Your Health Matters: Recent Episodes
RadioMD
As one of the oldest healing arts it is no surprise that more people are finding out how beneficial it is to add massage therapy to their healthcare regimen. Studies show that nearly 90 percent of disease is stress related. We all have pressure and anxiety in our lives and while we cannot eliminate stress completely, it can be managed with massage.
In this fun and informative podcast Tom Merrill, licensed Massage Therapist, joins the show to share the many benefits of massage therapy, which can extend to more than just feeling good!
Sleep apnea is a common condition in the United States with more than 3 million cases identified in the U.S. annually. It is a potentially life threatening condition in which breathing starts and stops over and over again throughout the time a person is sleeping.
In this podcast, Lindsay Murphy, Registered Respiratory Therapist at Meritus Health, discusses sleep apnea and the treatment options available so that you can get the restful, good nights sleep you deserve.
Our Wellness Program bridges the gap between the healthcare and fitness industries, offering affordable, semi-supervised fitness programs for people at ALL fitness levels. Wellness programs can be done on land or in water, or a combination of both. Total Rehab Care’s professionals can help create an exercise plan for you.
In this podcast Lisa Allshouse, PTA, discusses our wellness program and how our sole purpose is to enhance the health, well-being and physical performance of our members by providing high quality effective exercise, wellness, and physical therapy programs.
Do you find yourself being pulled in many directions as you juggle the needs of multiple family members? The demands of caring for a family member who has issues with memory, mobility, or other health concerns can easily become overwhelming.
Nationally approximately 20 percent of pneumonia patients and 25 percent of Congestive Heart Failure patients are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of being discharged.
Here to discuss ways that Meritus Home Health is helping prevent unnecessary hospital readmissions is Darlene Herrod, BSN, RN. She is the Clinical Manager, Meritus Home Health.
Each year more than 600 patients arrive in Meritus Medical Center's emergency department with signs and symptoms of stroke. If you have suffered a stroke, then you and your loved ones need to know that there are many modalities and therapies that are involved in regaining arm movement after stroke.
In this podcast Patty Runkles, MS, OTR/L, speaks about regaining arm and hand movement after stroke, and what you can expect from therapy at Meritus Health.
Tennis elbow or as its medically known as Lateral epicondylitis is a painful inflammation of the muscles and tendons of the forearm that allow us to extend our wrist and fingers.
In this segment Brittany Witt, MOTR/L, CBIS C-PAM, discusses tennis elbow, treatment options available at Meritus Health, and to encourage patients to seek out medical attention as early as possible when symptoms start showing.
Did you know that every 40 seconds someone suffers from a stroke? The good news is that 80 percent of strokes are preventable.
Here to talk about how you can prevent a stroke is Judy Peck. She is a physical therapist assistant, and has been working in the area of neurology and stroke rehab for 20 years at Meritus Health Total Rehab Care.
Many people have experienced losing their voice at some point. It may be from a cold or a respiratory illness, or it might be caused by a disorder of the of vocal chords. If you have a voice change that lasts for a few weeks, you may need to consider seeing a specialist that can help you with your voice disorder.
Joining the show to discuss voice disorders and treatment options available is Marissa Yoes, MS CCC-SLP. She is a Speech-Language Pathologist with Meritus Health.
Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death among Americans. Experts think that many cases of diabetes are not reported as a condition leading to or causing death. But each year, more than 200,000 deaths are reported as being caused by diabetes or its complications.
Complications of diabetes can include eye problems and blindness, heart disease, stroke, neurological problems, amputation, kidney disease, and impotence.
In this segment, Laurie Sandberg, BSN, RN, CDE, discusses the long term complications of diabetes and how with good management and control, you can possibly prevent these complications from occurring.
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, anemia is the most common blood disorder and it affects more than 3 million Americans.
Here to speak with us today about anemia, is Dr. Syed Shahid Mahmood. He is a hematologist, oncologist with Meritus Health.
The holidays are an especially difficult time to watch your eating and try to lose weight. That does not mean however, that you should throw out all your good intentions and eat whatever you want. There are some simple ways to eat healthy over the holidays and enjoy your special time with family and friends.
Here to discuss healthy eating for the holidays is Tim Higgins M.S., RD, he is a certified diabetes educator and registered dietitian at Meritus Diabetes Education center.
