Our Office is now EnviroStars Certified

As proud stewards of our community’s environment we are honored to be recognized as an environmentally responsible business. Receiving the EnviroStars Certification shows that we are doing our part to protect the Spokane River, the Spokane Valley – Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer, and the local environment.

To find other businesses that institute business practices which also promote environmental stewardship visit http://www.SpokaneEnviroStars.org

Top 10 Medical Innovations for 2013

The end of each passing year offers us a chance to look at the amazing progress that has been made in the last 12 months…and what we can look forward to in the coming year. Many organizations, publications and websites even offer us lists of important medical breakthroughs from that year to remind us of the ingenuity of the healthcare community.

Here are the Top 10 Medical Innovations for 2013, as announced by Cleveland Clinic

Bariatric Surgery for Control of Diabetes – Many doctors performing weight-loss operations found that the surgical procedure would rid patients of Type 2 diabetes, oftentimes before the patient left the hospital.
Neuromodulation Device for Cluster and Migraine Headaches - Whenever a patient feels a headache coming on, a remote control device is placed on the cheek and it delivers as needed stimulation to the sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) nerve bundle, blocking the headache pain in about five to 10 minutes.
Mass Spectrometry for Bacterial Identification - At a time when bacterial infections account for a large proportion of people admitted to hospitals each year, quick and accurate detection of these microorganisms help guide appropriate patient treatment and improve outcomes is more critical than ever.
Drugs for Advanced Prostate Cancer -Many in the prostate cancer research community now believe that these drugs, and others coming from the prostate cancer therapeutic pipeline, will one day help make advanced prostate cancer a chronic disease that’s successfully managed with a routine of daily medication, lifestyle modification, and regular checkups.
Hand-held Optical Scan for Melanoma - In a clinical trial of 1,300 patients, the largest study ever conducted in melanoma detection, the device detected 98% of the melanomas, while missing fewer than 2% of these early cancers.
Femtosecond Laser Cataract Surgery – This procedure is revolutionizing surgery by making it more predictable and accurate, allowing surgeons to make smaller, more precise incisions. It also requires less energy time inside the eye, causes less inflammation, and offers more stability when implanting a new lens.
Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion - Has the potential to significantly increase the number of available lungs as the reconditioning process is adopted, refined, and improved at multiple transplant centers. This increased availability of quality-tested donor lungs is going to make a huge difference to the 100,000 American patients with severe breathing problems who now wait on the lung transplant standby list.
Modular Devices for Treating Complex Aneurysms - The new modular stent graft system offers a significant reduction in morbidity and ICU stay, but more importantly, it allows an application of life-saving technology to high-risk patients who never could have been treated for their aneurysms
Digital Breast Tomosynthesis (DBT) – In a recent study of 7,500 women, the recall rate of women screened with breast tomosynthesis and traditional mammography combined was 6.6% compared to 11.1% for traditional mammography alone.
Health Insurance / Medicare Program / Rewards for Better Health - The Better Health Rewards Program is part of a growing wellness revolution in American healthcare that is designed to give everyone achievable health goals and a detailed plan to reach them, as well as financial incentives to keep motivated and follow through with the various health strategies.

Check out Free Online Workshop | Gokhale Method Institute

Fighting back pain with good posture. Thanks to my friend Dr. Ashley Ulmer for the X-mas gift of Esther Gokhale’s book: 8 Steps to a Pain-Free BackCheck out Free Online Workshop | Gokhale Method Institute

Do You have Food Insecurity?

Food insecurity means you have a higher rate of dental problems and poor overall health.  Food insecurity is associated with an increased risk of obesity.

If you answer NO to any of the following questions you may be food insecure.

Do you have 3 meals and 2-3 defined snacks?

Do you eat breakfast?

Do you have the recommended 5 cups of fruits and/or vegetables?

Do you eat basic foods such as bread and salad over processed foods such as vending machine food?

Do you eat for taste over convenience?

Do you purchase your food at the grocery store instead of a food discount store?

Do you make time to plan, shop and prepare foods?

Do you have adequate cooking skills?

Do you have adequate finances to purchase food?

Do you have a functional food storage and cooking environment?

Tips for parents:

Serve fruits and veggies first, when kids are the hungriest

Kids are less likely to overeat with structured meals and snacks

Beyond the occasional glass of juice, sugar beverages are not necessary

Parents need to model good eating habits

As a parent, your behaviour has a strong influence on what your children eat.

Prevent TV Tipping Injuries to Children

Heavy TVs are toppling over on young children in increasing numbers. Between 2008 and 2010, 13,700 children were rushed to emergency departments after being struck by a falling TV. Most victims are under 5.

Read this month’s Parent Plus, from the American Academy of Pediatrics News, eight tips to protect children from falling TVs.

Protecting Infants from Sleep Related Deaths

The American Academy of Pediatrics makes recommendations to parents and caregivers to provide a safe sleeping environment for infants and to reduce the risks of death from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), suffocation or entrapment while sleeping.

AAP News Oct 2011

Cold Sores

Did you know that the virus responsible for cold sores is the Herpes Simplex Virus-1?  

HSV-1 stays hidden and inactive along peripheral sensory nerves for life with periodic outbreaks.  Most primary HSV-1 infections occur in infancy and childhood and are transmitted primarily by contact with infected saliva.   70% of people shed HSV-1 in their saliva at least once monthly.  So, if you have ever had a cold sore, don’t share your utensils, straws, etc with others, since you may be shedding the virus and possibly infect your children, family and friends.

Tooth Trivia

Did you know that a child can have premature teeth? 

Premature teetherupt prior to 3 months of age and although uncommon, premature teeth do occur.
Natal teeth are present at birth and are more common than neonatal teeth which erupt after birth and before age 1 month. 90% of premature teeth are true primary teeth and many are poorly formed.  These teeth can be associated with Riga-Fede’s disease, ventral tongue trauma from feeding, and cleft lip and palate. 
If premature teeth are an aspiration risk due to excessive mobility or interfere with feeding, they need to be removed.

Help for Parents

The KidsDoc Symptom Checker is available on HealthyChildren.org, the official American Academy of Pediatrics’ website for parents, at http://www.healthychildren.org/symptom-checker.

Parents can enter their child’s symptoms into the interactive tool and receive up-to-date advice about how to treat minor illnesses at home, or when to call the doctor immediately.

I am happy to see a “mouth and teeth” section including this advice for teething:
Caution: Blaming teething for fevers can lead to a delayed diagnosis of ear infections, urinary tract infections, meningitis and other infections.

New Fluoride Prescription Guidelines

In December, 2010, the ADA published new clinical recommendations on the prescription of dietary fluoride supplements.

Due to known increases in exposure to multiple fluoride sources, the panel now recommends the prescription of dietary fluoride supplements only for children who are at high risk for developing cavities and whose primary source of drinking water is deficient in fluoride. Our practice evaluates each patient for their unique cavity risk by using the American Academy of Pediatric Cavity-Risk Assessment Test.

You may access the full report and download the chair side guide at: http://ebd.ada.org/ClinicalRecommendations.aspx