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The Lowdown on Diarrhea: When is It Time to See a Doctor?
Diarrhea is a menace in the form of hard-to-control bowel movements and loose, watery stools three or more times per…
Celebrated Physician: Anirudh Rao, MD
During his training at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Anirudh Rao, MD, found the most meaningful…
Hallucinations, Confusion, Dizziness: Symptoms of ICU Delirium
“You’re trying to steal me!” “Don’t put me in that oven!” These are actual comments we’ve heard in the intensive…
Small Gland, Big Impact: Functional and Nonfunctional Pituitary Tumors
The pituitary gland is a tiny organ, only about the size of a pea, located at the base of your…
3 Groups at Increased Risk for High Blood Pressure—and How to Beat It
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a well-known condition in America. We regularly check it during doctor’s visits and see…
Attack Joint Replacement Surgery Pain Before It Starts
Hip and knee replacements have played an important part in the treatment of arthritis and other painful joint conditions for…
Six Non-Heat Injuries That Burn Center Doctors Should Treat
When most people think of a burn center, they think of heat-related injuries. While we are the only adult burn…
A Delicate Balance: Control High Blood Pressure to Reduce Stroke Risk
High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease. But many patients don’t realize that high blood pressure…
From Fainting to the Spins—Facts About Dizziness
Feeling dizzy can be scary—and rightfully so. We see many patients in the emergency department or urgent care seeking medical…
How Oncoplastic Surgery Gives Women More Natural Breasts After Cancer
Surgery is the gold-standard breast cancer treatment, but some techniques leave women flat-chested or with lopsided breasts. Today, many women…
The Lowdown on High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy
High blood pressure is a serious problem that continues to grow in our country. Among women of childbearing age, we…
Better Imaging, Better Neurosurgery: The Airo Portable CT Scanner
“Measure twice, cut once.” It’s a simple expression that reminds us to be precise, and it applies in many situations—even…
4 ways women can take control of their breast cancer risk
Breast cancer is one of the most daunting diseases in women’s health, as it affects about one in eight U.S….
3 experiences of hospital care and why we measure them
We aim to enhance patient experiences at MedStar Washington Hospital Center (MWHC) through a trickle-down approach, from staff to patient….
How the flu can increase heart attack risk
Each year, up to 20 percent of Americans get the flu, resulting in over 130,000 hospitalizations—in fact, about 200,000 in…
DCIS breast cancer: Not every woman needs surgery
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is the earliest form of breast cancer. DCIS is confined to the milk ducts of…
3 questions and answers for mammograms
A mammogram is an imaging test used to screen the breast tissue for breast cancer, which affects about one in…
Penicillin allergy testing: Why it’s important to know the facts
Antibiotics are among the most effective treatments for bacterial infections, and our go-to option often is penicillin. But up to…
How we use PET-CT scans to find more cancer faster than ever
PET-CT (positron emission tomography and computed tomography) often is referred to as the gold standard of cancer imaging. This tool…
From surgery to radioactive iodine and beyond: Hope for patients with thyroid cancer
Most patients respond well to standard therapies for thyroid cancer. The five-year survival rate is more than 98 percent, and…
Why I stand behind digital rectal exams for prostate cancer screening
“You want to put your finger where? Why? Do you really need to do that?” I’ve heard many men say…
100 Blessings
“When we bless life, we restore the world.” ~ Rabbi Marcia Falk I am a Chaplain in a 912-bed inner-city…
Outpatient hip or knee joint replacement: Healthier, faster and more effective
Increasingly younger patients are seeking partial or total hip or knee joint replacement—people in their 40s, 50s and 60s who…
Triple-negative breast cancer: Who should get tested for their genetic risk?
Triple-negative breast cancer is notoriously difficult to treat. It grows aggressively, and it lacks the three most common markers (estrogen…
Tiny salivary glands, big problems: How we treat these painful disorders
Most of the time, people don’t notice their salivary glands. They are located in the mouth and throat, and they…
How a gastroenterologist can help relieve heartburn
Does this sound like a typical day? Maybe you take an antacid with your morning coffee, a Zantac with lunch…
Don’t suffer with chronic pelvic pain—treatment is available!
Imagine feeling one or more of these symptoms in your pelvic area up to 95 percent of the time: Burning…
Acid reflux? Bloating? It could be a paraesophageal hernia
Hernias are common, and you likely know someone who has had one at some point in their life. So, perhaps…
Partial knee replacement: Arthritis relief without a long recovery
The number of first-time total knee replacements, also known as arthroplasties, is expected to grow by 673 percent, reaching 3.48…
How common pituitary tumors can have huge health effects
As the American Cancer Society notes, doctors diagnose about 10,000 pituitary tumors each year in the United States. However, that’s…
Can a heart valve be repaired without surgery?
Heart valve disease, a malfunction of one or more of the valves that allow blood to flow through the heart,…
How to manage medications in the elderly
According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the typical Medicare patient sees two primary care providers and five…
COPD in D.C.: A tale of two cities
A September 2017 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that the number of Americans who…
New PET-CT technology gives us an edge against cancer
In 2006, the latest technology available for PET-CT scans was the time-of-flight scanner. At the time, this scanner compared to…
How we help LVAD patients fight infection at home
Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) have saved and extended the lives of thousands of patients with heart failure. These small,…
Say goodbye to BPH symptoms with this advanced treatment
As men get older, many of us find that we have to use the bathroom more often than we used…
3 steps to avoid a second stroke
Having a stroke can be a life-changing experience. Nobody wants to go through it twice. Upon recovery, one of the…
How cochlear implants can work when hearing aids don’t help
Between 2000 and 2010, data from the U.S. Census Bureau show huge increases in the numbers of older Americans between…
Exciting breast cancer news: More women can safely forgo chemotherapy
Data from a 2018 study have confirmed the standard of care for many women with early-stage breast cancer: chemotherapy isn’t…
How diabetes patients can avoid amputation, and when it’s the best option
One of the major goals of our Limb Salvage and Wound Care program is to avoid amputation when we can—and…
45 is the new 50—for colonoscopy
The American Cancer Society has released new colonoscopy recommendations: Adults at average risk should start getting colonoscopies at 45 instead…
Hernia repair through keyhole incisions? How robotic surgery works
Robotic surgery is one of the most effective and least invasive options we offer our hernia patients. In fact, we’re…
Why hospital ratings and rankings don’t tell the whole story
In today’s data-driven world, there’s more incentive than ever to be the best. Health care is no exception. But here’s…
How advanced sarcoma treatment saves limbs–and lives
Sarcomas, which are cancers that start in bones, fat or muscle, are rare and can be challenging to treat. Historically,…
Why is HPV-related head and neck cancer surging among young adults?
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the U.S.—it’s so prevalent that nearly all sexually active…
No pulse, no problem! What EMS teams need to know about LVAD patients
When EMS arrives on the scene of a medical emergency, the first things they often check are patients’ pulse and…
Celiac disease: Why gluten-free is still mission-critical in 2018
For years, patients with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity have had to limit their diets to eliminate gluten, a protein…
How we lower heart risks of HER2-targeted breast cancer therapy
Imagine the triumph of surviving breast cancer. Every test and procedure, every round of therapy was worth it to save…
‘Draining the sink’ to treat glaucoma with minimally invasive surgery
Today’s surgeons can use minimally invasive techniques for many conditions that require surgery. For example, knee replacements can be performed…
Advanced technology offers better kidney cancer outcomes, less pain, and quicker recovery
Years ago, before we had advanced and routine imaging, a kidney mass was only discovered when it had become very…