The incidence of diabetes is growing. Meritus Health's goal is to curb the growth of diabetes in our community and help those diagnosed with diabetes live a happy and healthy life.
If you've been diagnosed with diabetes, you'll have to make some changes to the way you eat, but you can still eat the foods you like. Meal planning, portion control and eating a variety of foods is key to controlling your blood sugar and losing weight.
Here to give you the support and tools you need to successfully manage your condition and to discuss how what you eat can affect your diabetes is Tim Higgins M.S., RD, he is a certified diabetes educator and registered dietitian at Meritus Diabetes Education center.
You don't have to be a former hospital or rehabilitation patient to enjoy the benefits of aquatic exercise. With our wellness aquatic therapy programs, you'll enjoy activity in an environment that provides both resistance and assistance to movement.
Aquatic therapy can decrease swelling, increase circulation, improve flexibility, and even strengthen and tone muscles. And because the water helps support your weight, you can exercise without putting undue stress on your joints. It's a wonderful exercise option for people with back problems, arthritis, or joint replacements. It's beneficial for expectant mothers as well.
Here to discuss the amazing benefits of aquatic therapy is Carolyn Bradley, DPT, she is a physical therapist with Meritus Health.
Physical activity is a vital part of staying healthy. As we age, our bodies change. Our soft tissue and joints can break down and we are at greater risk for a loss in bone density and osteoporosis.
In this segment, Ethan Roberts, P.T, joins the show to discuss the effects of aging on our bodies and how exercise can offset some of those changes and offer amazing health benefits.
If you've been diagnosed with diabetes or prediabetes, you'll have to make some changes to your lifestyle. These changes may seem challenging, however, with help from your physician and other health care providers, these changes can become a permanent part of your every day life.
Certified diabetes educators can help you make lifestyle changes, create a diabetes care plan and provide education on blood sugar levels, medication/insulin and possible health complications.
Listen as Laurie Sandberg, RN, explains what you need to know about living healthy even with diabetes.
The Meritus Weight Loss Center offers minimally invasive bariatric surgery procedures, like gastric bypass and adjustable gastric banding, and the most advanced laparoscopic surgical technique available—single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS).
This surgical program is offered through a comprehensive, patient-centered program.
In this segment, Cheryl Frushour, RD, discusses bariatric surgery to help those struggling with obesity get the long-term weight loss they need to lead a longer and healthier life.
According to arthritis.org, more than 50 million adults have doctor-diagnosed arthritis. That's 1 in 5 people over age 18.
Arthritis is a group of more than 100 different diseases. Arthritis may cause pain, stiffness, and swelling in the joints and can also cause pain in other body structures such as muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones.
How does arthritis affect the hand, and how can therapy counter that?
Tim Burkhart, MS, OTR/L, MBA explains how hand therapy can help ease the pain, stiffness and range of motion caused by arthritis of the hands.
According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP 2016), nurse practitioners (NPs) are licensed, autonomous clinicians focused on managing people's health conditions and preventing disease.
NPs are quickly becoming the health partner of choice for millions of Americans. As clinicians that blend clinical expertise in diagnosing and treating health conditions with an added emphasis on disease prevention and health management, NPs bring a comprehensive perspective to health care. As advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), NPs often specialize by patient population, including pediatric, adult-gerontological, and women's health. NPs may also subspecialize in areas such as dermatology, cardiovascular health, and oncology.
In this segment, Jasmine Pega, certified registered nurse practitioner at Meritus Health, explains the role of a nurse practitioner as an integral part of your health care team.
Speech-language pathologists, sometimes called speech therapists, assess, diagnose, treat and help to prevent communication and swallowing disorders in patients.
In this segment, Jaclyn Ceroy M.S. CCC/SLP shares the services a speech-language pathologist provides and how at Meritus Health, speech pathologists work closely with patients and families to develop a personalized treatment plan to facilitate recovery and help patients improve or regain speaking ability.
The incidence of diabetes is growing. Meritus Health’s goal is to curb the growth of diabetes in our community and help those diagnosed with diabetes live a happy and healthy life.
Diabetes is often a silent disease and some people have no symptoms of high blood sugar for years. Left untreated or uncontrolled, diabetes can lead to many troublesome health conditions including vision problems, heart trouble, digestive issues, kidney and nerve damage and more.
