Health News

Features

Pop Quiz! Kiss Chapped Lips Goodbye This Winter

The winter season is brutal on our lips, no matter where in the country we live. While the Sunshine State does not see the cold and snow of the states to the north, it does get colder and much drier than other times of year; both are bad news for your lips. Add in travel,…
Adapting to Changing Needs

Florida Southern College Adds Nursing Master’s Program in Mental Health by REBEKAH PIERCE Florida Southern College is flipping the script and breaking the stigma surrounding mental health. With mental health problems becoming more prevalent (a report in JAMA Health Forum noted that 38% more people are receiving mental health treatment now than in 2020), it’s…
Future-Proofing Health Care

Area Facilities Using Strategic Recruitment and Retention Tactics to Head Off Shortages by REBEKAH PIERCE In a world where many workers are deemed “essential,” healthcare workers stand out as pillars of our communities — perhaps the most essential of all. Yet, despite soaring demand, the healthcare industry faces a significant and growing shortage of professionals.…

Signs & symptoms: When your skin needs medical attention

As a surgeon who often treats and cares for patients whose ailments of the skin have gone too long without medical attention, I’d like to talk about the importance of seeing a doctor right away if you find abnormalities on the skin. I hope people can be aware that it is not only important…
Body, mind & spirit: Integrating primary and behavioral care

When you go to the doctor complaining of stomach pain, you probably don’t expect your problem to be depression. But it just may be. When you complain of headache, clumsiness, dizziness, shakiness, blurred vision, tingling around the mouth and seizures, you might expect an anxiety or bipolar (manic-depressive) disorder. You may be surprised if…
Mediterranean diet for cardiovascular health

Dr. Sean P. O’Rourke is a board-certified cardiologist at Watson Clinic. With a subspecialty in cardiovascular disease, Dr. O’Rourke often sees patients suffering from heart disease. He took the time to answer some questions about heart disease, which has a higher death rate in Polk County than in the rest of Florida. Health…