Author Archive, nburgess

While it is important to stay hydrated throughout the year, with summer fast approaching, it is even more critical. Water loss is naturally higher during the hot summer months due to the general heat index and increased natural sweating. Water 101 The human body is mostly water, 55%-75%. It contains 10 to 12 gallons of water at any given time. Here are a few interesting statistics to put those numbers in perspective. Water composes: 83% of blood 73% of muscles 25% of body fat 22% ... More »

Is it Worth the Risk for Pretty Nails? Millions and millions of women around the world enjoy having a manicure.Everyone loves wearing well-groomed, polished fingernails with no visible chips. The creation of a newly popular gel manicure allows that dream to become a reality. A gel manicure prevents nail polish from chipping. Gel manicures last twice as long as a manicure done with regular nail polish. They cost more than a regular nail polish manicure; a gel manicure costs $25-$45. It is estimated ... More »

As National Nurses Week comes to a close on May 12th, it is also a day to mark the birth of Florence Nightingale, fondly called the Lady with the Lamp by those for whom she cared and also by historians as the years of history move forward. It is appropriate that the weeklong celebration to acknowledge the compassionate and lifesaving care in nursing begins each year on May 6th and ends on May 12th, the day that the most recognized nurse ... More »

Since the 2012-2013 flu season is pretty much over, now is the time to take a retrospective look at how it went, overall. What worked and what did not? Who got the flu and who didn't? A General Review The 2012-2013 influenza vaccine was declared to be a good match for the most common flu viruses this year, before the season started. The flu vaccine is revised every year to target the circulating strains of influenza. This year, that included three ... More »

The spring allergy season is in full swing. One in every five American suffers from some type of allergy. Here are a few basics about nagging allergies: The most common allergens include: grass, weeds, tree pollen, dust mites, cats, dogs and a variety of molds. The resulting symptoms include, but are not limited to: itchy eyes, sneezing, nasal congestion and wheezing. Left untreated, the resulting medical conditions include, but are not limited to: asthma, sinusitis, ear infections and chronic laryngitis. When oral anti-histamines do ... More »

Allergy season is upon us. Spring allergies are budding along with the flowers and trees. Spring 2013 is being predicted as the worst allergy season in a very long time. The fact is that a person with an allergy disorder experiences a 35% lower quality of life during an active season. Here is a look at allergies and the human response. Allergy Defined An allergy is the human immune system's overactive response to an allergen that does not affect other people. The ... More »

April is Autism Awareness Month. With the vast number of people living with some form of autism, it is of the utmost importance that the general population better understands this condition. Autism By the Numbers According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM), 1 in 88 children are diagnosed with autism. Autism is five times more common in males (1 in 54) than females (1 in 252). Diagnosis Signs of autism can be seen ... More »

Artificial Retina Returns Vision for Some The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved an artificial retina, called the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System. The system works well enough that it allows a vision impaired patient to recognize writing on a page or match a pair of socks. The images a patient sees are in shades of gray. Severe Retinitis Pigmentosa Millions of Americans suffer from some type of retinal disease. Severe retinitis pigmentosa causes damage to the specific light-sensitive cells ... More »

Now that the flu season 2012-2013 is coming to a close, there is outstanding news about a new influenza vaccine for the flu season to come, 2013-2014. For all of those patients who have suffered through the season and been unable to have a flu shot because of an egg allergy, relief and strong protection are on the way. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved Flublok. It is a recombinant, highly purified EGG-FREE flu vaccine. Flublok 101 Flublok ... More »

Blood thinners are a necessity in many medical scenarios like atrial fibrillation, a history of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), stroke and more. Blood thinners save lives by preventing the formation of blood clots, which can then travel to vital organs like the lungs, heart or brain. The result of such a scenario can be devastating or even fatal to the patient. A new anticoagulant drug, Eliquis, has been approved for patients suffering from atrial fibrillation. Atrial Fibrillation Explained Atrial fibrillation is an irregular ... More »