Blog Archive

An annual wellness visit tells a lot about your current health and can offer insight into your future health. Annual wellness visits allow you to check in yearly with a trusted health care provider who gets to know you over the years.  Annual wellness visits are beneficial whether you’re in...

In the United States, the median wait time for emergency care in the emergency room (ER) is more than an hour and a half. Such a long time in the waiting room can be frustrating and concerning as you worry about your injury or condition worsening within that time frame. ...

Diabetes is a chronic illness affecting over 10% of the United States population. Living with any of the main types of diabetes can be challenging, but many people successfully manage their diabetes to avoid common complications like diabetic neuropathy, severe drops in blood sugar, and cardiovascular disease.  If you live...

Smoking doesn’t just open the door for lung cancer in the future. The habit can ultimately harm every organ in your body and cause a plethora of chronic illnesses.  From hypertension to chronic lung disease, the health effects of smoking are severe and increasingly likely to occur the longer you...

Childhood obesity has grown more prevalent by the decade in the United States and worldwide. In the past three decades, rates have tripled here in the US. Today, approximately 20% of children aged 2-19 meet the criteria for childhood obesity.  Weight challenges in children and adolescents are cause for concern...

When you’re at risk for a preventable condition without symptoms, being proactive about your health is critical for your long-term well-being.  Often referred to as the “silent killer,” hypertension (high blood pressure) doesn’t cause symptoms, and many people don’t realize they have it. If you know you have family members...

High cholesterol is a risk factor for many other medical problems and a concerning condition in itself. Whether you have high cholesterol as a result of another disease or on its own, you should take the condition seriously and try to manage it.  If you’re one of the 71 million...

Sometimes a toddler who won’t eat is just being picky, but an appetite that isn’t there at all is another story. Your concern is justified if you’re worried about your toddler’s loss of appetite. Often, a toddler’s loss of appetite is a sign of an underlying medical condition that needs...

Having diabetes means you must take steps to balance your blood sugar (glucose) within a safe range. Consistently high glucose compromises the tissues throughout your body and can lead to a wide range of complications including neuropathy, kidney problems, and gum disease.  A hormone called insulin naturally keeps your blood...

When you’re a new parent, nothing is more worrying than a possible issue with your baby’s health. While rashes are common in babies, you want to know what causes them and what you need to do to treat them.  The good news is most rashes in infants and small children...

An electrocardiogram (EKG) is a simple medical test that generates a graph showing the activity of your heart. Painless and quick, an EKG gives you valuable information about the electrical phases of each heartbeat.  Physicians Clifton Etienne, MD, Michael Cavanagh, MD, and Flora Brewington, MD, at Westmed Family Healthcare frequently...

High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is a common health issue among adults. With almost half of adults experiencing hypertension in the United States alone, the condition is quite prevalent.  Whether you’ve been diagnosed with high blood pressure or have discovered it yourself through self-testing, learning ways to control your...

Plenty of birth control options are available today, allowing people of childbearing age the freedom to choose if or when they’re ready to get pregnant. With a trusted family medicine physician, you can choose your preferred method of birth control based on its effectiveness, ease of use, and any future...

Playtime may seem trivial, but it’s critical in a child’s maturation. From infancy to the preteen years, you should encourage your child to engage in playtime for the sake of their cognitive, physical, emotional, and social development.  You may be surprised to hear the many benefits your baby can derive...

You might think of strep throat as a mild health issue that affects you for a week or so from time to time. What many people don’t realize is that you can develop complications from strep if you ignore your symptoms and avoid treatment.  Although the illness itself can be...

Whether your kids are in school or out for the summer, they’re probably pretty active outside. When you first see a rash, you might assume they’ve encountered some plant or other irritant that causes their skin to flare up. There are numerous skin conditions, infections, and outside causes of rashes,...

Most people have probably heard their primary care providers mention cholesterol at least once or twice. High cholesterol is a condition that grows more common with age and can wreak havoc on your overall health. It’s important to know what cholesterol is, what it does, and why it’s bad for...

Young or old, athletic or sedentary, anyone can sprain their ankle. If you have kids who play sports, or if you’re an athlete yourself, you’ve probably encountered a sprain or two. Ankle sprains are the leading reason for missed athletic participation.  Though many ankle sprains seem comparably mild, you should never forgo...

You can thank a hormone called insulin for driving your metabolism. Straight from your pancreas, this hormone converts the sugar (glucose) in your blood into energy that your cells use for any and all functions. Without insulin, or with ineffective insulin, glucose accumulates in your blood and can damage your...

Burning urination, frequent trips to the bathroom, and an odd odor from your urine are just a few of the symptoms that make urinary tract infections (UTIs) so bothersome. Every year, 8.1 million people reach out to their healthcare providers about a UTI, and many of them receive low-dose antibiotics...

