Doctor's Corner

Diabetes mellitus is a medical condition most people have heard talked about.  In fact, this medical condition is so prevalent, most people probably know someone who has this condition.  So what is diabetes mellitus?  It is a disease of the pancreas, an organ located in the abdominal cavity.  The pancreas is part of the endocrine system and the digestive system.  It produces digestive enzymes to break down food for digestion and absorption in the small intestines.   As part of the endocrine system, it produces hormones such as insulin which circulate in the blood.  When a person has Diabetes … [Read more...] about Diabetes Diagnosis

We continue with our Back To School series as Drs Short and McLaughlin present part III, "Fall Basics." Fall is finally here. With it comes cooler weather, football, and “colds”. While we enjoy the fall colors and tailgating events, we want to keep our friends and family in good health. Below are some tips to help keep everyone healthy and in the game. Encourage your child to cough and sneeze into their elbow rather than out into the open air or into their hands. This helps prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses through air particles and through direct hand to hand contact. … [Read more...] about Fall Basics: Back to School Checklist – Part III

October is breast cancer awareness month, which is an annual campaign to raise awareness of breast cancer as well as raise money to advance breast cancer research.  Breast cancer affects one in eight women and 100 times more common in women, but men can also have breast cancer.   It is the most common type of invasive cancer in women worldwide.  With early detection, 90% of individuals with breast cancer have a 5-year survival rate. What are the signs and symptoms of breast cancer?  Usually, there are no initial symptoms early in the disease process.  As the tumor enlarges there may be … [Read more...] about Breast Cancer Screening

Dr. McLaughlin is joined by Dr Patty Short, MD as they continue with "Part II of the Back to School Checklist" Part II: Encourage and Maintain Healthy Habits." School is back in session. The dinner table is strewn with homework assignments and textbooks. It seems that the clothes you just purchased for your student already show signs of being way too small. Nurturing the growing minds and bodies of our students is probably the best investment we will ever make. Remaining safe and healthy during the school year ensures your students get the most from their time spent away from … [Read more...] about Back to School Checklist – Part II

by Dr. Eric McLaughlin, M.D. and Carlos I. Sosa -- Part I: Get off to a healthy start With less than two weeks to go before your student(s) are back to school, the pressure is increasingly present to supply your child with the “latest” and “coolest” gear, from fashion to electronics.  Although many of these “wants” may seem important in the short-run, consider some oft forgotten and possibly more important priorities for your back-to-school preparations checklist.  Here are a few suggestions to start off a happy, healthy, and successful year. (Part I will focus on proactive and … [Read more...] about Back to School Checklist – Part I

As we spend more time outside in the summer, we are exposed to mosquitos and therefore mosquito bites.  These bites are not only itchy and uncomfortable but mosquito bites can also be a vector for illness. They transmit viruses such as West Nile, Eastern Equine Encephalitis, St. Louis Encephalitis, and Zika virus to name a few. These viri are transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito. Adult female mosquitos feed on the blood of hosts such as bird, humans or horses. When mosquitoes feed on blood, they salivate prior to and during feeding.  If the mosquito feeds on a host that is … [Read more...] about Mosquito-Borne Diseases

We have all heard more and more about concussion in the news lately, especially regarding athletes.  The term concussion protocols for athletes returning to play after a head injury has been particularly talked about.  But athletes are not the only individuals who can suffer from concussions.  A concussion, also known as a mild traumatic brain injury -MTBI, is a type of brain injury that is defined as a short loss of normal brain function after a head injury.  While this is commonly associated with sports injuries, it can also be a result of a blow to the head.  Over 1 million brain injuries … [Read more...] about Diagnosing & Treating Concussions