Expert Commentary
Is it a cold, flu, RSV or COVID-19? Here’s how to tell the difference
Christopher Connolly, MD, is a board-certified internal medicine physician at Inova VIP 360º with more than 24 years of clinical experience. Dr. Connolly previously served as the Medical Director and Chief Medical Information Officer of Nova Medical Group and Urgent Care. Most recently, Dr. Connolly worked as a primary care physician for Inova Primary Care…
Read MoreSurgery for neck pain: Cervical Spine Fusion vs. Disc Replacement
Corey J. Wallach, MD, is a fellowship-trained spine surgeon, board-certified in orthopaedic surgery. He serves as the medical director of the Inova Spine Program at Inova Alexandria Hospital and Inova Mount Vernon Hospital. If you’ve experienced severe neck pain, you’re not alone. Up to 70% of Americans experience significant neck pain at some point.…
Read MoreTaking depression screening to the next level
Neeta Goel, MD, is a board-certified family physician and chief medical officer for Inova’s ambulatory (outpatient) sites of care. She practices family medicine at Inova Primary Care — Ashburn HealthPlex. Depression is diagnosed in one in five adults in the United States. But for many other people, it often goes undiagnosed. In a 2022 survey of…
Read MoreHaven’t gotten your 2023 flu shot? Here’s why you should
Influenza (flu) season is officially in full swing. While flu activity dwindled during the pandemic, it returned to pre-pandemic levels last year, and experts predict the same for 2023-24. If you haven’t gotten your flu vaccine yet, it’s not too late. Flu season often peaks in December, but you can get the virus whenever it’s…
Read MorePrevention and quick action: When your child swallows something dangerous
Bharath D. Nath, MD, is a pediatric surgeon at Inova Health System who is board certified in general surgery and pediatric surgery. He specializes in pediatric general and thoracic surgery, treating premature infants to adolescents. Every year, thousands of children are treated in United States emergency rooms (ERs) because they swallowed objects such as a…
Read MoreLung cancer screening at Saville Center: Less time, less worry for patients
Amit Mahajan, MD is board certified in pulmonary disease and critical care medicine. He serves as the medical director of interventional pulmonology and the complex airways disease program at Inova Fairfax Medical Campus. Lung cancer screening takes time. And that time often turns into stress for patients and their loved ones. That’s one reason that…
Read MoreDiabesity: How bariatric surgery is changing lives
Courtney Culbreath, MD, is a specialty care physician board certified in general surgery at Inova. She specializes in minimally invasive and robotic bariatric surgery, endobariatrics, and general surgery. Dr. Culbreath is committed to helping her patients achieve longer, healthier lives through long-term weight loss. Type 2 diabetes affects 35 million Americans. Nearly 65% of these…
Read MoreTry these therapist-approved tips to have a stress-free holiday
Matt Englefield, MBA, MA, LPC, is a licensed professional counselor. He serves as a Manager of a Behavioral Health Outpatient Clinic for Inova Behavioral Health Services. The holidays can be a joyous time of celebration and togetherness. They can also be a minefield of different personalities and worldviews clashing, often in the context of past…
Read MoreLung cancer screening guidelines could save thousands of lives
Michael Weyant, MD, is a specialty care physician board-certified in thoracic surgery and general surgery who has special expertise in robotic minimally invasive surgery, lung cancer and thoracic surgery. He joined Inova Health System as the system-wide director of the thoracic surgery program in 2021 and has been practicing surgery since 1996. Lung cancer is…
Read MoreCarolyn is on top of the world after spine surgery at Inova
Carolyn Bivens has seen the world. As an advertising executive for USA today, and later president of Initiative Media, Carolyn traveled all over the globe – sometimes 200,000 miles a year – throughout her 35-year career. But beginning in 2015, back and leg pain began to slow her down. Carolyn was diagnosed with spinal stenosis…
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