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a chronic condition that doesn’t usually cause any symptoms, making it hard to detect without a blood pressure test at your local pharmacy or from your doctor.  Physicians Clifton Etienne, MD, Michael Cavanagh, MD, and Flora Brewington, MD, read your blood pressure at the beginning of every...

Oral contraceptives, or hormonal birth control, use estrogen and progestin to stop the ovulation process so sperm can’t join with an egg, which results in pregnancy.  Whether you don’t want kids at all or just aren’t ready yet, you trust your birth control to live your life the way you...

Diabetes is a chronic condition that can uproot your entire routine. You may need to monitor your glucose every day, take insulin, and be more mindful of what you eat. Experts also encourage you to include exercise in your routine.  At Westmed Family Healthcare in Westminster, Colorado, we provide personalized care plans...

Wellness exams aren’t just for infants and the elderly. At any age, you can benefit from getting an annual wellness exam to check in on your health status and identify concerning health trends or signs of a symptomless illness. Plus, most annual wellness exams include helpful personal advice on what...

Emergency rooms across the United States see around 130 million people per year, and they’re busier than ever due to the Covid-19 pandemic. With so many people in and out of the emergency room, long wait times are to be expected. This is especially true for injuries and illnesses that...

Many women experience pain in their core area or pelvis that feels intense enough to warrant a visit to urgent care. Pain from endometriosis presents differently among the individuals who experience it, and it’s hard to pinpoint the cause without a professional examination.  At Westmed Family Healthcare, we encourage you to come...

Running late to work, having an approaching deadline, or getting a flat tire: These are just a few examples of the endless possible stressors in life that get your blood pumping. Stress is strongly linked to anxiety, and these emotions elevate your heart rate and blood pressure in the moment. ...

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is something many women and some men have had to deal with at some point in their lives. It happens when bacteria from outside your urinary tract enter it, usually through your urethra.  The infection itself can manifest anywhere in your urinary system, including your...

Metabolic diseases like diabetes affect how you turn the foods you eat into energy. Your body relies on a hormone called insulin, which comes from your pancreas, to help transfer glucose (sugar) from the foods you eat into your cells. Your cells use the hormone as energy to function.  People with diabetes...

Family planning lets you decide when you’re ready to have kids, or avoid it altogether if that’s more your speed. With plenty of birth control options to choose from, making the choice can be an overwhelming endeavor. You might have to try a few different forms before you find one...

Higher-than-normal levels of blood sugar are a sign of prediabetes, a condition that comes before type 2 diabetes for many individuals. While the diagnosis might come as an unwelcome surprise during one of your annual wellness visits, it’s far from a death sentence.  Here at Westmed Family Healthcare in Westminster,...

High cholesterol is a health condition that can affect almost anyone. Cholesterol itself is a waxy substance found in the fats within your bloodstream, and it can build up along the sides of your veins and arteries to cause atherosclerosis, or heart disease.  While there’s such a thing as “good”...

Whether you’re not yet prepared to get pregnant, are finished having kids, or never wanted children in the first place, family planning services allow you to decide which birth control option is best for you.  Some forms of birth control physically block sperm from reaching your egg, while others adjust...

The names “urgent care” and “emergency care” can cause confusion for some people about when to seek one and when to seek the other. Urgent care generally covers milder health problems than emergency care, but those problems still require care soon after they arise and often can’t wait a few...

Familiar with diabetes or not, the public perception is clear: it’s a disease involving too much blood sugar, and therefore must come from an unhealthy diet or lifestyle. While this might make sense at first glance, diabetes is a much more complex disease than many people credit it to be....

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is known as a “silent” condition because of its notorious lack of symptoms. Still, it affects nearly half of all adults in the United States and only a quarter of them have the condition under control.  Here at Westmed Family Healthcare in Westminster, Colorado, board-certified...

Family medicine covers the basic health care needs of yourself and each member of your family, no matter their ages. From infant care to geriatrics, you can potentially visit the same family medicine practice for your entire life without switching to a new provider who doesn’t know you as well. ...

Annual physical exams are a routine part of life for millions of Americans, but not everyone is convinced that they are important throughout life. A survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that while 92% of people in the U.S. agree that annual exams are important, only 62% of them...

Infant weight is on the rise. In fact, close to 20% of infants are classified as obese. Mothers who are obese, have diabetes, or are over the age of 35 are more likely to have overweight infants. Physicians can detect obesity in infants as young as 6 months. Our board-certified...

Heart disease is the primary cause of death worldwide, and high cholesterol is a major risk factor. For years, people avoided cholesterol-rich foods such as eggs in an effort to manage cholesterol. Today, we know that foods high in cholesterol aren’t the main contributors to elevations in blood cholesterol. Of...

The news about the new coronavirus is sobering, and every state in the nation has been affected, including us here in Colorado.  Despite the seriousness of the situation, our physicians, nurses, and team members at WestMed Family Healthcare want you to know that you should avoid panicking. We’re here to...

