Mayo Clinic Health Matters

Latest Episodes:

Social isolation during COVID-19 Dec 08, 2020

Show notes

As the COVID-19 surge sweeps across the U.S., it's crucial that people stay home and avoid gatherings to reduce community spread of the virus.

But for some, that loneliness is becoming an epidemic within the pandemic. Social isolation, especially for people in high-risk health care facilities, like nursing homes, is taking a toll on their mental health.

Health care professionals say people have an intuitive desire to gather and seek companionship. Even introverts are struggling with isolation.

In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Anita Bissinger, a Mayo Clinic Health System social worker, says people have been innovative and mindful of the fact people are lonely and need to support each other. This social isolation isn't forever and there are ways to combat the seclusion.

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Isolation, stress and the pandemic affecting those with eating disorders Dec 07, 2020

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Eating disorders are complex medical issues, and the COVID-19 pandemic has created additional challenges for people who battle these disorders. For some, being home with constant access to food is difficult. For others, the lack of social support is a struggle.

Now isolation and stress are contributing to an increased risk of people developing eating disorders.

In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Leslie Sim, a Mayo Clinic psychologist, addresses eating disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Two ends of the nutrition spectrum in children Dec 04, 2020

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Pediatric growth charts track growth in infants, children and adolescents. While children can go through brief periods where they gain or lose a little weight, if children don't gain weight or grow well, they may be diagnosed with failure to thrive.

On the other end of the nutrition spectrum are children with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. This occurs when too much fat is stored in the liver and can cause problems for the liver’s normal functioning.

This edition of the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast features an #AskMayoMom episode, which is hosted by Dr. Angela Mattke, a pediatrician at Mayo Clinic Children's Center. To discuss the nutrition spectrum in children, Dr. Mattke is joined by Dr. Dana Steien, a pediatric gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic, and Dr. Sara Hassan, a pediatric gastroenterologist and transplant hepatologist at Mayo Clinic.

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Regenerative medicine helps with facial reconstruction after skin cancer Dec 03, 2020

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For generations, people have intentionally and unintentionally exposed their skin to the sun. As a result, skin cancer has become the most common form of cancer in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Treatment options are limited for people with skin cancer, especially on the face and more specifically the nose.

Dr. Brittany E. Howard, a Mayo Clinic otolaryngologist, and head and neck surgeon, says the cancer often leaves a patient with deformities. And these patients sometimes require prosthetics. Dr. Howard specializes in facial plastic and reconstruction.

However, Dr. Howard says there is a relatively uncommon reconstructive surgery, using regenerative medicine techniques, that can help a patient return to a new normal and feel less self-conscious.

"After we treat the cancer, the specialized team can work with the patient all the way through the reconstruction surgery," says Dr. Howard.

In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Howard talks about research by Mayo Clinic's Center for Regenerative Medicine and the Mayo Clinic surgical team that can reconstruct parts of a patient's face.

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How messenger RNA vaccines work Dec 02, 2020

Show notes

The first COVID-19 vaccines to reach the market are likely to be messenger RNA vaccines, or mRNA. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, mRNA vaccines work by teaching cells in the body how to make a protein that triggers an immune response. Unlike many vaccines that use a weakened or inactivated form of a virus, mRNA vaccines do not use the live virus that causes COVID-19.

On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group, explains how mRNA vaccines work, gives a status update on the pandemic and answers listener questions.
Research disclosures for Dr. Gregory Poland.

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Managing the COVID-19 surge Dec 01, 2020

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The current COVID-19 surge numbers could worsen in coming days as experts prepare for a post-Thanksgiving holiday increase in cases. Increased positivity rates lead to more people needing hospitalization, straining the health care system and medical staff.

On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Elie Berbari, chair of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Mayo Clinic, explains how Mayo Clinic is managing staff, supplies and space during the COVID-19 surge.

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Mayo Clinic expands living liver donation program Nov 30, 2020

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More than 12,000 people in the U.S. are waiting for a liver transplant, and 1 in 5 of those on the national waiting list will die or become too sick before an organ becomes available. Due to the shortage of available deceased donor organs, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, is expanding its living liver donation program. While living donors traditionally have been people who know the recipient, such as a family member or friend, the Mayo Clinic program now include non directed and paired donation options.

On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Timucin Taner, a Mayo Clinic transplant surgeon, discusses the process of living liver donation and shares information on becoming an organ donor.

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Finding relief from epileptic seizures Nov 25, 2020

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Eric Berg has had seizures due to epilepsy since he was 12 years old. This past year, his seizures increased in frequency, affecting his day-to-day life and his ability to work. With encouragement from his fiancee, Eric sought treatment at Mayo Clinic.

At Mayo Clinic, experts are using a new way to treat some seizure disorders: repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, or rTMS. This treatment uses a magnetic field to stimulate certain areas of the brain. While often used to treat depression, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation also is showing promise in treating seizures.

On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Eric Berg shares his story. His physician, Dr. Jeffrey Britton, a neurologist and chair of the Division of Epilepsy at Mayo Clinic, also joins the podcast and explains how repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation is used to treat seizure disorders.

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CDC recommends no Thanksgiving travel Nov 24, 2020

Show notes

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday will look different for families across the country this year. As the pandemic worsens, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends no Thanksgiving travel, instead asking Americans to stay home and celebrate only with their immediate household to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.

On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group, explains the need to stay home and stay safe this holiday season. Also on the podcast, Dr. Poland discusses emergency use authorizations for COVID-19 vaccines and how these vaccines will be distributed across the country.
Research disclosures for Dr. Gregory Poland.

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Remote monitoring for COVID-19 patients Nov 23, 2020

Show notes

COVID-19 patients may experience a mild case of the illness, and others may experience the most severe symptoms, which can lead to death.

There are some patients who recover at home but are monitored as they're healing. For instance, these patients need to check their vital signs daily, including oxygen saturation levels, body temperature an blood pressure.

Dr. Tufia Haddad, a Mayo Clinic oncologist and medical director of the Center for Connected Care's Remote Patient Monitoring program, at Mayo Clinic, says the program is a way to deliver patient care between clinical visits to make sure their health is improving.

In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Haddad details how the program works for patients diagnosed with COVID-19.

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