More Lumps!

"Non-cancerous growths that cause breast lumps

• Fibroadenomas are benign (not cancerous) growths and are very common. These growths most commonly occur in women 30 to 35 years old, but can also occur in women under 30 years of age. Fibroadenomas are solid, firm tumors that are usually painless or only slightly tender. They sometimes grow quickly in teenagers or during pregnancy.
• Breast cysts are fluid-filled, sacs within the breast tissue and are benign. They are very common, especially over the age of 35. These cysts often vary in size during the menstrual cycle and may be tender.
• Fibrocystic changes are characterized by breasts that are lumpy with many irregularities in the breast tissue itself. Fibrocystic breasts seem to occur when a woman's breasts are overly sensitive to fluctuating hormone levels. Women with fibrocystic changes may have painand/or lumps."

Source: https://www.medicinenet.com/breast_lumps_in_women/article.htm#what_are_causes_of_breast_lumps

Breast Lumps

"Inflammation of the breast tissue is known as mastitis. Mastitis may occur in women who are breastfeeding a baby (lactating). When the skin of the nipple (areola) is injured or cracked, which may occur with nursing, bacteria can enter the damaged area and cause infections. In a breastfeeding woman, a hard area commonly thought of as a "clogged milk duct" can form. Sometimes, certain treatments (see below) can prevent the painful, hard area from developing into an actual breast infection. Infections can either be a deep pocket of pus, in which the infection looks like it is growing down into the breast (an abscess), or a wider area of skin redness that spreads out (cellulitis). Body piercing in the nipple area increases the risk of breast infections, and these may be particularly difficult to treat."

Source: https://www.medicinenet.com/breast_lumps_in_women/article.htm#what_are_causes_of_breast_lumps

Take the Quiz!

"To help spread the word about this silent and potentially life threatening condition the Laser Vein Center of Alaska have created this Deep Vein Thrombosis Quiz. Please take this quiz to test your own knowledge, and then pass it along to your friends and family so they may benefit as well.

How Much Do You Know About Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)?

12 Questions

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot that can form in the lower leg, thigh, or pelvic area. The clot can turn dangerous if it breaks free from the vein. It will travel through your body and eventually lodge in the arteries of the lungs, blocking blood flow. This is a life-threatening emergency called a Pulmonary Embolism (PE). Test your knowledge of Deep Vein Thrombosis and learn how to prevent it!"

To continue to the quiz, please click the link below!

http://www.dynamiclegs.com/2015/03/11/deep-vein-thrombosis-quiz/

The Different Questions.

"Have you ever talked to a friend or looked online to find treatments for your varicose or spider veins? Were you left with more questions than answers? Do you want to get treatment but the concept of removing veins concerns you? Don’t worry you are not alone. One of the most frequent question topics we receive from patients here at Laser Vein Center of Alaska is whether or not the veins being treated are safe to remove. Patients worry that the removal of their varicose or spider veins will be detrimental to their health or that they will cause issues later in life. Thankfully this is not the case.

Won’t I need these veins?

No, if you have varicose or spider veins they are no longer functioning properly and have poor circulation at best. Inefficient veins act like a reservoir, holding blood rather than promoting normal circulation. Since these veins are not able to properly perform their duty of blood circulation they are not needed. In fact, they actually pose a hazard.

Veins are vital for circulation. How can removing veins help circulation?

Removing veins that do not function properly such as varicose or spider veins can improve your circulatory system. When damaged veins allow blood flow in the wrong direction nearby veins have an increase in workload to keep blood moving efficiently back to the heart. Once damaged veins are removed the surrounding normal functioning veins have a decreased workload."

To continue reading, please click the link below!

http://www.dynamiclegs.com/2015/06/15/wont-i-need-these-veins/

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays from our family to yours! 

Flu Shot!

"Why should people get vaccinated against the flu?

Influenza is a serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. Every flu season is different, and influenza infection can affect people differently, but millions of people get the flu every year, hundreds of thousands of people are hospitalized and thousands or tens of thousands of people die from flu-related causes every year. Even healthy people can get very sick from the flu and spread it to others. CDC estimates that flu-related hospitalizations since 2010 ranged from 140,000 to 710,000, while flu-related deaths are estimated to have ranged from 12,000 to 56,000. During flu season, flu viruses circulate at higher levels in the U.S. population. (“Flu season” in the United States can begin as early as October and last as late as May.) An annual seasonal flu vaccine is the best way to reduce your risk of getting sick with seasonal flu and spreading it to others. When more people get vaccinated against the flu, less flu can spread through that community.

How do flu vaccines work?

Flu vaccines cause antibodies to develop in the body about two weeks after vaccination. These antibodies provide protection against infection with the viruses that are in the vaccine.

The seasonal flu vaccine protects against the influenza viruses that research indicates will be most common during the upcoming season. Traditional flu vaccines (called “trivalent” vaccines) are made to protect against three flu viruses; an influenza A (H1N1) virus, an influenza A (H3N2) virus, and an influenza B virus. There are also flu vaccines made to protect against four flu viruses (called “quadrivalent” vaccines). These vaccines protect against the same viruses as the trivalent vaccine and an additional B virus."

To continue reading, please click the link below! 

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm

Abdominal Aortic Surgery - Causes!

