Intralymphatic immunotherapy: a breakthrough approach for allergies

Meds
January 28, 2024

Are you or a loved one constantly battling the frustrating symptoms of seasonal or year-round allergies? You are not alone; millions around the globe are affected by sneezing, itchy, watery red eyes, stuffy, runny noses, and headaches. Avoidance of triggers and medications may provide temporary relief, but for those seeking a longer-lasting or more natural solution, immunotherapy (IT) can be life-changing. IT provides sustained benefits of decreased symptoms and medication …

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Empathy: the unexpected gift from abuse

Physician
January 28, 2024

Months after I left him, I could still feel the pain he inflicted. He not only weaponized my insecurities but also demeaned the things about myself that I loved, insidiously dismantling my sense of self until nothing remained.

I even doubted my ability as a psychiatrist, and I hated him for that.

“Talking to you is like trying to read a Step 2 question!” he had sneered. “I don’t know anyone who …

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How to lose your compassion: the brutal reality of medical internship

Education
January 27, 2024

Not all at once, just slowly enough that you don’t notice.

“I’m having a rough go at it,” Mr. Robinson confesses. He was listening to me use choppy, challenging vocabulary to piece together what’s landed him in the hospital.

But I know what he’s talking about. The mass in his chest that’s been compressing on his airway, making him so sick, so quickly. He is talking about his pneumonia: the fevers, chills, …

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The Federal SAVE Act: a beacon of hope for health care worker safety

Policy
January 27, 2024

It’s a narrative that has become disturbingly familiar: different health care providers, yet the same traumatic story.

Ramon, an idealistic new nurse, was drawn to nursing to make a meaningful impact in the lives of the most vulnerable. But in an instant, his love for nursing changed. After just six months as a nurse, a patient’s son viciously attacked Ramon, enraged over his mother’s COVID-19-related hospitalization. In a blind fury, …

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Health care’s hidden struggles: a paradigm shift [PODCAST]

Podcast
January 26, 2024
YouTube video

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Join Vickie Leff, a palliative social worker. We’ll dive into a thought-provoking conversation about shifting the health care paradigm, where we explore the emotional toll on health care professionals, the need for sustainability, and how institutions can …

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My spinal cord injury story from physician to patient, and how I rebuilt my nervous system

Physician
January 26, 2024

It took a traumatic spinal cord injury in 2008 to transform my life.

The experience was a radical awakening. I was told that I would never walk again.

On one fine spring day in 2008, my life changed forever. I was walking to work when I was hit by a car at high speed. My body was flung into the sky, and as I hovered, like a slow-motion movie, a few thoughts …

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The superhero spectrum in health care

Physician
January 26, 2024

Strategic thinking: The Doctor Strange of health care. Health care professionals, much like Doctor Strange, often engage in complex decision-making, foreseeing multiple outcomes to choose the best path for patient care. Your ability to strategize and anticipate is crucial in saving lives and ensuring quality care.

Innovation: Channeling Iron Man. Innovation is key in health care. Just as Iron Man tinkers and invents, you too innovate daily – whether through cutting-edge surgical techniques, …

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Should you fire back after a stealth firing?

Physician
January 26, 2024

Stealth firing is a term used to describe the cold, unexpected firing of employees by their managers and/or individuals from human resources (HR) departments – sometimes without the manager’s awareness and even after years of loyalty for some. The Bureau of Labor Statistics cannot adequately track this statistic because its definition lacks precision, but it is not uncommon in certain practice areas, such as law, tech, and financial firms. The …

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Tragic turn in the OR: A rookie doctor’s race against time

Physician
January 26, 2024

An excerpt from A Surgeon’s Knot.

The phone jarred Jackson Cooper, MD’s weary, anxious brain into consciousness from the edge of sleep. He jumped up, dropping the receiver on the cold floor of the call room. “Hello,” he said, tension entering the new intern’s mind.

“Dr. Cooper,” the nurse’s voice said nervously. She almost stuttered as she spoke. “It . . . it’s . . . Mr. Simpson, he’s bleeding. I …

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How one family’s hero ended a pandemic [PODCAST]

Podcast
January 25, 2024
YouTube video

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Join Shan Liu, an emergency physician and co-author of Masked Hero: How Wu-Lien Teh Invented the Mask and Ended an Epidemic. Discover the journey of Wu Lien-teh, Shan’s great-grandfather, who played a pivotal role in ending a …

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Pandemic aftermath: Navigating a new normal in health, education, and social dynamics

Policy
January 25, 2024

Psychological distress. In 2021, 40% of high school students felt sad and hopeless, 20% seriously considered suicide, and 10% attempted it, with suicides among young people hitting their highest rates ever, though they fell in 2022. Since the greatest increase was before 2017, we can’t really blame the pandemic. And some “innovative” approaches for combatting …

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Euphoria-free pain relief: A gabapentin alternative you’ve been waiting for?

Meds
January 25, 2024

A groundbreaking discovery in pain management could revolutionize how we treat chronic pain. In a report from a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers at New York University, in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh, have announced the discovery of a novel medication that could treat centralized pain that targets Cav2.2 calcium channels (also called N-type calcium channels).

First, what is centralized …

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Uncovering the real story behind opioid prescriptions and deaths

Conditions
January 25, 2024

As a non-clinician patient advocate and health care writer, I am frequently reminded of a quotation attributed to Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain): “Figures don’t lie. But liars figure.” I am also aware of a second quotation from economist Ronald H Coase: “If you torture the data for long enough, it will confess to anything.”

I find that both quotations apply directly to the U.S. Centers for …

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Resilience beyond self-care [PODCAST]

Podcast
January 24, 2024
YouTube video

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Join Beth Boynton, a nurse consultant, as we delve into the pressing issue of health care worker resilience. Discover the importance of empowering health care professionals, developing essential interpersonal skills, and the role of emotional intelligence in …

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Unlocking the mystery of the “wanting mind”: Transform your yearnings into fulfillment

Conditions
January 24, 2024

I remember Christmas Eve as a child. I was so excited that I couldn’t sleep. I wanted to be awake every second until the morning came. I didn’t want to miss anything! But inevitably, I’d arrive at the Christmas tree the next morning, bleary-eyed and still feeling like I’d missed something important. My wanting mind had taken over and robbed me of being fully awake when it counted. And every …

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Enhancing your digital footprint: a must for health care professionals

Tech
January 24, 2024

In the ever-evolving health care landscape, where technological advancements and digital presence are increasingly intertwined, health care professionals, including doctors and nurses, must understand the importance of a robust digital footprint. This isn’t just about staying relevant; it’s about showcasing your expertise, connecting with peers and potential employers, and embracing technological innovations like AI in health care.

Your digital footprint encompasses everything you …

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Assessing hospital involvement in pediatric primary care

Physician
January 24, 2024

Children’s hospitals are acclaimed for their outstanding care, and they would be my absolute choice for my child’s hospital needs. Nevertheless, there is a pressing concern that the underlying philosophy of these institutions is shifting, with financial pressures incentivizing competition rather than cooperation in the field of pediatrics. If hospitals were to dominate primary care, it could potentially exacerbate the departure from a value-driven approach, which is crucial for advancing …

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Just culture and medical errors [PODCAST]

Podcast
January 23, 2024
YouTube video

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Join Scott Ellner, a general surgeon. We delve into a compelling story from a decade ago, where a medical error had profound consequences for both a patient and the surgeon involved. Discover the emotional toll on health …

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