School Nurses Make a Difference

Since being introduced over a century ago, the school nurse role has evolved, becoming increasingly more important. Back in 2008, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended one school nurse to every 750 students. With the growing complexity of student health issues, the AAP now recommends that there be at least one full-time nurse employed at every school. What is the role of a school ...

Top 5 COPD Myths Debunked in Favor of Better Breathing

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is now the third leading cause of death in the United States. An estimated 15 million Americans have been diagnosed with COPD, an umbrella term that includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis – yet most people know little about it. After years of being seen as a man’s disease, COPD is now also common in women, and more women are dying of the ...

A New Migraine Headache Treatment You Should Know About

Sphenopalatine Ganglion (SPG) Block Procedure Offers a New Option for Migraine Headache Sufferers Migraine headaches are one of the most common, debilitating diseases in the Unites States, and the cost and side effects of prescription medications to address migraines can become overwhelming. But, a short, simple procedure targeting a group of nerve cells inside and behind the nose is bringing new ...

Heart Healthy Foods You Can Find at the Farmers Market

Heart disease was once considered only a man’s problem, but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , cardiovascular disease is also the number one killer of women in the U.S. In fact it’s estimated that 1 in 9 women ages 45- 64 have some form of heart disease and that ratio jumps to 1 in 3 for women over 65. So it’s essential that women as well as men, ...

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Partners with Jim Armstrong Subaru to Blanket CVMC Cancer Patients With Hope

Jim Armstrong Subaru and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) collaborated to purchase blankets for cancer patients in hospitals worldwide. “Through our Subaru Love Promise we aim to make the world a better place and our owners care deeply about giving back in their local communities,” Alan Bethke said, who is the senior vice president of marketing at Subaru of America. “We ...

American Cancer Society Honors CVMC Reach To Recovery Volunteer Brenda Putnam

Program Helps Women Newly Diagnosed with Breast Cancer HICKORY, NC – July 22, 2016 – Catawba Valley Medical Center (CVMC) announces today The American Cancer Society has honored CVMC employee Brenda Putnam of Hickory with the Terese Lasser Memorial Award, the highest national award for service in the society’s Reach To Recovery ® program. Putnam was selected out of nominees ...

The Importance of Vaccines

I would like to discuss a very important and often misunderstood topic this month, vaccines. There is a lot of misinformation on the Internet, TV, and in various books. Vaccines are of vital importance to the overall health of a person and the population along with disease prevention. Vaccines have been used in the prevention of diseases for many years. Throughout history there have been many ...

The Salty Truth

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the average man consumes 4,500mg of sodium a day– which is almost 2 times the maximum amount recommended per their most recent dietary guidelines. “This is a more serious problem than you think,” warns Dr. Baxter Leonard of Catawba Valley Family Medicine Medical Arts. “There’s substantial evidence linking an ...

Who's Who in the Doctor's Office

NP, PA, RN, DO? When you make an appointment with your primary care provider it’s likely you’ll come in contact with a variety of healthcare professionals who’ll have a combination of letters like this on their badge, which, let’s be honest, can start to feel like alphabet soup. These letters represent a person’s credentials or specific certification. Having persons ...

A Jewel of a Pool! Fitness Plus Pool Reopens July 1

A six-week wait for swimmers at the CVMC Fitness Plus Center pool ends Friday, July 1st! First opened in 1998, the indoor swimming pool will reopen following a major overhaul and extensive upgrades including new pool surfaces in and around the pool, more inviting entrance steps and an updated chair lift to facilitate access for members with restricted accessibility. Maintaining a comfortable ...

5 Reasons to Have a Primary Care Provider

Women make approximately 80% of all healthcare decisions for families according to the U.S. Department of Labor. They typically take the lead in choosing health plans, scheduling doctor’s appointments, and making sure loved ones get the care they need. Women are also more likely to step in as a caregiver when a family member falls ill. Unfortunately, some women overlook what might happen if ...

My Story: Jesse Porter on the Joys and Challenges of Breastfeeding

The following is written by guest author and first-time mother Jesse Porter, 23, of Hickory. She shares about the joys and challenges of breastfeeding, plus offers some useful nursing tips that worked for her. Everything about my experience giving birth at CVMC was absolutely great – including my first attempt at breastfeeding. Within the hour after my daughter Piper was born, I brought her ...

New Provider Joins Catawba Valley Vascular Surgery

HICKORY, NC – June 17, 2015 — Catawba Valley Medical Group (CVMG) announces the addition of Physician Assistant, Jennifer Kahrl to its staff at Catawba Valley Vascular Surgery. She joins Christopher Griggs, DO and Lindsay Bools, MD caring for patients with a comprehensive approach to evaluation, diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of vascular conditions. “We welcome Jennifer ...

