May 2018 - Media Tip Sheet

Listed below are story ideas from The Greater Baltimore Medical Center (GBMC). To pursue any of these stories, please call John M. Lazarou at 443-849-2126 or jlazarou@gbmc.org.




Could Varicose Veins Signal A Major Health Issue?


In the U.S., approximately 25 percent of all adults, more women than men, have varicose veins. Varicose veins, which mostly appear in the lower leg region, can actually later on lead to a more serious medical issue. According to a study, which appeared in a recent issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), showed that varicose veins may be an early warning sign of a type of potentially deadly blood clot known as Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT). Jennifer Heller, MD, director of The Vein Center at GBMC, can outline the risk factors, causes, signs and symptoms of varicose veins, as well as available treatment options. She can also discuss the gender differences when it comes to varicose veins, the findings of the JAMA study and why the relationships between varicose veins and DVT is important.




Make Her Health A Top Priority This Mother’s Day


Annual gifts from a spouse, children or family, to mom on Mother’s Day usually involve a combination of cards, flowers, jewelry and maybe, if she’s lucky, breakfast in bed. This year, loved ones could give their mom a different kind of present – the gift of health and well-being. With the start of National Women’s Health Week (Sun., May 13 -- Sat., May 19), coinciding with Mother’s Day weekend, GBMC physicians want to remind women to make their health a priority, understand what steps they can take to improve their health and to schedule their annual well-woman visit on National Women's Checkup Day, Mon., May 14.




Flip Flops & Beach Bag Pain


Memorial Day weekend is the official start of the summer, and thousands of people will be traveling to the beach for vacation from now until September. The last thing you want are any kinks, such as foot and back pain, to inhibit your vacation. Flip flops are easy to love. They’re easy to wear and help to keep your feet cool. But, did you also know that every summer, there is a significant rise in plantar fasciitis problems? The lack of support from flip flops causes an abnormal stretch to the plantar fascia in the arch, leading to heel pain. When heading to the beach, lake or pool, be careful when packing your cooler and beach bag too making it too heavy to carry. A GBMC orthopedic surgeon can suggest a few things that you can do to prevent foot and back pain from ruining your vacation this summer.




Diet Sabotaging Foods


Summer is just around the corner and many of us are trying to shed a few pounds by heading to the gym. Unfortunately, the problem may not be what you're doing inside the gym, but what you're buying at the grocery store. A registered dietitian at GBMC, can break down some of the foods that could be sabotaging your diet or progress for losing weight, outline a few seemingly “healthy” habits that may be to blame and offer tips on foods that will stop you from impairing your attempt to lose weight and eat healthy.




Traveling With Diabetes


Rest and relaxation or sightseeing and adventure are probably on every vacation goers to do list, but for those who have diabetes a few precautions should also be included. A registered dietician at GBMC can offer some simple tips to help ease summer travel for those with diabetes and can outline some special steps to take before their trip to make sure that their travels and their vacation does not interfere with their diabetes treatment.




What Is A Total Ankle Replacement Surgery?


Ankle replacement surgery is starting to gain popularity and those suffering from debilitating ankle arthritis might now have a new option -- a new ankle. In late April, GBMC’s Steven A. Kulik, MD, led a surgical team that performed the first total ankle replacement surgery at GBMC. Total ankle replacement is a surgical process for replacing damaged bones in the ankle joint by placing a plastic or metal implant on top of the ankle bone and at the end of the shin bone. Research has shown that ankle replacements have a survival rate of 95 percent after five years and 90 percent after 10 years. Dr. Kulik, who joined GBMC’s Orthopaedic Specialist in 2016, is certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and treats issues and sports related problems of the foot and ankle. Dr. Kulik is available to address the most common questions about total ankle replacement surgery.