Medically Speaking Podcast

In this podcast, Dr. Miska Terplan, an OB/GYN at the University of Maryland Medical Center, discusses the health risks of alcohol during pregnancy, including the effect of alcohol on both the baby and the mother. Dr. Terplan is also an assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Many types of cancer can be treated with surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy or a combination of these. But, more and more patients are adding non-traditional therapies, such as acupuncture, yoga, Tai chi and herbal medicine, to their treatment regimen. Dr. Ting Bao, an oncologist and medical acupuncturist who treats patients at the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, says some of these therapies, such as acupuncture, can help patients deal with side effects of their cancer treatment. In this interview with Karen Warmkessel, Dr. Bao, who is also an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, describes the five categories of complementary medicine and what patients should know about them. She says patients should always check with their doctor before using non-traditional therapies because they might interfere with their treatment.

If you have a heart problem, your doctor may recommend a nuclear medicine test to get a better look at your heart and gain information about your heart's function. In this podcast, Vasken Dilsizian, M.D., explains how nuclear imaging differs from X-rays, angiograms and echocardiograms. Speaking with Bill Seiler, Dr. Dilsizian, who is chief of the division of nuclear medicine and director of cardiac PET imaging at the University of Maryland Medical Center, discusses how nuclear imaging can assist in the diagnosis of a variety of conditions. He also describes what to expect when you have a nuclear scan, the safety of nuclear imaging and the use of nuclear scans in children. Dr. Dilsizian is a professor of medicine and diagnostic radiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning can kill without warning because it is an odorless, colorless and toxic gas. Many people who are poisoned are affected while they sleep and are unaware that the toxic gas is being released. In this podcast, Robert E. Rosenthal, M.D., describes the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning and where it comes from. Speaking with Cindy Rivers, Dr. Rosenthal discusses what you can do to prevent exposure to carbon monoxide and how CO poisoning is treated, sometimes in a hyperbaric chamber. He also describes an early warning device that can alert you when carbon monoxide reaches unsafe levels. Dr. Rosenthal is head of hyperbaric medicine at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center located at the University of Maryland Medical Center. He is also a professor of emergency medicine and anesthesiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

When people are in the hospital, they may feel anxious and stressed about how their illness is affecting their families. Or they may be struggling with feelings of helplessness or a sense of being out of control. In this Medically Speaking podcast, Donna Audia, a nurse on the pain management team at the University of Maryland Medical Center, offers specific ideas for family members who want to help a loved one who is in the hospital. These include relaxation techniques, such as music or meditation, as well as stress management suggestions, such as keeping a journal and yoga breathing. Audia also explains why nighttime is a particularly stressful time for many patients, and, in this interview with Sharon Boston, she explains why helping a patient to relax can be beneficial in helping the person to recover.

If breast cancer or colon cancer runs in your family, you might consider genetic testing/counseling to determine if you have inherited a gene that increases your risk of developing the disease. Jessica Rispoli Joines, a genetic counselor at the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, says that while some people might not want to know about their increased risk, others feel "empowered" - that they are better able to make informed decisions. Joines tells Karen Warmkessel that genetic counseling also can be helpful in situations such as high-risk pregnancies, when couples are concerned about inherited conditions such as cystic fibrosis or Down syndrome or in cases where children are being evaluated for certain metabolic disorders and developmental delays. In still other instances, families might be worried about inherited conditions such as Huntington's Disease.

Urinary incontinence is a common problem among women, especially as they age. However, there is a variety of effective treatments and women do not need to suffer with this problem. In this podcast. Dr. Leslie Rickey, a urogynecologist at the University of Maryland Medical Center who specializes in treating women, discusses the causes and treatment options for different kinds of urinary incontinence. She tells Ellen Beth Levitt that treatments can include certain exercises, lifestyle modifications, medications, an incontinence "ring" and minimally invasive surgical options. Dr. Rickey is an assistant professor of surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Having a loved one in the hospital can be a stressful experience. Beyond concerns about your loved one's health, there may be practical issues about paying bills or taking care of children or dealing with household chores and other responsibilities. In this Medically Speaking podcast, Donna Audia, a nurse on the pain management team at the University of Maryland Medical Center, offers specific techniques and coping strategies for family members who may have a loved one in the hospital. You will also hear suggestions about how to stay connected to your loved when you can't be at the hospital 24/7. And speaking with interviewer Sharon Boston, Audia also discusses what families can do to cope with stress when the patient comes home.

