Texas Tech Health Check

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Our guest for this episode is Dr. Kelly Bennett, a family medicine physician at Texas Tech Physicians and associate professor at TTUHSC. Dr. Bennett talked to us about seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, a form of depression that’s common during this time of year in the northern hemisphere when the days get shorter and we’re exposed to less sunlight. Dr. Bennett also talked to us about good sleeping habits and why it’s important for our health that we get proper rest.

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In 2018 there were 5.8 billion prescriptions filled in the US. Nearly 50 percent of the US population takes a prescription medication. How can you be sure you are buying your medications from a safe and legal pharmacy? 

Charles Seifert, Pharm. D., senior executive associate dean and Lubbock regional dean for the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, explains how you can buy safe prescription medications in person and online.

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2018, the latest year for which incidence data are available, in the United States, more than 1.7 million new cases of cancer were reported, and just under 600 thousand people died of cancer. For every 100,000 people, 436 new cancer cases were reported and 149 people died of cancer. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women after skin cancer and cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, exceeded only by heart disease. One of every four deaths in the United States is due to cancer.

This episode's guest is Dr. Catherine Jones, an oncologist for Texas Tech Physicians, associate professor at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Department of Internal Medicine and medical director of the UMC Cancer Center.

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According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, allergies are the 6th leading cause of chronic illness in the US with an annual cost in excess of $18 billion. More than 50 million Americans suffer from allergies each year. Hay fever, also known as allergic rhinitis, is a common condition that causes sneezing, stuffy nose, runny nose, watery eyes and itching of the nose, eyes or the roof of the mouth. Allergic rhinitis can be seasonal or perennial and can occur in spring, summer and/or early fall. 

Here to talk to us about respiratory allergies is Texas Tech Physicians allergist and immunologist Dr. James Tarbox. 

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All of us age. There’s nothing we can do about it but the one thing we can somewhat control is how we approach aging. The director of clinical geriatric programs at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) Garrison Institute on Aging Dr. John Culberson says that the best way to age gracefully is to stay active, eat healthy and to stay social. 

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Texas Tech Physicians surgeon, Director for the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Clinical Research Institute, and University Medical Center Timothy J. Harnar Burn Center medical director Dr. John Griswold is this episode's featured guest. He explains what is sepsis, who is at risk for getting it, what are the symptoms,  and why it's important to pay attention to the signs of sepsis and get immediate medical attention.

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Welcome to our new name--Texas Tech Health Check. Our new name reflects our goal to bring you evidence based health advice. Guests for this episode are TTUHSC Executive Vice President and Dean of the School of Medicine, Steven L. Berk, M.D., and Ron Cook, D.O., TTUHSC chief health officer and chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine and Lubbock Health Authority. Topics: COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots, who should get a vaccine, when we can expect vaccines for young children and what we can do for frontline workers to show our appreciation.

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As most of us get ready to return to the office or get our children ready to go back to school, keep in mind what vaccines or boosters you, your loved ones or your children should get before going back to school or work.  Our guest for this episode is Dr. Richard Lampe, Texas Tech Physicians pediatrician and expert on infectious disease.

Link to "The Vaccine Song" that talks about the history of vaccines that Dr. Lampe mentioned: https://youtu.be/u1xw0Ob5bqs  (Words and music by Ted Willmore)

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How can we practice good, oral health? This episode’s guest Dr. Joe Cordero, ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgeon at Texas Tech Physicians and chair of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center ENT Department tells us what to look for when self-checking for oral cancer. 

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Approximately one in 25 adults in the US will experience a swallowing problem. That’s difficulty or pain when swallowing or not being able to swallow at all—whether it’s liquids, food or saliva. Getting treatment from a speech-language pathologist can help. In this episode, Dr. Angela Van-Sickle, assistant professor, at the TTUHSC School of Health Professions, explains what causes someone to have a problem swallowing, how to get treatment and what we can do now to try to prevent having this problem in the future.