In this segment, Dr. Anteneh W. Zenebe, board certified endocrinologist at Meritus Health., describes that if you’ve been diagnosed with prediabetes, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes or gestational diabetes, we can give you the support and tools you need to successfully manage your condition.
Balance rehabilitation assists individuals with loss of balance, dizziness, spinning (vertigo), nausea/vomiting associated with movement and frequent falls. A thorough evaluation of the vestibular and neuromuscular system including strength, range of motion, head and eye movements, mobility, coordination and balance improves patients' functionality and mobility and reduces their risk of falls.
In this segment, Lisa Yonkers, Physical Therapist at Meritus Health, describes how an evaluation by a highly skilled vestibular physical therapist can lead to a treatment program that can increase quality of life for those that suffer from dizziness and benign positional vertigo.
Pollen, dust mites, mold, and animal dander are the most common causes of allergic rhinitis. Knowing your triggers is an important first step to helping control your symptoms.
Listen today as Jasmine Pega, certified registered nurse practitioner at Meritus health, discusses the most common allergies, how to identify your triggers, and what you can do to help control your symptoms.
Your immune system may be well developed, however, there are some common illnesses that many people will get anyway. Some may actually be prevented.
The caring medical professionals at Meritus Health's Urgent Care treat conditions ranging from earaches, sore throats and rashes to sprains and strains, mild-to-moderate asthma, as well as many other conditions.
In this segment, Dr. Rabail Razi-Akmal, M.D., board certified internal medicine specialist at Meritus Health discusses some of the most common illnesses that people get, the treatments available, and what you can do to prevent them.
Your back is important to almost every move you make, but you probably won't realize that until you hurt it. Then you may wish you could return to the days when you took your back for granted and didn't have any pain. Even though you can't turn back time, you can recover from most back injuries. Back pain is the #1 disability for those under age 45 and Americans spend more than $50 billion each year on back pain.
Studies show that participating in physical therapy can be just as effective as surgery for some causes of back pain.
In this segment, Carina Kahl, PT, Physical Therapist with Meritus Health, explains that back pain can come from a variety of reasons. She shares tips on keeping a strong back, and gives advice for those that suffer from back pain such as pain relief, improved function with daily activities and physical therapy.
As women age, urinary incontinence becomes more common. For some women, laughing, coughing, sneezing or exercising can cause an embarrassing leakage known as stress incontinence. When conservative measures don’t help, surgery may be an option for stress incontinence.
A “sling” uses a woman’s own tissue or synthetic mesh to create a hammock around the bladder neck and the tube that carries urine from the bladder (urethra).
Listen in as Nelson C. Echebiri, MD explains how the sling works and how it can offer relief to so many women.
According to the American Cancer Society, head and neck cancer accounts for about 3% of all cancers in the United States. A diagnosis of head and neck cancer can be life-changing.
This year, an estimated 61,760 people (45,330 men and 16,430 women) will develop this type of cancer. Men, African-Americans, and people older than age 40 are all at a higher risk for head and neck cancer. Still, most risk factors are things you can control.
Listen as Dr. David Kotlyar, Medical Oncologist and Hematologist with Meritus Cancer Specialists, discusses treatments for head and neck cancers and which risk factors you can control to help prevent them.
When you have cancer and need radiation, with conventional therapy, it is delivered in relatively small doses over the course of several weeks, with patients receiving daily treatments during that time.
With SBRT, ( Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy), physicians are able to deliver a greater combined dose of radiation over the course of far fewer treatments. SBRT has shown dramatically better outcomes than conventional radiation therapy.
Listen in as Dr. Dan Cornell explains Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy and the benefits for patients with shorter course radiation therapy.
While the digestive tract is sometimes evaluated as an independent organ, it is viewed in relation to the body's other systems. For this reason, our gastroenterologists are board certified in both internal medicine and gastroenterology. They specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions within any part of the digestive system.
If you suffer from gastrointestinal issues, you know that going through diagnostic procedures can sometimes be inconvenient. Fortunately, minimally invasive endoscopic procedures can often spare patients with digestive disorders from having to undergo major surgeries.
Many of these new methods can minimize trauma and reduce blood loss, resulting in shorter hospital stays and faster recovery times.
Listen in as Hemant Chatrath MD explains the new advanced interventional gastroenterology procedures at Meritus Health.