When Julie McLaughlin suggested that her husband, Mark McLaughlin, MD, join her for a swim class at the CentraState Fitness & Wellness Center, he couldn’t have predicted it would become one of his favorite ways to exercise. “I'm a wrestler and a runner, but these activities come with muscle [...]
Exercise is good for your body, but did you know that those benefits also extend to your brain? “Exercise improves the function of your cardiovascular, respiratory, muscular, skeletal and nervous systems, all of which support your brain's health and ability to do its job,” says CentraState neurosurgeon Mark McLaughlin, [...]
Without clinical research, medicine would not have cancer immunotherapy, cardiac angioplasty or the data showing that ulcers are caused by a bacterium and not spicy foods. Through clinical trials – studies that test new therapies, medications or medical devices in humans – researchers have investigated and developed breakthroughs that [...]
While every child is different, some may need additional help to meet developmental milestones. CentraState speech-language pathologist Danielle DaCunha, MS, CCC-SLP, and occupational therapist Diana Cruz, MS, OTR/L, CSRS, share five signs that your child may benefit from a speech or occupational therapy evaluation. They have trouble meeting developmental [...]
It seems like every year the summer weather hits earlier and hotter. Whether you’re gardening in your backyard, jogging at the track, or out and about running chores, when the mercury climbs, your body has to work harder to keep cool. “When pushed too far, your body can run [...]
Summertime means fun, fireworks, and food cooked on the barbecue. It’s also primetime for burns, whether from grill flare-ups, sparkler mishaps, or barefoot walks on hot surfaces. If you have been burned, the first step is to assess it carefully, says CentraState’s chair of Emergency Medicine Jeremy Dayner, MD. [...]
When you roll your neck to release tension after looking down at your phone for too long, you are instinctively doing somatic stretching. It’s your body’s way of releasing sore, overworked muscles. Over time, muscles can become chronically tight due to stress, injuries and repetitive activities. This can negatively [...]
Doug Brooks has struggled with his weight since high school, and it continued to climb through adulthood. Four years ago, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the Howell resident to work from home, his weight spiked from 220 pounds to 300 pounds. Easily fatigued and experiencing excruciating hip and knee pain, [...]
When Cynthia James was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) – a chronic, debilitating disease of the central nervous system – she could’ve scaled back her commitments while processing her new reality. Instead, she found ways to help others with the disease. Six years ago, with a career she loved, a [...]
When you hear the term “zero gravity,” you may think of astronauts and space travel. Now, a similar environment is helping CentraState patients improve their balance. The ZeroG® Gait and Balance System, a new treatment option available at CentraState’s OceanFirst Rehabilitation Center, helps patients more safely and confidently practice walking [...]
