Health News

Features

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…
To smile or not to smile

Dr. Karen Teston and other local experts on oral hygiene and your overall health Some folks are afraid of pain. Some know they haven’t done a good job of taking care of their teeth, and don’t want to be lectured. Still others lack cash. Whatever the reason, many avoid the dentist until an emergency arises.…

Halloween Eye Safety

Knock knock…trick or treat… A lot of your neighbors might be tempted to choose trick over treat during COVID Halloween 2020. If you plan to partake in the Halloween festivities of 2020, please do so with a clear vision of safety. The following are some of my pointers to observe good Halloween safety. If you…
A Closer Look at Cryptogenic Stroke

A cryptogenic stroke (CS) is defined as cerebral ischemia of obscure or unknown origin. The cause of CS remains undetermined because the event is transitory or reversible, investigations did not look for all possible causes, or because some causes truly remain unknown. One third of the ischemic strokes are cryptogenic. Cryptogenic stroke is a diagnosis…
HOW DID I GET THIS STYE?

Medically a stye is called a hordeolum. If we look at the eyelid’s anatomy, particularly the lid margin, you will find the lashes, and beside the lashes is the opening of our Meibomian glands. The Meibomian glands are the hard embedded plates that you can feel in both the upper and lower lids. The Meibomian…