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…
Born with spina bifida, Glenn Gill has gone through between 20 and 30 surgeries throughout his 37 years of life. In adulthood, he developed diabetes. An infection earlier in 2019 led to the discovery of Fournier’s gangrene – a serious…
Due to an old smoking habit and new screening guidelines, Kaye Beals’ primary care doctor suggested she undergo a lung cancer screening at a routine physical last December. The 80-year-old from Mt. Zion agreed to the screening, and it showed…
Patsy Jones considers the events in April this year “divine intervention.” On a Tuesday, she rolled her ankle and fractured her foot. She scheduled an orthopedic evaluation for two days later and found a lump in her breast that morning…
Cheryl Boyd, 57, a supervisor of Environmental Services at Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital (ALMH), is familiar with regular mammograms. Several tests have exposed masses, which allowed her to fight the disease with an early diagnosis. “Every single mammogram I have…