As a health care writer and policy analyst, I frequently encounter the term “risk” in discussions of medical issues. I also frequently see the term grossly misused in both the popular press and medical literature. Nowhere is this more evide…
Category: Conditions
Unlocking the power of autism: How accommodations and acceptance can benefit us all
For a growing percentage of our population, autism is a part of everyday life. How we support and empower children with autism speaks volumes about our society’s ability to be inclusive, productive, and fair. May is Mental Health Awareness Month….
A unique method for managing chronic bowel conditions, treating fecal impaction, and preparing for colonoscopy procedures
Fecal impaction and severe chronic constipation can have significant consequences on patients’ mortality, morbidity, psychosocial well-being, and health care costs. It is especially prevalent among the elderly and individuals with neurogenic bowe…
The 4 stages of suicidal ideation: a physician’s experience with burnout and self-compassion
I am a physician, a urologist, and a survivor of multiple suicide attempts related to physician burnout. In dealing with my psychopathology, I experienced a devolution in my mental status, culminating in suicidal behavior. I can remember the exact mome…
Finding hope and relief: a physical therapist’s journey with chronic pain and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS)
The day Ann entered my clinic, I had already been practicing pain management for over ten years. A 40-something physical therapist, she had a warm smile, a positive attitude—and chronic pain in every part of her back. Twenty-five years earlier, Ann had…
Stop saying you “are OCD” if you don’t have OCD
When people (especially women) are highly organized, hyper-focused, and efficient they often label themselves (or are labeled by others) as OCD. In essence, “being OCD” is a superpower that leaves us with clean houses, well-manicured appear…
5 myths of treating sickle cell disease with automated red blood cell exchange
Not all transfusion therapies are the same. Unlike other transfusion therapies, automated red blood cell exchange (RBCX) efficiently and rapidly removes a patient’s hemoglobin S (HbS)-containing RBCs and replaces them with healthy RBCs. You may b…
5 myths of treating sickle cell disease with automated red blood cell exchange
Not all transfusion therapies are the same. Unlike other transfusion therapies, automated red blood cell exchange (RBCX) efficiently and rapidly removes a patient’s hemoglobin S (HbS)-containing RBCs and replaces them with healthy RBCs. You may b…
Inside the psychiatric unit: a PhD’s god-like status, ECT, and the harsh reality of mental illness treatment
PhD, the big man on the psych unit’s eighth floor, puffed on his pipe while listening to the dialogue of the broken, misfits, psychotics, schizophrenics, and bipolar patients. Many were beaten at birth, both physically and emotionally. In this la…
How I overcame a heart attack and health challenges with the help of faith, family, and skilled doctors
I stood outside in my yard, which had been dormant during the winter season and was now awakening to the spring. Yard work was a familiar and enjoyable activity for me, one that I had been doing for years. But as I walked across the yard, I found mysel…
