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  • Feeling winded?

    Mar 28, 2024

    by Andrew Ellsworth, MD “Well, doc,” the patient was telling me, “I get winded so easily now. I can hardly go to the mailbox without stopping to catch my breath. It did not used to be that way. Do you think something is wrong?” Many of us have experienced shortness of breath. After a period of inactivity, such as winter or a busy month, when we decide to exercise again, it may be easier to feel winded. That experience can be due to deconditioning, feeling out of shape. A good remedy for that is a gradual increase in exercise, helping us to r...

  • Five myths about Social Security

    Mar 21, 2024

    by Sam Shumway AARP Wyoming State Director For most of us, Social Security is – or will be – essential for helping to cover daily living expenses and pay bills as we get older. The bottom line is that Social Security is your money, earned through a lifetime of hard work. Yet there are persistent misconceptions about its long-term financial stability and how it works. Here are facts behind five of the most stubborn Social Security myths. Myth #1: Social Security is going broke. The facts: Social Security will not run out of money, as long as wor...

  • No man is an island

    Feb 22, 2024

    by Andrew Ellsworth, MD “No man is an island, entire of itself, every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” This is the beginning of a poem from 1624. In it, the poet John Donne appreciates how humans are all connected. Indeed, humans are social beings, and social connection is a factor in our health. We all know the importance of a healthy diet and exercise for our health. We are getting better at understanding the importance of mental health. One thing we do not discuss much, however, are the benefits of social connection. Our...

  • Fundamental functions: Ear, nose, throat

    Feb 15, 2024

    by Debra Johnston, MD I confess that occasionally even doctors get squeamish. Or perhaps more honestly, this doctor does. My personal list has gotten pretty short, but one of the things that still makes me squirm is something I nevertheless frequently recommend to my patients. So what is this mysterious and rather ominous medical recommendation? Nasal saline irrigation. The practice of rinsing the nose out with liquid probably originated centuries ago in India, and it remains part of spiritual ritual as well as traditional medicine around the...

  • These boots were made for walking

    Feb 8, 2024

    by Jill Kruse, DO Winter weather has finally arrived this year. Getting outside for some activity, even in winter, is great for your overall health. However snow, ice, and cold can turn a stroll in the park into an obstacle course. Having proper footwear is not only important for warmth, but also the wellbeing of your feet. Choosing the correct boots for the elements could mean the difference between enjoying the outdoors and needing an urgent care visit. What makes good footwear for enjoying the outdoors safely? Good traction is essential for...

  • Why routine dental visits matter

    Feb 1, 2024

    by John Bisson, DDS Routine visits to the dentist are key to maintaining overall health. Preventive dental care starts at home. We advise patients to brush twice a day, usually in the morning and before bed, for two minutes followed by flossing. Eating healthy is also crucial to maintaining oral health. Sugary foods and beverages are key factors in tooth decay. Acid is produced when the bacteria in your mouth break down sugar. That acid dissolves the tooth surface leading to tooth decay. Preventive dental care continues by visiting the dentist...

  • Even in darkness you can be found

    Jan 25, 2024

    by Nicola Park LAC, LPC-MH “I’ve lost everything…but I just can’t stop”. “Once I take that first drink that is all I think about”. “I use it to take the pain away”. These are some of the many things you might hear someone who struggles on a daily basis with an addiction say. Addiction is a chronic disease that can physically and mentally change a person from who they once were. When we hear the word addiction, we might automatically go to ‘the person on the street looking to score their next fix’, but these are people who struggle every minute...

  • The threat in your bedroom

    Jan 18, 2024

    by Debra Johnson, M.D. My family has a fondness for crime dramas and thrillers. It isn’t uncommon to watch a scene in which a peacefully sleeping individual wakes when a shadowy figure approaches their bedside with a pillow. Predictably, the assailant calmly presses that pillow over the face of their victim and waits until the struggling stops. For millions of us, the threat in our bedrooms isn’t some malevolent other, but rather our own bodies and brains. We may get our next breath, but for those with sleep apnea, it can be a struggle. Sle...

