiring individuals privately, or worse yet, being misled by home care agencies that do not provide the protection of the “Employer of Record” requirements of state law, to care for themselves or a loved one. 

Dr. Fellows, a native of Illinois, studied in both the Midwest and Southern California. He graduated magna cum laude with a psychobiology major from the University of Southern California. He then earned his medical degree from the prestigious Northwestern University in Chicago. After a five-year general surgery residency at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, he returned to the University of California Los Angeles’s renowned program to complete his plastic and reconstructive surgery residency.

Summer is slowly ending and with autumn approaching Mother Nature is starting to make some changes.  Cooler temperatures and changing atmospheric pressure results in wind and cloud formations and ultimately rainfall.  As plants begin their seasonal changes yellow and gold leaves fall to the ground, tree pollination subsides and the grass pollens gradually decrease. 

In new research Ruth Bentler, P.D. of the University of Iowa found no difference in speech perception ability for hearing aid users due to the type of digital noise reduction or the type digital processor settings.  Dr. Bentler found “what did matter was the amount of audibility provided” by basic amplification.  She also found that while digital noise reduction improved comfort and “quality” of sound to wearers, it did not improve speech comprehension performance.  Dr. Bentler concluded “once optimal audibility is achieved for a given individual, it remains debatable whether further fine-tuning will enhance communication for that listener.”  So if we can know if audibility is achieved to technological and physiological limits, then we know the fitting is correct and maximum benefit possible is achieved. This is where we want all hearing aid fittings to be.

Most patients think of Botox as a wrinkle cure, however Botox plays a major role in facial shaping and sculpturing rather than just injecting wrinkles.

Mix a cardiologist with a rapper, author and a friend, and you get Dr. Samuel A. Kojoglanian, a.k.a. Dr. Rap, Dr. Sam, Dr. K.  Whatever his title, his mission in life is simple:”Mend hearts, heal souls, and rock this planet.”  He lives to inspire.  He loves to heal. He’s a man unlike any other.

In these tough times it is common sense to tighten our financial belts.  We are definitely not going to fly or drive as much as we did last year. We cut back on luxury items like going to restaurants, getting our nails done and frivolous shopping. Your health should not be included on this list of luxuries. Maintaining good medical and dental health is a great investment!

Constipation is a condition in which a person has uncomfortable or infrequent bowel movements.  A person with constipation produces hard stool that may be difficult to pass.  The person may feel as though the rectum has not been completely emptied.  Acute constipation begins suddenly and noticeably.  Chronic constipation, on the other hand, may begin insidiously and persist for months or years.

We talk of openness in a relationship, yet what does that mean?  Do we only address what is specifically asked?  Do we share every detail of our life so far?  Do we identify a growth on our partner’s back, knowing that cancer petrifies her?  What do we offer beyond what is requested?