Collier Edition

Do you hear unusual noise in your head? You are NOT alone! Between 25 and 50 million Americans are plagued with a condition that is imperceptible to other people. They look normal, but they are suffering. In some cases, their agony drives them to consider suicide. Tinnitus is frequently described as ringing in the ears. The sounds are described in …

By Steven A. Meckstroth, MD – Gastroenterology Specialists Excluding skin cancers, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the United States. The American Cancer Society’s most recent estimates for the number of colorectal cancer cases in the United States are: . 103,170 new cases of colon cancer . 40,290 new cases of …

By Blake W. Kirkpatrick You have signed all your documents…health care surrogates or medical directives, living wills, HIPPA declarations, declaration of preneed guardians, powers of attorney, wills and/or revocable trusts. All done and everything is in order, right? Probably not. Often there are a few other items people never get around to, or worse, try to handle on their own …

By Toni Eatros, MS, Dipl Ac, AP Last month part 1 of this article was published looking at what cholesterol and statin drugs are.  This month we will discuss what the actual research regarding the use of statin drugs is showing. What Does the Research Really Show? The American Heart Association cites five main clinical trials that have been published …

By Amy Hilliard Each May older adults across the country are honored for their contributions to our nation during “Older Americans Month”. This year’s theme is “Blaze a Trail”, emphasizing the ways older adults are reinventing themselves through new passions, engaging their communities, and blazing a trail of positive impact on the lives of people of all ages. You’re never …

Have you ever been at your wits’ end?  Have you ever been so confused that you didn’t really know which way was up?  Have you ever had the feeling, “I know I need to do something…but I don’t know what ‘something’ to do.” The Bible tells the story of a group of sailors who went out to sea and encountered …

By Myles Rubin Samotin, MD – Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon, Fellow Foot and Ankle You may have heard the term stress fracture, but just what is it and how does one get it? A stress fracture is exactly what it states it is, a fracture of the bone caused by “stress” to the bone. It is a “microfracture” of the …

Chiropractic care has become a popular discipline of alternative medicine because of the ability to diagnose and resolve many different aspects of our overall health. When we go to the chiropractor, our frame of reference usually tells us that we are going solely to treat musculoskeletal injuries and prevent future injuries. However, Chiropractic Care can help much more than simply …

By Ulla-Undine Merritt (Dee) National Producer Number (NPN) 8853366 There are Special Election Periods for eligible individuals to purchase creditable health insurance coverage.  Most life change events have a maximum of 60 days to make that change. The majority of the time you’re earliest effective date is the 1st of the month following your application. Medicare and Under 65 Medical …

By Joseph Gauta, MD, FACOG Until recently, pelvic organ prolapse (POP) was rarely addressed because women were reluctant to discuss the embarrassing symptoms. POP is one of the most common disorders women will face in their lifetime. Today, many gynecologists and primary care physicians routinely screen women for symptoms, and a new surgical specialty of urogynecology has arisen to treat pelvic …