  • Benefits of pasteurization

    Jan 11, 2024

    by Andrew Ellsworth, MD My father-in-law is a farmer. He grew up on the family farm in southwest Minnesota, where his dad grew up, too. Blessed by fertile soil, the farm has provided for the family for several generations. It is invaluable for my children to experience the farm, see the crops grow, help with animals, and learn about the cycles of life on the farm. The farm no longer has cows, but it did at one time. My father-in-law used to milk cows. He remembers they had a pasteurizer. His mother would pour in raw milk. The cream rose to the...

  • What path should you take?

    Jan 11, 2024

    by Bryan Golden We all face decisions throughout life when circumstances change. Deciding what path to take can pose a dilemma. Each of the various options has positives and negatives. How do you determine the best course of action? There are a number of factors to consider. Your personality traits play a significant role. What do you like and dislike? What’s your affinity for risk? How much challenge are you happy with? The answers to these questions affect what path you will be comfortable taking. For example, someone who is uncomfortable w...

  • Information about seizures

    Jan 4, 2024

    by Andrew Ellsworth, MD A seizure can be one of the most frightening things for a family member, friend, or anyone to witness. However, for some people with epilepsy, seizures may be fairly common and not unexpected. Roughly 1 in 10 people may have a seizure at some point in their lifetime. A seizure occurs when there is a burst of uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain. This may cause a sudden change in awareness or full loss of consciousness, unusual sensations or thoughts, or temporary problems in muscle tone or movements, such as...

  • Make better brain health your top New Year's resolution

    Dec 28, 2023

    Alzheimer’s disease is expected to impact nearly 13 million Americans by 2050, including 10,000 Wyomingites today, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. So, as you contemplate your New Year’s resolutions for 2024, consider there are steps you can take yourself to maintain and improve your cognitive function. Research has shown lifestyle changes like improving diet and exercising regularly have helped drive down death rates from cancer, heart disease and other major diseases. These same lifestyle changes may also reduce or slow your risk...

  • Santa is a cowboy

    Dec 21, 2023

    by Slim Randles The subject came up spontaneously at a recent meeting of the New Mexico Cowboy Curmudgeon Coalition, where our motto is: “If we actually existed, would anyone really care?” It came about because of the time of year and the spirit of Christmas, and was encouraged by other spirits, of a more … well … bottled variety. “I think it’s time,” said one member, “we gave credit where credit is due. Santa Claus … hear me out now … is a cowboy.” This met with derisive outbursts in the House of Commons, which is more the Bunkhouse of Comm...

  • Unraveling medical myths

    Dec 21, 2023

    by Jill Kruse, DO Myths are just stories we tell ourselves and others to make sense of the world around us. Myths convey beliefs or values and attempt to tell truths. In their effort to tell the truth, myths may exaggerate or misrepresent things. Sometimes this misrepresentation is innocent, while other times it is used as a tool to regulate or manipulate people. Myths can be used to give a sense of power and control over an overwhelming situation. Of the many types of myths, ones that deal with medicine are particularly common. A person’s l...

  • China would benefit from proposed IP giveaway

    Dec 21, 2023

    by Walter G. Copan China steals up to $600 billion of American intellectual property every year -- more than the entire GDP of most countries. Considering the sheer scale of this theft, Americans should be shocked to learn that the White House is considering a plan that would voluntarily give the fruits of American innovation to China and other economic and geopolitical rivals. But that is precisely what's happening. In the spring of 2022, the World Trade Organization, with the United States' consent, voted to waive patent protections on...

  • The gift of peace

    Dec 14, 2023

    by Jill Pertler It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Or is it? People enjoy decorating for the holidays, cooking, baking, writing those non-brag family letters and finding the ideal gift for everyone on their list. Or do they? For some, many even, this is the most wonderful time of the year. People truly enjoy rearranging the living room to make room for a seven-foot evergreen. They look forward to lugging plastic tote bins from the garage or basement to sort through ornaments. Untangling masses of stringed lights rates as one of their t...

  • Escaping the black hole of worry

    Dec 7, 2023

    by Bryan Golden Worry is an all-consuming black hole which drains your time, emotions, and physical wellbeing. Worry is insidious because you are so used to it that you aren’t aware how often, or how readily, you worry. For some people, worry is a way of life. We grow up being taught, by example, to make worry a regular activity. We worry about what happened. We worry about what is happening now. We worry about what might happen. We worry about what others will do. We worry about what other people won’t do. We worry about just about eve...

