Live Greater | A University of Maryland Medical System Podcast

Back and neck pain can stop you in your tracks—but understanding the cause is the first step toward relief. In this episode Dr. Khalid Kurtom, a spine surgeon at the UM Shore Regional Health, explains the most common reasons for back and neck pain, when to seek medical care and how advances in treatment are helping patients get back to living pain-free. 

Learn more about Dr. Kurtom 

Menopause after surgery can feel sudden — but knowledge is power. Learn what’s happening inside your body and how to take charge of your health, hormones and happiness in this empowering Live Greater episode, featuring Dr. Erica Contreras, OB-GYN at UM Charles Regional Medical Group – Women’s Health in LaPlata.

Early detection saves lives. Learn how advanced screening programs and robotic technology are transforming the fight against lung cancer. In this episode, Dr. Peter Olivieri, III, a pulmonologist and critical care leader at UM Baltimore Washington Medical Center, explains who should be screened, how the process works, and what makes today’s minimally invasive diagnostic tools so precise and effective.

Technology is transforming heart failure care. From pacemakers to defibrillators and beyond, learn how implantable devices work, what to expect and how they’re changing lives for the better. Featuring Asghar Fakhri, MD, associate chair of cardiology at UM Baltimore Washington Medical Center and a cardiologist at UM Baltimore Washington Heart Associates. 

For more information about Dr. Fakhri, visit https://www.umms.org/find-a-doctor/profiles/dr-asghar-fakhri-md-1265621031.

Menopause and perimenopause affect more than just hormones. From brain fog to bladder health, the symptoms impact the whole person. In this panel, experts from Capital Region Health share how primary care, GYNs, and urogynecologists work together to provide women with the answers and care they need. Featuring Dr. Priya Ponnaiyan, Family Medicine provider at UM Capital Region Health; Dr. Pooja Uppalapati, Gynecologic surgeon at UM Captial Region Health; and Dr. Briana Walton, Urogynecologist at UM Capital Region Health. 
For more information about Dr. Walton 
For more information about Dr. Uppalapati 
For more information about Dr. Ponnaiyan or to make an appointment 

Heart failure is often misunderstood—but knowledge is power. Join us as we clear away the myths, uncover the facts and show how the right care and support can help patients not just survive, but thrive. Featuring Norma Velasco Flores, DNP, CRNP, from the Heart Failure Clinic at UM St. Joseph Medical Center. 

For more information about Dr. Flores 

For more information about Heart Care at UM St. Joseph Medical Center

To learn about Heart Care at one of our other locations

Urinary incontinence isn’t “just part of getting older.” In this episode, Dr. Briana Walton, a urogynecologist at UM Capital Region Health, explains medical and surgical options to help, clears up myths, and shares why women don’t have to live with bladder leaks in silence. 

For more information about Dr. Walton 

Menopause “cures” are everywhere, but not all are created equal. In this candid episode, Dr. Marie Nakhoul, a women’s health and integrative medicine expert at University of Maryland Medical Center, helps us decode natural remedies, lifestyle strategies and mind-body practices to find out which ones are fact—and which are pure fiction—to help find relief from menopause symptoms.

Read more on the Health Hub

Not sure if that pain or bulge might be a hernia? Our expert surgeon answers the most common questions about symptoms, treatment, and prevention of hernias, so you know what to expect and how to protect your health. Featuring Erik DeAngelis, MD, General and Bariatric Surgeon at UM Charles Regional Medical Center. 

For more information about Dr. DeAngelis

For more information about Surgical Care at UM Charles Regional Medical Group

The flu vaccine saves lives—but myths and misinformation cause many to skip it. In this episode, Dr. Casey Holloway Mabry, a pediatrician and internal medicine physician at UM Baltimore Washington Medical Group in Glen Burnie, clears up common misconceptions and explains why flu shots matter for both kids and adults of all ages.