Diabetes is a life-changing diagnosis, and if you make the right changes, it’s one that can lead to a healthier life. Each year an estimated 1.5 million people receive a diabetes diagnosis. While it may feel overwhelming and even scary at first, you should know that with the support of...

Often abbreviated as EKG, an electrocardiogram is a test that measures the electrical activity of your heart through electrodes placed on your skin. An EKG shows how fast the heart is beating, the strength and timing of each beat, and whether the rhythm is steady or irregular.  At WestMed Family...

Modern medicine has come a long way. Americans are living longer thanks in part to advances in diagnosing, treating, and managing disease and chronic conditions. Still, the best way to maintain health is to prevent problems before they start.  That’s where annual wellness exams come in. These yearly checkups are...

Hypertension is another name for high blood pressure, and it’s a serious threat to your health. It’s a silent condition that often causes no symptoms until it’s too late. That’s why many people with high blood pressure are completely unaware of it.  Talking with your health care team about blood...

Emergency rooms and urgent care centers both treat many of the same injuries and illnesses, but when it comes to non-life-threatening health problems, urgent care is often a better option. Knowing when to go to urgent care and when your medical problem requires emergency services can save you time and...

Coronary heart disease is the main risk linked to high cholesterol. The cholesterol in your blood has a lot to do with your chances of developing heart disease. You’re at risk even if you’re young and otherwise healthy. Elevated cholesterol boosts the chances of developing certain other chronic conditions as...

As the No. 1 cause of death, heart disease is a threat for women of all backgrounds. Commonly thought of as a man’s problem, heart disease affects just as many women. Understanding the impact of heart disease in women can help you make the changes to keep your heart healthy...

It’s perfectly normal to worry when you wake up in the middle of the night to find your infant coughing and feeling unwell. You want to take the best care of your baby. Yet it’s normal during the first few days and weeks after you bring your baby home for...

Obesity and diabetes have reached epidemic levels with over 70% of American adults classified as overweight or obese and more than 100 million adults in the United States living with diabetes. There’s a strong connection between obesity and diabetes.  Carrying excess weight is a major risk factor for developing Type...

The habits you develop in your daily life contribute to your health in both positive and negative ways. If you’re looking to make some positive lifestyle changes to contribute to your health, start with choosing nutritious foods, getting plenty of exercise, and avoiding smoking. Your alcohol intake matters, too. In...

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have a hormonal imbalance that causes symptoms affecting their overall health. The elevated levels of male hormones that accompanies PCOS can lead to missed menstrual periods, excess facial and body hair, trouble getting pregnant, and metabolic problems, such as insulin-resistance. While the exact cause...

You may not think of mental health disorders when you think about high blood pressure, but a connection exists. If you have hypertension, you’re more likely to experience mood issues, such as anxiety and depression than those with normal blood pressure. Hypertension is a manageable condition. There are ways to...

Lowering LDL, also referred to as “bad” cholesterol, is key to lowering your risk of a heart attack. It’s recommended that you aim to get your LDL levels below 100. Dropping your LDL below 80 provides even more protection. Taking charge of your heart health by making changes that lower...

Roughly one in three adults in the United States have high blood pressure, but only about half are managing their condition appropriately. High blood pressure puts you at risk for heart disease, the leading cause of death among Americans. Most people who have high blood pressure have no symptoms, but...

Deciding between the various forms of birth control can feel overwhelming. Birth control pills, intrauterine devices, and patches are just a few available options you can choose when you want to prevent pregnancy. And when it comes to birth control, not all methods are right for everyone. By asking yourself...

Adults with high cholesterol have double the risk of developing heart disease compared to those with normal cholesterol levels. And the worst part is that you won’t know it’s coming. High cholesterol doesn’t cause symptoms until the problem is severe enough to block blood flow. At WestMed Family Healthcare, we’re...

More than 30 million people in the United States are affected by diabetes, and a whopping 84 million more are on the brink of developing this serious, systemic disease. If you’ve already been diagnosed, now is not the time to resign yourself to a life of compromised health. There are...

If you’re looking for long-lasting birth control that will allow you to “get it and forget it,” you may want to consider two options: an intrauterine device (IUD) and the Nexplanon® birth control implant. Both offer long-term protection from unintended pregnancy. In fact, these long-acting reversible forms of birth control...

Over 100 million Americans — almost one-third of the adult population — have high blood pressure. Though it’s a very common condition, there’s nothing ordinary about its risks to your health. Medically called hypertension, high blood pressure can be its own condition or a side effect of another condition or...

Scientists are learning ever more about how cholesterol functions within the human body. However, if you’ve been diagnosed with high cholesterol, you’re probably evaluating your diet and attempting to make adjustments. All too often, those adjustments involve avoiding foods you enjoy.There is a different way to approach changing your diet....

When it comes to birth control, Westmed Family Healthcare offers numerous ways to help you prevent pregnancy. But, each option comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. So how can you choose the right one for you? These five questions can help you and your health care provider select the...