hereforlife – Here for Life

Managing arthritis doesn’t have to be a pain

January 18, 2019

Arthritis is arthritis, right? And it’s just something every adult must face and endure as we get older, right? Wrong, wrong and wrong! There are two main types of arthritis, not every adult will experience arthritis, and there are pain management options for those who do experience either form of the disease.

When your body’s own immune system attacks your joints and causes inflammation and pain, rheumatoid arthritis is the culprit. Rheumatoid arthritis can cause permanent damage to your cartilage when it disrupts the balance of synovial fluids in joints, and it can be hereditary. (more…)

Clinic & Specialty Center Earns LEED Gold Certification

December 18, 2018

The Clinic & Specialty Center was recently awarded LEED certification at the Gold level! LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The LEED rating system was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council and is the foremost program for buildings, homes, and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained, and operated for improved environmental and human health performance.

The Clinic & Specialty Center is the second building by Hennepin Healthcare to achieve LEED certification. Whittier Clinic, one of our neighborhood clinics, also achieved LEED certification and was the first healthcare facility in Minneapolis to be awarded certification under LEED for New Construction at any level.

“Studies have confirmed that the environment can have an impact on human health,” said Bill Howden, director of facilities and master campus planning. “Following sustainable building practices is yet another way we can achieve our vision of transforming the health of the community, while at the same time doing what’s right for the environment.”

LEED certification is difficult for healthcare facilities to achieve because of their specific design needs. The Gold certification means that 60-79 points were earned on the certification checklist. It is the second highest certification level in the LEED program.

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Statins and other cholesterol medications work best when partnered with healthy lifestyle choices

November 21, 2018

Concerned about your cholesterol levels? It’s important not to rely on a medication-only approach. Your daily physical activity and diet choices play an important role in reducing your risk for heart disease and stroke. With the holidays coming, why not start implementing some new goals for cardiac health in 2019 – and beyond?

The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on cholesterol management released updates on clinical practice guidelines for the reduction of heart disease and stroke (cardiovascular disease). The guidelines remind us that heart-healthy lifestyles including regular exercise, maintenance of healthy weight, balanced diet and smoking cessation remain the cornerstone of cardiovascular disease risk reduction. All cholesterol-reducing medications work best when used in concert with a healthy lifestyle. (more…)

Free Hernia Information Session and Screening

September 27, 2018

The return to function and quality of life starts here

Abdominal wall hernias occurs when a part of an internal organ (typically the small intestine) breaks through a tear or weak point in the abdominal wall.

Hernias can happen to anyone, and significantly impact your activity level and quality of life. They can also lead to complications that are life-threatening. So, it’s important to seek treatment.

Hernias will not resolve on their own and can only be repaired with surgery. Fortunately, many hernias can now be repaired with robotic assisted minimally invasive procedures. This technique reduces recovery time, pain and potential complications

Signs and Symptoms

A lump or bulge that is apparent when standing and can sometimes disappear when lying down. For males, they can sometimes experience a swollen and/or painful scrotum.
Pain or discomfort during physical exertion, straining or lifting.
Weakness or pressure in the groin.

Free Screening Event – Saturday, October 13 from 9:00 – 11:00 am

We invite you, a colleague or family member who may have a hernia, to attend a free information session with our surgery team.

Schedule:

9:00 – 9:30 am Presentation for Jon Krook, MD and Ashley Marek, MD

9:30 – 10:00 am Demonstrations of the da Vinci Robotic Surgery System

9:30 – 11:00 am Optional hernia screening discussion with Dr. Krook or Dr. Marek

Location:

Clinic & Specialty Center

715 South 8^th Street

Minneapolis, MN 55404

Learn more, and register here

Parking

Free parking is available in the Clinic & Specialty Center’s underground garage off of Park Avenue between 8^th and 9^th Streets. Take the elevator to the first floor for our event.

New MRI in the Clinic & Specialty Center is just what the doctor ordered

August 20, 2018

Something magical happens when medical equipment provides both an enhanced experience for the patient and advanced diagnostics for the clinician. The new state-of-the-art Philips 3.0Tesla MRI, located on the first floor of the Clinic & Specialty Center, provides a perfect example of how this technology comes together to serve both purposes.

The MRI includes the Philips Ambient Experience – an immersive audio and visual feature in which patients select a “themed setting” that provide a calm and peaceful experience during the MRI study.

The Philips system is also equipped with Compressed Sense technology that offers superior images quality and much shorter scan time.

We asked Dr. David Hilden to participate in a full-body MRI scan and give us his first-hand perspective of having an MRI performed and the advantages of the Ambient Experience and Compressed Sense technology. See the video below.

Why are my allergies so bad?

August 14, 2018

The answer is blowing in the wind.

Ragweed is a weed grows throughout the country, especially in Minnesota. Ragweed flowers in mid-August and one plant can release up to a billion pollen grains. The ragweed pollen can travel over 400 miles by the wind and unfortunately finds its way to the sinuses of allergy sufferers. (more…)

Jet Ski Accident Leads to Unexpected Diagnosis

July 18, 2018

Ricardo Ortiz went jet skiing with his family on Prior Lake, MN. It was a sunny summer day. He had an accident and later received an unexpected diagnosis.

He decided to go for one last ride on the lake with his son when he lost his balance and hit the water very hard on his left side. He started to feel the water coming into his mouth and nose and all of a sudden, everything was dark. When he woke up, he was in an ambulance. (more…)

It’s Time to Trust Your Gut Again

July 10, 20181

By Sarah Oliha, Public Relations Intern, Hennepin Healthcare

We have all experienced a bad stomach ache. The sensation may have been dull, sharp, or a mixture of both. No matter what the cause, we can agree that it was unpleasant and the moment it passed we welcomed relief.

Thankfully there are common and simple treatments for stomach aches that are usually effective. Dr. Robert Matlock, Division Chief for Gastroenterology at Hennepin Healthcare, says “Often, stomach aches are temporary and can be treated with a bland diet, rest, and over-the-counter medications for control of specific symptoms, such as antacid for upper abdominal pains, antidiarrheal agents for cramping pain with diarrhea, or bismuth (Pepto Bismol) for upper abdominal discomfort and nausea. Many home remedies exist for short-term stomach aches.” (more…)