Author: St. Elizabeth Healthcare

As we age, we take every precaution with our skin – wearing a hat, using sunscreen and applying moisturizer regularly. However, what are you doing to protect what’s under your skin? Our bones are a critical piece of our overall health. Our bones keep our spine straight and help us stay active in everyday life without the risk of easily fracturing a bone. Just like our skin, our bones need checkups and maintenance. The month of May is Osteoporosis Awareness Month, and our team of bone density experts at St. Elizabeth Healthcare are informing the Northern Kentucky community about a…

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) has set aside May 6 to raise awareness about skin cancer and increase education on skin health, sun safety and skin cancer screenings. When skin cancer is detected early—including melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer—it is usually treatable. The best way to find skin cancer early is to check yourself regularly. Skin cancer may present in a variety of ways, but commonly appears as: Any spot or marking that is new.A spot that changes in size, shape, feel or color. An unusual sore or lump that shows crusting, oozing or bleeding.As unusual spot…

As we recognize May as Speech Therapy Month, approximately 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease each year and up to 90% are likely to develop speech disorders. Parkinson’s is a disease of the nervous system that affects a specific area of your brain. You may recognize the tremors associated with Parkinson’s disease, but most people affected have many other symptoms, including changes in gait and posture, and changes in muscles in the face, mouth and throat. Most people take everyday activities like talking on the phone, chewing or swallowing for granted, but when you have Parkinson’s disease, those simple…

Maybe you’ve been thinking about quitting for a while but unsure if you can stick to it. Or perhaps you’d like to encourage a loved one or friend to kick their smoke habit for good. No matter what your reason is – it’s important to get the facts and the support in place before you take the leap. Dr. Royce Calhoun, Thoracic Surgeon at St. Elizabeth Healthcare, says people only quit if they’re motivated to quit. If you are a smoker, you need to feel the value of eliminating cigarettes from your daily life to make it a reality. “Cigarettes…

TAVR Procedure Offers Minimally Invasive Option for Aortic Valve Replacement A 75-year-old rock legend’s recent reported heart valve surgery has put the spotlight on one of the decade’s top heart care advances . The transcatheter aortic valve replacement procedure, more commonly called TAVR (pronounced tavver), presents an option for people with severe aortic valve disease to live a longer, fuller life. Many of those people are in their 70s, 80s and 90s. “Eight or 10 years ago, we didn’t have much hope for people with severe degenerative valve disease whose health made open heart surgery prohibitive,” says Saeb Khoury, MD,…

We’ve all heard the term “arthritis” – but did you know that it encompasses more than 100 joint diseases in 54 million adults in the United States*? The most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis, affects nearly 21 million Americans. [*source: The Arthritis Foundation] Rheumatoid Arthritis: The Facts Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder that impacts 1.5 million people in the United States. Patients with RA experience symptoms of joint pain, stiffness (especially in the morning, usually lasting for an hour or more), fatigue, low-grade fevers and aches. As the disease progresses, rheumatoid nodules (lumps) can also be found near…

Extra weight puts you at extra risk of serious health problems. And a bariatric surgeon at St. Elizabeth says the longer you carry more than 100 extra pounds, the more health risks you face. Dr. Ryan Moon, Medical Director of Bariatric Surgery at the St. Elizabeth Physicians Weight Management Center, says that patients who have bariatric surgery quickly reap health benefits beyond the weight loss itself. With bariatric surgery, most patients see an improvement in health conditions, or they may completely resolve after surgery. For example, up to 80 percent of patients with diabetes are in remission within one year…

Everyone makes plans for the future, whether it is where you are going on vacation or what you are making for dinner. Yet, you ignore planning your healthcare decisions. Stephanie Cavanaugh, RN, MSN, BSW, Palliative Care Manager at St. Elizabeth Healthcare explains, “It is very important that your family and doctor know what your healthcare wishes are if you are unable to communicate. Advance care planning conversations and documents help people explore what lies ahead in their healthcare journey and make decisions, in advance, for what may happen. Then, when it comes to decision time, someone else isn’t making the…

Did you know that the number one cause of esophageal cancer in the United States is gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)? While GERD is common – between 30 and 40 Americans are affected by it each year – many patients believe that GERD isn’t impacting their overall health. Experts at St. Elizabeth Healthcare want to flip the script on that myth. April is Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month, and our Thoracic Surgery department is committed to educating the Northern Kentucky community on GERD and its direct connection to esophageal cancer. “GERD isn’t something to simply live with,” says Dr. Valerie Williams, Thoracic…

Occupational therapy is a critical aspect of caring for patients with neurologic disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and recovery from a stroke. As we recognize National Occupational Therapy Month in April, we also celebrate the role occupational therapists play in helping people with neurologic disorders live life to the fullest. Annette Erickson, OT/L, CLT, LSVT, an Occupational Therapist at St. Elizabeth Healthcare with specialized training in treating patients with Parkinson’s disease and lymphedema therapy, explains the role she plays in her patient’s lives. “Occupational therapy helps care for the whole person, not just their medical condition. We look at how…