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Everything the government thinks it knows about the opioid crisis is wrong

Conditions

July 1, 2023

“In July 2015, journalist Johann Hari gave a TED Talk that over 20 million people have since viewed. Hari offered convincing evidence that vulnerability to opioid addiction is a consequence of the conditions under which people live — the social determinants of health — rather than simple exposure to opioid pain relievers. This theme is brilliantly elaborated by economist Anne Case and Nobel Prize winner Angus Deaton …

COVID-19 vaccine neglect: a tale of regret and debilitating symptoms

Jenna Podjasek, MD

Conditions

June 29, 2023

As an allergist-immunologist who trained at Mayo Clinic, one might assume that I’m up to date on my COVID-19 booster vaccinations. However, I realized months ago that I was overdue for a booster; it’s been over a year since my third vaccination. I’m embarrassed to admit this, but I didn’t stop at the pharmacy or schedule an appointment with my primary doctor. I was among the roughly 85 percent of …

The unsung heroes of disease detectives: Controlling outbreaks and pandemics to save lives

Nicholas A. Daniels, MD, MPH

Conditions

June 27, 2023

An excerpt from Outbreaks and Pandemics: The Life of a Disease Detective.

The importance of disease detectives in solving and controlling outbreaks and pandemics must be recognized. We are the backbone of our public health system. We are scientifically savvy, inquisitive, detail-oriented, and able to follow the data wherever it leads, …

The impact of medical traumatic stress on families

Kody Sexton, MSEd, Meghan Marsac, PhD, and Christina Salley, PhD

Conditions

June 27, 2023

Jacob, a father from a low-income, rural background, has vivid flashbacks of seeing his newborn intubated. Confused at why his mind keeps replaying the scene, he struggles to concentrate at work and earn the paycheck he needs to make ends meet for his family. Whenever he makes the long drive to the hospital for his newborn’s follow-up visits, he feels the same intense panic he felt in the NICU and …

The power of liquid biopsies and the challenge of health care disparities

Aadel Chaudhuri, MD, PhD

Conditions

June 23, 2023

Laura Nuttall was diagnosed with deadly brain cancer at the age of 18 after going for a routine eye exam. She completed an incredible bucket list, which included meeting Michelle Obama, driving a monster truck, and commanding a Royal Navy warship before ultimately succumbing to her cancer this past Monday at the age of 23.

What if her cancer had been discovered earlier through a simple blood test? Could it …

From failure to success: How a nurse overcame challenges and thrived in the medical field

Dale Pearce, DNP, RN

Conditions

June 22, 2023

I remember the day clearly – sitting in a convenience store parking lot after buying a pack of pencils on my way to my first day of nursing school. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Or, perhaps more realistically, I had no idea how ill-prepared I really was. As a mediocre high school student who got by with the bare minimum, I was rudely awakened when …

How one liver disease patient found hope and overcame adversity

Johnathan Yao, MD, MPH

Conditions

June 22, 2023

The first day I came to the liver service, I met Mr. S, who was struggling with complications of liver disease. In the long term, he required a TIPS procedure that would better distribute his abdominal pressure and eventually a liver transplant. He was at high risk for the procedure and was struggling to maintain the fluid restriction necessary to prepare him for it.

Mr. S was entirely despondent when I …

The inspirational journey of an 82-year-old WWII veteran battling cancer

Debbie Moore-Black, RN

Conditions

June 21, 2023

He was 82 years old when he came into our ER, writhing in excruciating abdominal pain. After an ultrasound and a subsequent CT scan, the devastating diagnosis was revealed—end stage pancreatic and liver cancer.

Despite enduring a pain level of 10, he managed to maintain his sense of humor, joking about “biting the bullet.” However, he admitted that the pain had become unbearable.

This resilient individual was not just any patient; he …

Patients with chest numbness following mastectomy may experience lower quality of life

Kristen Casey, PsyD

Conditions

June 21, 2023

Imagine not being able to fully feel a hug from your loved ones.

Not being able to feel your baby’s head nuzzled against your chest.

Feeling like a part of your body doesn’t belong to you.

These side effects are common following a mastectomy—and often permanent. Chest numbness is the result of nerves being cut during a mastectomy. When the severed nerves are not reconnected, they cannot transmit a signal to the brain, …

Surviving multiple cancers: a tale of blessings and exceptional doctors

Kim Downey, PT

Conditions

June 21, 2023

Although it could be said that I’ve been very “unlucky” over the past couple of years due to surgeries and treatments for three separate cancers, I feel blessed by how “lucky” I have been to have had a combination of outstanding doctors.

Dealing with ongoing medical issues, as a health care professional, I fully appreciate the challenges facing patients and physicians alike in the current health care climate.

