Americans drink a lot of caffeinated beverages. Every day, the majority of us consume at least one drink that contains caffeine. While many people need that kick to get them through the day, there are effects on oral health I’d like to present for consideration. Coffee is the second most popular caffeinated beverage in our… Read more »
With COVID-19 forcing schools into distance learning and the tremendous amount of additional social and emotional trauma in today’s world, teachers Jason Tate, FMCHC of Indio High School and Jodie Capper, CTE from Coachella Valley High School created an online program that helps educators help their students to cope and heal. The program, called Mindfully… Read more »
Parkinson’s is often considered a hopeless disease. There is currently no cure or means of stopping the progression of the condition, which robs its patients of motor and cognitive skills, as well as their dignity. But according to Desert Care Network’s (DCN) board-certified neurologist John Legge, MD, today, there is much to be hopeful about.… Read more »
Four new developments in pain management can be broken down into two groups: those that improve pain by physically relieving pressure on nerves, and those that modulate pain using electrical stimulation. All of these techniques are done on an outpatient basis utilizing local or twilight anesthesia and have minimal or no recovery time. Vertiflex device.… Read more »
Do you feel like your brain has checked out and gone on vacation while you’re stuck at home quarantining? Does your thinking seem foggy? Are you more forgetful? Having problems making decisions? Many people are complaining of a range of cognitive difficulties arising from the current situation caused by COVID-19. People are experiencing increased stress,… Read more »
It now seems cliché to say that 2020 has brought unexpected challenges. We have all adapted to the constant of change. Personally, my biggest change was a diagnosis of bilateral breast cancer. Initially, I responded with calm analysis, keeping reality at arms-length by “doing” what needed to be done. I made a notebook, set up… Read more »
Many people with osteoarthritis (OA) or “bone on bone” changes ignore exercise or minimize movement due to the myth that it will further damage their joints. They often manage their pain with medication while simply waiting to get their joint replaced. Approximately 14 million people have symptomatic OA, however, patients do not have to live… Read more »
With holidays come all the fun foods and drinks we associate with the fall season. Most of us look forward to the pies, candies and other festive treats, but this doesn’t give us an excuse to neglect our teeth and oral health. There are some easy things we can do to make sure we make… Read more »
What is a Liquid Biopsy? Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) were first discovered in 1869 by Thomas Ashworth in the blood of a man with metastatic cancer. He hypothesized that “cells identical with those of the cancer itself being seen in the blood may tend to throw some light upon the mode of origin of multiple… Read more »
The Coachella Valley is currently facing a shortage of primary health care professionals, especially those from within our community, and physician assistants are an important resource to meet that need. OneFuture Coachella Valley (OFCV) is facilitating the launch of a new regional alignment team to address this, with a specific focus on creating awareness of… Read more »
With continuing, medical advancement comes encouraging news for breast cancer patients. In light of new findings, women now have another option for treating breast cancer. It’s called targeted intraoperative radiotherapy (TARGIT), and as the name implies, it targets the radiation to the specific site of the tumor, bypassing vital organs. According to Dennis Holmes, MD,… Read more »
Sports fans across the nation have platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to thank for helping some of their favorite athletes get back on the field after an injury. Earlier this year, when Los Angeles Angels pitcher Griffin Canning suffered an ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injury in his pitching elbow, he elected to pursue treatment with PRP. Several… Read more »
I deeply feel for my pregnant patients right now. I really do. What is supposed to be a time of joy, hope, and excitement has, for the most part, become a time of stress, anxiety and uncertainty. An event that usually brings families together has, unfortunately morphed into a solitary journey of isolation. While the… Read more »
The Coachella Valley has a critical shortage of behavioral health professionals to serve the needs of our community. To address this need, local behavioral health partners came together as OneFuture Coachella Valley’s Behavioral Health Workforce Team (BH A-Team) in 2016 with the vision that the Coachella Valley will have an abundant supply of mental and… Read more »
In mid-July, I had rotator cuff surgery on my left shoulder. Leading up to the surgery, I was fascinated by how the surgeon cautioned me about managing the pain, and he gave me three different pain prescriptions. Everyone I talked to said, “Oh, that’s going to hurt!” And since the surgery, people frequently ask about… Read more »
Many have been following my cancer journey, which began with a diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma in January 2019. As most who share the journey will agree, the entire experience is life-changing and shouldn’t be traveled without the support, knowledge and encouragement of those who came before us. I am now on the other side… Read more »
As we become more active, our bodies become more susceptible to overuse and injury. In particular, our tendons, which are involved in muscle movement, are easily damaged. Tendons are the fibrous connective tissues that attach a bone to a muscle. Many movements involve pulling on a tendon for the desired muscle to contract. Tendinopathy is… Read more »
Viagra is practically a household name. It’s easy to talk about Viagra and Cialis for erectile dysfunction. It’s not as easy to talk openly about women’s sexual health issues. But certain conditions or phases of life can affect a woman’s ability to feel sexy or even enjoy sex. I want women to feel comfortable discussing… Read more »
ZERO – The End of Prostate Cancer is bringing the first-ever virtual celebration for prostate cancer to the Coachella Valley on Saturday, September 19 at 9 a.m. Community members are invited to head outside prior to the event, and then head online this day for an inspiring event that will show the love to local… Read more »
The coronavirus emergency has made life more dangerous and difficult for people worldwide. However, the extraordinary challenges experienced by the hearing impaired and deaf populations have not been addressed adequately to date by the media. Listening is defined as an “active or intentional behavior involving the brain’s ability to decode and process communication.”1 Affecting approximately… Read more »