McLaren Macomb Health Care Blog

Each week, we ask our emergency docs, “What’s going around?” This week, Dr. Glenn DeLong, an emergency physician at McLaren Macomb, reports: Flu Cases of confirmed influenza remain high, with nearly an equal number of cases of A and B strains. Gastro A viral infection causing symptoms of nausea, vomiting and diarrhea continue to be reported. Viral infections While not testing positive for influenza, other viral infections mirroring symptoms of the flu, such as fever, upper respiratory distress and gastr...

It was Bob’s pastor who first spotted his symptoms. “He noticed that I was struggling with my speech,” Bob said. “It was an odd feeling—I knew what I wanted to say, but I just couldn’t form the words and get them out. It was quite concerning.” Bob followed up by making an appointment with his cardiologist, Dr. Timothy Logan at McLaren Macomb. After some diagnostic testing, it was determined that one of Bob’s carotid arteries—the blood vessels in the neck that carry blood to the brain, neck and face—was ...

“There are a lot of reasons why we eventually make our way to that surgery discussion.” Dr. Michael Wagner, an orthopedic surgeon and co-director of the joint replacement program at McLaren Macomb, every day sees patients whose enjoyment of life has been limited because of pain in a joint (or multiple joints). “Pain is definitely a big driver,” he said, “but it’s also a loss of mobility.” Dr. Wagner dives deep into what motivates his patients to seek out his help during an interview on the In Good Healt...

McLaren Macomb, through its Mat Gaberty Heart Center, has reported exceptional clinical outcomes for patients who have undergone a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) , a minimally invasive procedure originally introduced to replace the heart’s aortic valve in patients deemed a high- or intermediate-risk for heart surgery. Performed in the cardiac catheterization lab, patients living with severe aortic stenosis receive a TAVR to replace the malfunctioning aortic valve with an organic valve sup...

ST-elevated myocardial infarction – referred to as a STEMI to the medical professionals who treat them and “widow maker” to those who suffer them. One of the most serious kinds of heart attack, with 100 percent blockage in an artery carrying blood to the heart, STEMIs lead to cardiac arrest if treatment is not quickly administered. However, the clinical staff at the Mat Gaberty Heart Center at McLaren Macomb have noticed a troubling trend that has patients putting their own lives at risk. Patients who a...

Since it was first announced that passengers aboard certain international flights would be screened for a new contagious illness, questions continue to be raised about the Wuhan coronavirus. Responsible for dozens of deaths overseas and with several cases diagnosed stateside, the Wuhan coronavirus has countless people spooked and reminded of other viral outbreaks, especially recent coronaviruses SARS and MERS. Many still question how it came about, what makes it different, how bad can it get, and what i...

A recent study conducted and released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that 15 percent of American adults are physically inactive. The organization defines “physical inactivity” as not participating in leisure time physical activity within the past month. These activities could be running, walking for exercise, biking, weight lifting or gardening. “Creating — and keeping to — a regular exercise routine has benefits that reach beyond body weight and the size of your waistli...

With the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announcing that confirmed influenza cases are approaching 10 million, many experts are already predicting that the 2019-2020 flu season could be one of the worst in several years. And with the CDC reporting “widespread flu activity” in 46 states — including Michigan — the organization is also reporting an early rise in cases of the influenza B strain, which usually gains predominance toward the end of the traditional season (around March and April)....

Of course, when it comes to the diagnosis of a life-long chronic condition, many emotions can justifiably arise and important questions come up. “How did I get it?” “Can I still do my favorite activities?” “Will this shorten my life expectancy?” In terms of multiple sclerosis (MS), a rare condition, but one with more than 1 million people in the United States living with it, the diagnosis comes with some misconceptions. Early symptoms of multiple sclerosis MS is a disease in which the protective sheath ...

Oncologists will all agree: Early detection gives patients and doctors the best chance to treat a cancer diagnosis. The question then becomes how to detect it early. Cancer does not discriminate. Anyone at any age and at any time can receive a cancer diagnosis. So how do we find it in its earliest stages? “One of the most important things that you can do for yourself is to make sure that you keep up with all your preventive screening tests,” said Dr. Rana Bilbeisi , oncologist at Karmanos Cancer Institu...