Sue Wilder, a volunteer at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital for 18 years, understands that when someone enters the hospital, they are at an extremely vulnerable point. Her first time at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital was when her father was admitted as a result of congestive heart failure. “He ended up spending seven weeks in this
Phil Mutchnik is easy to track down — if he’s not at the movies catching the films most likely be nominated for an Oscar, he’s volunteering at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital four and sometimes, five days a week. “I get a lot out of this myself,” he said. “I am not just doing this for
Jonathan Curtis has a “type A” personality. So when he was hit with sudden, severe pain in his abdomen last October, he simply grabbed some antacids to settle his stomach and got back to work. Instead of improving, the pain got worse. Within a few hours, Jonathan was wheeled into the emergency room at
USC-Verdugo Hills Hospital, part of Keck Medicine of USC, is being recognized for its exceptional support of emergency nursing certification. It is the first hospital in California to receive BCEN Honorary Certification Recognition, an award that is bestowed on one small and one large health care facility each year by the Board of Certification in
Nina Aghakhani, a native of La Cañada-Flintridge, knew from a young age that she wanted a career in health care. After graduating from college, Nina became a volunteer at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital during her gap year before medical school. Nina discovered her love for health sciences through her sports medicine and kinesiology classes at
Spring is here, which means spring allergies have also arrived. Here’s how to stop them before they start. Sure, spring is beautiful with trees and flowers in full bloom, but if you suffer from allergies to trees, grass pollens and ragweed, you know those green leaves and flowers trigger one of the most miserable
Although they are advertised as being better for your body than sugar, artificial sweeteners may be not be as harmless as they seem. Ever since saccharin, the first artificial sweetener, was created in 1879, scientists have been keeping an eye on the possible side effects of sugar substitutes. While they don’t have any calories and
CT scans and MRI scans scan similar areas of the body to diagnose injuries and internal pain, but the technology is different. Learn the advantages and limitations of each. While both CT and MRI scans capture detailed images of the inside of the body, the technology used — and the details captured, are different.
While most food allergies start in childhood, adults can develop allergies and it can happen out of nowhere. Maybe you have been eating seafood your entire life and out of nowhere your favorite lobster dish at your local restaurant causes your lips to swell. What’s causing it? Chances are you have developed an adult
When your thyroid works properly, you never know it’s there. But when it malfunctions, it wreaks havoc on your body. Your thyroid is a flat, butterfly-shaped gland located directly underneath your Adam’s apple. Everything from brain development, bone strength, heart function, digestion and muscle control are affected by the thyroid. Even so, it is not
Weighing your options: Are you making the best selections in the produce section? According to the World Health Organization, eating at least five 80-gram serving portions of a variety of fruits and vegetables every day lowers the risk of serious health problems. Recent studies have also proven that eating certain fruits can help with weight loss.
Being diagnosed with Human Papillomavirus (HPV) can be a nerve-wracking experience. You don’t need to panic, but you do need to be informed. Here are 6 things you need to know when you’re diagnosed with HPV: 1. Don’t panic HPV is so prevalent that nearly all sexually active men and women get it at some
When it comes to losing weight, exercise is important, but calorie reduction is what really helps you drop those extra pounds. Complete diet makeovers can be overwhelming, but small changes can make a big difference. There isn’t always time to meal prep, and sometimes grabbing lunch on the go is the only option. But that’s not
When you’re miserable and sniffling and sneezing, you may be ready to try anything — anything — to make it stop. Or maybe you would do anything to prevent those symptoms from starting. Science weighs in on using zinc to fight and prevent colds. Runny nose, sore throat, aches and congestion are the all too familiar symptoms
Although your natural instinct may be to whisper when you have laryngitis, speech therapists believe you may actually be straining your vocal cords. If you’ve ever suffered from laryngitis (swollen, irritated vocal cords in the larynx, perhaps better known as the voice box), your gut reaction might have been to assume that it’s okay to