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Back to School

Doctors Discuss Safety, Logistics of Education During Pandemic by TERESA SCHIFFER It’s back-to-school season again – but this time there’s a twist. COVID-19 infection rates and deaths are still on the rise in the U.S., meaning students, educators, and parents must learn to navigate education during an ongoing public health crisis. This is not the…
The Vaccination Question

Doctor Explains Why Immunizations Are So Critical, Even During Pandemic by TERESA SCHIFFER As we enter flu season while in the midst of a raging pandemic, the topic of vaccinations is on a lot of people’s minds. You may be wondering if you should get a flu shot this year, if a coronavirus vaccine will…
Get Trained, STAT!

Polk Schools Offer Array of Medical Programs to Prepare Students for Booming Healthcare Fields by MARY TOOTHMAN The healthcare sector is booming, and people all across the country are taking note. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says that from 2006 and 2016, 2.8 million jobs were added to the health sector. That’s almost seven…

A Pain in Your Foot

Your feet shouldn’t hurt. When painful feet prevent you from walking, running or wearing shoes there is a reason. There are many causes of foot pain and determining the reason for pain is the first step to treating the pain. SOME COMMON CAUSES Gout: This is very common in the big toe and causes redness,…
Does Charcoal Toothpaste Really Whiten Teeth?

If you’re like most people, you want your smile to be as white as possible, and that might have led you to charcoal toothpaste. Sellers and manufacturers of charcoal toothpaste maintain that this (usually) black toothpaste or powder will get you as white a smile as you could want. However, do their claims hold up?…
What You Need to Know About Pediatric Heart Murmurs

We all want our children to be healthy and active, so what do you do when your child is diagnosed with a heart murmur? Well, the short answer is, nothing. In most cases, the heart murmurs that occur in children are deemed “innocent.” They may also be called “functional” or “physiologic,” but these three terms…