Any addiction, from gambling to overeating, can derail your life, but drug addiction — especially opioid abuse — can be fatal. But before it gets to that, opioid addiction often drags its victims through a long list of serious consequences, including some very dangerous circumstances and health issues. With four...
According to the World Health Organization, approximately 41 million people die every year due to chronic illnesses that are a direct result of chosen lifestyles and behaviors. Of course, advancing age is also a contributing factor, but the majority of culprits are elective behaviors, including tobacco, alcohol, sedentary lifestyle, stress,...
In school, you likely had a home room that served as the anchor for all your other classes. It’s where you started every day, established a routine, and learned important information you needed to navigate your education. Primary care is like the home room of the medical world. It’s the...
More than one-fifth of the American population lives with chronic pain. Pain is considered chronic when it lasts for three months or longer. Chronic pain may keep you up at night, keep you from work, or prevent you from engaging in the activities you love. Fortunately, our team at Alpha...
The COVID-19 pandemic preoccupies the news and has brought life as we knew it to a grinding halt. However, the opioid epidemic that had been raging long before the novel coronavirus appeared hasn’t stopped in the wake of the global pandemic. In fact, the opioid epidemic is still claiming lives...
When you think of therapy, you probably think of lying on a couch talking about your feelings, while a stoic doctor jots down everything you say and hands you a prescription on your way out. That might be what mental health treatments used to be like, but not anymore. At...
Everyone is wired differently, and personalities vary greatly, so the range of “normal” behavior is massive. This can make it tough to decide on your own whether your behavior, thoughts, and feelings are simply ordinary responses or signs that you have a mental health condition. That’s where we come in....
The health care system has become more and more compartmentalized, with specialties for every imaginable medical category and ever-emerging modes of care delivery. Some physicians narrow their care to one specific body part or condition, others branch out and embrace complementary fields, such as cosmetic treatments. Concierge medicine offers a...
The opioid epidemic has enslaved millions of Americans in a life of addiction and hopelessness. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, nearly 30% of patients who use prescription painkillers end up misusing them, and up to 12% develop an addiction to them. Of those, about 4-6% switch to...
The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered dramatic changes throughout everyday life — and in the medical community as well. Not only are providers across the country postponing elective procedures, but many are also encouraging people to avoid in-office appointments to reduce their risk of exposure to this highly contagious coronavirus.But what...
Specialized medicine allows doctors to narrow their focus and become experts at one thing. In theory, that sounds like a good idea. But there are times when that kind of laser focus may do more harm than good. When you have a chronic condition or are simply interested in optimal...
Accidents happen everywhere and all the time. In fact, there are 6 million car accidents, 8 million slip-and-fall accidents, and 2.8 million workplace injuries every year. Unfortunately, accidents are inevitable, and chances are you’ll have one at some point in your life. So the best thing you can do is...
What habits do you have? Smoking? Biting your nails? Binge eating? Or maybe you tend to close yourself off from friends and family or avoid confrontation at work. The things you do every day that you think are just personality quirks may actually impact your mental and physical health. The...
Whether you used a prescription drug to battle severe pain, or you experimented with an illegal drug like heroin and got hooked, opioid addiction doesn’t care how you started — and it doesn’t care how badly you want to stop. Once opioids get a hold of your life, it can...
From annual wellness exams to various injuries and illnesses, primary care is usually your first line of defense. If you need more advanced care, you probably expect to be referred to a specialist. But at Alpha Care Medical, you can expect comprehensive care for your chronic conditions right here in...
Drugs and alcohol can seize your life and turn it upside down. They can rob you of control, joy, and even hope. They affect the lives of nearly 20 million Americans, and countless more who love and care for them. And it’s not only physical — psychological, emotional, and social...
If you have, or think you have, COVID-19, you probably have a lot of questions and some serious concerns. There are so many conflicting reports, you may be wondering where to turn for information you can trust. At Alpha Care Medical, our team of experienced primary care physicians are equipped...
If you’ve ever been examined by a doctor, you’ve probably experienced the conventional approach to health care. And for many acute conditions, this tried-and-true method is very effective. But, when it comes to chronic conditions, the traditional approach often falls short. Our team at Alpha Care Medical embraces a more...
Once called combat fatigue or shell shock, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has historically been associated with combat, but it doesn’t take a war zone to cause it. PTSD can result from experiencing or witnessing a violent act, being in an accident, or repeated exposure to intense, traumatic events. In fact,...
Addictive drugs have always been a problem and have ruined and ended countless lives. But it was never a full-fledged epidemic until 1999, when doctors began prescribing opioids as prescription pain killers and their patients became addicted. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), even though overdose...
Do you avoid annual physicals? You’re in good company. Millions of people avoid going to the doctor, especially millennials. These people often think there’s no reason to see a doctor unless they’re ill. They’re pressed for time and money. And they don’t want to invest in an annual physical if...
