Best Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Podcasts (2025)

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Brain networks, AI, ADHD and medication affordability 13:30

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5h ago13:30

13:30

Program notes: 0:44 Drug prices around the world 1:41 German prices as standard 2:40 Wide variation in price and affordability 3:40 Generic pricing 4:20 ADHD meds and behavior choices 5:20 Largely treated with methylphenidate 6:20 Significantly impacted suicidality and other behaviors 6:49 AI assistance and colonoscopy skills 7:49 When you stop AI …

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Staph Treatment, Type 2 Diabetes, and Cancer Care 12:11

8d ago12:11

12:11

Program Notes: 0:44 Spuds are what we call potatoes 1:47 Followed for over 5million person years 2:45 No mechanism for why french fries are problematic 3:25 DASH4D diet for glycemic control 4:25 4 diets compared 5:25 Extends benefits outside hypertension 6:20 A new antibiotic for staph infections 7:20 IV therapy until cultures are negative 8:20 Cos…

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Health care after dementia diagnosis, alteplase after stroke, obesity and IVF, and ultraprocessed foods 11:42

13d ago11:42

11:42

Program notes: 0:40 Alteplase after stroke 1:40 Expand time window 2:40 Imaging crucial in use 3:20 Use of health care and mortality in those with dementia 4:20 Women used much less healthcare 5:20 Focus on prevention in women 5:50 IVF outcomes and weight loss 6:50 Did not appear to increase success with IVF 7:45 Ultraprocessed foods versus minimal…

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Covid Variants, Antithrombotics, Contraception, and CRC Screening 13:24

20d ago13:24

13:24

Program notes: 0:40 Screening young adults for CRC 1:40 Four different screening options 2:41 Awareness issue 3:40 "Yuck" factor associated 4:34 Persistent Covid infections and variants 5:35 Who ends up with variants? 6:35 Did not render more infectious 7:35 Humans as mixing vessels 7:50 How do men and women respond to antithrombotics 8:50 15% redu…

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Flu in kids, obesity risk score, cognition lifestyle intervention, and HPV, immune dysfunction and carcinoma 12:08

29d ago12:08

12:08

Program notes: 0:44 Flu consequences for young children 1:44 Fulminant course 2:44 16 kids of total unvaccinated 3:10 HPV, T-cell receptor signaling and SCC 4:10 Unresectable disease 5:10 Thought virus facilitated 6:10 Target in recurrent or metastatic disease 6:26 Nonpharmacologic intervention in older adults to improve cognition 7:26 More intensi…

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Your Pelvic Floor, Your Health: What Every Woman Should Know 15:30

1M ago15:30

15:30

Send us a text A few weeks ago we covered pelvic floor dysfunction in men. So for this episode, we’re focusing on pelvic floor dysfunction in women. Our expert is physical therapist Ashlee Crawford, DPT, Texas Tech Physicians Physical Therapy Specialty Clinic in Amarillo. She answers our questions about causes, symptoms —treatments and how to go ab…

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Characterizing Cancers, Human Phenotype project, and CBT by telehealth 11:58

1M ago11:58

11:58

Program notes: 0:40 Human Phenotype project 1:43 Metabolomics 2:42 25 year follow up 3:43 Two control groups 4:00 CBT via telehealth or online 5:00 2000 people with chronic pain 6:00 Completion rate for videos lower 6:50 RNA analysis in cancer molecular diagnostics 7:50 4.8% failure rate 8:50 CNS or blood cancers primarily 9:25 Middle age exposure …

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Your Summer Safety Checklist for Kids 57:34

1M ago57:34

57:34

Send us a text Children need constant supervision, but what can parents or caregivers do when trouble finds the kiddos? Spencer Pruitt, M.D., Texas Tech Physicians pediatrician, answers our questions about potentially emergency situations such as animal bites or stings, drownings, handling a wild animal or being bitten by one. Dr. Pruitt also answe…

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Reanimating Hearts, Suicide Among Older Adults, Opiate Use Disorder, and Breast Cancer 12:43

1M ago12:43

12:43

Program notes: 0:44 Reanimating hearts for transplant 1:44 Allow heart to sit for two to four minutes 2:34 Outcomes in DCIS without surgery 3:34 Free of breast cancer six months after diagnosis 4:34 Numbers who went on to develop invasive disease low 5:34 May change how we approach DCIS 6:09 Suicidality around the world in older adults 7:09 Guns, p…