Genes can play a role in how tall you are, the color of your eyes or whether your hair is curly or straight. But genes also can play a role in your risk of developing cancer and other diseases. Jessica Rispoli Joines, a genetic counselor at the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, explains how genetic testing can help identify whether a person has an increased risk of developing certain types of cancer. In an interview with Karen Warmkessel, Joines stresses that it is important to receive counseling along with genetic testing to look at your options.

People with Parkinson's disease typically have tremor, stiffness and slowed movements, which are physical effects known as "motor symptoms." However, neurologists are now focusing on some under-diagnosed "non-motor" symptoms, which include constipation, urinary incontinence and sleep disturbances. In early 2010, the American Academy of Neurology issued new treatment guidelines about these non-motor symptoms. Dr. William Weiner, chief of neurology and head of the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center at the University of Maryland Medical Center, was one of the authors of the new guidelines. In this interview with Sharon Boston, Dr. Weiner describes the non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's and says there are ways to treat them, so people should talk with their doctors if they have these symptoms. Dr. Weiner is also chairman and professor of neurology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Multiple Sclerosis is the most common disabling disease of young adults. Many people who have MS today take medications to prevent relapses, and hopefully delay the progression of the disease. The approval of those drugs followed decades of painstaking research into many possible avenues of treatment. The results were often disappointing until the discovery of Copaxone, a drug that has a unique and fascinating history, described in a new book called, "The Remarkable Story of Copaxone." The author, Dr. Kenneth Johnson, played a major role in leading the national clinical trials of Copaxone that eventually led to its approval. In this interview with Ellen Beth Levitt, Dr. Johnson describes how Israeli scientists, working under tumultuous circumstances, discovered that the drug Coplymer 1 had promise as a treatment for MS. Dr. Johnson is retired as Chairman of Neurology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Fatty deposits are common in the carotid arteries, which are main pathways for blood to get to your brain. The build-up of this waxy plaque dramatically increases your risk for a stroke, so surgeons often perform a procedure called a carotid endarterectomy to remove these potential blockages. In this Medically Speaking podcast, Sharon Boston interviews Dr. Brajesh Lal, a vascular surgeon at the University of Maryland Medical Center, about carotid endarterectomy. He describes the surgery, what the recovery is like and who can benefit from this procedure. Dr. Lal, an associate professor of surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, also talks about screening for carotid artery blockages as well as some alternatives to surgery.

Parkinson's disease is a neurological disorder that affects about one million people in the United States and Canada. This podcast covers some basic information about Parkinson's disease, including symptoms and treatment. The guest is Dr. William Weiner, director of the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center at the University of Maryland Medical Center and chairman and professor of neurology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Dr. Weiner explains how Parkinson's disease is diagnosed and how it affects the body. In this interview with Sharon Boston, Dr. Weiner also talks about medications to treat Parkinson's and Deep Brain Stimulation, a surgical option treatment for some Parkinson's patients.

Trauma used to be considered a "young person's disease." But with people living longer and staying active in their older years, the number of people over age 65 who have traumatic injuries is growing. These patients often have chronic health conditions or special needs that are different from younger people who are injured in traumatic incidents. In this Medically Speaking podcast, Ellen Beth Levitt discusses the growing incidence of trauma among older people with Dr. Steven Gambert. He is director of Geriatric Medicine at the University of Maryland Medical Center and he is running a unique program at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center to meet the needs of older patients. Dr. Gambert is also a professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

For many years, surgery was the standard treatment for patients who had fatty deposits in their carotid arteries, which are the main pathways for blood into the brain. However, more patients may now be looking at stents as less invasive alternative to surgery. In this Medically Speaking podcast, Sharon Boston talks about carotid stenting with Dr. Brajesh Lal, a vascular surgeon at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Dr. Lal discusses the stenting procedure, including how it works, what the recovery is like and who can benefit from stenting. However, certain people may not be good candidates for stenting, and Dr. Lal explains how doctors and patients can decide which procedure may be best for each individual. Dr. Lal is also an associate professor of surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.