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Pop Quiz: Heart Attack Versus Congestive Heart Failure

Test Your Knowledge and Know the Difference between CHF and a Heart Attack by ERIKA ALDRICH Heart Disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, causing approximately one out of every four deaths. Since prevention is key, it’s important to know as much as possible about heart disease. There are many different…
When Neck Pain Shouldn’t Be Ignored

Local Heart Disease Survivor, Mary Hunt, Shares Her Diagnosis and Treatment Story by TERESA SCHIFFER Do you know what the number one killer of women is, causing one in three deaths each year? You might be surprised to learn the culprit is heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, approximately one woman dies every…
Exercise Helps Keep Hearts Young & Happy

Polk Senior Games Include a Heap of Heart-Healthy Activities by MARY TOOTHMAN Introducing or stepping-up regular exercise programs can result in dramatic improvements to the lives of the 65 and older population— and the emphasis on heart health this month offers an ideal opportunity to spread the word. In a 2010 Center for Disease Control…

Health Impacts of Opioid Addiction on Patients

As a spine surgeon, I routinely see various life-threatening consequences of opioid addiction. These could include severe spinal instability and paralysis that develops from infection, that occurs due to intravenous injections of opioids — by patients who are addicted to opioids. These patients typically started by taking that single initial opioid tablet, and quickly developed…
COVID-19 and the Heart

COVID-19 (coronavirus SARS 2) is obviously an infection that primarily affects the lungs. As we know, this is a pandemic that has affected all our lives. Does it have any cardiac issues directly or indirectly? Direct Problems COVID-19 has been known to cause weakening of the heart in some cases. Thankfully this is rare, but…
Myopia Control in the COVID-19 Era

My weekends are admittedly different now. Before my weekends were filled with time spent with friends, in person, but now they are Zoom calls, Brady Bunch style. We hosted our game night online, and we chat while we bake or make dinner. Even at our practice, we are utilizing the ability to work remotely, and…