15 Sep

What to Expect From a Skin Biopsy

A skin biopsy is the removal of layers of skin for laboratory analysis. This can be done right in your preferred doctor’s office and requires no recovery downtime.

Before the Procedure:

Your doctor will assess the area of the skin in question and ask you questions about how the condition developed. They will also review your health history and current medications. You may be asked to stop taking certain medications 24 hours before the skin biopsy procedure.

At the doctor’s office, you will be asked to undress and change into a clean gown which will give the doctor easier access to the biopsy site. The biopsy site will then be thoroughly cleaned before a local anesthetic is injected. You will feel a burning sensation for a few seconds before the treatment area becomes completely numb. Read More

15 Jan

When Should I Start Getting Well Woman Exams?

A woman’s health care has a major influence on her overall physical wellness and quality of life, which is why it is so important to receive well woman exams on a regular basis. 

The type of preventative care provided during every well woman exam addresses the most important health concerns for women, from gynecological care to bone density and everything in between. Here’s what you should know about when to start getting well woman exams and how to make the most of your personalized care. 

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15 Oct

Breast Exams and Mammograms: What Early Screenings Can Tell You

Over 300,000 men and women go through breast cancer every year. With those kinds of numbers, it’s no wonder that we try to be proactive with breast exams and mammograms. These tools allow us to detect changes right away. Any unusual change in the breast is cause for further exploration.

Here are the breast exams etc you should be having:

There are really four different ways that your breasts and breast changes could be measured or monitored. Here are the most common breast exams and when they should be done.

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15 Aug

Why Having One Chronic Disease Management Practitioner Is Vital to Patient Outcomes

When you have one or more chronic illnesses, it can be very frustrating, time consuming, and difficult to stay organized with doctors’ appointments and medications. One of the best things you can do to help you keep things straight and to make sure all of your needs are being met, is to have one chronic disease management healthcare professional that can monitor everything about your health in one picture.

Having one doctor that communicates with all of your specialists has a lot of big advantages that equate better patient outcomes, including better pain management. Here are a few.

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15 May

Don’t Put Off Your Health for Fear of the Pandemic

There is no doubt that these are scary times; and for the most part, people are pulling together and doing what they can to stop the spread of the coronavirus. While it is important to maintain social distancing and only go out when needed, there are some things that are essential that you should not avoid during quarantine. One of those things is your health.

It can be very tempting to put off healthcare visits that don’t seem important. You might think that a problem is minor and can wait until the situation improves. Unfortunately, sometimes those minor problems can worsen and become major medical issues. It is best to leave that decision up to the medical professionals familiar with how your symptoms might relate to a diagnosis.

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15 Apr

What to Expect from a DOT Physical

With the current crisis, commercial truck drivers, especially over the road drivers, are in high demand. These essential workers are responsible for getting food and supplies delivered all over the country. As some drivers become ill or feel the need to stay home, new drivers are starting to hit the roads.

Before you can get your CDL and work for a trucking company, you have to go through a DOT physical. The Department of Transportation requires these physicals to ensure that you are in good enough health to manage one of these large trucks with trailers. If you have certain medical conditions that could incapacitate you while driving, you could be denied your CDL license.

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15 Dec

Planning for the New Year: Scheduling Your Annual Physical

With the new year quickly arriving, there are a lot of things that require your attention. It is important that you don’t allow your health to fall to the wayside in favor of handling other year-end tasks at work and at home. You should have an annual physical every year, and planning ahead to schedule it at the first of the year is the best choice. 

Preventative Medicine

Your annual physical is all about preventative medicine. During your physical exam, your doctor can help you identify areas of health concerns so that you can make lifestyle changes to prevent conditions or illnesses from occurring. This means less downtime, less time away from work, and fewer medical costs.

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20 Oct

Three Lab Tests Your Doctor Should Order Annually

You may have heard that you should be having a complete examination on an annual basis, but did you know that there are also some lab tests that should be checked annually? These lab tests are usually done as part of an annual physical. But if you have not had these tests recently, you should consider getting them done. Here are three tests your doctor should be checking annually.

Metabolic Panel

A metabolic panel is a comprehensive variety of tests done on blood drawn to determine if there are any issues with glucose level, fluid balance, kidney function, and liver function. The metabolic panel aims for early detection of kidney, liver, and other health problems. 

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10 Oct

The Importance of Routine Well Woman Exams

Most women are conscious of their health, and your sexual and reproductive health is also important. Just as you should see your primary doctor each year for a complete physical and blood workup, so too should you be seeing your doctor for a well woman exam on an annual or biannual basis. Here’s what you need to know about well woman exams and why they are important.

What Is a Well Woman Exam?

A well woman exam will allow the doctor to check your reproductive organs and sexual health. The well woman exam may include a pap smear, a pelvic exam, or both, depending on the appointment and your age. Well woman exams detect issues with the reproductive or sexual organs.

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20 Aug

Why You Should Not Put Off Going to the Doctor—Even If You’re Broke

Many people put off going to the doctor for a variety of reasons, but one of the most common reasons is because they can’t afford it. Did you know that 14 percent of the population of Florida, over 2.8 million people, were without health insurance last year? Without health insurance, seeing a doctor might seem like more than you can afford. Yet if you do not see a doctor, your expenses could often be greater.

Early Detection, Easier Treatment

With most medical conditions and illnesses, the earlier that it is detected, diagnosed, and treated, the easier it will be to treat and heal the problem. If you don’t have health insurance, you might wait to see if something gets better on its own. Yet as soon as it is clear that it is not, you need to go ahead and see a doctor. If you wait, treatment could be much more complex (and expensive).

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