Author: St. Elizabeth Healthcare

It’s a question many new and expectant mothers wonder – is it safe for me to exercise during and after pregnancy? Staying fit: it’s good for you and the baby For expecting mothers, there are many positives to exercising throughout the entire nine months of pregnancy. While modifications are sometimes necessary, exercising while pregnant typically gets the green light from the Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN) field. “There are so many benefits,” says Dr. Lily Hahn, an OBGYN in the St. Elizabeth Physicians Women’s Health group. “It can help you maintain or even improve your fitness, decreases your risk of gestational…

Smoking is the biggest cause of lung cancer but the second leading cause of lung cancer is a gas you can’t see, smell or taste—radon. Radon is a radioactive gas. You may remember it from the periodic table you studied in high school. It is naturally present in nature and comes from the ground when radium (another chemical element) decays. Radon has been present in our atmosphere for thousands of years but what makes it dangerous is when you inhale too much of it. Since humans can’t sense it without special equipment, you probably don’t even know you are inhaling…

Whether you’re starting to train for football, soccer or field hockey, it is important to understand concussions as you prepare for the fall sports season. The American Medical Society for Sports Medicine defines a sport-related concussion as “a traumatic brain injury induced by biomechanical forces.” Signs and Symptoms of a Concussion Dr. Michael Miller of St. Elizabeth Sports Medicine says, “When an athlete suffers a concussion they develop temporary signs and symptoms that can have an impact on many aspects of their life including academics and social skills.” Dr. Miller says the good news is, the symptoms are usually temporary. “The…

According to the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH), Dupuytren’s contracture occurs when the hand tissue beneath the skin becomes diseased and thickens, forming nodules. These nodules grab onto the skin above it and tether to it, creating pits from the skin pulling inward. Dupuytren’s contracture also can develop cords in the palm that may extend to the fingers. As the disease progresses, these cords can thicken and shorten causing the fingers or thumb to contract toward the palm. Symptoms of Dupuytren’s contracture include: Nodules (rarely painful or tender) Pits Cords which can cause finger/thumb contractures Thickened knuckle…

It’s one of the major bummers of summer: mosquitoes invading our barbeques, ticks looking to latch onto us during a hike or fleas jumping onto our beloved pets. With warm weather comes insect invasions – and there really are more insects trying to get a nibble. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cases of vector-borne disease (caused by mosquitos, ticks and fleas) have increased significantly since 2004, with more than 1 million cases reported between 2001 and 2023. Annual reported vector-borne disease cases more than doubled during this period. What’s a summer-loving Tri-State resident to do? Read…

Platelet Rich Plasma or PRP is created using your own blood that is separated out to remove the red and white blood cells and retain the platelets which are rich in growth factors. This solution, when injected into damaged tissue, can help promote healing and stop degeneration. Today, PRP injections are used to help relieve pain caused by ligament and tendon injury and osteoarthritis. Dr. Michael Bertram, a board-certified Physician of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (also called Physiatry) says, “PRP injections are different than other injections used to relieve pain because it is a potentially longer-term more permanent solution compared…

When you think about how to relieve arthritic knee and hip pain the answer is often easy – joint replacement. But did you know that if you suffer from pain due to thumb arthritis you have options, including an innovative new joint replacement procedure. Dr. James Baker, an affiliated fellowship-trained hand surgeon with OrthoCincy Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine who practices at St. Elizabeth Healthcare, provides this thumb replacement surgery for active patients looking to regain function of their thumb and relieve pain. The procedure uses a system called the Stablyx hemi-arthroplasty by Skeletal Dynamics. Dr. Baker describes the procedure, “When…

We’ve all heard the term “ACL injury” – but what exactly does that mean? Is there any way to prevent it? Chances are unless you or a loved one has first-hand experience with this type of injury, you might need a little refresher course on the ACL – especially as the fall sports season starts to gear up. The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) is located between the knee bones. It holds the shin bone and thigh bone from sliding out of place. The ACL can either over-stretch or completely tear when it’s injured, causing immediate pain and oftentimes, inability to…

Most people have five primary senses—sight, smell, touch, hearing and taste. But do you think about how to use each of these senses to choose fruits and vegetables and improve your nutrition? The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends eating at least five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Rebecca Jilek, MPH, RD, LD, CDE, a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator at the St. Elizabeth Physicians Weight Management Center, says the amount of vegetables you eat isn’t the only thing you should take into consideration. She recommends using all of your senses to get the most nutritional…

This summer, as you head out for a pickup basketball game or a fierce tennis match with your old high school friend, remember one thing—warm up properly before hitting the court. “The middle-aged athlete, between the ages of 30-50, are the most common people I see with Achilles tendon tears,” says Dr. Nicholas Gates, an affiliated orthopaedic foot and ankle specialist at OrthoCincy Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine. Dr. Gates specializes in the reconstruction of the foot and ankle and performs surgeries at St. Elizabeth Healthcare. He adds, “There is a combination of factors that make the middle-aged athlete more prone…