Suffering from the flu is a costly and potentially dangerous experience, which is why getting vaccinated against the influenza virus is so important. “Some people think the flu is like a common cold, but really, the flu is a lot…
Tony Smarjesse wasn’t planning on having a heart attack when he got to work last November. The 56-year-old worked out a couple times a week, followed a fairly healthy diet and was on low dose statins to control his high…
Heart pounding? When you feel flutters, pounding sensations or that your heart has skipped a beat – it could be love, but the medical term is heart palpitations. Sometimes heart palpitations are also felt in the neck. “Although it may…
Springfield resident Al Riddley and his wife Lynn won’t soon forget the events of Dec. 22, 2019—a day when a routine workout suddenly became not-so-routine. Al, 67, was riding a stationary bike at the Gus & Flora Kerasotes YMCA that…
A respiratory virus that has sickened hundreds and killed at least 17 people in China saw its first confirmed cases in the United States this week, but a health official in Springfield said Friday that the risk of transmission in…
Nearly everyone has a family member who has had cancer—it is a common disease affecting 1 in 3 Americans. A common myth is that all cancers are genetic, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes family members have the same…
After a factory accident more than twenty years ago and the debilitating back pain that followed, Mark Bridges became more dependent than he wanted on a cycle of prescription pain medication. When he became a grandpa, he set a goal…
Approximately 38 million Americans use marijuana, and you may be surprised to learn that thousands of marijuana-related emergency visits occur in the United States each year. Although a fatal overdose is unlikely, over-ingestion of marijuana is possible, especially if you’re…
‘Tis the season to get engaged! Eight of the most popular days to pop the question happen between the Christmas holiday season and Valentine’s Day. But if you are not careful, the big reveal may result in a trip to…
The Poison Control Center now offers the public an online option – webPOISONCONTROL – a web-based triage tool to guide people who may have been exposed to a poisonous substance through a series of questions to determine toxicity and recommended…