Chattanooga’s best share health expertise, advice
Whether you’re looking for someone to help care for an aging loved one, or anxious to get started on that promise you made to family and friends to be a better version of yourself, Chattanooga has the experts to help get you the answers you need.
For families with aging and/or ill loved ones, peace of mind is crucial both for you and them. To that end, 5 Star Home Care offers guidance and help. For example, watching a family member suffer with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is not an easy thing to do. However, seniors living with COPD can greatly benefit from having a caregiver who is knowledgeable about the disease and how to treat it.
5 Star Home Care’s owner, Kenny Higdon, believes that, “Getting patients with COPD back to a functional quality of life is absolutely doable. Part of that is staying in the mind-set that caregivers can help.”
5 Star provides assistance to Tennesseans living with a disability or recovering from an injury, illness or age-related need. This includes seniors who struggle to breathe because of COPD, a condition of emphysema and chronic bronchitis usually caused by smoking or other longterm exposure to lung irritants such as air pollution, chemical fumes or dust. The progressive disease is the third leading cause of death in the United States, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
For families who are concerned about the health and safety of their loved one, reach out to 5 Star Home Care at 423893-8181.
If you’re struggling with bulging, unsightly veins and don’t want to fight the battle any longer this summer, it might be time to visit University Surgical as these veins may signal something more serious, like venous or vein disease. Recent advancements and improved technology have led to new options for people who are bothered by vein problems or vein or venous disease. The Vein Center at University Surgical Associates (USA) offers to treatments that are safe, effective and minimally invasive. To ensure patient comfort, they also offer conscious sedation.
“Venous insufficiency or venous reflux occurs when your legs can’t pump enough blood back to your heart. The veins in your legs have oneway valves, assisting the blood to circulate up the leg against gravity – and prevent the blood from flowing back down,” said Charles Joels, M.D., FACS, RPVI, vascular surgeon with The Vein Center at USA. “When these valves aren’t working properly, blood can ‘pool’ in the legs or collect in the veins. Varicose veins are swollen veins visible on the skin’s surface that develop as a result venous insufficiency.”
To schedule an appointment at the Vein Center at University Surgical Associates, call 423267-0466.
Making sure your vision is top notch may be at the top of your to-do list to get in better shape. Patients with cataracts can find it a frightening or worrisome matter to deal with, but thanks to the doctors at Complete Eye Care, patients are able to find solutions and peace of mind. And with growing advances in laser assisted surgery, they can find even more certainty than before.
Dr. J.D. Bonner, a board certified Ophthalmologist, opened Complete Eye Care and has been at the Soddy-Daisy location since May of 2005. He handles cataract surgeries and patients at the local practice, and said he’s glad to do what he does.
“Decreased vision from cataracts are reversible with cataract surgery,” Dr. Bonner noted. “Often times, cataract surgery will decrease your dependency on glasses and may alleviate the need for glasses all together,” he said.
Dr. Bonner went to explain that with the use of the laser which precisely corrects astigmatism, patients have a better chance to get 20/20 vision after their cataract surgery.
Complete Eye Care is located at 9453 Dayton Pike in Soddy-Daisy. For more information about their services or to schedule an appointment, call 423-332-8222 or visit completeeyecare.org.
Smiling for family photos may have you on edge, but thanks to the team at Soddy Daisy Smiles, everyone can make sure their smile is camera ready.
“If you fear going to the dentist, you are not alone,” Dr. Mandy Shearer said. “Between 9 and 15 percent of Americans state they avoid going to the dentist because of anxiety or fear.”
The first thing to do is talk with a dentist. The key to coping with dental anxiety is to discuss fears with your dentist. Once your dentist knows what your fears are, he or she will be better able to work with you to determine the best ways to make you less anxious and more comfortable.
She and her husband Dr. Robert Shearer also stress the importance of cleaning because once plaque sits on your teeth for more than 24 hours it hardens into tartar. Plaque and tartar contain huge quantities of bacteria which release toxins causing deterioration of the bone and soft tissues holding the teeth resulting in eventual tooth loss. Tartar must be scraped off professionally with scalers and cannot be removed with a toothbrush or floss.
For more information about Soddy-Daisy Smiles and their services, visit soddydaisysmiles.com or call the office at 423-332-5275 to schedule an appointment.
Identifying the appropriate hearing healthcare provider and hearing aid to be sure you or your loved ones don’t miss out on many of life’s joys can be a daunting task. Current advertisements, online articles, and newspaper promotions often serve to further confound the pressing issues. Patients seeking the best value for their hearing healthcare frequently question the range in pricing and available stores for hearing aids.
Local audiologists at Johnson Audiology offer tips and guidance to help educate patients to be sure they find the best device(s) for them.
“Our audiologists are not beholden to any specific manufacturer, which allows patients a greater variety of available options depending on their type and degree of hearing loss, lifestyle demands and budget,” said Dr. Megan Johnson with Johnson Audiology.
It is important to understand that manufacturers rarely issue their latest technology to the re-branded proprietary label when it is available. Additionally, they seldom distribute the exact model to the private label franchises. Therefore, the proprietary hearing aids often comes with lower or fewer technological features.
For more information about Johnson Audiology, to schedule a consultation, call 423-710-1432 or visit johnsonaudiology.com.
When it comes to nutrition advice, there is a lot of misinformation out there coming from people who are not qualified health professionals (and even from some who are). New trends and health-related buzzwords spread quickly thanks to the internet and social media, and these trends are often not evidence-based. Doctors and the team at Focus Treatment Centers are working to help educate on the matter.
“One popular diet trend now is “clean eating,” said Dr. Courtney Phifer, MS, RD, LDN with Focus. “What is clean eating? It is a very vague term that means different things to different people, with varying levels of extreme. In general, clean eating includes not eating processed foods and getting foods from a local source. Included in this way of eating are that foods must be organic, and produce must be fresh and raw. While this may sound like a great way of eating, it may not be as healthy as it seems.”
She went on to say that cutting out all processed foods can mean cutting out important whole grains, such as oats, rice, and the products that are made from these and other grains. Whole grains are a great source of carbohydrate, which is the body’s preferred source of fuel, as well as fiber and B-vitamins. It’s great to be able to get foods from a local source, but this may not always be possible. It’s great to incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables, which provide important vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. But, frozen and dried produce are healthy choices as well. Some cooking methods, like sautéing, can actually increase nutrient absorption from some vegetables. It’s great to choose foods that are organically farmed, but this may not always be possible due to availability or cost.
If you have concern about yourself or a loved one or their lifestyle or habits, contact Focus Treatment Centers at 423-888-0516 for a complimentary assessment or visit them at FocusTreatmentCenters.com. Phifer is a Registered Dietician on staff at Focus Treatment Centers and additionally sees patients privately at her office in downtown Chattanooga (423-402-0043).