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Aging gracefully

What will your health look like in 40 years? Medical science has made inroads against major diseases that snuff short our lives. But by the time we reach 45, disease beats out accidents as the leading cause of death. The National Vital Statistics System shows cancer is the leading cause of death for 45 to…
Q&A on the most lethal form of dementia

Dr. Gordon J. Rafool shares the symptoms and treatment options of Alzheimer’s disease Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in America. In Polk, 11.8 percent of Medicare beneficiaries were treated for Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia in 2013, according to Healthy Tampa Bay. We interviewed Dr. Gordon J. Rafool, a geriatrician…
Pop Quiz: Establishing a solid oral care foundation

Will your child have a future Filled with healthy smiles? Teeth add to your smile, allow you to enjoy delicious foods, and rip apart that plastic wrap off your new DVD. However, as a parent, you might be wondering whether you’re setting up proper oral hygiene habits for your child, or if the little tike…

Protect Your Joints and Help Your Golf Game

Many people injure themselves simply because they do not stretch. A survey showed that more than half of the golfers who warmed up for 10 minutes or more before golfing had fewer than half the injuries than those who did not warm up. Another cause of injuries is the fact that golf is a repetitive…
Diagnosis and Treatment of Shingles

Shingles is a contagious virus (varicella zoster) that results in a painful rash. The virus that causes the rash is one of nine known herpes viruses to infect humans. It is the same virus that causes chickenpox. After having chickenpox, typically as a child, the virus lies dormant in nerve tissue underneath the skin.…
Understanding Metastatic Bone Disease

Cancer is always a frightening diagnosis, and knowing that the disease can spread from one part of the body to others can be unsettling. Metastasis occurs when cancer cells from the original (primary) tumor break away and move to other parts of the body. When the cancer spreads from the primary tumor into bone tissue,…