The Scope

The rate of childhood obesity has more than tripled in the last 30 years. About one third of kids are either overweight or obese. But the US ranks number fifth in the world for childhood obesity, which means this is a problem across the globe. In this podcast, Dr. Kyle Bradford Jones talks about some of the reasons kids are getting heavier in this country and what we can do about it.

Should you take daily vitamin D supplements? How much should you be getting? The discussion around vitamin D remains contentious, with debates on optimal supplementation doses and associated health benefits. Women's health expert Kirtly Jones, MD , reviews studies on vitamin D and what they mean for you.

Abdominal pain, bloating, and gas can be caused by any number of problems, but diverticulitis is a common source of those symptoms. It is an infection of the large intestine that can cause mild to severe pain, particularly in the lower left part of the abdomen. Tom Miller, MD , and Bartley Pickron, MD , discuss when you should see your physician and what they can do to treat the infection and alle...

Ankle sprains are the most common injury in the United States. Sometimes they go hand-in-hand with a fracture. So how can you tell if your ankle is sprained and fractured? Dr. Tom Miller talks to orthopedic specialist Dr. Alexej Barg about the signs of an ankle fracture.

Teenagers are growing to become more independent, which can lead to clashes with parents. In this podcast, Dr. Cindy Gellner gives some helpful tips for maintaining a healthy and respectful relationship with your teenager. She talks about how to balance your teen’s freedom and privacy with house rules and expectations. She also gives advice for what not to do in a disagreement with your adolescent...

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the leading cause of infertility in reproductive age women. A new study reveals genetic changes that lead to PCOS, findings that are helping to explain why the disorder occurs. Endocrinologist Corrine Welt, MD , a clinician at the Utah Diabetes Center, describes what the study shows and what it might mean for women with the condition.

One in ten Americans deal with mental health issues such as depression or anxiety every year, but there’s still a stigma surrounding the topic. Many people don’t seek treatment because they’re embarrassed or think they can handle it themselves. In this podcast, Dr. Kyle Bradford Jones advises those who suffer from depression and anxiety to seek help. He clears up confusion about medications and tr...

Dry mouth is a common issue that can affect your quality of life. It is common among women and the older population, and can contribute to tooth decay, bad breath, and affect your sense of taste. Drinking lots of water does not always help, so what can you do about it? Kirtly Jones, MD , and Lea Erickson, MD , talk about what might be causing your dry mouth, and some home remedies and medications...

Just because the human papilloma virus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted disease doesn’t mean that’s the only way you can get it. HPV is known to cause many cancers, including cancer of the head and neck. In this podcast, Dr. Marcus Monroe talks about risk factors, symptoms and treatment options of head and neck cancers caused my HPV.

There’s a growing trend of women taking home their placenta and ingesting it after delivering a baby. Are there benefits to this? Certified nurse Midwife Debra Penney talks about why some people think it’s a good idea but why medical professionals don’t recommend it. She discusses the research and risks of placenta encapsulation and ingestion.

When you get your lab results in the mail or online, it’s possible that you might have results outside the normal range. What does that mean? Should you worry? Dr. Jerry Hussong is a clinical pathologist and director of ARUP Labs at the University of Utah. He and Dr. Tom Miller talk about what your numbers could mean and what you should do if you’re worried.

Did you know puberty could start as early as eight years old? Many parents worry about the changes and behaviors that can accompany the teenage years: bad attitudes, rebellion, and an interest in drugs, alcohol and sex. In this podcast, Dr. Cindy Gellner talks about what you can do to maintain a good relationship with your teen and how to give them some freedom and privacy while still making sure...

These days, we use the internet to search for answers to almost everything. But if someone is having an emergency because they ingested too many pills or drank something under the kitchen sink, skip the internet and call poison control (800-222-1222). Unless someone is unconscious or having difficulty breathing, you should call poison control before you call 911. The experts on the other end of th...

Will it work for me? What are the side effects? Why did the FDA reject it twice? Addyi, the woman’s sex-drive drug, should be available sometime in October 2015. We asked Dr. Kirtly Jones what she would say to a woman asking if this treatment is right for her. When you’re done listening to this 15-minute interview, you will have a very good understanding about what is being called–inaccurately–the...

The wait list for organ donation has reached an astounding number, and it only continues to grow. But doctors have discovered a new way to transplant kidneys that were never considered usable before. The kidneys of very young children who died prematurely were thought to be too small to transplant to adults, but a new procedure called en bloc transplantation has been found to be very effective. In...

If you’re unable to wear contacts or glasses, or just plain tired of them there are other options to help correct your vision. The obvious one is LASIK, which can not only improve vision but also help with near-sightedness, far-sightedness and astigmatism. Dr. Tom Miller and Dr. Bala Ambati discuss LASIK and other surgeries to help improve your vision, such as an intraocular contact lens. They tal...

When kids are playing outside or competing on sports teams, injuries are a common occurrence. Ankle sprains in particular go hand-in-hand with the start of football and soccer seasons. Dr. Cindy Gellner talks about how to tell if your child has sprained their ankle and what to do if they have. She talks about treating it at home to speed the recovery and gives some tips for preventing ankle injuri...

Most people don’t think of pharmacists as being involved with primary care at the clinic, but Dr. Carrie McAdam-Marx , associate professor of pharmacotherapy at the University of Utah, thinks that needs to change. She talks about her research showing that patients with type 2 diabetes who consulted with pharmacists in the primary care setting had lower overall medical costs than those who didn’t....

Did you know sticking a fork in an outlet in your home could actually kill you? What could happen if your shovel struck an underground power line while you were digging in your backyard? In this podcast, three linemen from Rocky Mountain Power and burn expert Dr. Stephen Morris explain how electrical injuries happen and offer some safety tips for preventing grievous injuries and deaths in your own...

Most moms can attest to how hard it can be to finally get home from the hospital with their new baby, only to have to go back for a checkup a few days later. Having a baby is hard on the body, and Dr. Amy Williams believes both mom and baby deserve some rest. So she decided to start visiting new moms and babies at their homes. In this podcast, the pediatrician talks about why newborn home visits a...

Strokes can occur suddenly—and silently—with symptoms that do not always match expectations. Stroke specialist and director of the University of Utah Stroke Center , Jennifer Majersik, MD , emphasizes that early recognition can dramatically alter outcomes. She introduces the FAST approach and explains why every minute matters. Discover how to spot common signs of stroke, and why immediate 911 resp...

Healthi4You is a student competition like Bench to Bedside. But instead of creating medical devices, you’re creating videos that address health issues and ways to take ownership of your own health. It’s a chance to create a multimedia piece for your CV, meet people in other university departments, and win monetary prizes all while helping people become healthier. Jean Shipman from the Spencer S. E...

The eyes stop growing when most people are in their twenties. By then, most people have a stable prescription for contact lenses or glasses if they need it. So if you suddenly notice your vision is worsening or getting cloudy, you might start to worry. Tom Miller, MD , and Bala Ambati, MD, talk about conditions that affect your eyes and how to keep your corneas healthy and functioning at their pri...

Even before puberty, girls’ mouths are different than boys’. Some women might notice their gums swell and bleed more during certain times of their menstrual cycle. Dr. Kirtly Jones talks about how estrogen and other hormones can affect oral health. In this podcast she talks about why that is and what that means for your oral health, particularly during pregnancy and menopause.

Most scorpion stings happen on the feet. If you think that painful spot is from a scorpion stinger, don’t panic. Brad Dahl from the Utah Poison Control Center takes three minutes to talk about what to do if you get stung. While it will be painful, you aren’t in any grave danger. If you have any other questions, call the Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222.