Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver and can have many causes, the most common being viruses with the labels A, B and C. Chronic viral hepatitis can lead to lifelong liver disease, cancer and cirrhosis. Hepatitis A virus can be easily spread through food and water contamination and can infect groups of people who come into contact with it. It usually causes short-term symptoms that will most often get better on its own but it can be more serious with aged populations. Hepatitis B, however, can create both short-term illness and chronic illness. It is spread through bodily fluids...

What You Need to Know About Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness and Prevention
A cleft lip or palate are openings that remain in the upper lip or roof of the mouth while a baby is developing inside the mother. Some are isolated birth defects whereas some can be associated with genetics, syndromes or environmental factors. What Are Cleft Lips and Palates? Cleft lip — a cleft lip is where there is a gap on one or both sides of the baby’s lip. Often children with a cleft lip will also have a gap in the upper gum. Cleft palate — a cleft palate is a gap in the roof of the mouth that...

What You Should Know About Harmful UV Rays and Getting Adequate Protection From Them
Here in South Florida, we know about the sun. Most of us have had the unfortunate experience of suffering from too much after a day out in our tropical weather climate. But not all UV exposure comes from the sun (think: tanning beds). Most of us understand that too much UV exposure is not healthy and puts us at risk of skin cancer. We understand the necessity of applying adequate sunscreen and keeping our skin protected during certain times of the day. But there are many factors that come into play when it comes to UV rays and how we...

What You Should Know About Keeping Your Eyes Safe From Injuries
There are almost a million eye injuries that occur in the United States each year. With nearly half of these occurring in the home, it is estimated that 90% of them are entirely preventable. Eyesight Facts: Accidental eye injuries are one of the leading causes of visual impairment in the United States. Despite most people thinking that eye injuries are most common on the job, the majority occur at home. Cleaning, cooking, yard work and home repairs account for more than 40% of eye injuries. Another 40% of eye injuries are related to sports and recreational activities. Eyesight can be...

How Do Doctors Diagnose and Treat Migraine Headaches?
If you are someone who has experienced migraines, you know they are not fun. They often begin in childhood or early adulthood and can be debilitating, leaving the sufferer feeling drained and overwhelmed. What Causes Migraines? We still don’t understand exactly what causes migraines in some people. Researchers suspect that these headaches are the result of abnormal activity in the brain which has an effect on nerves, chemicals and blood vessels. Some triggers have been noted such as Hormonal changes in the body for women Emotional triggers Stress Physical causes from insufficient sleep, physical overexertion or blood sugar Dietary triggers...

How Men Over 50 Can Get (and Stay) Healthy
As we age, we begin to understand that it’s not just about quantity but quality. As a society, we have become adept at furthering our chronological age but less skilled at maintaining our health as we go. What is the purpose of living into our golden years if those years are fraught with chronic disease, ailments and medication? And yet, that is exactly what we are seeing in the United States today. Our population is aging but we are becoming more dependent on medications and the medical system with each passing year. The Basic “Shoulds” Unless you live in a...

What National Safety Month Means in the Time of COVID-19
June is National Safety Month. And in these days of COVID-19, the term safety has now taken on new meaning. The National Safety Council reported that one of the things people are most concerned with as the country is endeavoring to “re-open” is a return to work and other required activities. Consequently, many people are anxious about going into a medical or hospital setting in light of these concerns. Your Safety is Our Priority For many of the patients we see, an in-person procedure has been ordered by their physician to be done as soon as possible. Over the last...

Women’s Wellness Healthcare and Screenings that Should Still Happen During COVID-19
There’s no doubt that we are currently living in very complex medical times right now. Many hospitals are just now beginning to do elective surgeries after the COVID-19 hiatus. And we know that there are many patients who are reluctant to go into a clinical setting for their own healthcare in these strange times. But when it comes to some forms of preventive care, it’s simply not a good thing to wait. A Balance Between Staying Safe and Life-Saving Procedures Many medical facilities have had to adjust their current model of medical care in order to deal with the emergency...

What is a Pulmonary Function Test?
A pulmonary function test is a noninvasive diagnostic test that can tell how well your lungs are functioning. This test measures lung capacity, volume, the rate of airflow and gas exchange. This information will help your doctor to diagnose lung disorders and determine the correct course of treatment. These fall into two types of disorders: Obstructive disorders are when air has trouble moving in and out of the lungs due to some resistance or obstruction causing a decrease in the flow of air. Restrictive disorders are when the lung’s tissues are unable to expand enough to allow needed airflow. Why...

Is Nuclear Medicine Safe?
Just the term nuclear medicine may concern you. But it’s not something sci-fi and scary. In fact, you may have had instances of nuclear medicine prescribed over the years and never even heard that phrase. So what, exactly, is nuclear medicine? And is it safe? What is Nuclear Medicine? Nuclear medicine is an imaging technique that is helpful when a doctor needs to understand the functioning of an organ in order to make a diagnosis. The term “nuclear” has nothing to do with what we commonly think of as nuclear in war or energy. It has to do with the...