Wellness Blog
5 things about asthma in the winter
Posted on January 17, 2018
Winter is a time to hunker down inside, a time to catch up on books you’ve been meaning to read or binge-watch shows you felt too guilty to watch when the weather was warm. But Dr. Jingli Ma, a pulmonologist at Melrose-Wakefield Hospital, said it’s also prime time for asthma flare-ups. Here are five things […]
7 tips to manage seasonal allergy symptoms
Posted on August 18, 2017
Allergies can make even the nicest day feel miserable. Use these tips to feel better during allergy season.
3 tips for parents to talk with tweens and teens about their bodies
Posted on July 14, 2017
The teen years are a period of intense physical, mental and emotional growth. How to build trust between teens and their parents and doctor.
Bariatric surgery isn’t ‘cheating,’ and other weight loss facts
Posted on June 12, 2017
Weight loss with bariatric surgery is effective, but it takes dedication. Learn about surgical and non-surgical weight loss options in Medford.
Can marijuana use during pregnancy harm a baby?
Posted on May 16, 2017
By Crystal Grimes, NP, APN, MSN, Obstetrics & Gynecology Nurse Practitioner in Revere, Mass. Many women don’t think using marijuana while pregnant or breastfeeding is a big deal, but early studies show it can harm baby.
Marijuana is a hot topic, as new debates about its safety and legalization crop up every week. I have conversations with my patients every day about marijuana use during pregnancy.
Millennials are now more at risk for colon cancer. But should they be screened for it?
Posted on March 23, 2017
By Brian Clark, MD Gastroenterology in Stoneham, Mass. In recent decades, more young people have developed colon and rectal cancers than before. The rate of colon cancer found in those ages 20-29 rose up to 2.4 percent per year from the mid-1980s through 2013, while the rate of rectal cancer among that age group rose […]
What causes epilepsy, and can seizures be stopped?
Posted on March 6, 2017
By David Miller, MD Neurology in Stoneham, Mass. Epilepsy can be unpredictable. Some of my patients have multiple seizures every day, while others go years without having a seizure, only to have one out of the blue. Obviously this is frustrating for people with epilepsy and their families. So, it’s probably no surprise that one […]
How radiation therapy works, and how we’re making it better
Posted on January 25, 2017
By Phillip Gray, M.D. Hallmark Health Center for Radiation Oncology in Stoneham, Mass. I get many questions about radiation therapy from cancer patients and their families. How does it work? Is it safe? Why does it take so many treatments? And what are we doing to make the process easier? First off, it’s good to […]
Overcoming language, cultural barriers in health care
Posted on January 10, 2017
By Jennifer Powell, D.O. Family Medicine in Malden, MA Patients need to feel comfortable talking openly about their health for doctors to provide care that gets to the root of the problem. However, that requires a lot of trust. We have to show patients that we really want to get to know them. That […]
Hypnobirthing: Pain relief through the power of the mind
Posted on November 1, 2016
By Matthias Muenzer, M.D. Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health in Medford & Melrose, MA I often see women who are worried about giving birth. Friends and relatives tell them stories about labor that drags on and on for hours, with almost unbearable pain. There’s no way around it: Labor and delivery can be painful. However, it […]
Community cancer centers: advanced care near home
Posted on October 25, 2016
By Phillip Gray, M.D. Hallmark Health Center for Radiation Oncology in Stoneham, Mass. Those of us who live in Boston can consider ourselves lucky that we’re located near some of the best research hospitals in the world. Clinical trials and doctors with the expertise to treat patients with rare cancers are right here. But if […]
Birth control and cancer: Can oral contraceptives prevent ovarian cancer?
Posted on September 13, 2016
Does birth control reduce the risk of ovarian cancer? Dr. Muenzer discusses two major preventive methods — birth control & tubal reduction.
What Boston women need to know about Zika virus
Posted on September 6, 2016
By Matthias Muenzer, M.D. Ob/Gyn and Women’s Health in Medford & Melrose, MA Sept. 6, 2016 update: A few things have developed with Zika virus in the United States and Massachusetts since I shared my original blog post below in July 2016. Massachusetts has the fifth highest number of Zika cases in the nation. And […]
No more breast stress: What you need to know about breast pain
Posted on August 30, 2016
By Vicki MacLean, N.P. Melrose & Wakefield – Women’s Health – Breast Surgery Tingling, burning, zinging, tender — these are just some of the words my patients use to describe breast pain, a common condition in women of all ages. By the time they come to see me in my Melrose office, most women have […]
Fight the bite: Lyme disease and other tickborne diseases
Posted on August 23, 2016
By Edward Butler, M.D., Traveler’s Health and Infectious Disease Services at Lawrence Memorial Hospital of Medford and Melrose Wakefield Hospital You may not see them. But they’re out there. Ixodes scapularis, more commonly known as the deer tick, is a parasite that lives on many animals in Massachusetts and throughout New England. Ticks carry a host […]