Each year, influenza, or the “flu” causes widespread illness, hospitalizations, and even death. But in the 2017-18 flu season, the entire continental US was shown by the Centers for Disease Control to have widespread flu activity this winter. It is the first time since the CDC started monitoring flu activity in this way 13 years ago. Why is the flu so bad this year? The strain of flu that people catch varies from year to year, and there is a typical “flu season” every year. It varies ... [Read More]
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Guarding Against the Flu
Flu season, much like winter, can come at you pretty hard. On top of bundling up and preparing for the cold, now you have to watch out for the spread of germs that run rampant around the same time of year. Millions are affected by influenza, or the flu, each year. Some may be hospitalized for their symptoms and a few of those people might even die from effects of the flu. That’s why knowing how to avoid the flu and protect yourself is so important. The feeling of a running nose, fever, cough, ... [Read More]
What is Sleep Medicine?
It should come as no surprise that most people do not regularly get good quality sleep. We are a society that burns the candle at both ends, where people stay up all night to study, work, have fun, or deal with children, yet most still need to wake up quite early. However, study after study has shown that going without adequate sleep, or being sleep deprived in other words, results in both short-term and long-term consequences both for your mind and body. Adequate sleep is so important, that ... [Read More]
Why would I chose a family practice doctor for primary care?
We will all get injured or sick at some point in our lives, and need a medical diagnosis and treatment. Choosing a primary care physician is the first step toward properly managing medical care. Your primary care doctor is considered your medical “home base”. It is the doctor you visit for most medical needs, including routine screenings, wellness visits, and non-emergency illnesses like sore throats and earaches. Your relationship with your primary care doctor is an important one. You need ... [Read More]
Diagnosing Structural Problems in The Heart: Echocardiograms and Your Heart Valves
Could You Have Heart Disease, and Not Know About It? If you have been experiencing fatigue, high blood pressure, shortness of breath, leg cramping, or chest pain/tightness, you could have a heart condition and should see your doctor for evaluation. About 60 million people, or 20 to 25 percent of adults in the United States, suffer from structural heart defects. These heart defects include diseases of the heart valves (valvular). What Is Structural Heart Valve Disease (SHD)? Heart valves ... [Read More]
