January is Cervical Health Awareness Month. This presents a good opportunity for the question: How much do you know about cervical cancer and how to prevent it? Most women undergo regular Pap smears, but you may not know or appreciate why we recommend you undergo the test. The Pap smear, which has been used since […]
Whether you’ve been diagnosed with high blood pressure or you are simply at risk of the condition, checking your blood pressure at home can be a good idea. High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is very common among Americans. In fact, the numbers are pretty astounding—nearly half of all Americans ages 20 and older have […]
Hospitals can be a scary place. As a patient or loved one, spending time in the hospital can be stressful on the body as well as the mind. At Northeast Georgia Health System, pet therapy dogs are used to promote well-being and health for patients, visitors and staff alike. Started in 2012 as a collaboration […]
At your recent cardiology appointment, perhaps “TAVR” was mentioned as an option for treating aortic stenosis. But what exactly is TAVR? TAVR is a relatively new and innovative way of treating aortic stenosis. In cases where surgery is needed to replace the aortic valve, this minimally invasive procedure offers an alternative to traditional open procedures. […]
If medical providers have recommended that your loved one enter hospice, you may have many questions about what that entails. The short answer: It depends on the type of care your friend or family member needs. Hospice care isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s a method of providing care for patients nearing the end of life, and it’s […]
It’s that time of year again! The leaves have fallen, the days are shorter, and the weather is turning chilly. It’s also the time of year when flu vaccination clinics abound, and you may have some questions. Why should I get the flu shot? The flu vaccine can help prevent you from coming down with […]
Whether you recently began undergoing cancer treatment or are beginning radiation therapy as a new type of treatment, you may have many questions about what to expect. That’s only natural! Undergoing any type of medical treatment, even when it’s not related to cancer, can be nerve-wracking and a little bit scary. Knowing what to expect […]
You might have come across stories of individuals enduring a brain aneurysm. The experience of a ruptured aneurysm can be a sudden, life-threatening crisis, often making headlines and causing concern. Despite being aware of brain aneurysms, it’s entirely normal not to fully grasp the complexities of what happens during an aneurysm rupture. Let’s explore some […]
When the body is functioning at its best, all the different parts work collaboratively. So, it makes sense that when one part of the body isn’t working optimally, it can also impact other parts of the body. That’s the case with the recently coined cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome. In October 2023, the American Heart Association (AHA) issued […]
When you experience pain, it’s only natural to want to know how to relieve it. So, what can you do to relieve hernia pain? Pain related to a hernia of any kind can often be alleviated temporarily with some basic at-home care. Getting rid of your discomfort in the long-term, though, requires more than a […]
If you’ve been diagnosed with high blood pressure, the odds are that your provider recommended some lifestyle changes or prescribed medication to help lower it. What happens if your blood pressure doesn’t respond to treatment? For most people, basic treatments like medications and lifestyle changes are enough to lower blood pressure into a healthier range. […]
If you’ve turned on the TV at any time in the past year, odds are that you’ve seen an ad for a semaglutide medication. But while we’ve been inundated with commercials about these medications, few people have a good understanding of how they work—or the fact that they can benefit the heart. Semaglutide medications, including […]
Sandra Coley’s first encounter with Hospice of Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) was in 2012 when her son passed away in a motorcycle accident. Now she sews memory bears to give back to Hospice of NGMC families who have experienced similar losses. After her son passed, she participated in the grief support program offered to […]
Odds are, you’ve taken antibiotics a time or two to treat an illness. Most people have. But you may still have questions about what they are and how they work best. With the colder months coming up fast, the time where contagious illnesses go wild is also quickly approaching. If an antibiotic is prescribed to […]
During a recent bout of pneumonia you had, your provider spotted a lung nodule on a routine CT scan. Does that mean you have lung cancer? Lung nodules are incredibly common—and they are often detected during imaging scans related to the diagnosis or treatment of an unrelated condition. In fact, according to the American Thoracic […]
If you have diabetes, you’re probably familiar with the A1C test, which measures your blood sugar. What you may not know, though, is how to lower that seemingly stubborn number. Diabetes occurs when you have a high amount of sugar in your blood. This happens to everyone on occasion, but in those who don’t have […]
The American Cancer Society estimates that 238,340 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year, including more than 7,000 people in Georgia alone. Like other forms of cancer, lung cancer is more easily treated when it’s diagnosed early. Could you benefit from lung cancer screening? When you think about cancer screenings, the routine screenings […]
When we think about receiving medical care, it typically involves treatment for specific physical or mental symptoms. But those who have a serious illness can often benefit from a different type of care—palliative care. You may have heard about palliative care in the same conversation with hospice. At Northeast Georgia Health System, in fact, in-home […]