Elijah Mobley M.D. FACS

What is acid reflux and how do I know I have it? There are many symptoms of acid reflux and most of them are recognizable and include:
Heartburn: known as acid indigestion, heartburn presents as a burning pain moving up from the stomach to the middle of the abdomen and higher into the chest. In some severe cases, pain can also move into the throat.
Regurgitation: is another common symptom. Recognized as acid backing up into your throat or mouth, it often produces a sour or bitter taste.

Antibiotics have been helping people recover from disease and surgeries for more than seventy years. Over the years, their use has been beneficial and their value in patient care is incalculable. There is a down side however. Because these drugs have been used so widely and for such long periods of time, the infectious organisms have adapted making the drugs less effective. Some organisms develop resistance to a single antibiotic agent while others develop resistance to several types of agents. In fact, some disease organisms have become resistant to all known drug therapies.

Why are Americans getting fatter? Fully one-third of U.S. citizens are obese or overweight. With all the data and education about healthy diets out there, why is no one listening. We are turning in droves to high calorie foods that collect on our waists, our thighs, and turkey waddles with reckless abandon. Of course, we all know that obesity and overweight conditions contribute to a variety of health problems, not the least of which is Diabetes or heart disease.

We all know how a doctor checks for a hernia: turn your head and cough, right? Sure, but since most of us are not doctors, we might need a little more information hernias, their symptoms, and their causes. There are quite a few myths about hernias floating around out there; so, here is the layman’s version in less than 500 words.

These days, everyone has heard the new on obesity: more Americans are overweight now than at any other time. It’s also no secret that obesity leads to heart disease, Type II Diabetes, and some forms of cancer. Obesity has also been linked to depression, social stigma, and other types of psychological problems. Health education is trying hard to keep up and everywhere we go there are messages reminding us to eat healthy and exercise. The upward trend of growing waistlines has also given rise to a multi-trillion health industry. From pharmaceuticals to alternative healing, everyone has an opinion on how we need to live. From doctors to psychologists to personal trainers, there are millions of programs to help us lose weight and be healthy. Nowhere is this more evident than in the diet business. There are literally dozens of diets designed to help us drop pounds in all kinds of ways.

The endocrine system is an often overlooked, but essential component of bodily function. Glands are located throughout the body and are responsible of producing and dispensing vital chemicals known as hormones. These hormones are distributed throughout the body through a duct system that regulates functions including metabolism, bone growth, and reproduction. There is also a built-in feedback system to tell the glands when to produce more or less of a particular hormone, depending on the functionality of the organ. Any imbalance in any of these glands can lead to massive disorders and problems in development and maintenance of essential functions. Hormone imbalances were first diagnosed as mental disease, until modern medicine has revealed the important role of the endocrine network.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, more than 30% of Americans qualify as obese; and even more are defined as overweight. Weight management is at the forefront of healthy living. Obesity and overweight conditions contribute to a vast array of maladies including heart disease, diabetes, and depression. With all the press about a healthy diet, why is weight management such a difficult element of our lifestyle? Are we simply lazy, or is there something else at work here? Hard was we try, we may be playing with a stacked deck. Many people find that their biggest challenge lies on the diet side of the equation. A good first step in conquering the battle of the belt line is checking food labels. When you do, here are three things to watch for on the government mandated nutritional information panel:

Stress is a part of everyday life. At home and at work, we encounter stressors that take many forms; some we can see coming, others are more insidious. It is easy to recognize stress at work when the boss calls you into the office for a frank discussion about performance issues or when the workload unexpectedly doubles. At home, the kids require constant attention and dinner has not been planned. Instead of relaxing with the family tonight, your new workload demands attention before tomorrow. While these are simple things that are a part of everyday life, they very often contribute to an increase in the overall anxiety level. According to the CDC’s NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) Blog, more than 30% of workers report high levels of workplace stress.

Surgery; for some people the very thought of it makes them uncomfortable. By definition, surgery involves cutting into the skin and might even involve further incision to major organs. No doubt this is a traumatic experience, not only on the mind, but also for the body.

Injury, including those caused by criminal acts, is the leading cause of death among people 44 years of age and younger. What’s more, injuries, intentional or not, have far-reaching impacts on the lives of patients. Injuries are very often a traumatic experience and can lead to not only physical problems, but psychological and financial as well. Injuries can also result in short term and long term disabilities, which can have disastrous effects on a patient’s mental welfare. Rehabilitating from an injury goes beyond any immediate, first-responder trauma care. Follow up surgery and after care present a holistic approach to injury response.