  • A date that will live in infamy

    Dec 7, 2023

    by Major Anderson, RN December 7, 1941 is a “date that will live in infamy” as stated by President Theodore Roosevelt in his famous speech after the events of the Pearl Harbor bombing. That event let to the United States involvement in World War II. President’s Roosevelt’s speech was a call to arms and a declaration of war against this act of aggression by a foreign nation. He never wanted us to forget what happened. President Roosevelt concluded his speech by saying “With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determina...

  • Medicare Advantage

    Nov 30, 2023

    by Tom Dean, MD TV is flooded these days with commercials encouraging everyone to sign up for Medicare Advantage(MA). What is MA and why are they doing this? First of all, a bit of history. For more than 30 years Congress has debated whether the private insurance industry could deliver Medicare benefits more efficiently than the federal government. In 2003 these efforts evolved into what is now known as Medicare Part C or, more commonly, Medicare Advantage (MA). MA plans, operated by private insurance companies, cover services provided by Parts...

  • Practicing gratitude

    Nov 23, 2023

    by Kelly Evans-Hullinger, M.D. I love Thanksgiving. I love preparing the food all day and enjoying it while sitting around a table with some of the people I love most. And there is one holiday tradition that I have grown to adore. As we sit down to eat, we share one thing we feel grateful for this year. Practicing gratitude has been shown to improve aspects of mental health and our sense of well-being, and it isn’t hard to understand why. Saying or thinking “I am grateful for…” feels really good and doing so regularly can help shape our out...

  • Stay safe out there

    Nov 16, 2023

    by Debra Johnston, MD I learned a lot of statistics back in medical school, many of which are outdated and long since forgotten. A few still haunt me, though. One example: over 50% of seniors who suffered a broken hip would be in a nursing home, or in their grave, within a year. The odds are somewhat better today, but a hip fracture is still a very serious event, especially if your health, or your independence, is already compromised. We may be better at helping people recover, but the best strategy is not break that hip in the first place....

  • Hot Springs Health celebrates Rural Health Day

    Nov 9, 2023

    by John Gibbel Hot Springs Health is proud to join communities across America in celebration of National Rural Health Day (NRHD) on November 16.. The National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH) and rural-focused organizations throughout the United States set aside the third Thursday of November to recognize NRHD. This annual event is an opportunity to celebrate the “Power of Rural” and honor the individuals and organizations dedicated to addressing the unique healthcare needs of nearly 61 million people living in rural Ame...

  • Bloodless joints?

    Nov 9, 2023

    by K. A. Bartholomew, MD How much blood flows through your joints? Would you be surprised if I told you “None”? That’s right! Inside the joint there is a clear, viscous, slippery fluid that lubricates the joint surface, but no red blood flows inside the joint. Doctors do not want to see blood in a joint. When there is blood inside a joint it is usually because of trauma. That means tissue has been injured and blood vessels have been broken, bleeding into the clear cavity. “How,” you may ask, “can a joint get oxygen and nutrition if there is no...

  • Warning signs of Alzheimer's caregiver stress

    Nov 2, 2023

    Denial. Anger. Depression. For the 11.5 million people in the U.S. who provide unpaid care for a loved one living with Alzheimer’s disease, there’s an excellent chance that you are experiencing at least one of these or other side effects related to your efforts. These volunteer caregivers, including 16,000 Wyomingites, who typically provide 30 hours per week of unpaid care, are subjected to physical and psychological impacts that can be severe, but there are proactive steps that people can take to help themselves, according to Debra Antis...

  • Living without anger

    Oct 19, 2023

    by Bryan Golden The “benefits” of anger are many. Stress, anxiety, diminished judgment, reduced productivity, poor digestion, sleeplessness, elevated blood pressure, negative impact on relationships, unhappiness, and attraction of negative situations can all be yours just by being angry. Anger repels people, destroys relationships, creates problems, intensifies problems, causes regret, burns bridges, and dissolves solutions. Anger doesn’t have to manifest itself via your behavior to be destructive. Anger that is internalized can be j...

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