5 Summer Safety Tips to Share with Your Babysitter

Now that school is out for the summer, you’re probably making arrangements to insure your children have the most fun over the next few months. Hiring a babysitter to take over pool duty, run the kids to the park, chauffeur them to or from camp or spend time playing with them in your own backyard could be just what you need. But, before you leave your children with a sitter, make sure they ...

Tips for First Time Dads

Happy belated Fathers’ Day to all dads and fathers-to-be! What an exciting time of life, and often terrifying. As the father of four young boys and physician to many young families, new dads often ask me about how adding a baby changes things. Every situation is unique, but new dads create the environment for their children to flourish. Although it may seem that your newborn only has eyes ...

Words of Caution for Weekend Warriors

During June we celebrate National Men’s Health Month and Father’s Day, making this an ideal opportunity to promote men’s health and wellness. For some men, a busy workweek presents obligations that keep them from regular exercise. Instead, they find themselves among a group that’s known as “weekend warriors”. Weekend warriors engage in physically demanding ...

Planning An Active Vacation

Vacation season is here. For most of us, that means taking a break from work and everyday responsibilities to have fun and relax with our family. But a fun family getaway doesn’t mean you have to abandon an active lifestyle. This summer, instead of spending time lounging on the beach or riding on a tour bus, plan a vacation that’s full of fun, outdoor activities. Try to incorporate ...

4 Tips for Bike Safety

Moms, there are so many great reasons to encourage your whole family to ride their bike this summer: it’s fun, great exercise and good for the environment. Safe Kids offers these tips to insure your family stays as safe as possible while bike riding. Wear a Helmet. It is the single most effective safety device available to reduce head injury and death from bicycle crashes. Find the Right ...

10-week preemie Olivia Grace Adams stays strong in NICU

Transported from Watauga Medical Center, Olivia Grace is a beautiful example of how our NICU helps save the tiniest patients, not only in our community but in surrounding counties too. Read their family’s wonderful story below, as first printed in the Hickory Daily Record. On the Adams’ way to a birthday party in late February driving through Roan Mountain State Park, Tonya Adams had a ...

Tackling Osteoarthritis With a Multi-pronged Approach

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis, a degenerative joint disease affecting millions of Americans, most over age 50. According to the Arthritis Foundation, OA is thought to be a result of long years of wear and tear on the body. It develops over time as cartilage between bones starts to wear away and, in serious cases, bone begins to rub against bone causing pain, swelling and ...

Inpatient Rehab Helped Ruben Barkley Recover From a Double Knee Replacement

By late 2015, it seemed constant bone-rubbing-on-bone pain was making everything 60 year-old Ruben Barkley did revolve around his knees. Osteoarthritis was causing debilitating pain, swelling and stiffness in both knees, making it difficult for him to sleep or endure the physical toll of frequent bending and pressure on his knees required by his work as a maintenance technician. What’s more, ...

Julie Stecher Named Program Director of Expanding CVMC Center for Wound Healing and Hyperbarics

HICKORY, NC – April 22, 2016 – Catawba Valley Medical Center (CVMC) announces the recent appointment of Julie Stecher, to the position of Director CVMC Center for Wound Healing and Hyperbarics. The center, located in Tate Medical Commons, is currently under expansion while still scheduling patients. The expansion, scheduled for completion in June, will include three additional ...

Pa Lee Joins Catawba Valley Family Medicine Claremont

HICKORY, NC – April 25, 2015 — Catawba Valley Medical Group (CVMG) recently added Family Nurse Practitioner, Pa Lee to the staff of Catawba Valley Family Medicine Claremont, one of its 12 primary care practices treating a broad spectrum of health conditions. Pa Lee is a certified Family Nurse Practitioner with extensive nursing experience at Catawba Valley Medical Center where she ...

Sun Safety

With summer right around the corner everyone seems anxious to spend free time outside enjoying the sunshine and beautiful weather, but parents – be warned…the sun is more dangerous than you think. While getting that bronze glow may feel like an added bonus to spending more time outside playing with your kids, it’s actually your body’s response to an injury. There is no ...

CMVC Is Your Partner for Achieving Long Term Weight Loss

Most bariatric surgery patients are successful with losing and maintaining their weight loss long-term. CVMC offers an accredited Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Center sanctioned by the American College of Surgeons and the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. The program offers three different types of surgery – Gastric Bypass, Sleeve Gastrectomy and Adjustable Gastric Band. ...