The Scope

When injuries occur, patients may have choices for different trauma centers to visit. Dr. Tom Miller speaks with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Justin Haller about what a Level I trauma center is and why he recommends going to a top-level facility if one is nearby. Studies show Level I trauma centers provide better outcomes even for simpler injuries and are often better equipped and more cost-effective wh...

Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen stopped by today and told us the flu season is here and could be a bad one. He’s seen an increase in really sick patients with the flu during the past couple weeks and expects it to only get worse. We asked Dr. Madsen for the details and for what he wants people to know about staying healthy this flu season.

It’s a new year, and you may be thinking of some resolutions to better your health and wellness. But general, big-picture goals like “get fit” or “eat better” may seem overwhelming. Where do you even start? Why not start small? Dr. Troy Madsen , emergency room physician at University of Utah Health, has five simple, yet specific, things you can do today that will set you on the path to a healthier...

Starting and sticking to an exercise routine can be challenging, but it does not have to be overwhelming. Health coach Nick Galli identifies three common obstacles that often derail fitness goals and offers practical strategies to overcome them. Learn how to incorporate movement into your day, rethink what counts as exercise, and focus on the real, long-term benefits beyond aesthetics.

Many people set a goal to eat healthier, but sticking to that goal is often a challenge. Busy schedules, convenience foods, and diet culture pressures can make it difficult to maintain healthy habits long-term. Planning ahead can make healthy choices easier and more sustainable. Registered dietitian Kary Woodruff discusses the common obstacles that make healthy eating difficult and shares practica...

Most people don't consider the emergency room a joyful place for the Yuletide holiday, but accidents can happen anytime. Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen says people who visit the ER on Christmas day usually arrive for something serious. Learn what seasonal activities can commonly land people in the ER, and get tips for spending your Christmas holiday safely.

When you hear the word ultrasound, you may first think of babies, but that’s not all it’s used for. Over the past 20 years, ultrasounds have become a major part of sports medicine procedures. Dr. Tom Miller talks with Dr. Daniel Cushman , a sports medicine physician at University of Utah Health, about the use of ultrasound in orthopedics and how it can lead to better treatment for patients.

It seems like every week there is some new health study in the news. One week coffee is good for your health. It’s causing cancer the next. Is it all right for scientists to get things wrong? According to Christie Aschwanden , lead science writer for FiveThirtyEight , there are always uncertainties in science. Being proven wrong is just part of the process. On this episode of The Scope, how to bes...

After sitting for a long time, you notice one leg is swollen and your calf is painful. Should you go to the ER? Emergency physician Jeffrey Druck, MD , says the risk of a blood clot in your leg from sitting too long is reason to visit the ER. Find out why sitting for a long time during a car drive or plane flight can be dangerous, who can be at risk, and what you can do to prevent it.

Both men and women can shrink as they get older because of lost bone density, but this can be more apparent with older women. Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones says normal shrinking can affect older women as their back vertebrae get flatter over time. But shrinkage can also cause older women to have bent-over backs, which can cause discomfort and more health problems. Learn what women can do to keep their b...

Because they can reach temperatures up to 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit, glass-front gas fireplaces are responsible for many preventable burn injuries to children each year. Jordan Green shares the harrowing experience of his infant son who burned his hand one morning and faced a long and painful period of wound care and rehabilitation afterward. Learn what safety precautions you can take if you have a...

Strep throat is a bacterial infection of the tonsils that is relatively common. It’s contagious and can lead to a very sore throat, so the earlier it’s treated, the better. Emergency physician Dr. Troy Madsen discusses four tell-tale signs you should be looking for to determine if you have strep throat and how to treat it.

It's the holidays and you've stepped on a glass ornament that fell off the tree. Should you go to the ER? Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen says Urgent Care is likely a better option. But don't wait—seek medical attention immediately. Find out which serious symptoms from stepping on broken glass might warrant a trip to the ER, and why.

An injury to a young athlete can be a serious game changer. It can impact their overall performance and, in some cases, prevent them from ever playing again. Dr. Tom Miller talks to Dr. Travis Maak , an orthopedic surgeon at University of Utah Health Care, about what an athlete can expect for their game play after an ACL tear.

The chances of survival for very premature babies has dramatically increased over the past 30 years, but preterm births are still hard to prevent. Women’s health expert Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones says nearly 1 in 10 babies in the U.S. will be born prematurely, and premature babies can also mean expensive medical costs. Learn what health conditions or interventions, such as in vitro fertilization, can...

Not long ago, doctors hoping to cure human disease spent a lot of time in the laboratory looking through microscopes. But big data has changed all that. Now, many physician scientists spend a lot more time in front of the computer analyzing large datasets which have fundamentally changed how they find cancer treatments. We asked Dr. Rakesh Nagarajan, director of the Institute of Clinical and Trans...

More than 1.2 million people in the US are living with an HIV infection. It is estimated that 1 in 8 do not know they are infected. With 50,000 new infections each year, some doctors point to a lack of testing and misconceptions about the virus as a serious problem. How does the virus spread? Who is susceptible? Can HIV-positive women still have children? For World AIDS Day, The Scope speaks with...

Anxiety is potentially the most common mental health concern in the U.S. and it’s on the rise. Forty million Americans have been diagnosed with anxiety disorders, and women are more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder than men. Women’s expert Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones explores several explanations of why this is.

Have you recently injured your knee? You may not need surgery. Dr. Tom Miller talks to orthopedic surgeon Dr. Bruce Thomas about new approaches doctors and patients can take to examine and treat knee injuries before choosing surgery to "scope" a knee. Find out what to do if you have knee pain from an injury.

The rate of pediatric kidney stones has doubled in the past 15 years. What is causing this dramatic increase in kidney stones in kids? How can you tell if your child has a kidney stone and how can you prevent them? University of Utah urologist, Dr. Gary Faerber, has the answers.

We’ve all seen those scenes in movies where a dislocated shoulder is shoved back into place. It looks painful, but relatively easy. Can you really do that in real life? More importantly, should you? Emergency physician Dr. Troy Madsen has the answers, as well as a potential way to pop that shoulder back into place safely if you just can’t make it to an ER.

An ultrasound allows doctors to look at structures beneath the skin. Muscles, tendons and nerves all can be seen in real time to help with a diagnosis. Dr. Tom Miller talks to Dr. Daniel Cushman about how the ultrasound is used in orthopedic work and how the technology is cheaper, faster and often more useful than an MRI.

Parents sometimes worry their young daughters may be starting their periods or developing breasts too early. Women’s health expert Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones reminds us what puberty is and when it normally occurs for young girls. She also talks about when parents should consult a pediatrician if they're concerned, what conditions or activities are commonly associated with early puberty, and what pare...

Sounding out words for the first time is hard for children. Repeating sounds and dropping of letters is common. In fact, 30 percent of kids have difficulty sounding out words during their early development, while only 1 percent of those have true stuttering. As a parent, when should you be concerned about your child’s speech patterns? Pediatrician Dr. Cindy Gellner explains common childhood speech...

It starts as an awkward moment at the dinner table—then suddenly, you can not swallow, and panic sets in. Is it just uncomfortable, or a true medical emergency? Emergency physician Jeffrey Druck, MD , breaks down when food stuck in your throat requires an ER visit and when a simple remedy like soda might do the trick. Learn the warning signs that should never be ignored and what to expect if that...