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International Overdose Awareness Day Set For Sunday

By: Kathy Hubbard. This Sunday, August 31, is International Overdose Awareness Day. The United States Drug Enforcement Agency calls it “the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose, remember those we have lost to an overdose, acknowledge the grief of the family and friends left behind, and renew our commitment to end overdose and related harms.” They also note that overdose is one of the world’s worst public health crises. There were 80,391 reported drug overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2024. Although this is roughly a 29 percent drop from 2023, even one death from overdose is one too many, particularly if it’s someone you know and love.

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One in Seven Children May Have Higher Than Normal Blood Pressure

By: Kathy Hubbard. “About 14 percent of children and teens in the U.S. either have high blood pressure or are headed toward it.” This is the lead sentence in an article published on the American Heart Association website. “New research suggests a need for greater prevention efforts earlier in life.” Mayo Clinic explains that high blood pressure, aka pediatric hypertension, is when the child’s blood pressure is at or above the 95th percentile for children who are the same sex, age and height as your child.

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Safe and Sound Week Reminds Us to Avoid Workplace Injuries

By: Kathy Hubbard. In May, Billy Joel announced that he was cancelling upcoming concert performances because he has been diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). In an interview with Bill Maher he said, “I feel fine. My balance sucks. It’s like being on a boat.” I’ll let the Hydrocephalus Association explain what NPH is: “Normal pressure hydrocephalus is when there is a build-up of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in an area in the center of the brain called (ventricles). This causes the ventricles to become enlarged, sometimes with little or no increase in intracranial pressure (ICP).”

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Billy Joel’s Diagnosis Sparks Questions about Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

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New Payment Option for CT and MRI Scans at BGH

By: Kathy Hubbard. The plan is simple. Bonner General Health has rolled out a program where patients can pay the hospital directly for their CT and MRI scans. This applies to patients who are insured, underinsured or not insured. The price sheet reads like a menu and meets the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services transparency guidelines. I recently met with BGH’s CFO Skyler Twidt and Ancillary Service Operations Director, Daniel Holland, to learn more about the Cash Pay Plan. Both men are very happy to be able to add another level of service to the community.

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What Exactly is Chronic Venous Insufficiency?

By: Kathy Hubbard. Last Thursday, this New York Times Breaking News headline popped into my Inbox: “Trump is Diagnosed with Common Vein Condition After Leg Swelling.” The president, according to the article, is suffering from chronic venous insufficiency. It’s sufficient to say, I immediately went to “Dr. Google.” Both the Cleveland Clinic and Johns Hopkins Medicine’s websites have very thorough explanations. They say that chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) happens when the leg veins become damaged and no longer work as they’re supposed to.

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What Every Woman Should Know About Menopause

By: Kathy Hubbard. We’ve all heard about hot flashes, and night sweats, technically called vasomotor symptoms. You suddenly get warm and sweaty, your heart rate speeds up, and you might have trouble sleeping. You may also experience short-term memory problems and have trouble concentrating. And, you might gain weight, grow hair in unexpected places and have eye issues such as blurred vision, swollen and reddened eyes, and vision changes. Adult acne, dry mouth issues and bruising are common as are joint problems.

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HIV/AIDS Cases Down but Not Eliminated

By: Kathy Hubbard. In the mid-nineties, a friend of mine told me that he lost 30 friends and acquaintances to HIV/AIDS in just one week. It was a miracle that he was still alive. Although cases have decreased substantially since the height of the epidemic, HIV and AIDS remain a persistent problem in the U.S. As a matter of fact, in 2022 there were almost 33,000 new cases of HIV infections resulting in over 19,300 deaths. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that approximately 13 percent of people with HIV in the U.S. don’t know it.

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Inherent Gene Mutation Causes Lynch Syndrome

By: Kathy Hubbard. “I recently got genetic testing, and I tested positive for Lynch syndrome, which runs in the family,” said a young man named Zach, who posted on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website. In his accompanying picture he looks to be somewhere in his early twenties, if that. “Do the math,” he said, “my great-grandfather had colon cancer, so did my grandfather and my father and uncle, so while that helped me to prepare for the news that I had Lynch syndrome, it’s still a very bit of an eye-opener.”

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Migraine Sufferers Should Avoid Pizza, Peanuts, and Chicken Livers

By: Kathy Hubbard. Although we tend to group migraines with everyday headaches, they’re actually not the same. Migraines are classified as chronic illnesses and Cleveland Clinic says that it’s important for us to know the difference. “Headaches are typically unpleasant and disruptive but aren’t severe enough to affect whether or not you can go about your usual routine or activities,” Cleveland explains. “The most common type is tension-type headache (TTH). The main symptom of TTH is pain that affects your head or face, but not your brain.

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How Occupational Therapy can help those with Dementia

By: Kathy Hubbard. When she was 78 years old, Mrs. Clark was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Her husband of 52 years had noticed that she had lost interest in what had been her favorite hobbies, she began to find daily activities more difficult, and her friends noticed that she was becoming forgetful.

Mrs. Clark’s clinical case is detailed on the American Journal of Occupational Therapy’s website. I paraphrased their description, but the reason I’m telling you about her is because her primary care provider recommended that she see an occupational therapist. She did, and both she and her husband, who understandably had beginning signs of depression, showed remarkable

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Blood Inflammation Can Cause Several Rare Diseases

By: Kathy Hubbard. When I chose vasculitis as a subject for this space, little did I know that it is the overall term for roughly twenty relatively rare, autoimmune diseases. Hang on while I try to explain what it is, who is affected, and when one should seek medical attention. Simply stated, vasculitis is an inflammation of the blood vessels. Cleveland Clinic explains that “the swelling makes it hard for blood to flow through your affected vessels, which can cause organ and tissue damage.”

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International Overdose Awareness Day Set For Sunday

One in Seven Children May Have Higher Than Normal Blood Pressure

Safe and Sound Week Reminds Us to Avoid Workplace Injuries

Billy Joel’s Diagnosis Sparks Questions about Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

New Payment Option for CT and MRI Scans at BGH

What Exactly is Chronic Venous Insufficiency?

What Every Woman Should Know About Menopause

HIV/AIDS Cases Down but Not Eliminated

Inherent Gene Mutation Causes Lynch Syndrome

Migraine Sufferers Should Avoid Pizza, Peanuts, and Chicken Livers

How Occupational Therapy can help those with Dementia

Blood Inflammation Can Cause Several Rare Diseases

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