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Guys, Let's Talk About Your Pelvic Floor 21:20

2M ago21:20

21:20

Send us a text If you’re in a certain age range, your feeds or timelines might include ads about pelvic floor dysfunction. Some people might think it's a problem just for women, but our guests for this episode did a wonderful job of educating us about how pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) affects men. A previous guest who spoke to us about testosteron…

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Kids’ Health, Life Expectancy and Heart Risk Calculators 13:17

2M ago13:17

13:17

Program notes: 0:40 AHA risk calculator in various ethnicities 1:40 Works well in all of them 2:40 Women and ethnicities 3:00 Hepatitis C screening in EDs 4:01 Many ethnicities represented 5:01 Identified as having the virus 6:01 Once they tested only 24% were referred 7:01 It was free testing 7:40 Failing US children 8:41 78% more likely to die in…

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Clinical Trials Explained: Bridging Discovery and Treatment Through Research 16:30

2M ago16:30

16:30

Send us a text Clinical trials are the future of medicine, to borrow a phrase. Every medication on the market right now was at one point in time subject to a clinical trial. Our guest for this episode, Jennifer Kesey, Ph.D., associate managing director for the Clinical Research Institute at TTUHSC, explains to us what a clinical trial is, the diffe…

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Aphasia After Stroke, Chemotherapy Drugs, and New Hypertension Medicine 12:49

2M ago12:49

12:49

Program notes: 0:40 A novel way to help aphasia after a stroke 1:40 C7 nerve ligation 2:42 Somatosensory function versus speech processing 3:36 Substandard anticancer medications 4:40 Tested many using HPLC 5:40 Alarming that one in six is impacted 6:40 Paying out of pocket 7:38 New type of medicine for treatment resistant hypertension 8:38 Need to…

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Oral GLP-1 agonist, Satiety Pathways, and Stem Cell tx for T1D 12:57

2M ago12:57

12:57

Program notes: 0:40 Stem cells for type 1 diabetes 1:40 None had hypoglycemia afterwards 2:40 Autologous stem cells? 3:20 Oral GLP-1 agonist 4:20 Primary endpoint HbA1c reduction 5:20 Weight loss modest 6:20 Injectable GLP-1 plus an amylin analogue 7:20 Both those with diabetes and those without 8:20 No increased safety events 8:40 Mental health ho…

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From Pregnancy to Postpartum: Medication Guidance That Matters, Support From the Infant Risk Center 21:54

2M ago21:54

21:54

Send us a text Moms and moms-to-be need all the support they can get. One of those sources of support is housed in the TTUHSC School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics in Amarillo. The Infant Risk Center is a call center used by physicians, nurse, lactation consultants and mothers worldwide. Our guest for this episode is director of the Infant Ri…

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Screen Time, Cannabis Risks, and PET Scanning 12:43

2M ago12:43

12:43

Program notes: 0:35 Screen time trajectories in adolescents 1:33 31% had increasing addictive use trajectories 2:31 Females more involved in social media 3:06 Cannabis and CV risk 4:06 Smoking or using other products 5:06 Mechanisms include oxidative stress 6:06 Haven't regulated 6:28 Tau PET imaging in Alzheimer's 7:28 90% of tau positivity concur…

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Family Affluence, Gut Bugs, Heat Illness, and Low Potassium Diets 12:39

3M ago12:39

12:39

This week's topics include family affluence and telomeres in children, gut bugs and respiratory illness in children, heat illness and homelessness, and low potassium diets and hypertension and diabetes. Program notes: 1:05 Heat illness and homelessness 2:05 No access to water 3:05 More likely in southern states 3:20 Telomere length, family affluenc…

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The Hidden Half: Unmasking Male Infertility 13:50

3M ago13:50

13:50

Send us a text June is Men’s Health Month, and we want to bring attention to male infertility. Why this is an important health topic is one of the questions we ask our expert for this episode, Samuel Prien, Ph.D., professor and director of clinical research laboratories in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the School of Medicine. Dr. P…

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Breast And Colorectal Cancer, And CAR-T Therapy 13:19

