The Scope

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...

A bone that heals in the wrong position after a fracture can cause pain, walking problems, or even back and hip issues. Tom Miler, MD , talks with orthopedic surgeon Justin Haller, MD , about what happens when a bone heals incorrectly—known as malunion or malalignment—why it occurs, how it is diagnosed with imaging, and the surgical treatments available to restore proper alignment. Learn how to re...

Most parents eagerly watch for milestones like rolling over, crawling, and walking, but some of the earliest and most important developmental signs can be easy to overlook. Pediatrician Cindy Gellner, MD , highlights five key milestones that provide valuable insight into a baby’s social, language, sensory, and motor development.

Many things in the world can cause anxiety and often they're beyond your control. Yet, you shouldn't ignore or dismiss what you are feeling. Psychiatrist Maria Reyes tells us the three steps she recommends her patients use to manage anxiety the right way.

For years, scientists have known that someone who is thin could still end up with diabetes. Yet an obese person may be surprisingly healthy. Scott Summers, Ph. D., chair of nutrition and integrative physiology, and Bhagirath Chaurasia, Ph. D., assistant professor at the University of Utah College of Health explain their new research that points to an answer to that riddle: Accumulation of a toxic...

It is common knowledge that smoking cigarettes is bad for you. It can cause significant health complications including lung cancer and COPD. Lung tissue, once damaged, cannot repair itself. So if you quit smoking, will it really help you live longer? Tom Miller, MD, talks to pulmonary specialist Nate Hatton, MD , about whether or not quitting smoking can lead to a better quality of life, regardles...

You need to urinate but it’s hard, if not impossible, to go. Should you make a trip to the ER? Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen says it depends on the patient. If you’re a 65-year-old male, you need to go in. For everyone else, it might be worth waiting to visit an urgent care. What could be causing your inability to go, on this episode of ER or Not .

If you’ve had a kidney stone once, you are more likely to have another one in the future. In fact, without making lifestyle changes, there’s a 50 percent chance of forming a new stone within five years. You went through that excruciating pain once, so what can you do to stop it from happening again? Urologist Dr. Gary Faerber talks about lifestyle changes you can make to prevent another kidney sto...

More and more children are being treated for anxiety. The kids with these problems seem to get younger and younger each year. What can you do as a parent to help your child struggling with anxiety? Pediatrician Dr. Cindy Gellner shares some simple techniques you can do to help soothe your child and identify when you should consider involving a mental health specialist.

Pneumonia comes in at No. 8 on the list of top 10 causes of death in the United States. The condition often goes unnoticed and untreated until it has reached a life-threatening point, especially in older patients. So what can you do? University of Utah Health Care emergency physician Dr. Troy Madsen explains exactly what pneumonia is and how it can be spotted in your older loved ones before it get...

A positive cancer diagnosis can be an emotionally overwhelming time for the patient and their families. Dr. Wallace Akerly , lung cancer specialist at Huntsman Cancer Institute, says one of the most important things for a patient is understanding their condition while on the road to recovery. Dr. Akerly talks about managing symptoms and the different treatment options available for lung cancer pat...

Treatment approaches for menopause have evolved over the decades. So what are the new guidelines for hormonal therapy now? Women’s health expert Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones says current care involves longer and regular conversations about the risks and benefits of certain hormone treatments and optional approaches to therapy. Dr. Jones takes us through a few questions that many women commonly have for...

Being a parent can sometimes be a really scary job. Kids sometimes exhibit bizarre and worrisome symptoms: rashes, crying so hard they stop breathing, banging their heads on things, and so on. But should you be spooked? Pediatrician Dr. Cindy Gellner discusses three symptoms that might scare you as a parent, but don’t necessarily worry a doctor.

According to some studies, almost half of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned – with most of those occurring at either the “wrong time” or being “unwanted.” But what if all women had the information and access, at no cost, to plan their pregnancy? University of Utah Health Care is working to lower the amount of unplanned pregnancies in Utah with the HER Salt Lake Initiative. Dr. Kir...

The end of civilization as we know it has finally come. Whether it be by robots, zombies, aliens or some other unimaginable event. In your gang of survivors, which medical specialist would be best for your survival? Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen gives his picks for the type of doctor most likely to keep you alive after society collapses.