Parkview Health

Thanks for checking out my blog!

As a husband and father of four young children, a graduate of the Ohio State University College of Medicine, and a Board Certified Family Physician with 11 years of practice under my belt, I want to share with you the best of my knowledge and experience to improve your family's health and wellness.

In my practice at PPG Midwest Community Health Associates, as a part of Parkview Health, I take care of pregnant women, deliver babies, and care for children and adults of all ages in the office, the hospital and the nursing home. I practice in the beautiful small town of Archbold, in Fulton County, Ohio, which my family calls home. You may even get to hear from my family from time to time on this page!

Please feel free to suggest topics that you would like to discuss here, as I hope that this blog can be interactive.

Thanks again for being a part of this blog, where your family's health matters!

Posts do not replace visits with your doctor.

Robins, daffodils and ... tree pollen. Spring is springing, and with it, allergy season begins again.

Has your nose started running again recently?  Are you sneezing and coughing? Do you find it easier to breathe through your mouth than your itchy, congested nose? Then your allergies are back in full swing. 

Now is the time to get started back on your prescription nose spray. Steroid nose sprays take about five days to kick in, so don't delay! When you use your spray, remember that it takes...

Hemorrhoids. A pain-in-the-behind for millions of Americans.

Believe it or not, hemorrhoids are the number one trending health issues on Google search for 2012, per Zeitgeist. Since it is so highly searched, I'm guessing that folks have many unanswered questions about hemorrhoids. So let's try to answer them here.

What are hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids are normal blood vessels (hemorrhoidal veins) that become engorged and distended with blood. This typically happens for one of several reasons:

• Constipatio...

Did you have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as a child? Did you outgrow it?

New research suggests that many kids with ADHD do not outgrow it. According to a report, published in the March 4 online edition of Pediatrics (and summarized by the Mayo Clinic here), 29 percent of children with ADHD still have it as adults. Moreover, 81percent of those adults who have persistent ADHD also have another psychiatric disorder (such as depression, anxiety or substance abuse). As you can see,...

“What hath night to do with sleep?” 

Is that question a part of your reality? Do you lie in bed at night and find that the harder you try, the more sleep eludes you?

Sleep should be your friend, not your enemy. It's the time that your body uses to restore itself. So how can you get more of it?

For starters, it is important to practice good "sleep hygiene."  What does that mean? Here are a few suggestions:

• Go to bed at the same time each night, and get up at the same time...

I bet you know somebody with Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). After all, it affects up to 12 percent of school-age children, and the rate of ADHD diagnosis has increased by almost 25 percent over the past decade, according to a recent article in JAMA Pediatrics®¹.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently issued new guidelines for the evaluation and treatment of ADHD in kids ages 4 through 18². These guidelines will help healthcare providers in family practice and...

Do you suffer with chronic pain in the neck and shoulders? Do you get frequent headaches, especially in the forehead or back of the head? Do you bite your nails or literally pull out your hair? Do you feel stressed out all the time, even when your stress level should be low? You may suffer from an anxiety disorder.

What is an anxiety disorder?

Anxiety disorders are very common. I see people who suffer with anxiety every day in my practice. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, appro...

Shots  –  they're not just for babies!

We hear a lot in the media about childhood immunizations and their safety. However, the fact is that we do a pretty decent job of keeping our kids' immunizations up-to-date, but a lousy job with our own shots as adults. The Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report, released last week, says that adult vaccination rates are "unacceptably low." For example, only 12.5% of adults are current on the tetanus/pertussis booster, 15.8% for shingles, 20% for pneumonia...

Did you get a new smartphone or tablet device over the holidays? I bet you have more ideas in mind for that phone’s use beyond just making phone calls.

Now you can do just about anything from your mobile phone – text, tweet, shop, banking, even keep track of your health! It's pretty amazing what technology and innovation have made possible. Here are a few great health-related mobile apps that I think you might find useful. Remember, no piece of technology can replace the sound advice of a...

Low back pain – Part 1: Causes and prevention  
Low back pain – Part 2: When to see a doctor

If you suffer from low back pain, there are several simple measures you can try at home, including rest, pain medications and use of a heating pad. Lying on your back with pillows under the knees is typically the most comfortable position for back pain sufferers. Doctors used to recommend total bedrest for back pain, but we now know that activity is more helpful (as long as you avoid activities, like...

Low back pain – Part 1: Causes and prevention 

When to see the doctor for low back pain

Since back pain is so common, you may wonder when to make an appointment with your family doctor. If you think you have a muscle strain, but it lasts longer than a week or happens over and over, you should call your primary care provider. If you have leg muscle weakness or numbness, numbness in the groin, or if you lose control of your bladder or, conversely, cannot urinate, you should not wait to make an...