By Juan C. Gutierrez, M.D. Board Certified in General Surgery Were you one of the millions of people across the United States that unknowingly joined together in making that all-too-common resolution, “This is the year that I’m finally going to lose this extra weight!” How is that going? Some will succeed, …

Did you know that 1 in 68 children have Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)?  After High School, 35% of young adults with ASD have never had a job or have continued their higher education degree.  Unfortunately, it’s exceedingly rare for elementary and high school students with ASD to be full-time in …

By Jane N. Hannah, Ed.D Over summer break, I was in a hospital elevator carrying a new book on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and a person on the elevator inquired about the book. She commented that her son was just diagnosed with ADHD, which sparked a conversation between the two …

Sleep apnea affects more than 25 million people in the United States.  It is a progressive condition that interrupts breathing patterns throughout a person’s sleep.  People that suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) may have episodes of stopping breathing up to hundreds of times per night for 10 seconds or …

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, nearly 22 million Americans age 40 and older have cataracts, a clouding of the natural lens of the eye. Since the first cataract extraction surgery in the mid 1700s, cataract surgery has become the most frequently performed and, with a 98% success rate, …

Chances are that you know someone with high blood pressure; maybe you have the condition as well. If you haven’t checked your blood pressure recently, you should make it priority to do so at your next doctor visit. Long term, uncontrolled or untreated high blood pressure can cause wide range of …

By Omeni Osian, MD Ocala Health Heart & Lung Surgery Heart surgery is common throughout the world with over 700,000 heart surgeries performed each year. Of those, 250,000 are heart valve repair or replacement surgeries. Traditionally, valve repair and replacement is completed by separating the chest bone and accessing the valve …

Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) describes arthritis of the spine resulting in low back pain caused by a combination of inflammation of the damaged discs and a lack of spinal stability. In some patients, the pain may travel from the low back down into the hips and buttocks – a condition called …

The next flu season will soon be among us. With each year passing, viruses mutate, adapt, and become more virulent, causing more illness, and sometimes hospital visits. Protecting against some of these dangerous infections often begins by getting ourselves properly immunized. Immunizations help our own body produce essential antibodies that help …

A cancer diagnosis is a devastating, life-changing event. Dealing with cancer and the physical, emotional and financial issues that often come with it can be extremely challenging. Luckily, oncology nurses are there to help patients along the way. InterCommunity Cancer Center would like to honor these medical professionals who are the …