Sometimes we dread going to the doctor, especially if we feel fine. Usually people only feel the need to see their doctors if they feel sick or something feels wrong. Therefore, we put off doctor’s visits and check-ups if we feel healthy. However, these days, preventative healthcare is becoming more common and encouraged. A yearly…

In warm and hot weather, it’s hard to resist the urge to break out your flip-flops, the truest sign of summer. Flip flops are often a popular choice of footwear for many people as summer approaches. They allow your feet to breathe and give your toes the freedom of movement. Flip flops are convenient and…

Measles, sometimes referred to as rebeola or red measles, is a highly contagious respiratory infection that can spread through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. The virus can float in the air up to one hour after someone coughs or sneezes indoors. As of today, there are seven cases of measles…

If you’ve had a child in daycare or in elementary school, you may be very familiar with hand, foot and mouth disease. Found most commonly in children younger than five years, hand, foot and mouth disease is a contagious illness caused by different viruses. Hand, foot and mouth disease usually passes without medical treatment in…

Blood, the essential fluid that flows through our bodies, is constantly in need. Blood circulates in our blood vessels and transports nutrients, hormones, medications and cells throughout the body. Because blood cannot be artificially replicated or replaced, blood donors are the only source of blood for patients who need it. Blood drives happen across the…

There once was a time in the world where diseases ran wildly, crossing oceans and continents with great speed. Carried in animals and people alike, diseases and viruses that caused great sickness and sometimes death spread around the globe. The bubonic plague, or “Black Death,” spread from Asia to Europe in the mid-1300s by rats…

As the weather changes from summer to fall every year, most people are also changing—pulling out winter coats from closets and basements and drinking more hot tea than iced. They’re also fighting a war they are sure to lose: the common cold. The Common Cold In the United States, common colds are the main reason…

Hepatitis is an infection of the liver, the organ that removes bacteria and toxins from the blood, processes nutrients, hormones and medications, and prevents infections in the body. Hepatitis can infect the liver and cause it to function abnormally or not function at all. While hepatitis is a general term, there are five known subsets…

Drinking and driving statistics are as familiar as they are saddening. In December, an average of 25 people a day die in alcohol-related crashes, and the highest percentage of impaired drives are ages 21 to 34. Drunk driving prevention campaigns and techniques have helped these statistics slowly get better in recent years, but the truth…

If you’ve ever been admitted to the hospital for any length of time, you know that it can sometimes be a frightening and lonely experience. The nurses and doctors assigned to care for you have your healthcare needs as their top priority and work hard to get you healthy and back to your normal routine….