McLaren Oakland

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...

Take preventive action now to avoid potential illness later. Call it a physical, check-up or annual exam, but a regular appointment with a primary care provider can have endless and potentially untold benefits. It’s understandable that many people only make doctor appointments when they’re sick—get an exam, a prescription and feel better in a few days. An annual appointment, though, is the appointment when patients can check in with their doctor about their overall health’s outlook. “Over the past decad...

Take immediate action when seeing signs of a potential stroke. During a stroke, brain cells start to die with each passing minute, making the attack on the brain a true medical emergency requiring immediate medical intervention. “The importance of seeking prompt medical attention with any and all suspected strokes is potentially life-saving and cannot be overstated,” said Dr. Aniel Majjhoo, an interventional neurologist and medical director of the McLaren Stroke Network. Dr. Majjhoo and his colleagues w...

Excessive heat can be dangerous in many ways, but it’s especially dangerous for a certain group of people. It’s a natural process. If it’s hot outside, the body will respond in order to cool itself. On those hot days, though, the body’s response can put significant strain on the heart. And if the heart is already in a weaken or compromised state, that strain can lead to other potential serious issues affecting someone’s overall health. “Our hearts play a large and crucial role in cooling our bodies on h...

Though very rare, it’s the risk for blood clots that paused the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. A blood clot can form anywhere in the body and, most often, the body naturally dissolves them without showing any sign or symptom. In the news lately, though, blood clots can also result in potentially devastating health conditions, such as a stroke, heart attack or pulmonary embolism. A clot is formed when liquid blood within the body thickens and coagulates into a clump-like, semi-solid state. If th...

In many cases, looking at the past can benefit your future health. It may feel like an interview, but a family medical history carries a deep importance to a physician’s ability to thoroughly provide for a patient’s overall health. A family medical history is just that: a family’s medical history, including chronic conditions, cardiovascular conditions, if anyone has had a heart attack, stroke, diabetes and certain types of cancers. And the patient can benefit. Given the hereditary nature of many health...

The leading cause of death in the world, lifestyle changes can help lower your risk for a heart attack. Every year, more than 3 million people in the United States suffer a heart attack. While the symptoms of a heart attack can differ from person to person (and even from men to women), the next steps should always be the same: call 911 and go to the nearest ER. Symptoms can range from arm pain and heavy chest pressure in some to nausea and heartburn for others. “The most important thing that we preach i...

Throat cancer now surpasses cervical cancer as the most common HPV-related cancer. Doctors have long known that the human papilloma virus (HPV) is linked to cervical cancer. However, many members of the general public and even members of the medical community aren't aware of the strong link between HPV and head and neck cancers. Dr. Ammar Sukari, leader of the Head and Neck Multidisciplinary Team at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute and associate professor in the Department of Oncology at Wayne ...

How big of a risk are COVID-19 breakthrough cases? People getting a COVID-19 vaccine have an expectation of being protected. But with reports of breakthrough cases, experts urge everyone to understand what to expect from the vaccines’ protection. Breakthrough cases of COVID-19, though rare, are patients who have tested positive for the coronavirus two or more weeks after their vaccination — once plenty of time has passed for the body’s immune system to build an antibody defense. This situation was one p...

Vaccines are the safest way to reaching herd immunity. When it’s your turn, be ready. Months into the deadly pandemic, the medical community had a genuine cause for celebration with the authorization of multiple safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines. Health care professionals and public health experts now have a way to defend and fight back against the coronavirus. It will take patience, but with the nationwide vaccine program currently underway, it’s vital everyone be ready when his or her turn arrives....