By Anne-Marie Chalmers, MD Muscle wasting. It’s a nasty phenomenon that scares many of us over the age of 40 – especially when we stand naked in front of the mirror! Known more formally as sarcopenia, muscle wasting is a major issue. As many as 25-45% of older adults in …

When a toenail is ingrown, it is curved and grows into the skin, usually at the nail borders (the sides of the nail). This “digging in” of the nail irritates the skin, often creating pain, redness, swelling, and warmth in the toe. If an ingrown nail causes a break in …

The circulatory system must contend with distance and gravity, so often the lower extremities are the first to show signs of vascular and arterial disease. If you have noticed skin discoloration, this symptom is extremely common in peripheral artery disease (PAD), peripheral vascular disease (PVD), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), critical …

The second year of the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on health care grabbed plenty of headlines in 2021, but BayCare’s new annual Report to the Community tells the rest of the story for West Central Florida’s leading not-for-profit health care system. Even amid all the challenges of the pandemic, …

After getting several stents, Richard Wheeler said he had a difficult time when his cardiologist at BayCare’s Mease Countryside Hospital told him there was nothing else he could do for him. Wheeler became one of the more than 6million people in the United States with heart failure, a condition where …

By Michael Branch, MD What is sinusitis, and how long does it last? Chronic sinusitis affects nearly 30 million people in the United States each year.1 Inflammation of the sinuses within the nose and head interferes with how mucus drains and can cause difficulty breathing through the nose due to …

Many individuals have a difficult time finding ways to manage stress. In stressful situations, our brains’ complex anatomy and process work to produce fear, anxiety, worry, and the decision to take flight or to fight. There are neurotransmitters throughout the entire body that send signals to the brain, alerting us …

When it comes to colorectal cancer, the facts can be scary. Fortunately, the availability of effective early screening and the ease of making simple lifestyle changes brighten the outlook. Overall, in the U.S., 1 in 23 men (4.3%) and 1 in 25 women (4%) are at risk of developing colorectal …

SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) is a Free program offered by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs and the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco & Pinellas. Specially trained volunteers can assist you with your Medicare, Medicaid, and Health insurance questions by providing one-on-one counseling and information. SHINE …

We are hearing about inflammation more often in health and wellness circles, but what exactly is inflammation and how can we reduce it?  Inflammation is a process by which your body’s white blood cells and the things they make protect you from infection from outside invaders, such as bacteria and viruses. …