Thank you, doctors, for …

From business trip to battling a rare breast disease: my journey of survival, advocacy, and remission

Tami Burdick

Conditions

June 19, 2023

I never envisioned a business trip could result in a diagnosis of a rare, under-practiced, poorly understood, and emerging chronic inflammatory breast disease affecting 2.4 women per 100,000 and growing. Two months after my return from that business trip, I started experiencing a multitude of symptoms, including breast pain. During a self-breast exam, I discovered a lump. Wasting no time, I called my primary care physician, who ordered both a …

Revolutionizing postpartum care: Transforming breastfeeding support for families

Dr. MILK

Conditions

June 17, 2023

An open response to “Breast or Bottle: The Illusion of Choice” by Amy Kennedy, MD.

We see and hear you and are so sorry you endured these experiences. We are physicians practicing breastfeeding and lactation medicine, and we acknowledge the overwhelming lack of support for families after birth. Many of us have come to this field after experiencing our own similar challenges, and we would like to offer a different …

How the U.S. blood pressure validated device listing (VDL) ensures accurate readings and revolutionizes hypertension control

Jordana Cohen, MD

Conditions

June 15, 2023

Blood pressure is an important upstream indicator of overall patient health, and high blood pressure can be a precursor to more serious medical conditions like cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and stroke. Measuring blood pressure frequently is the best way to stay on top of any changes, but as telehealth and at-home monitoring gain in popularity, how can you be sure your patients are getting accurate measurements outside of a physician’s …

How to approach teen nose jobs with parents

Babak Azizzadeh, MD

Conditions

June 14, 2023

Getting a nose job, also known as rhinoplasty, requires extensive research and planning. For teenagers, it requires extensive communication and collaboration, and for parents, it requires a lot of understanding and compassion.

A nose job can be a life-changing decision for anyone planning on getting the procedure. If someone is a good candidate, it can help one’s confidence and even improve breathing function in some scenarios. However, discussing such a sensitive …

On the front lines of COVID-19: the untold sacrifices and heroic efforts of health care professionals

Nicole M. King, MD

Conditions

June 14, 2023

There is a phenomenon sweeping across various medical circles on social media that is forcing people to address accusations from those who were not on the front lines of COVID at the beginning of the pandemic. Though I have refused to pay much attention to the details, I have become more and more enraged at the audacity and frank ignorance that it takes to judge when not in the arena. …

Surviving the chaos: an inspiring journey of health care heroes

Debbie Moore-Black, RN

Conditions

June 13, 2023

Calling all health care personnel: EMTs, paramedics, nurses, CNAs, respiratory therapists, police, firefighters. All of you.

You’ve been cursed at, spat upon, hit, and scratched by fingernails. You never got that 30-minute break during those 12 long hours. You had to beg to use the restroom. Your staffing was minimal, and your 24/7 manager was nowhere to be found. Your fellow doctors are shouting at you, and patients’ family members are …

Breaking free from BMI’s limitations for fair and effective care

Natasha Agbai, MD

Conditions

June 11, 2023

The 2023 Clinical Practice Guideline for Evaluation and Treatment of Children and Adolescents with Obesity heralds a new era of evidence-based anti-obesity treatments for children, a cause I wholeheartedly support. However, amidst these advancements, I harbor concerns about the ongoing reliance on the body mass index (BMI) as a screening and diagnostic tool.

Originally designed for population-level assessments, the ease of measuring BMI and its historical precedence has led …

Unlock the secrets to aging gracefully: specialized care and support for elderly patients

Ton La, Jr., MD, JD

Conditions

June 11, 2023

She sat in the hospital bed, staring out the window as the nurse flitted in and out of the room, adjusting IV lines and checking her vitals. It had been a long time since she’d been in a hospital, but at 75 years old, her health was beginning to fail. She knew that she was considered “elderly” now, but she didn’t feel old. She still had so much life left, …

Emotional journey: An inspiring tale from the operating room in Nicaragua

David Alfery, MD

Conditions

June 10, 2023

An excerpt from Saving Grace: What Patients Teach Their Doctors about Life, Death, and the Balance in Between.

On the morning of the first day of surgery in Nicaragua, I paced. It was 8:10 a.m., and the cases were supposed to begin at 7:30 a.m. …

How modern lifestyle changes are disrupting our immune systems

Kara Wada, MD

Conditions

June 9, 2023

In addition to a steep increase in prevalence, in recent decades, we have seen an evolution in the ways our immune system misbehaves: eosinophilic esophagitis, mast cell disorders, and early onset colon cancer, among many others. This data alone should remind us that we are an ever-evolving species. With our rapidly changing lifestyle over the last century, it shouldn’t be surprising that we are seeing some sort of physiologic hangover.

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