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Take Charge of Your Health This Breast Cancer Awareness Month

by RYAN MILEJCZAK Sponsored by Central Florida Health Care October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and though it’s widely recognized, its message remains crucial. But breast cancer isn’t the only women’s health concern that gets the spotlight in October. The month is also Menopause Awareness Month. To learn more about these issues, we reached out…
Pop Quiz! Demystifying the Breast Cancer Self-Exam

When it comes to cancer, early detection is key; for breast cancer, this means breast self-exams and mammograms are a must. Self-exams are part of the toolkit for early detection as Johns Hopkins maintains that 40 percent of breast cancer cases are first detected by women who felt a lump during a self-exam. Take our…
Bigger & Better

New Lakeland VA Clinic Increases Access to Care for Nearly 49,000 by PAUL CATALA For five years, Jeffrey Mann of Bartow has had to drive about 45 miles each way to Tampa for his medical needs. But now, Mann only has to drive about 11 miles to see his doctors and nurses and get medical…

Brain Attack (Stroke or Mini-stroke): Are You at Risk?

Approximately 700,000 strokes occur in the United States annually. Stroke or brain attack is a disease that involves the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that brings oxygen to the brain gets blocked by a blood clot most commonly. With the oxygen supply to the brain…
Punctal Plugs

Many patients suffer from dry eye, and eye care professionals have many tools at their disposal to help with symptoms. For many patients, over-the-counter lubricating drops such as Blink or Systane can be helpful. It is important to avoid redness relieving drops, as these tend to cause more problems over time. When over-the-counter drops are…
Understanding Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction

Last year, I wrote about heart failure. At that time, I had said that about half the patients admitted with congestive heart failure have normal systolic function. This is true. The most common way to express heart function is by measuring ejection fraction (EF). This is the proportion of the amount of blood in the…