The Scope

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.

You’ve probably heard that once you feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. Dr. Scott Youngquist spills on daily water intake and dehydration: who’s most likely to need more water, how much you really need per day and how that can affect your day-to-day health. He talks about how dehydration can affect you in ways you may not realize and gives some tips to help you drink more water.

Women may come to expect pelvic pain with their menstrual cycles, but a study by researchers at the University of Utah School of Medicine and National Institutes of Health suggests even though discomfort may be common, it should not be ignored. Study author Dr. C. Matt Peterson, chair of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the U of U, talks about how undiagnosed pelvic pain may indicate...

There’s a misconception about using birth control pills to treat polycystic ovarian syndrome. While they may make you feel better short-term, it turns out that it can actually make the problem worse in the long run. So what should you do? Dr. Joseph Stanford talks about a number of options for women suffering from this condition—all of which will help you be healthier later on.

There are many reasons children get bloody noses: allergies in the spring, summer and fall can contribute to a bloody nose, and so can the dryness of winter. As Cindy Gellner, MD , explains, it’s the frequent rubbing and blowing of the nose that can actually lead to the bleeding. She tells parents how to treat a bloody nose at home and what to do if the bleeding doesn’t stop.

Feeling wiped out by summer heat at the start of the season—but just fine by August? That is not your imagination. Emergency physician Scott Youngquist, MD , explains how your body adapts to heat over time and what happens beneath the surface to improve tolerance. Learn the science behind heat conditioning, the risks of pushing too far, and what it takes to build heat resilience safely and effecti...

Feeling overly jumpy at small noises is not just an annoyance—it can be a sign of how the brain and body react to stress, stimulants, trauma, or underlying medical conditions. Kirtly Jones, MD , explains why some people develop a heightened startle response. Learn more about the factors that keep the nervous system on high alert and how to navigate getting help when everyday sounds feel overwhelmi...

One in ten women have polycystic ovarian syndrome, a disorder that can cause irregular periods, abnormal hair growth, and fertility problems. But many women have it and don’t even know about it. Dr. Joseph Stanford talks about what causes this common disorder and its symptoms. He also discusses how you can get treated for it.

PCR-based diagnostic tests are becoming increasingly common in clinical settings because they are much more sensitive and accurate than older tests, and provide results within hours, not days. Yet a study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases shows that half of those who tested positive for respiratory viruses did not report feeling ill. These findings suggest that some test results should be...

It’s no secret that kids get sick- a lot, but a study led by faculty at the University of Utah School of Medicine shows that they are also a source of viral infections for the rest of the family. People in childless households were infected with viruses that cause cold and flu for 3-4 weeks during the year. By contrast, families with six children were infected for up to 45 weeks – 87 percent of th...

It’s long been established that Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) can contribute to cervical cancer, but recently there has been an alarming increase in head and neck cancers related to HPV. How are the two related? In this podcast, Dr. Marcus Monroe talks about the symptoms of both HPV and the cancers it can cause. He also discusses the easiest and most important way to prevent these cancers: the HPV v...

The University of Utah has a new diabetes, obesity and metabolism clinic with all kinds of treatments and services for patients. Dr. Tim Graham is the medical director of the diabetes, obesity and metabolism programs at University of Utah Health Care. In this podcast he highlights many of the treatments available at the clinic and how they can help you. Dr. Graham talks about why it’s okay to stru...