Stoughton Health Talk

Menopause is a time of change that may not be simple, but doesn’t have to be hard! Whether you are trying to make sense of your symptoms or you want to learn what may lie ahead, we can help. Listen in as Laura Flanagan, MD discusses strategies to help you manage the symptoms of menopause and to share tips to make this exciting change more bearable.

According to the CDC, in the United States each year influenza has resulted in between 9.2 million and 35.6 million illnesses, between 140,000 and 710,000 hospitalizations and between 12,000 and 56,000 deaths annually since 2010. Getting an annual flu vaccine is the first and best way to protect yourself and your family from the flu. Flu vaccination can reduce flu illnesses, doctors’ visits, and m...

According to the The National Parkinson Foundation, an estimated one million people in the United States, and four to six million worldwide, have parkinson's disease. It affects more people than multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease), muscular dystrophy, and myasthenia gravis combined. In this segment, Emily Devine, DPT, joins the show to discuss managemen...

According to the American Academy of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine, doctors should not prescribe antibiotics for coughs and sore throats and most colds, because they don't help and their overuse is making them less effective against other infections. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that up to half of the 133 million doses of antibiotics administered daily...

In your everyday life, you may not even think about your balance and quite often we take our balance for granted, but it is an important and vital part of our health and well being. Many elders fall each year due to balance and stability issues. It has been shown that falls can reduce the quality of life and increase the mortality rate for seniors. That is why, in this segment, Jennifer Ballweg, P...

If you are living with chronic pain, you might want to consider dry needling therapy. Dry needling is a physical therapy intervention used to target muscle banding or knots. In this segment, Stoughton Hospital physical therapist, Liz Touchett, discusses Dry Needling, and the benefits it can offer those that suffer from chronic pain.

Astym® treatment is a therapy that regenerates healthy soft tissues and eliminates or reduces unwanted scar tissue that may be causing pain or movement restrictions. Astym® treatment is highly effective and even works when other approaches routinely fail. When your health and ability to stay active is at stake, only the best will do. In this segment, Carin Johns, Physical Therapist at Stoughton Ho...

Understanding forgiveness or being able to forgive someone that has hurt you can be a difficult thing for many people to understand much less to put into practice. However, research has shown, that by forgiving someone who has deeply hurt you, you let go of resentment, the urge to seek revenge and that can have positive health benefits. Listen as Tim Markle describes how physically, forgiveness cr...

Is it an infection? Is it an allergy? Is it from smoking? You have throat drainage and you don't know what's causing it. According to The American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Glands in your nose and throat continually produce mucus (one to two quarts a day). Mucus moistens and cleans the nasal membranes, humidifies air, traps and clears inhaled foreign matter, and fights infec...

The holiday season is full of family, friends, and food. But no one likes the extra calories and added pounds that can come with the holiday. Adding some healthy choices to every meal or buffet table can help when you have the urge to have an unhealthy treat. Listen in as Autumn Kumlien, RD gives smart tips on substitutions and choices as you enjoy your favorite time of the year.

America is in the midst of an opioid epidemic. To address this national health crisis, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued guidelines in March 2016 urging providers to reduce opioid prescribing in favor of safe, non-drug alternatives such as physical therapy for chronic pain conditions. The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) launched a national public awareness ca...

Stoughton Hospital is making environmental changes and training its staff to become a dementia friendly hospital. The hospital’s goal is to provide a safe and supportive environment for individuals affected by dementia. Individuals with dementia can become overwhelmed or agitated by the hospital environment of bright lights, unfamiliar areas, and strangers approaching them. The hospital is making...

You know you're supposed to get seven to nine hours of sleep a night, but sometimes that just doesn't happen. How does lack of quality sleep affect your health? The Stoughton Hospital Sleep Disorders Center offers state-of-the-art services for diagnosing and treating sleep disorders. If you are having problems sleeping and your primary care physician decides you need further evaluation, you will b...

Your eyes are an important part of your health and your window to the world. There are many things you can do to keep them healthy. You might think your vision is fine or that your eyes are healthy, but visiting your eye care professional for a comprehensive dilated eye exam is the only way to really be sure. Listen in as Anne E. Kilby, MD helps you to keep those precious eyes healthy as we age.

Lymphedema is the accumulation of a particular kind of fluid, typically in one part of the body. Lymph is the protein-rich body fluid that accumulates when the lymphatic system for fluid transport is damaged. Fluid transport is one very important component, but many do not realize that the lymphatic system is part of the immune system. It fulfills the function of ‘immune trafficking,’ the process...

Exercise is very important, but sometimes getting motivated is a real challenge. We all know how important exercise is. First, it gets you moving instead of sitting. Second, any exercise that you do is helpful. The key is having a goal to work towards. Your goals may be weight loss or prevention of heart disease, but whatever your goal, exercise is the way to a healthier lifestyle. Jennifer Mcphee...

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI). HPV is a different virus than HIV and HSV (herpes). HPV is so common that nearly all sexually active men and women get it at some point in their lives. There are many different types of HPV. Some types can cause health problems including genital warts and cancers. But there are vaccines that can stop these health problems from happening....

Eat more fiber. You've probably heard it before. But do you know why fiber is so good for your health? Selecting tasty foods that provide fiber isn't difficult. Autumn Kumlienm a registered dietitian at Stoughton Hospital, is here to help you find out how much dietary fiber you need, the foods that contain it, and how to add them to meals and snacks.

Sinus surgery has truly evolved over the years. With recent advances in technology, including the nasal endoscope, sinus surgery is now commonly performed entirely through the nose. The most common reason for doing endoscopic sinus surgery is “chronic rhinosinusitis”, or more commonly “chronic sinusitis”. Chronic rhinosinusitis is a general term for inflammation (swelling) of the nose and sinuses...

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that is spread through the bite of one of several types of ticks. Lyme disease is caused by bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi (B. burgdorferi). Blacklegged ticks and other species of ticks can carry these bacteria. The ticks pick up the bacteria when they bite mice or deer that are infected with B. burgdorferi. You can get the disease if you are bitten by a...

The HPV vaccine protects against infection by certain strains of the human papilloma virus (HPV). HPV can cause cervical cancer and genital warts. The HPV virus has also been linked to other kinds of cancers, including vaginal, vulvar, penile, anal, mouth and throat cancers. Thomas J. Murwin, MD is here to discuss the HPV Vaccine, who should get it and what else to think about when you consider ge...

When the vestibular organs are damaged with disease or injury, the brain can no longer rely on them for accurate information about equilibrium and motion, often resulting in dizziness, vertigo, balance problems, and other symptoms. Vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) is an exercise-based program designed to promote central nervous system compensation for inner ear deficits. Most VRT exercises...

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing or instances of shallow or infrequent breathing during sleep. Sleep apnea is often diagnosed with an overnight sleep test called a polysomnogram, or "sleep study". Common effects of sleep apnea include daytime fatigue, a slower reaction time, and vision problems. Dr. Jacalyn Nelson joins the show to offer help to those suffering...

Even the most nutritious meal won't do any good if a child won't eat it. Some children are picky eaters. The more variety a child has, the healthier they will tend to eat. There are ways to get even the pickiest eaters to eat healthier. If your child refuses one food from a food group, try another from the same food group. Try it many times. They 6 times is the minimum for trying new foods. This i...

Do you have achy joints? Is it hard to get out of bed in the morning? Do you suffer from Arthritis? There are 2 main types of Arthritis, Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis. Both of these types can be painful and debilitating.  However, if you know the treatments, you can manage your symptoms and alleviate pain.  When do you use a brace? Do topical treatments and creams really work?  How long...