The Scope

Bedwetting affects millions of children and is more common—and more misunderstood—than most parents realize. Pediatrician Cindy Gellner, MD, breaks the silence around nighttime accidents and explores why they happen and what you can do to help your child. Learn when to wait, when to see your pediatrician, and when it might be time to consider medical treatment—all while helping your child feel saf...

When someone says they have a broken heart, most of us think it is just a metaphor for expressing their extreme emotional pain. But there actually is a medical condition called broken heart syndrome, which manifests itself very much like a heart attack. Cardiologist John Ryan, MD , talks about its causes, symptoms, and how physicians treat a broken heart.

It is important to have a good relationship with food—we all know this. But for a lot of people, “diet” can be a dirty word. How do you go on a diet without actually going on a diet? Registered dietitian Julie Metos shares tricks on how to stay with an eating plan from start to finish, how to merge it into your daily schedule for the long run, and how to find the right way to redefine your relatio...

Surprisingly, many women don’t know what the cervix is or what it does, according to Dr. Kirtly Jones. Take a moment to learn about the cervix and the important functions it serves. You’ll also find out about the one thing that, if every woman did, would nearly eliminate their chances of getting cervical cancer.

There are 26 million Americans with diabetes, and nearly 80 million with pre-diabetes. Though pre-diabetes may sound relatively harmless, it’s not. Patients with the condition are at risk for developing not only diabetes, but also heart disease and stroke. Dr. Timothy Graham, Director of the University of Utah Diabetes and Heart Disease Prevention Clinic describes what pre-diabetes is, why there h...

Winter air inversion affects kids differently than adults, especially kids with breathing problems such as asthma. On a day with heavy inversion, is it safe for your child to play outside? Pediatrician Cindy Gellner, MD , defines what inversions are and why children are more at risk during periods of bad air quality. Dr. Gellner also discusses how to decide whether the air quality is good enough f...

In many places in the world, using your hands to eat from a communal dish is part of the culture. For some Americans, that can seem a little gross - but is it unsanitary? In the case you ever find yourself in an ethnic restaurant that serves their food this way, should you skip the meal and just enjoy the conversation? We asked Dr. Tom Miller what he thought.

They are always surrounded by germs and viruses. So doesn’t it make you wonder why your doctors and nurses never seems to get sick? Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen says he’s only had one sick day in the last 10 years and tells you some of the precautions he takes to avoid getting sick. He also discusses ways to keep healthy and boost your immunity system altogether.

Human papillomavirus, better known as HPV, is the most common sexually transmitted infection, with 79 million Americans affected in 2013. The HPV vaccine can have a few different names, but the bottom line is that it protects against human papillomavirus. Dr. Cindy Gellner talks about the affects that HPV can have on the human body and how the vaccine can help fight against HPV. She also discusses...

Most people know that being an organ donor is a good thing - organ donors save lives. But for whatever reason, checking that “yes” box to become an organ donor can be scary when you’re getting your driver’s license or ID. Transplant surgeon Dr. Jeffery Campsen talks about the process and good that comes from organ donation. He also addresses the questions and concerns you may have about becoming a...

Should you go to the doctor for a cold? It’s a pretty common question. After all, colds can be miserable and who wouldn’t want to feel better? Find out if a trip to your physician's office is worth it. Internal medicine physician Tom Miller, MD , talks about things you can do to make a cold more bearable and if antibiotics can help make you feel better.

Our genetic code is made up of 3.3 billion base pairs of DNA, and one single base pair change can be enough to put someone at risk for developing disease. Dr. Nicki Camp, a professor of genetic epidemiology at the University of Utah, uses one of the world’s most extensive resources of it’s kind, the Utah Population Database, to hunt down the tiny changes that trigger inherited cancers, including m...

As the weather gets colder, some people experience nosebleeds. When is a nosebleed serious enough to go the ER and when can you take care of it yourself? Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen talks about why the cold, dry air may cause nosebleeds and how to properly take care of a nosebleed at home.

Fat tends to get a bad reputation, but not all fat is bad – brown fat is actually good for you. Not only does it help you stay thin, it also has amazing healing powers. Dr. Amit Patel discusses the difference between good and bad fat, why brown fat is considered good fat, and why it might be rare in adults. He also talks about potential ways to increase the amount of brown fat in the body.

A lot of parents worry about their child’s bowel movements: Is it normal? Is it not normal? Is the stool too hard or too soft? How many days can a child go between bowel movements? Pediatrician Dr. Cindy Gellner tells you the difference between regular and irregular bowel movements in children—which is more common than you might think—and how to help your child avoid constipation.

It’s your New Year’s resolution to be healthier, but have you ever paused to consider what that means – to be healthier? Dr. Tom Miller says it’s not that complicated. It’s just about doing, and avoiding, a few things. Take sixty seconds to find out, and you might actually keep your resolution this year – and feel better too.

Is it food poisoning? A stomach bug? The latest food contamination you heard about on the news? Or is it simply something you ate that doesn’t agree with you? When it comes to stomach issues, it can sometimes be hard to figure out how serious it is and what you should do about it. Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen breaks down the signs and symptoms that will easily help you decide if your s...

During cold weather, some people may notice more body stiffness and soreness. Is it normal to feel aches and pains around the winter months, or is this a legitimate health concern? Physical therapist Linda Scholl, DPT , talks about what the cold weather does to your muscles and joints, and how to prevent aches and pains with simple daily exercise.

It's not uncommon this time of year to slip and fall on the ice. If you do, should you go to the ER? Emergency medicine physician Dr. Troy Madsen answers that question and also tells you how he would try to fall to minimize potential injuries.

Family dinners, holiday parties, jingle bells and presents! It’s that joyous time of the year again – but you’re feeling depressed and moody. Are you really depressed or just stressed? Psychiatrist Dr. Jason Hunziker talks about the signs and symptoms of holiday depression, why it’s common this time of year and tips for recapturing some holiday cheer.

Hypothermia is when your body temperature gets too low. But you might be surprised to find out it doesn’t really need to be all that cold to get hypothermia. Dr. Troy Madsen talks about the conditions required for hypothermia to happen, discuses the signs and symptoms, when it becomes life threatening and what you can do to help someone with hypothermia.

University of Utah researchers have discovered a genetic variation in mice that predisposes them toward developing severe, inflammatory arthritis. The finding implicates a new class of genes in arthritis progression, potentially opening doors to new treatment options for sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis and Lyme arthritis. Dr. Janis Weis, professor of pathology, and Dr. Kenneth Bramwell, postdoct...

You’re at work or at a theater and the person next to you falls to the ground and starts shaking – it might be a seizure. How do you know for sure it’s a seizure, and more importantly, what do you do? Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen says the popular belief that you need to put something in seizure victims’ mouths to stop them from swallowing their tongues is a myth. He’ll explain the diff...

Whether you work outside, are an outdoor enthusiast or simply shoveling your walk, when it gets this cold, frostnip and frostbite are real dangers. Because one of the symptoms of frostbite is numbness, you might not even know you have it until it’s too late, which makes it especially dangerous for kids. Dr. Vivian Lee and Dr. Amalia Cochran talk about what happens to your skin when it gets too col...

University of Utah researcher, Janet Iwasa, Ph. D., has discovered that visual representations spark scientific discussions. Molecular animators are making movies starring cells, proteins, viruses, and more, and research as scientists are using them to focus their work.