McLaren Macomb Health Care Blog

Each week, we ask our ER team what they’re seeing more and more of in our Emergency Department. This week, Dr. Alexander Grunenwald, an emergency physician at McLaren Macomb, reports: Weather-related injuries Heavy snow and icy conditions have led to a spike in injuries sustained in falls, such as bone breaks and contusions. Upper respiratory infections Many patients have been treated for upper respiratory infections, with high, uncontrollable fevers and difficulty breathing symptoms specific to young c...

With winter just days away, it might be easy to think that the risk for injuries are limited since the snowy/icy mix of weather will keep many people in-doors until the flowers bloom in the spring. “In the summer, we see a lot of motorcycle accidents, boating and jet ski injuries, as well as outdoor-related traumatic injuries,” said Marleen Nowakowski, trauma program manager at McLaren Macomb. “But during the winter months, the risk for slip-and-falls is significantly higher, especially in our geriatric...

With an estimated 870,000 Michigan adults diagnosed diabetic (with another 2.7 million pre-diabetics), Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer proclaimed November 2019 as Diabetes Awareness Month to shed light on the disease and the preventive steps everyone can take to limit their risk of developing the condition. The seventh leading cause of death in the United States and Michigan, the risk for diabetes is increased by the excessive consumption of sugar, making cutting sugar intake an integral practice to cutt...

While it is the number one cancer killer in the United States, only 16 percent of people diagnosed with lung cancer are diagnosed at an early stage – a stage in which the cancer is most responsive to treatment, giving the patient their best chance. These facts make it all the more critical for those who live with lung cancer risk factors and exhibit early-stage symptoms to talk to their doctor about a screen. To bring attention to the importance of early detection, the American Lung Association has desi...

While the cost of seven medical tests could reach hundreds of dollars, McLaren Macomb is committed to providing potentially life-saving tests for $50. With the recent launch of a Heart & Vascular Screening package, McLaren Macomb is providing its community with an affordable program to assess the health of their heart and vascular system and, in turn, their risk for stroke, heart attack and other heart diseases. And if it is determined that the patient is at an increased risk for a quality-of-life-l...

Heart disease and a diseased vascular system can severely impact anyone’s quality of life with energy-sapping symptoms and increased risk for other potentially life-threatening conditions. These diseases can lead to increased risk for heart attack and stroke, making lowering that risk vital for continued good health. The $50, seven-test Heart & Vascular Screening package can assess a patient’s risk for these conditions and aid their physician in determining a course of action to lower that risk. Pat...

Each week, we ask our ER team what they’re seeing more and more of in our Emergency Department. This week, Dr. Benjamin Doerr, an emergency physician at McLaren Macomb, reports: Gastro After a couple of weeks of low volumes, the number of viral gastroenteritis cases have increased, with symptoms of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Upper respiratory infections While there have been no confirmed cases of influenza, cases of upper respiratory infection and its symptoms of cough, congestion and runny noses ha...

Every fall, when flu season rolls around, the question always seems to be asked: When is the best time to get the flu shot? Regardless of the answer of whether to get it now or later, physicians urge everyone to take the preventive step of getting the flu shot and benefiting from the protection it will offer. “We strongly advocate to our patients to not neglect getting their flu shot,” said Dr. Anthony Ognjan, an infectious diseases specialist at McLaren Macomb. “While there may be an optimal time to ge...

While the month of October has been designated Breast Cancer Awareness Month by the American Cancer Society, health care providers urge women to place an importance on their breast health year-round. This includes, first and foremost, staying current with regular screenings. Regular screenings through mammograms provide the patient and their doctor with the best chance to detect breast cancer at an early stage, when it is smaller and not yet spread, and it is more responsive to treatment. What is the sc...

It was a whirlwind for Dr. Sarah Vyskocil. In just 12 days, the McLaren Macomb OB/GYN’s life forever changed. On Nov. 5, 2017, she felt a lump in her breast during a self-exam. Six months prior, she had received a clean bill of health after undergoing her regular mammogram. “As an OB/GYN,” she said, “I knew.” Five days after discovering the lump, it was biopsied, confirming it was a particularly aggressive form of breast cancer, already advanced to stage 3. Another five days later, on a Wednesday, a por...