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Health Matters: Hallux varus: A bunion in reverse

ESCANABA — Bunions are part of the American lexicon, a term used with great comic effect in numerous shows and movies. Exactly what it is may be unclear to many, but most Americans at least realize it is some kind of foot deformity. Various misconceptions exist as to the specifics of a bunion, but it is a common development, with a third of our senior population afflicted. But this treatise is not a discussion of the ubiquitous bunion. With this deformity, the big toe slides gradually over towards the lesser toes, with a bony prominence developing at the base of the great toe. But ...

Health Matters: Diabetes and depression

ESCANABA — Modern humans are prone to a host of maladies. One of the most common and potentially debilitating diseases is diabetes. It is an unusual condition in that there is a great variety of manifestations resulting from the condition, with numerous organs potentially affected. Most have heard of the vision and kidney problems. Then there are the complications to nerves and blood vessels leading too often to infection and amputation of the feet. Diabetics are more likely to have a heart attack or stroke, as well as a reduced ability to fight infections. And newer research has ...

Health Matters: Precision nutrition turns food into medicine

ESCANABA — The study of nutrition isn’t much of a science. We have few specifics on the subject, there being far too many variables (for us) to make accurate predictions. Sadly, we have little information about the consequences of many substances Americans consume regularly (especially the artificial ones), little heed to the fact that, literally, “you are what you eat.” A common scenario is as follows. Someone goes for their annual checkup and is found to have elevated blood pressure. With little fanfare and no discussion, a prescription is written for a drug which this ...

Hospital seeks community input on health survey

ESCANABA – OSF HealthCare St. Francis Hospital & Medical Group is requesting help from the local community to determine and prioritize health needs. A survey is now available, and residents can participate by filling it out online or completing a paper copy. OSF HealthCare hospitals conduct community health needs assessments every three years and put together plans to meet the community needs that the assessments identify. After data is collected and each community’s health needs are prioritized by greatest need, administrative and caregiver teams at OSF HealthCare work ...

Health Matters: Dangers to foot health from Type 2 Diabetes

Life is full of hazards, be they emotional or be they physical. Depending on the location, a variety of complications can result from an injury, even one that is seemingly mild. Tweak a knee joint, or twist an ankle, and damage can occur to one of the vital structures composing these complex articulations. Being careful is wise but accidents still happen. Ankle sprains are one of the most common joints injured, occurring to the athlete and average citizen alike. Although estimates vary greatly, almost two thirds of sprains will have continued problems after the normal course of ...

Health Matters: Dangers to foot health from Type 2 Diabetes

ESCANABA — The internet has radically transformed society, and in ways that were not entirely predictable. Along with being able to purchase items from all over the world with a simple keystroke, information of all manner, on every topic imaginable, is similarly available. Unfortunately, the veracity of all this content is sometimes dubious. How is one to know? Information on health, medicine, and wellness, is of interest to many Americans. How they come by this knowledge will vary tremendously, and often is from unreliable sources. Sometimes important medical concepts are drawn from ...