Irritable Bowel Syndrome affects an estimated one out of ten people in the US, yet the causes for this disease are multivariate and often unknown from case to case, creating a reputation in practice as a "waste basket diagnosis." Dr. Michael Stierstorfer, Clinical Associate Professor of Dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and founder of East Penn Dermatology, has been a pioneer in helping clinicians better understand one potential cause of IBS. His own experience as IBS patient led to the remarkable discovery of an allergic contact enteritits underscoring his disease, which has led to new diagnostic and treatment algorithms for IBS patients nationwide. Dr. Stierstorfer joins Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss this unexpected path toward discovery and subsequent career specialization.

Many of us use online search engines as our primary source for referenced information, but is it a truly reliable source for health information? And which medical organizations are at the forefront for leveraging these information portals to maximum effects for both patients and health professionals? Joining Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss the recent technological advancements, institutional partnerships, and revenue streams underlying search engine-optimized health information is Chris Seper, vice president of healthcare for Breaking Media and founder of MedCityNews.com.

Joining Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss the state of mental health services in the US, as well as current to emerging care resources for children with developmental disabilities such as autism, is Robert Kreider, JD. Mr. Kreider is President and CEO of Devereux, one of the oldest and largest nonprofit providers of behavioral healthcare in the country.

A new therapy in the form of a vibrating pill-size capsule may help alleviate chronic idiopathic constipation without significant side effects. Joining Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss this innovative treatment method is Dr. Anish Sheth, practicing gastroenterologist at Princeton Medical Group in Princeton, NJ. And, to our listeners, please note that Dr. Sheth was not involved in the clinical trials of the investigational treatment mentioned in this interview.

Dr. McDonough welcomes Dr. Donald Frei, neuroradiologist and Director of Neurointerventional Surgery at Radiology Imaging Associates in Denver, CO. Dr. Frei is working towards establishing state-of-the-art diagnosis and management strategies in treating patients with acute stroke. His procedural specialties include acute catheter directed stroke intervention, angioplasty/stent revascularization of cerebrovascular stenosis and minimally invasive treatment of cerebral aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations.

Marla Heller, MS, RD is the author of the best-selling books, The DASH Diet Action Plan, The DASH Diet Weight Loss Solution, The Everyday DASH Diet Cookbook, and more recently The DASH Diet: Younger You. In her discussion with host Dr. Brian McDonough, she proposes a nutritional guidance plan intended to halt and even reverse many of the effects of aging by improving blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and helping readers reach a healthy weight.

Nearly 55% of infants in the United States sleep on unsafe bedding, despite warnings from the Centers for Disease Control and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine to use firm flat surfaces covered with fitted sheets. Parents are being presented with several more comfortable, "baby friendly" appearing alternatives, as well as having their infants children sleep with them in their own beds, both of which create risks of SIDS and roll-over suffocations, respectively. Joining Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss safety standards and health priorities for infant sleep habits is Dr. Shalini Paruthi, Assistant Professor in the Divisions of Pulmonary Medicine and Sleep Medicine, and Director of the Pediatric Sleep Research Center at St. Louis University School of Medicine.

Stress has long been associated with cardiovascular risk, but few studies have connected stress with worsened recovery rates after heart attacks. Moreover, the recently published discovery that women with mental stress may suffer worse outcomes recovering from heart attacks than men under similar conditions raises more questions than answers. What are the possible mechanisms by which this gender disparity in outcomes may occur, and how can clinicians help mitigate this risk? Dr. Brian McDonough welcomes Dr. Nieca Goldberg, cardiologist and director of the Joan H. Tisch Center for Women's Health at NYU Langone Medical Center.

The controversy over vaccinations and whether or not to regulate their administration has reached a boiling point in the United States with the recent measles outbreak originating in Disneyland, and prominent politicians like Senator Rand Paul and Governor Chris Christie have weighed in to support the anti-vaccine community's appeal for individual choice. What are the ethical, sociological, and political ramifications of these developments in the national vaccination debate, and how should the medical community respond? Joining Dr. Brian McDonough to discuss the vaccination controversy is Dr. Arthur Caplan, Professor and founding Director of the Division of Medical Ethics in NYU Langone Medical Center’s Department of Population Health.

On average, more than 90% of adults spend more than two hours each day using a digital device, and for 60% of the population, that daily use pattern extends beyond five hours. Regardless of the reasons why, all that time can take a toll on the eyes and lead to digital eye strain. Speaking on the health implications of digital eye strain is Dr. Dora Adamopolous, optometrist in practice in Alexandia, VA.