Lee Edition

I’m sure you are familiar with the term bunion. You may even have a bunion or know someone that has a bunion. A bunion also known as hallux valgus causes a “bump” that can be painful while in shoes. A bunion can progress and eventually cause your big toe to sit on top of your second toe, causing additional pain. …

By Joseph Magnant, MD, FACS, RPVI and Jill Tanner, APRN In today’s day and age with the internet at our fingertips, it has become easier for patients to play a more active role in researching their medical care. With just a few clicks, patients can now perform research on their health care providers’ training, experience, qualifications and even access patient reviews. …

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disorder that affects the neurons that are responsible for making dopamine. The symptoms and effects of the disease can begin small, such as loss of smell, sleep disturbances, or bowel and bladder fluctuations. However, as the disease advances and deteriorates the brain’s neurons, the effects are rigid muscles, impaired movement, shuffling feet, loss of expression …

Over 116 million people suffer from chronic pain disorders ranging from fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, neuropathy, back, hip and neck pain. Whether trauma or degenerative diseases have caused your pain, the consensus is usually the same; people want their pain to decrease so they can improve their quality of life. Arthritis is One of the Most Common Causes of Pain Arthritis is a …

The Month of February is dedicated to cancer prevention and awareness. According to the National Cancer Institute, here in the United United States, an estimated 1,735,350 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed each year. Some of the most commonly diagnosed are breast, prostate, lung, and skin cancer. We focus so much on celebrating awareness, screenings, and survivorship throughout the …

By Dr. Doreen DeStefano, ARNP No matter which type of implant a person has in their body, breast implant illness is a growing concern: both silicone and saline implants leach chemicals, metals, and toxins into the bloodstream, organs, and tissues. The surrounding shells of all breast implants are made with several different types of materials, including metals such as mercury, …

With outdoor sporting activities like golf, tennis, fishing and swimming offered year-round, Southwest Florida offers countless opportunities to stay active. With this privilege also comes the responsibility of protecting ourselves from sports-related eye injuries. April is Sports Eye Safety Month, serving as a timely reminder to protect our eyes while playing sports. Activities with balls, rackets or flying objects pose …

By Robert W. Pollack, M.D. CEO Accurately diagnosing the illness of depression and seeking out the appropriate course of treatment is critical. The journey to care for 6.7% of the population that suffers from depression began many years ago with poltices, chants, and home remedies. It wasn’t until 1958 that science and medicine took a giant step forward. During the …

By Ramon A. Gil, M.D., Medical Director, Parkinson’s Disease Treatment Center of SWFL Welcome to April: “Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month”. It’s hard to believe it, but we made it through the month of March and here we are, trying to get our country and our lives back. The question now is: “Do you remember Parkinson’s Disease?”. I hope so, because …