Live Greater | A University of Maryland Medical System Podcast

There is good news for people diagnosed with COPD – you can still live a long, healthy life! Join lung specialist Dr. Sunil Swami for a conversation about what to do to breathe better now and how to care for your lungs so you can keep feeling your best well into the future.

Do you have a feeling of “pins and needles” in your hands or fingers with weakness and/or a loss of sensation in your arm, shoulder or hand muscles? You may have Cervical Radiculopathy, better known as a pinched nerve. In this podcast, spine expert Dr. Steven Ludwig, will address the causes, treatments (both surgical and non-surgical) and ways to prevent getting a pinched nerve. Learn more about t...

As we age, joints tend to wear down or even wear out. Two options your doctor might suggest are arthroscopy or arthroplasty. They sound very similar. What is the difference? In this podcast, Dr. William Cook, chief of orthopaedic surgery at UM Upper Chesapeake Health, addresses that very question as well as considerations each patient should address with their doctor.

It has become common knowledge that to really make an impact on your health, you need to do more than just take a pill. But what does that mean? Integrative health empowers you to use all the tools available, across every dimension of health, to achieve overall wellness and help you live your best life. This may mean taking certain medications, but it also includes exercising, eating a balanced di...

Peripheral diabetic neuropathy, caused by nerve damage in people with diabetes, can cause pain and numbness in the feet and legs, and sometimes the hands and arms. In this podcast, we talk with pain management specialist Dr. Brian Block about how to combat the pain caused by peripheral diabetic neuropathy and what treatments are available.

“Health equity” means giving everyone the opportunity to achieve their best health, regardless of race, age, economic status or geography. At UMMS, we are committed to removing barriers to care for all those we serve, improving length and quality of life, as well as disease, disability and death rates, and improving access to care. Here to help us put health equity into greater perspective is cert...

Your “gut” is a key component to good health. But what happens if you begin to have problems with digestion or elimination? How can you get back that delicate balance of healthy bacteria? Do probiotics help? What about going gluten-free? In this podcast, Dr. Sagal Ali, a gastroenterologist and gut-health expert, discusses what gut health really means and how to have a healthy, happy belly and GI t...

Lung cancer has very few symptoms in the early stages, so experts recommend certain people get screened regularly starting at age 45. But what happens if your scan shows cancer? In this podcast, Drs. Eric Krause and Heather Lee from UM Capital Region Health discuss lung cancer diagnoses and treatment options.

Stress reduction can be a learned behavior—and an everyday habit that helps you lead a more joyful life. By practicing mindfulness-based stress reduction, regularly, you can make time to live more freely in the moment, focus on the present and give yourself the “mindspace”—or the breathing room—to positively affect your feelings, thoughts and behaviors. Join integrative health professional Ginny J...

Lumbar Spinal Stenosis usually shows up as pain when walking, standing and sleeping, but feels better when bending over or sitting. This is generally caused by nerve compression in the lower back. While this kind of low back pain can have a very negative impact on your life, there are great treatment options so you can get relief quickly! In this podcast, Dr. Brian Block, a pain management expert...

Most people have heard about painful kidney stones, and some liken passing them to giving birth. Is that a good analogy? Learn from Dr. Andrew Riggin, a urologist at UM Shore Regional Health, what kidney stones are, who is most at risk, how to treat them, ways to prevent them and if they are really as painful as having a baby.

If your shoulder hurts from an injury or repetitive movement or from an unknown cause, might you need a shoulder replacement? In this podcast, Dr. Brian Shiu, an orthopedic surgeon from UM St. Joseph Medical Center, discusses reasons why someone might need a shoulder replacement, what it is, things to consider including benefits and complications, and more.

It’s true that good oral hygiene helps fight bad breath, but did you know that there is more to it than just that? Keeping your mouth healthy helps keep your body healthy, too. Hear from a speech-language pathologist from UM Charles Regional Medical Center why oral care is so important and what you need to do to keep your mouth healthy.

About 1 in 10 adult males suffers from erectile dysfunction on a long-term basis. It is also a topic that many men feel embarrassed to talk about. This podcast features Dr. David Levy of UM Charles Regional Medical Group – Urology, who answers the questions many men are afraid to ask but should! Not only do we discuss what it is and how to treat ED, but how to talk to your partner, how to deal wit...

The providers at the University of Maryland Joint Network believe that the better prepared patients are, the better the outcome of the joint replacement or joint surgery will be. Dahlia Joseph, Orthopaedic Nurse Practitioner at UM BWMC, recommends that patients do physical therapy, including pre-habilitation and rehabilitation, whenever possible. Learn what pre-hab and rehab are, who is eligible a...

An enlarged or swollen prostate (also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia) doesn’t go away on its own. In this podcast, Dr. Christopher Runz of UM Shore Regional Health talks about ways to recognize the disruptive symptoms of an enlarged prostate and what you can do to find relief.

We all know weekend warriors. You may even be one. Sedentary during the week and very physical on the weekends. Pick-up basketball games, running 5Ks, heavy yard work, office softball tournaments; the list goes on. These people may be more likely to get an injury. In this podcast, find out why, what to do if you get injured, some ways to prevent injury and much more.

Just hearing the words “open heart surgery” may scare many people. But is it as frightening as it sounds? Dr. Jamie Brown, medical director of UM Capital Region Health’s Heart and Vascular Institute, shares surprising facts about the procedure, as well as what every patient needs to know if they will or might need this life-saving surgery.

Do you find yourself saying you are stressed or anxious a lot? Using those words might be making it worse. “Verbal Medicine” is a simple technique that explores how language affects the body and transforms negative words into words that better serve the body and mind. Join Colleen Curran, LAc, DAc, for an eye-opening conversation about how the words we use every day can affect our health. She also...

Do you have trouble falling asleep or wake up feeling just as tired as when you went to bed? You are not alone! But don’t fear, Dr. Emerson Wickwire, a sleep specialist at UMMC Midtown Campus, is here with tips on how to get better sleep, and when to know if you should see a specialist to get some rest.

If you and your doctor agree that you need spine surgery, do you know what happens next? In this podcast, Dr. Kenneth Crandall, neurosurgeon at the University of Maryland Medical Center and the Spine Institute at UM St. Joseph Medical Center and member of the UM Spine Network, shares his expertise on what you can do to prepare for surgery, what happens during surgery, what kinds of results to expe...

Dysphagia can affect anyone because people can have a variety of minor problems ranging from trouble with chewing related to dental problems to undiagnosed self-management of symptoms. Natural aging causes loss of muscle mass (including tongue and throat muscles) which can cause trouble with chewing and swallowing. In fact, people who age naturally without dementia, stroke or other diseases that a...

Pregnancy can be a very exciting time in a woman’s life, even if she has a high-risk pregnancy. In this podcast, Dr. Kerry Lewis talks about high-risk pregnancies, including risk factors, how to manage one, what kind of care to expect and much more.

Reduce stress, anxiety and depression with this 10-minute podcast! Join us for a guided self-acupressure session with a focus on deep breathing and meditation led by experienced acupuncturist Colleen Curran from Upper Chesapeake Health’s Kaufman Cancer Center.

Pain, stiffness, swelling, redness and decreased range of motion are some of the tell-tale signs of arthritis. It is a common condition, especially in older adults and athletes. Learn from joint expert Keona Holliday, PA-C, what arthritis is and what the treatment options are, including at-home joint care.