Whether you’ll spend the holidays visiting with relatives or traveling the world, make staying well a priority! In this special holiday episode of Inside Scope, podcast host and LRH infectious disease expert Dr. Daniel Haight gives helpful tips to help you avoid an unpleasant vacation souvenir like a nasty virus. Dr. Haight reminds listeners that washing your hands frequently and sneezing into your elbow also can help you avoid sharing such a “gift” with vulnerable family members.

When people find themselves short of breath after activities that they used to do with no problem, they want to write it off as a sign of aging – but that would be a mistake. In this episode of Inside Scope, host Dr. Daniel Haight talks with Pulmonary and Critical Care physician Dr. James Brown about COPD and interstitial lung disease, different conditions that both cause shortness of breath. An accurate diagnosis is important, Dr. Brown says, because finding the cause allows pulmonologists to ease their patients’ suffering and help them have a better quality of life.

In a new episode with Lakeland Regional Health Surgeons Dr. Zachary Boucher and Dr. Michael Taylor, Inside Scope explores gall bladder surgery. In this episode, host Dr. Daniel Haight and the surgeons discuss what the gallbladder does as well as symptoms that may lead to surgery, such as gall stones, gallbladder pain, and others. The surgeons say that gall bladder surgery is very well tolerated and note that using laparoscopic surgery not only has led to quicker, easier recovery but also has led to fewer complications later, such as hernias.

In the first of two episodes with Lakeland Regional Health Surgeons Dr. Zachary Boucher and Dr. Michael Taylor, Inside Scope explores some common surgeries. In this episode, host Dr. Daniel Haight and the surgeons discuss appendectomies. Although appendectomies have been performed successfully for a long time, CT scans have made diagnosing appendicitis easier, and minimally invasive surgical techniques have dramatically reduced recovery time. The surgeons say it’s a rewarding procedure, in that patients feel better almost as soon as they wake up from anesthesia.

Do you worry about your bone health? In this episode of Inside Scope, host Dr. Daniel Haight talks with Kelly Moores, PA-C, a bone health coordinator at Lakeland Regional Health. The unfortunate truth is that after age 50, one in two women and one in four men will break a bone due to osteoporosis – and after one “fragility fracture,” they are five times more likely to break another bone. The good news is that there are medications that can protect the bones, but there are also lifestyle choices that can improve bone health, such as exercising to build strength or improve balance, stopping smoking, or drinking alcohol to excess. And the sooner you start to protect your bones, the better.

Most men do not like to go to the doctor, often because they are afraid of what they might learn. In this episode of Inside Scope, host Dr. Daniel Haight talks with Urologic Oncologist Dr. Graham Greene, Executive Director of the Hollis Cancer Center and Chief Academic Officer for LRH, about the importance of screening for prostate cancer and more. For men, it’s vital to establish a relationship with a primary care physician they trust and feel comfortable talking with about private health concerns. Prostate cancer is often asymptomatic, and it may be caught early through screening. Screening is a routine check that’s done on patients who do not have symptoms, stresses Dr. Greene, and screening saves lives.

Have you ever wondered why doctors choose specific specialty areas? In this episode of Inside Scope, Dr. Daniel Haight talks with orthopedic trauma surgeons Dr. Renee Genova and Dr. Heather Wortham about what hooked them on orthopedics. Both cited the satisfaction of solving problems, working with their hands, and using their expertise to fix broken bones. And they love the excitement and unpredictability of working in a trauma center. Get a peek into the life of an orthopedic surgeon and learn about the implants they use to reinforce healing bones.

Do Sports Med doctors only help athletes?

If your favorite activity has begun to hurt, it may be time to see a Sports Medicine physician. In this episode of Inside Scope, Dr. Daniel Haight talks with orthopedic surgeons Dr. Eric Wicks and Dr. Colton Faza about how they help patients return to sports, recreational activities, or physical work without pain. Unlike those with an acute injury, chronic pain sufferers may put off seeing a sports med doctor – which could mean a longer healing time. This episode stresses whether you’re a serious athlete or a weekend warrior, there’s no reason to play through the pain.