Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials Podcast

Do you have chronic back pain that radiates down your leg? You might be dealing with sciatica. Or maybe it’s stemming from your hips? Dominic Pelle, MD, explains how to identify the source of your back pain – and most importantly – how to find relief.

We tend to associate grief with the death, but a number of other life events can trigger grief, too — from the end of a relationship to the loss of a job to financial hardships. Clinical psychologist Regina Josell, PsyD, explains the many emotions that come with grief and ideas to help you get through it.

It’s estimated that 80% of people will experience back pain at some point in their life – and one of the most common causes is from a herniated disc. Spine surgeon Dominic Pelle, MD, discusses why people get herniated discs, diagnosis, treatment and preventative measures. Learn about basic treatment options you can try at home all the way up to surgical intervention.

How do I know menopause is coming? Will I gain weight? Will I need to take hormones? And is there anything I can do about those annoying hot flashes? Women’s health specialist Pelin Batur, MD, walks us through what to expect.

If you know that burning feeling in your chest after you finish a big, fatty meal, you know heartburn. Learn some lifestyle tweaks you can make to minimize your heartburn, and the truth about what foods really make it worse, from gastroenterologist Scott Gabbard, MD.

Leukemia encompasses many different types of chronic or acute blood cancer. Hematologist Aaron Gerds, MD, clears up misconceptions about leukemia and explains how it’s different from lymphoma, what the risk factors are and how new treatments are emerging.

Ever feel unsteady, lightheaded or like the room is spinning around you? Vertigo and dizziness are common symptoms, but the causes can range from BPPV, to head injuries and migraines, to cardiovascular responses. Audiologist Julie Honaker explains the difference between feeling dizzy and having vertigo, and what to do when feeling unsteady takes over your life. She also addresses why vertigo can b...

More people are affected by autoimmune diseases than you may realize. Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis are just a few examples. Rheumatologist Howard Smith, MD, discusses what factors — including diet — play a role in the development of autoimmune diseases, as well as the latest treatments available.

As an alarming number of young people take up vaping, and reports of dangerous vaping-related lung illnesses continue to surface, what’s a worried parent to do? Pulmonologist and smoking cessation specialist Humberto Choi, MD, delivers the knowledge you need to talk with your teenager or loved ones about e-cigarettes.

Anyone who’s ever experienced restless legs knows how frustrating it is to feel the uncontrollable urge to move your legs when you lie down at night. Sleep specialist Carlos Rodriguez, MD, talks through what experts know about this odd condition, including why some people get it, what aggravates it and what you can do about it.

Few things worry a woman like finding a lump or having breast pain. Jame Abraham, MD, discusses what you need to know about breast changes, dense breasts and the latest breast cancer treatments.

Women who have gone through menopause are the most at-risk group when it comes to developing osteoporosis, which causes bones to become weak and susceptible to fractures. We hear from internal medicine physician Yong Chen, MD, about how osteoporosis screening works and what treatments are available today.

From acid reflux to constipation, your GI tract can cause plenty of discomfort from time to time. Gastroenterologist Maged Rizk, MD, addresses many common issues from the low FODMAP diet for irritable bowel syndrome to how to know if your bowel movements are "normal." This episode is a re-run from 2018.

Unlike many health conditions, those affecting the skin are visible to everyone around us. Dermatologist Christine Lopez, MD, offers advice for acne, milia, psoriasis, dandruff & more. This episode is a rerun from May 2018.

The term "arthritis" actually encompasses more than 100 different conditions that affect the body’s joints and connective tissue. Rheumatologist Adam Brown, MD, takes a deep dive into some of the more common types, from osteoarthritis to psoriatic arthritis to gout.

Women are biologically different from men in a lot of ways — from our hormones to our body makeup to our enzyme levels and more. And our healthcare needs are different, too. Primary care physician Laura Lipold, MD, walks through some important stops on a woman’s healthcare journey, from cervical cancer screening to menopause management and more.

What’s the difference between “good” fats and “bad” fats? And can I still eat red meat if I have heart disease risk factors? Kate Patton, RD, LD, CSSD, answers these questions and more to help you craft a menu that’s good for your heart and your entire body.

Infertility can be a scary word for most couples. Marjan Attaran, MD, walks us through risk factors and what can go wrong on the road to pregnancy. From ovulation predictor kits, male infertility issues and how age plays a factor in it all – discover insightful advice and learn about treatment options.

The words meditation, mindfulness and mental health get tossed around in conversation frequently. Roxanne B. Sukol, MD, MS, breaks down the lifestyle of mindfulness and how it's achieved.

A lot can go wrong with the 26 bones and 33 joints that you have in your feet. And since the average person walks about 150,000 miles in their lifetime, it’s important to your quality of life to solve your foot aches and pain. Georgeanne Botek, DPM, addresses issues like gout, poor circulation, in-grown toenails and the negative side effects of uncontrolled diabetes.

Many people think OCD and perfectionism are synonyms, but that's not exactly the case, as psychiatrist Scott Bea, PsyD, explains. Learn more about what triggers OCD, and how you can best support a friend or a loved one who is struggling.

You probably don’t think much about your kidneys, but they’re always there quietly working to filter the bad stuff out of your body. They actually have other jobs, too, as nephrologist James Simon, MD, explains. Here’s a look at what they do, why they fail and how to keep them healthy.

Medical experts are making progress in understanding fibromyalgia, a condition that involves chronic, widespread muscle and joint pain thought to be caused by increased sensitivity to pain signals in the brain. Pain management specialist Benjamin Abraham, MD, explains how treatment involves a team of specialists and engages both the mind and the body.

As most of us know, a stress-induced tension headache or a throbbing migraine can flip a good day, well, on its head. Headache specialist Emad Estemalik, MD explains the different types you might experience and prevention strategies for people who are prone to migraines.

Periods that last too long, abnormal pap smears, infertility and painful intercourse are just some of the women's health issues that Linda Bradley, MD, touches on in this episode. Learn about what’s normal, what’s not and when to see your doctor. But there’s one thing for certain – ob/gyn issues should not get in the way of you living your life.