Pregnancy can be an exciting time, and the birth of a baby is often thrilling and joyful. This time in your life can also be stressful, involving many life changes. Hormonal changes and planning and caring for a new baby can take a toll on a mother’s well-being. It is quite common for a new mother’s mood to be low after the birth of a baby, but if it develops into symptoms of depression, it is important for both mother and baby that she seek treatment. Continue reading
National Nurses Week is a time to celebrate and thank all of our nursing colleagues for their dedication. We recognize the significant contributions nurses make in keeping our patients healthy.
Nurses play a critical role in improving patient outcomes, coordinating care and decreasing costs. The Affordable Care Act and the Institute of Medicine’s “Future of Nursing” Report have placed nurses in the center of health care transformation, strengthening prevention and wellness efforts which are reflected in our work at Harvard Vanguard. We recognize the hard work, passion, commitment and patient engagement that happens every day throughout Harvard Vanguard. Continue reading
Many of us spend hours in front of a computer screen every day, and that can take a toll on your vision. Generally speaking, viewing objects farther away from us is easier on our eyes; conversely, the muscles in our eyes must work harder to view things at close range. Staring at a computer screen for long periods of time, therefore, can cause you to strain the muscles in your eyes and may result in headaches, blurred vision and eye fatigue.
There are changes you can make that may help relieve many computer-related vision problems, such as improving lighting in the work area, altering the workstation height, taking intermittent breaks, or obtaining prescription glasses for computer use. Continue reading
In 1966, a revolutionary book was published entitled Feminine Forever. This book defined menopause as a deficiency disease that fed into the then-current stereotypes of older women as past their prime, unattractive, slightly crazy, and asexual. But there was good news! There was a cure: estrogen for the rest of your life! The book jacket promised: “Now almost every woman, regardless of age, can safely live a full sex life for her entire life.” During medical school in the 1970s, I still remember the ads for Premarin (a popular estrogen made from PREgnant MARes urINe). They featured a handsome graying woman holding a dead, shriveled rose, and the ad read: “Premarin, for the symptoms that bother him most.”
Our attitudes, thankfully, have changed since then, but the health impact can still be felt today. Continue reading
Because asthma varies over time (sometimes symptoms are absent, sometimes symptoms are minimal, and at other times, asthma symptoms are bad), asthma action plans are very important. When a child has an asthma action plan, he or his parents and care givers are able to increase or decrease his treatment based on his symptoms with the guidance of that plan. Studies indicate that when children with asthma have an asthma action plan, they and their parents are better able to manage the ups and downs of their asthma.
So, what exactly is an asthma action plan? Think of it as a brief owner’s manual for people with asthma. Continue reading
Michelle, before and after her amazing weight loss
“I had always been a sociable person but deep inside I didn’t feel comfortable in social situations. I didn’t join any events and my life had become dull and boring. I really didn’t think that any program would be able to help me.”
After many attempts to lose weight, Michelle had lost hope and, for a long time, did not even try anymore. It wasn’t until Michelle saw her brother in-law’s success with HMR that she thought “there was still hope.” Continue reading
Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates and Normandy Real Estate Partners, one of the largest real estate developers, owners and operators of commercial office buildings nationally, today announced the groundbreaking of a state-of-the-art medical building for the Concord Hillside practice of Harvard Vanguard based in Concord.
The two-story, 50,000 square foot medical office building will be located at Concord Meadows Corporate Center and is scheduled to open in spring 2013. Continue reading
With the warm weather coming in fits and starts but soon here to stay, bicycles are being pulled out of basements and garages across towns, and soon the streets and sidewalks will be strewn with tikes on bikes. With all of the joy and glee our small cyclists exude as they pedal away, we often forget about the serious risk associated with bicycles. Continue reading
Many of us can probably think of a time when we’ve wondered if we drank too much, and certainly whether someone else we care about might have had too much to drink. But how much is too much? Continue reading
On Patriot’s Day, which is Monday, April 16, 2012, Harvard Vanguard practices will be CLOSED except for Braintree, Chelmsford, Kenmore, Peabody, Somerville, and Wellesley, which are open for pre-scheduled urgent care visits.
To check these sites’ hours of operation on Patriot’s Day, please click here.
As always, if you are experiencing a life threatening emergency, please call 911 or your local emergency access number.
If you feel you need medical advice or think you may need to be seen, call your doctor’s office at any time, day or night. Your call will be directed to our 24/7 medical staff and triaged as needed. Should you need an appointment, they can schedule an appointment for you at one of the locations above.
We wish you and your family a safe, happy, and healthy holiday!
