Articles by Claudia Sanchez-Bustamante, MHS Communications

Concussion Care Pathway Streamlined for Better Results

Article

4/1/2022

Dr. Gregory Johnson, Tripler Concussion Clinic medical director, conducts a neurological exam on Army Spc. Andrew Karamatic, a combat medic, having him follow his finger with his eyes, at Tripler Army Medical Center, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Neurologic exams are part of the MACE 2 diagnostic tool to assess service members’ Acute Concussion Care Pathway. (Photo: Army Staff Sgt. Christopher Hubenthal, DMA Pacific – Hawaii Media Bureau)

The Defense Health Agency has developed a comprehensive clinical care program (Acute Concussion Care Pathway) to manage concussions based on the military medical community’s many years of experience with injured service members.

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Top Military Health Care Leader Looks to the Future of Medicine

Article

3/23/2022

Navy Lt. Cmdr. Kathryn Lipscomb, the urology department head at U.S. Naval Hospital Rota in Spain, waves to staff in USNH Naples, Italy during the first virtual cystoscopy between both hospitals in Jan 2021. (Photo: Navy Cmdr. Ryan Nations)

Health care has come a long way in recent years, thanks to technology, innovation and unexpected challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic. The explosion of capabilities includes robots in the operating room, the expansion of virtual health care and virtual encounters, remote patient monitoring and artificial intelligence.

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Pins in Your Ears: How Acupuncture Can Help Relieve Your Pain

Article

3/22/2022

Dr. Arnyce Pock, associate dean and medical acupuncturist at USU, oversees graduate nursing students at USU performing battlefield acupuncture for pain management, in February 2022. The course is intended to train health care personnel who are not physicians or acupuncturists, such as advanced practice nurses, to provide BFA to patients for pain management. (Photo: Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences)

Battlefield acupuncture is a modified version of ear acupuncture that can be used to treat any type of pain. USU trains health care personnel to perform the technique.

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Military Dentists Provide Relief and Support in Central America

Article

3/8/2022

U.S. Army Sgt. Thomas Lemieux (center), dental assistant with Army Forces Battalion, Joint Task Force-Bravo, and Col. Franklin Florence (right), general dentist with Army Forces Battalion, Joint Task Force-Bravo, prepare a patient for an extraction with assistance from a Honduran volunteer during a Global Health Engagement at Los Laureles, Santa Barbara department, Honduras, Feb. 15. JTF-Bravo, in conjunction with Honduran Ministry of Health representatives, conducted the mission to provide dental and other medical services with volunteer support from Honduran medical students, who served as interpreters.

Dental woes are common to everyone, everywhere. U.S. military medical and dental specialists conducted a Global Health Engagement with partners in Santa Barbara, Honduras, in February, where they provided dental and primary care services to local Hondurans.

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It’s True – Carrots (and Other Vegetables) Can Help You See in the Dark

Article

3/4/2022

Each color in fruits and vegetables indicates an abundance of specific nutrients.

Have you ever heard that carrots are good for your eyes, or that they can help you see in the dark? It’s true – carrots are rich in the compound beta carotene, which your body uses to make a form of vitamin A that helps your eyes adjust in the dark. A shortage of vitamin A can cause a host of health problems, including blindness.

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How to Tell If You Have Sleep Apnea

Article

2/25/2022

A service member participates in a sleep study at Madigan Army Medical Center, Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington. Sleep technicians connect 26 sensors to patients that measure eye and muscle movements, brain activity, heart rate, and breathing.

Poor sleep and sleep disorders commonly affect service members' quality of life, readiness, and performance. Symptoms include loud snoring, choking or gasping.

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Caring for Recruits' Injuries is Key to Success at Basic Training

Article

2/23/2022

U.S. Marines wait for instruction from their Senior Drill Instructor after concluding a motivational run at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, on March 11, 2021.

Injuries at bootcamp can end a military career before it starts. That’s why trainers and drill instructors take countless precautions to ensure trainees stay fit and healthy.

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The Chief of the Army Dental Corps Talks Dental Health & Readiness

Article

2/22/2022

The Army’s top dentist talks about what service members should keep in mind about their dental health.

Here’s what the Army’s top dentist thinks service members should keep in mind about their dental health.

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How 3D-Printed Teeth and Other New Tech are Transforming Dental Care

Article

2/15/2022

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jaden Murry had nearly all of his lower jaw removed because of a tumor. The procedure was the DOD’s first ever immediate jaw reconstruction surgery using 3D-printed teeth.

Advances in dental technology are improving care and increasing the number of patients willing to get treatment when needed.

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‘Tactical Napping’ and Other Tips to Sleep Well On Deployment

Article

2/9/2022

A trainee attempts to get a little sleep as he waits for transportation at the Joe E. Mann Ballroom Dec. 18. He is one of thousands of Initial Entry Training Soldiers across the Army who are headed home on leave for the holidays.

Forward-deployed service members don’t always have the luxury of optimal sleep. But good strategies to manage sleep loss can help mitigate the impact on performance and readiness.

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Why Today’s ‘Gen Z’ is at Risk for Boot Camp Injuries

Article

2/8/2022

Today’s military recruits are more likely than ever to sustain a serious injury at their initial military training. Here’re some tips for how to prepare before shipping out.

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Dentally Unready: Gen. George Washington's Lifetime of Dental Misery

Article

2/3/2022

Visitors to the George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate and museum in Mount Vernon, Virginia, can see George Washington’s only remaining full denture among the collection. They include his own pulled and saved teeth, other human teeth, teeth from cows and horses that were filed to fit, and teeth carved from elephant ivory.

No, George Washington did not have wooden teeth. But he did struggle with dental problems for most of his life.

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How a Dietitian Can Help You Lose Weight and Maintain Readiness

Article

1/31/2022

Working with a professional dietitian or nutritionist can help people reach and maintain their weight management goals safely and with positive, long-term results.

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