"When the wall of a blood vessel weakens, a balloon-like dilation called an aneurysm sometimes develops. This happens most often in the abdominal aorta, an essential blood vessel that supplies blood to your legs.

FAIRLY COMMON

Every year, 200,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA).

A ruptured AAA is the 15th leading cause of death in the country, and the 10th leading cause of death in men older than 55.

FAMILY HISTORY IS IMPORTANT

Aneurysms run in families. If a first-degree relative has had an AAA, you are 12 times more likely to develop an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Of patients in treatment to repair an AAA, 15–25% have a first-degree relative with the same type of aneurysm."

To continue reading, please click the link below! 

https://vascular.org/patient-resources/vascular-conditions/abdominal-aortic-aneurysm

Breast Lump Biopsy

"When other tests show that you might have breast cancer, you will probably need to have a biopsy. Needing a breast biopsy doesn’t necessarily mean you have cancer. Most biopsy results are not cancer, but a biopsy is the only way to find out. During a biopsy, a doctor will remove cells from the suspicious area so they can be looked at in the lab to see if cancer cells are present.

There are different kinds of breast biopsies. Some use a needle, and some use an incision (cut in the skin). Each has pros and cons. The type you have depends on a number of things, like:

• How suspicious the breast change looks
• How big it is
• Where it is in the breast
• If there is more than one
• Other medical problems you might have
• Your personal preferences"

To continue reading, please click on the link below! 

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/screening-tests-and-early-detection/breast-biopsy.html

Happy Thanksgiving!

"Turkey, a Thanksgiving staple so ubiquitous it has become all but synonymous with the holiday, may or may not have been on offer when the Pilgrims hosted the inaugural feast in 1621. Today, however, nearly 90 percent of Americans eat the bird—whether roasted, baked or deep-fried—on Thanksgiving, according to the National Turkey Federation. Other traditional foods include stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. Volunteering is a common Thanksgiving Day activity, and communities often hold food drives and host free dinners for the less fortunate.

Parades have also become an integral part of the holiday in cities and towns across the United States. Presented by Macy’s department store since 1924, New York City’s Thanksgiving Day parade is the largest and most famous, attracting some 2 to 3 million spectators along its 2.5-mile route and drawing an enormous television audience. It typically features marching bands, performers, elaborate floats conveying various celebrities and giant balloons shaped like cartoon characters."

To continue reading, please click on the link below! 

http://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/history-of-thanksgiving

Gaming Technology!

"In March of this year, Facebook acquired the technology start-up Oculus VR, developers of the Kickstarter-funded Oculus Rift virtual reality (VR) headset, for a total of $2 billion.

News of the purchase was met with hostility from the gaming community. The Rift is considered to be the next major evolution in gaming, and the industry was suspicious of what agenda an information-dealing giant like Facebook would have for the technology.

For instance, immediately following the announced takeover, Markus Persson - creator of the award-winning world-building game Minecraft - abruptly cancelled a deal to bring Minecraft to the Rift, tweeting: "I just cancelled that deal. Facebook creeps me out.""

To continue reading, please click the link below! 

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/281752.php

Flu Shot!

"Why should people get vaccinated against the flu?

Influenza is a serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. Every flu season is different, and influenza infection can affect people differently, but millions of people get the flu every year, hundreds of thousands of people are hospitalized and thousands or tens of thousands of people die from flu-related causes every year. Even healthy people can get very sick from the flu and spread it to others. CDC estimates that flu-related hospitalizations since 2010 ranged from 140,000 to 710,000, while flu-related deaths are estimated to have ranged from 12,000 to 56,000. During flu season, flu viruses circulate at higher levels in the U.S. population. (“Flu season” in the United States can begin as early as October and last as late as May.) An annual seasonal flu vaccine is the best way to reduce your risk of getting sick with seasonal flu and spreading it to others. When more people get vaccinated against the flu, less flu can spread through that community.

How do flu vaccines work?

Flu vaccines cause antibodies to develop in the body about two weeks after vaccination. These antibodies provide protection against infection with the viruses that are in the vaccine.

The seasonal flu vaccine protects against the influenza viruses that research indicates will be most common during the upcoming season. Traditional flu vaccines (called “trivalent” vaccines) are made to protect against three flu viruses; an influenza A (H1N1) virus, an influenza A (H3N2) virus, and an influenza B virus. There are also flu vaccines made to protect against four flu viruses (called “quadrivalent” vaccines). These vaccines protect against the same viruses as the trivalent vaccine and an additional B virus."

To continue reading, please click the link below! 

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm

Doctor of the Week: David Laird, M.D.!

Dr. David Laird, who is board certified in general surgery, is a medical graduate of Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. His internship in general surgery was at Methodist Hospitals of Memphis; his residency was at the UT School of Medicine in Memphis. A major in the U.S. Air Force, Dr. Laird moved to Jackson after serving as the Chief of Surgical Services at Holloman Air Force Base in Alamogordo, N.M. His experience includes the full scope of general surgery and extensive endoscopy experience. He also had indepth trauma training at the Presley Memorial Trauma Center in Memphis.

The employees of Jackson-Madison County General Hospital selected Dr. Laird as the 2007 Guest Excellence Doctor of the Year. The award is based on the physician's care and concern for patients, professionalism, integrity, respect for other health care professionals, and willingness to go beyond the scope of duty.