The American Heart Association named the month of February as American Heart Month.  However, there are other heart health awareness campaigns that occur during this month as well.   What is a Congenital Heart Defect? A congenital heart defect occurs before birth and is a condition where the blood vessels adjacent to the heart or the heart itself don’t develop normally.  The term “congenital” means existing at birth.  Although congenital heart disease and congenital heart defect are often used interchangeably, defect is the more accurate of the two.  This condition is not a disease but an abnormality.  Your pediatrician or other...

In addition to the start of the New Year, January is National Blood Donor Month, the observation of which was inspired by the American Red Cross that began in January, 1970 under former President Richard M. Nixon.  If you’re wondering why the month of January, it’s because blood and platelet donations decline while the demand increases.  Consequently, millions of Americans including car accident victims, cancer patients, and organ recipients rely on others to donate blood. The Importance of Blood Donations The Red Cross collects roughly 5.6 million blood donations annually from 3.3 million individuals.  This is needed for the creation of...

For those of you that have been blessed with healthy eyesight, visiting the eye doctor and having a tonometry test performed may not be high on your list of priorities.  But for those of you who wear contacts or corrective lenses, your optometrist has performed this test every time you visited them for your annual eye exam.  The month of January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month and is sponsored by both the National Eye Institute and the American Academy of Ophthalmology. “The Sneak Thief of Sight” Since there are no identifiable symptoms of the disease, glaucoma is often referred to...

Due to the fact that nearly 13,000 American women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year, the U.S. Congress has designated the month of January as Cervical Health Awareness Month.  The hope was that it would raise awareness of the disease as well as the significant role that diagnostic screenings can play in a woman’s cervical health journey.  At one time, cervical cancer was one of the leading causes of death among women and is frequently diagnosed among women ages 35 to 44. Cervical Cancer Deaths are Decreasing Fortunately, we have witnessed a decrease in cervical cancer related deaths thanks...

With the New Year here, many of us are still thinking about resolutions and how to overcome certain obstacles in our lives.  Others will most likely try to focus on bettering their health.  In any event, most of us are unaware that January is Thyroid Awareness month.  During this time, we want to remind individuals with thyroid issues to ensure that it’s functioning properly.  Remember, your thyroid plays a significant role in the functions of other vital organs.  Consequently, if your thyroid isn’t functioning properly, there’s a good chance you aren’t either. If you notice some of the signs such as...

Physicians employ a number of tests for the diagnosis of brain tumors and to learn what type it is.  Furthermore, they will use different tests to determine if it has spread to other areas of the body.  Plus, they will do tests that help them determine the best course of treatment.  In most cases, the only definitive way doctors can determine the existence of a tumor is to take a tissue sample.  This may be accomplished by performing what is called a “biopsy” or the surgical removal of all or a part of the tumor. How Diagnostic Imaging Can Help?...

It’s National Influenza Vaccination Week! Influenza infections result in increases in healthcare costs and productivity loss every year. On a global scale, estimates show that there are between 3 and 5 million severe cases of the flu and up to half a million deaths annually.  Furthermore, studies have also shown that anywhere from 5% to 20% of the U.S. population gets sick with the flu in a typical influenza season.  Sadly, nearly a quarter of a million will be hospitalized while approximately 36,000 will die. Impact on Demographics The annual influenza epidemics that we’ve seen in the Northern Hemisphere in...

According to the CDC, Diabetes is “a chronic (long-lasting) health condition that affects how your body turns food into energy.”  It also refers to a variety of conditions/diseases involving high blood sugar (glucose).  The most common types of diabetes include: Type 2 diabetes – a chronic condition affecting the way in which your body processes blood glucose; formerly referred to as “adult-onset diabetes” Type 1 diabetes – a chronic condition that exists when little or no insulin is produced by the pancreas: also known as “insulin-dependent” or “juvenile” diabetes Pre-diabetes – a condition wherein a person has a high blood...