Dr. Valda Crowder (Dr. V) explores the serious issue of head trauma and traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in this essential episode. Learn about the causes of head injuries—from sports and falls to vehicle accidents—and understand the symptoms that range from mild concussions to severe, life-altering injuries. Dr. V answers listener questions about concussions in children, recovery signs to watch for in elderly patients, CTE in athletes, helmet safety, and long-term effects of childhood head injuries. Whether you're a parent, athlete, caregiver, or just want to be informed, this episode provides critical, life-saving information about protecting your brain health.

Join Dr. Valda Crowder (Dr. V) for an in-depth discussion on peripheral neuropathy—a condition affecting over 35 million American adults.

Learn about the causes, symptoms, and types of nerve damage that disrupt communication between your brain and body. Dr. V answers listener questions about pain management, lifestyle changes, diabetes connections, treatment options, and emerging therapies. Whether you're dealing with tingling, numbness, or burning sensations, this episode provides practical information to help you understand and manage neuropathy. Email with your questions at [email protected].

Brought to you by Channel of Health - informing, educating, and empowering communities about pressing health issues.

Join Dr. Valda Crowder, a board-certified emergency medicine physician with 30 years of experience, as she tackles one of healthcare's most pervasive yet overlooked issues: medical discrimination.

In this episode of The Ask Dr. V Show, she interviews guests about their first-hand accounts of medical discrimination and how they advocated for themselves, literally saving their lives.

Dr. V explores the real-world impacts of medical discrimination—from undertreated pain in Black patients to dismissed symptoms in women, weight stigma, ageism, and barriers facing LGBTQ+ and non-English speaking patients. Learn about medical gaslighting, understand your rights as a patient, and hear what needs to change to ensure everyone receives respectful, evidence-based care. Plus, get updates on healthcare policy fights and measles outbreaks affecting students nationwide.

Medical Discrimination: Understanding Bias in Healthcare

Join Dr. Valda Crowder, a board-certified emergency medicine physician with 30 years of experience, as she tackles one of healthcare's most pervasive yet overlooked issues: medical discrimination. In this episode of The Ask Dr. V Show, discover how patients face bias and unequal care based on race, gender, weight, age, disability, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. Through listener calls and questions, Dr. V explores the real-world impacts of medical discrimination—from undertreated pain in Black patients to dismissed symptoms in women, weight stigma, ageism, and barriers facing LGBTQ+ and non-English speaking patients. Learn about medical gaslighting, understand your rights as a patient, and hear what needs to change to ensure everyone receives respectful, evidence-based care. Plus, get updates on healthcare policy fights and measles outbreaks affecting students nationwide.

Right now, as we speak, millions of Americans are facing a healthcare crisis that could hit your family next. Open enrollment is happening this month, but with the government shutdown and the so-called 'Big Beautiful Bill' making its way through Congress, the rules are changing faster than most people can keep up.

If you have health insurance through Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare Advantage, or the ACA marketplace—your coverage could be at serious risk. Premiums are skyrocketing, subsidies are expiring, and for some, coverage could disappear entirely by January.

Here's what makes this especially urgent: this isn't about politics—this is about your ability to see your doctor, get your prescriptions, and protect your family. Whether you're 25 or 75, whether you make $30,000 or $300,000 a year, these changes will affect you.

Today, we're cutting through the confusion and the misinformation. We're going to break down exactly what's happening with Medicare, Medicaid, and Obamacare during this shutdown. We'll tell you who's most at risk, what your options are right now during open enrollment, and most importantly—what you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Because when 10 million people could lose their healthcare coverage, we don't have time to wait. We need answers now, and that's exactly what we're here to give you.

Join Dr. Valda Crowder, a 30-year board-certified emergency medicine physician, as she cuts through misinformation and delivers the facts about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In this essential episode, Dr. V explains what autism really is, how it's detected and diagnosed, and what evidence-based treatments and therapies actually work.

Dr. V tackles your most pressing questions: Does maternal age cause autism? Is acetaminophen during pregnancy safe? Can autism be hereditary? What's the truth about vaccines? Plus, she addresses important topics like racial and gender disparities in diagnosis, the autism spectrum from non-verbal to high-functioning individuals, and whether autism diagnoses are truly increasing or just better recognized.

This episode also covers critical breaking news about the potential government shutdown and its impact on healthcare access, Medicaid, community health centers, and more.

Whether you're a parent, caregiver, healthcare provider, or simply seeking accurate information, this episode empowers you with science-backed facts to make informed decisions about autism and healthcare.

Brought to you by Channel of Health – informing, educating, and empowering marginalized communities about pressing health and healthcare issues.

In a world where chronic stress has become the norm, Dr. Valda Crowder delivers a powerful wake-up call: self-care isn't selfish—it's strategic survival. Join board-certified emergency medicine physician Dr. V as she breaks down the science behind "headline stress disorder" and reveals how constant exposure to polarized news, global conflicts, and digital overwhelm is literally rewiring our brains for fear and reactivity.

In this essential episode, Dr. V explains how chronic stress shrinks your prefrontal cortex while enlarging your amygdala, suppressing your immune system, disrupting sleep, and making you less capable of engaging constructively with the issues you care about most. But there's hope: she shares evidence-based strategies for rewiring your brain for resilience through simple daily practices.

What You'll Learn:

Dr. V tackles the burning question on every patient's mind: Has technology made healthcare better or just more impersonal? From AI diagnostics to robotic surgery, listeners share their real concerns about rising costs, rushed appointments, and the disappearing human touch in medicine. Discover whether doctors are worried about being replaced by robots, why patients are doing more work themselves, and how to navigate medical portals without losing the personal connection. A frank discussion about finding the sweet spot between cutting-edge innovation and compassionate care in today's rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.

Featuring listener questions on telemedicine burnout, surgical robot safety, and the future of doctor-patient relationships.

Dr. V tackles one of America's most pressing issues: inner city violence and community safety. In "Soldiers vs Solutions," she explores why militarized policing and federal interventions fail to address the root causes of violence—poverty, trauma, lack of opportunity, and systemic neglect.

Joined by Dr. Stephanie Myers (President of Positive Change Foundation) and Sal Corbin (Board Chair of DC Peace Team), Dr. V examines the current situation in Washington D.C., where federal forces have been deployed despite the city not ranking among America's top 10 deadliest cities. The discussion covers underfunded social services, the mental health impact of militarized policing, and community-led solutions that actually work.

Through real stories like "Marcus"—a young man whose life changed through mentorship rather than enforcement—this episode demonstrates that healing communities requires investment in housing, mental health services, job training, and restorative justice practices, not soldiers in the streets.

Key Topics: Community safety, police militarization, D.C. budget priorities, mental health, job displacement, school safety, and practical solutions for violence prevention.

Join Dr. V for an essential deep dive into one of parenting's most crucial topics—how children's brains develop from birth through adolescence. This episode tackles the complex interplay between biological maturation and environmental influences that shape our children's cognitive, emotional, social, and physical growth.

Dr. V addresses listener concerns including a worried "mama bear" whose son dreams of NFL stardom, a father concerned about his premature daughter's development, educators worried about nutrition access, and parents navigating everything from birth trauma to teenage behavior challenges.

This episode combines expert medical insight with practical, compassionate advice for parents, caregivers, and anyone invested in children's wellbeing. Whether you're concerned about concussions, wondering about prenatal influences, or seeking to understand normal vs. concerning developmental patterns, Dr. V provides evidence-based guidance you can trust.