After a long, hard day, you turn on the news and hear about the latest outbreak of measles. Various counties all over the country have been affected (even in our own backyard: Clark County). Here are a few pointers and words of advice regarding this disease. Measles is characterized by fever, cough, runny nose, red eye, and a very specific … Read More
Colorectal Cancer: Signs & Symptoms
Colorectal cancer is a cancer that starts in the colon or the rectum. These cancers can also be named colon cancer or rectal cancer, depending on where they start. Colon cancer and rectal cancer are often grouped together because they have many features in common. Cancer starts when cells in the body start to grow out of control. Cells in … Read More
Bad Weather and Emergency Preparedness: Be Prepared, Be Safe
With winter upon us it’s a good time to review your emergency plans and make sure you are prepared to face the challenges severe weather and emergences can present. Remember, you never know when something will strike (like a tornado in Port Orchard!) so it’s best to plan for the unexpected. Severe weather and emergencies such as earthquakes can cause … Read More
Vitamin Supplements Under a Doctor’s Supervision
Vitamin supplements are certainly the rage these days – especially among our “aging population” (including myself!). There are substances marketed for improving your brain power, your emotional health, your skin, sight, weight, aging, digestion, bone health, etc. Quite a few things are helpful, but many are more beneficial to the marketers than the people who take them. How do … Read More
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Breast cancer awareness is critical in helping women survive breast cancer. Today, this cancer is still the most common cancer among American women. Each year in the United States, more than 240,000 women get breast cancer and more than 40,000 women die from the disease. Men can also get breast cancer, but it is not very common. Breast cancer can’t be … Read More
New Shingrix Vaccine for Shingles
New Shingles Vaccine A new vaccine for shingles was approved by the FDA last Fall, with formal recommendations for use released from the CDC earlier this year. The most common question that has arisen regarding the shingles vaccine is, “Should I get the new vaccine?” The short answer is “yes.” The new medicine, called the Shingrix Vaccine, has multiple advantages … Read More
Blood Pressure Guideline Changes
Olympic Internal Medicine Blog: New Blood Pressure Guidelines As many of you may have heard, a new guideline for high blood pressure was recently (November 2017) released by the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association (ACC/AHA). The big news grabbing part of the guideline was the change in definition of hypertension, down to anything over 130/80, which means … Read More
A Healthy Lifestyle Allows you to achieve your potential
A Healthy Lifestyle Allows Us to Enjoy Our Passions We all want to be healthy and live long lives—enjoying our families, remaining independent, and pursuing our favorite activities as long as possible. The kind of lifestyle we live—from childhood through adulthood— is an important factor that determines how healthy and active we will be. Chronic diseases—such as heart disease, stroke, … Read More
2018 | Important Flu Information & Updates
CDC Flu Information According to the Centers for Disease Control, this year’s flu has been one of the most virulent flu season in years. Flu activity in the county may have peaked, however, we are still seeing cases here in our practice on a near-daily basis. Contact us to get your flu shot It’s not too late to get the flu vaccine … Read More
Does Medicare cover Preventative Exams?
Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers: A “Welcome to Medicare” preventive visit: You can get this introductory visit only within the first 12 months you have Part B. This visit includes a review of your medical and social history related to your health and education and counseling about preventive services, including these: Certain screenings, shots and referrals for other care, … Read More