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Opioid Addiction: Do You Know the Signs?

by RYAN MILEJCZAK Sponsored by Central Florida Health Care Opioid addiction is one of the biggest concerns here in the U.S. right now. It has affected people across our nation and right here in Central Florida. Central Florida Health Care’s Dr. Amber Popovitz-Gale, a licensed clinical psychologist, has worked extensively with patients struggling with opioid…
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Osteoarthritis Can Be a Real Pain in the Joint It’s common for most people to experience pain from time to time, especially as we get older; but if you’re experiencing pain and stiffness in your joints, like your hands or knees, then you may be experiencing osteoarthritis. It’s the most common type of arthritis, but…
Hearts of Gold

Rescue Organization’s Therapy Dogs Lend a Loving Paw in Central Florida by K. MICHELE TRICE If you have ever seen a golden retriever, Labrador retriever, or similar dog serving as a therapy dog working hard to lift spirits and ease anxiety at an event in Central Florida, there’s a good chance that dog was working…

Editor’s Dose: A thank-you letter to nurses

FROM MID-FEBRUARY to about mid-April, my family was at the doctor’s office a lot. The late-spreading flu season (although none of us in our household ever actually caught the flu — thank goodness) must have carried with it many other viruses, because we’ve certainly experienced our fair share. In fact, a few nurses on staff…
Healthy Skin: May is Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month

“C’MON, DOC. What’s a little sunburn?” is a question I frequently hear from the public. The answer is, if you’re lucky, that’s all it is. But a little sunburn is one of the easiest skin cancer risk factors to avoid. If left untreated, skin cancer, or melanoma, can progress to the point that it’s disfiguring…
Cautions for two of your favorite summer activities

SPRING IS THE TIME OF YEAR in Florida when temperatures begin to warm and the weather is perfect outside. With the sun shining and a gentle breeze blowing, this beautiful weather also marks the beginning of swimming season for Polk’s residents. Swimming and boating are two of the most popular summer activities for people living…