McLaren Macomb Health Care Blog

Some may not be willing to discuss their mental health. Look for these signs. While the prevalence of mental health needs on the rise, one welcomed consequence has been the open and nurturing atmosphere many people find themselves in in which to share their feelings. There are others, though, who may still choose to keep their thoughts and concerns to themselves. Or their condition may be severe to the point that they’re not aware of their symptoms. No matter the patient, though, everyone can benefit fr...

Listen as a social worker discusses how to recognize behavioral health issues in others. “I think, particularly for the elderly, they grew up with many of them with the mindset of you just kind of pull yourself up by your bootstraps, right? You don't talk about how you feel, you just go, and you get it done.” Theresa Chapman, a career social worker and the program director of the McLaren Macomb Senior Behavioral Health Center, recognizes that many people may be hesitant to talk about their own mental he...

80 percent of strokes are preventable. There are more than 795,000 strokes every year in the United States, and 1 out of every 4 is preventable. And with a stroke responsible for 150,005 annual deaths in the country, that means up to 120,004 deaths every year have the potential to be avoided. How, though, can it be avoided? By knowing and addressing stroke risk factors. Know your risk factors High blood pressure High cholesterol History of heart disease Diabetes Obesity Smoking and excessive alcohol use...

May is National Stroke Awareness Month. Several facts and figures demonstrate the prevalence of stroke. Often referred to as a “heart attack of the brain,” strokes are the fifth leading cause of death and the leading cause of long-term disability in adults. A very serious medical emergency, strokes occur when blood flow in the brain is interrupted — either through a blockage or burst vessel — depriving it of oxygen, rapidly killing brain cells. Potentially life-threatening, the prevalence of stroke is o...

Questions can arise for where to get common, non-life-threatening conditions treated. If anyone should see the symptoms of a heart attack or stroke in themselves or someone around them, the first move should be to call 911 and request an ambulance. The same should be done if there’s been an accident, and bones are broken and wounds are significantly bleeding. For these potentially life-threatening conditions or severe injuries, immediate treatment should be sought at the nearest ER and trauma center. Bu...

Choosing a trauma center with even a “minor” injury benefits all ages. Not all hospital and free-standing emergency departments are created equal. Patients with injuries — ranging from the “major” catastrophic broken bones to seemingly everyday sprains, strains and twists that cause a prolonged limp — will benefit in the long run from an evaluation and treatment in a trauma center. What is a trauma center? A trauma center is a designation obtained by an emergency department that is specially staffed, tr...

Knowing your allergies is the best way to prepare for the season. Education is the best way to limit the often-stifling symptoms allergies bring about in countless people every year during the annual allergy season. Allergies are straightforward to understand. Simply put, allergies are the body’s immune response to a usually harmless foreign body. They can be foods, pollen, dust or other substance typically found around the house or in nature. Symptoms can range — in both type and severity — and, in tod...

From bunions to broken toes, foot and ankle surgeons have heard it all. Tall tales and myths are fun to laugh at, but there are other myths that are no laughing matter, especially when they involve your health. From bunions to broken toes, here are five myths about foot care and the realities behind them. Myth: Cutting a notch (a “V”) in a toenail will relieve the pain of ingrown toenails Reality: When a toenail is ingrown, the nail curves downward and grows into the skin. Cutting a “V” in the toenail d...

Otolaryngologists address a wide range of symptoms. Trouble swallowing, a persistent ringing in the ears and a chronically hoarse voice are all symptoms signaling it’s time to see a specialist. Referred to as otolaryngologists, these physicians specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting the ear, nose and throat — the area of medicine known as otolaryngology. With this highly complex, yet also highly delicate, part of the body, ENT specialists are uniquely trained in diagnosing the...

Potentially life-threatening aneurysms are being diagnosed at younger ages. “Initially it is small in size, and over a period of months and years, with the constant blood pressure pounding through it, it starts getting bigger, and at a certain point balloons (and) it can rupture.” Dr. Bharath Naravetla, an interventional neurologist with McLaren Macomb, is describing an aneurysm. More specifically, he’s discussing its silent growth and increasing risk of developing into a life-threatening hemorrhage. In...