You’ve heard the usual heart health advice — exercise more, cut the salt, maybe swap the fries for a salad. But no one talks about your weekend wine and cocktails, that edible you split with a friend or the vape pen tucked in your drawer. Let’s go there. Many adults enjoy alcohol or use cannabis…
Are my aches and pains due to aging? Or something else? You used to bounce back after a weekend of yard work — now your back feels it for days afterward. You started having knee pain when you use the stairs. Or maybe your hands started feeling stiff in the mornings. Any of this sound…
Your parents cared for you for the first years of your life, and they may need your help as they get older. Caring for aging parents can be both challenging and rewarding. It’s important to manage healthy communication and boundaries during this time, while meeting the health care needs of the older adult. Here are…
Changes in sexual desire and behaviors are normal as we age, but often there is a stigma attached to topics around seniors and intimacy. Older people take proportionately more medications than their younger counterparts. Coupled with physical aging, this puts them at higher likelihood for side effects that impact sex. Sex and intimacy can be…
Norton Healthcare continues to fulfill its promise to expand access to health care with the opening of a new $2.2 million location in Valley Station in southwestern Louisville. The offices feature roughly 6,000 square feet of space and 14 exam rooms split among Norton Community Medical Associates primary care, a Norton Immediate Care Center and,…
When the U.S. surgeon general called the loneliness epidemic in this country a public health issue in 2023, it called attention to the potential damage that social isolation can do on our society. Loneliness, simply defined, is feeling disconnected from friends, family and the community. It’s more than an occasional bad feeling. It’s the experience…
Influenza, or flu, is an upper respiratory infection caused by a virus. It affects the nose, lungs and throat. This influenza is not the same as a stomach flu, which may cause vomiting, nausea and diarrhea. Most people recover on their own from influenza. Sometimes, the flu and its complications can be deadly. There is…
Menopause is when monthly periods stop completely. The time before menopause is called perimenopause, which is when hormone levels begin to drop. Women who have had certain surgeries or treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation may experience premature menopause. The fluctuation in hormones before, during, and after periods have ceased causes many symptoms, including: Menopause…
The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland at the base of your neck, near your collarbones. While this organ is little, it’s got big responsibilities, including regulating important hormone levels, your heart rate and your metabolism. The two main thyroid disorders are hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. Both conditions affect thyroid function. Think of them as opposites:…
The symptoms of Type 1 diabetes can be subtle. Take thirst, for example. If you find yourself reaching for the water bottle more than usual — it could be a sign of something more serious. Type 1 diabetes is also called juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes. It can develop at any time, but typically this…
Jeffersonville, Indiana, resident Connie Moser had been diagnosed with a hernia in her abdominal area. A hernia occurs when an organ pushes through tissue or muscle that holds it in place. She did not have plans to get it fixed since it wasn’t bothering her. Then things went terribly wrong. She began experiencing stomach pain…
The difficulty concentrating and the feeling of dread, irritability or restlessness that come with anxiety can make it difficult to notice some of the physical symptoms of anxiety. Some level of anxiety is normal and a natural reaction embedded in our bodies. For instance, in a dangerous situation, our bodies respond by releasing hormones that…