The Scope Radio

Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) is an inherited genetic disorder involving abnormalities in the blood vessels. The disorder affects one in 5,000 Americans. Dr. Jamie McDonald, certified genetic counselor, says that number may be underrepresented, estimating that nine out of 10 people with HHT go undiagnosed. Dr. McDonald talks about what HHT is, its causes and symptoms, and how clinics like The HHT Center of Excellence can help.

Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) is an inherited genetic disorder involving abnormalities in the blood vessels. The disorder affects one in 5,000 Americans. Dr. Jamie McDonald, certified genetic counselor, says that number may be underrepresented, estimating that nine out of 10 people with HHT go undiagnosed. Dr. McDonald talks about what HHT is, its causes and symptoms, and how clinics like The HHT Center of Excellence can help.

Spinal stenosis is a very common condition, especially as we age. It is a sharp, electrical pain in the lower limbs. Many patients also experience a weakness, burning or heaviness in their feet and legs. It’s caused by arthritis and other age-related factors that compress the nerve roots in the spine. Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Ryan Spiker talks about this common condition and how a physical therapist or surgeon can bring relief to patients suffering from spinal stenosis.

Spinal stenosis is a very common condition, especially as we age. It is a sharp, electrical pain in the lower limbs. Many patients also experience a weakness, burning or heaviness in their feet and legs. It’s caused by arthritis and other age-related factors that compress the nerve roots in the spine. Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Ryan Spiker talks about this common condition and how a physical therapist or surgeon can bring relief to patients suffering from spinal stenosis.

Playtime is a crucial time when preschoolers learn problem solving and how to share. Dr. Cindy Gellner discusses how and why a child's playtime is essential for good development.

Playtime is a crucial time when preschoolers learn problem solving and how to share. Dr. Cindy Gellner discusses how and why a child's playtime is essential for good development.

You feel a pain in your chest and left arm. You immediately start worrying that you're having a heart attack. At what point do chest pains equal a heart attack? Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen shares what chest pains can mean. He also discusses the symptoms and feelings of a heart attack versus "regular" chest pain.

The prescription pain relievers you once used after an injury or surgery seem to no longer be helping with the pain. After extended use, drugs like morphine or oxycodone may not provide the same pain relief they once did. Dr. Kirtly Jones talks about narcotics, how your body responds to them and why these pain relievers can sometimes actually cause you to feel more pain.

All too often an answer to the simple question of “what is making me sick?” does not come easily. Current methods for figuring out what viruses or bacteria are causing infection come with the risk of being too slow, or failing to find the culprit altogether. Taxonomer is a genomics-based pathogen surveillance tool that could provide the basis for a new way of diagnosing infectious disease. In this podcast Scope Radio talks with Gabor Marth, D.Sc., co-director of the USTAR Center for Genetic Discovery, and creator of iobio, software that gives Taxonomer characteristics that make it accessible and intuitive. Marth explains the advantages of Taxonomer over current clinical tests and the number of other ways in which it can be used. Learn more.

Considering a career as a medical assistant and want a better idea what the day-to-day responsibilities look like? Christine Edwards has done it for seven years and we asked her to take us though a typical day. She talks about what she does, her responsibilities, what she likes about her job and why she loves working at University of Utah Health Care.

You diet. You exercise. You do everything you can to live an active and healthy life, but you still have fat in those ‘problem areas.’ Those love handles, muffin tops and stomach rolls. Sometimes it just doesn’t seem fair. Dr. David Smart talks about two medical treatments developed by dermatologists to target those areas and help you lose up to 20 percent of that stubborn fat.

The spine is a complex network of bones and soft tissue that keeps us mobile and upright. It’s also home to the spinal cord, where all the nerves in our body connect to our brain. Occasionally the soft tissue of the spine can protrude or become herniated. This is called cervical disk herniation, and it can pinch nerves that run to your limbs. Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Ryan Spiker speaks on how to diagnose when that pain in your arm might actually be a spinal condition and how to treat it.

Everyone has heard old wives’ tales about raising children at some point, but are any of them true? Will wearing shoes really help a toddler learn to walk sooner? Dr. Cindy Gellner tells us what toddler tales are and are not true.

The health care business is changing, more so in the past five years, than the preceding 20. Expanded roles for providers, alternative payment models and cutting-edge technology are altering the way we do business. But does patient care trump revenue in the emerging models? Dr. John Birkmeyer, the executive vice president of Dartmouth- Hitchcock Medical Center, visits the scope to discuss the strategies being developed to create a sustainable health care organization in modern times that values and prioritizes patient care.

Coming home from an outdoor adventure and seeing a tick can be a scary thing. What's the best way to remove a tick, and when do you need to visit a doctor? Dr. Troy Madsen shares when it's appropriate to visit the doctor, and what treatments are available if a tick bites you.