3M ago13:19

13:19

This week's topics include treating hot flashes in breast cancer survivors, a blood test for detecting colorectal cancer, exercise to improve survival after colorectal cancer treatment and CAR-T therapy for solid tumors. Program notes: 0:40 CAR-Ts for solid tumors 1:40 Advanced gastric or gastroesophageal cancer 2:40 Cytokine release syndrome 3:22 …

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You Are Not Your Bank Balance: Reclaiming Mental Well-being 24:01

3M ago24:01

24:01

Send us a text Financial insecurity can negatively affect our sleep and nutrition and cause social isolation. All of these take a toll on our mental health. Michele Mahr, Ph.D., assistant professor at the TTUHSC School of Health Professions Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling department of clinical counseling and mental health, is out guest expert f…

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Skin Cancers, Second Stroke Risks, Weight Loss 12:49

3M ago12:49

12:49

This week's topics include the worldwide burden of skin cancers, risk of a second stroke when a person is taking anticoagulants, patients supporting each other for weight loss maintenance, and imaging for dense breasts. Program notes: 0:45 Dense breast tissue imaging 1:40 MRI and contrast enhanced mammography superior 2:40 Giving IV contrast with m…

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Mental Health, Fatty Liver, and Resistant Hypertension 12:33

3M ago12:33

12:33

This week's topics include treating resistant hypertension, gabapentanoids and the risk of self harm, risk for depression after diagnosis of a medical condition, and fatty liver and pregnancy. Program notes: 0:35 Depression after medical condition diagnosis 1:36 Any of a number of medical conditions 2:37 A much lower risk in comparison group 3:37 M…

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Feeling Drained? How to Restore Your Emotional Energy 32:06

3M ago32:06

32:06

Send us a text You don't need garlic or sunlight to protect yourself against vampires -- energy vampires -- that seem to leave some people exhausted and overwhelmed. David Pfaff, Ph.D., clinical mental health therapist with the School of Health Professions Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, is our expert for this episode. He shares with us …

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Syphilis, Medications, and PTSD 12:42

3M ago12:42

12:42

This week's topics include USPSTF on screening for syphilis in pregnancy, when to take blood pressure medicines, comparing weight loss drugs, and a narrative intervention for PTSD after an ICU stay. Program notes: 0:40 NEJM publication of comparison of obesity medications 1:40 Tirzepatide versus semaglutide for 72 weeks 2:41 Also had reduction in b…

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Clearing the Air: The Truth About Vaping and Lung Health 14:32

4M ago14:32

14:32

Send us a text Vaping, initially intended as a smoking cessation tool, has evolved into a harmful trend, especially among young people. Tushi Singh, M.D., and Ricardo Franco, M.D., pulmonologists at Texas Tech Physicians, talk to us about the history of vaping and why it's harmful to our health, and stress seeking professional help for smoking cess…

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Multi-Component Vaccine, Urinary Incontinence, Diabetic Kidney Disease and Discharge Summaries 12:29

4M ago12:29

12:29

Program notes: 0:40 Covid and flu vaccine 1:40 More immunogenic response 2:40 Female urinary incontinence treatment 3:40 Mid urethral sling or botox 4:40 Doesn't require surgery 5:40 Combined therapy group 6:10 Large language models and discharge summaries 7:10 100 hospital encounters 8:10 Maybe provides a draft 9:00 AI and diagnosing diabetic kidn…

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Male Breast Cancer: Raising Awareness and Understanding 33:00

4M ago33:00

33:00

Send us a text Breast cancer in males is a rare cut clinically significant disease. Males have many of the same risk factors as females, but delay in seeking health care puts them at greater risk. Richard Pullen, Ed.D., MSN, director of the R.N. to BSN program in the School of Nursing, explains why males might put off reporting a lump in their brea…

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Cancer patients, lung cancer, Pepfar cessation, and gun injuries 13:07

4M ago13:07

13:07

Program notes: 0:47 Gun injuries and deer hunting season 1:47 Other associated injuries 2:47 Coincidence of hunting? 3:48 Restrict hunting guns to that use 4:10 Can we avoid surgery in some with cancer? 5:10 Dostarlimab treatment 6:10 Can help avoid surgery in few who have this mutation 7:10 Look at specific pathways 7:30 Lung cancer treatment 8:32…

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From Heavy Lids to Clear Vision: Understanding Eyelid Surgery 10:11

4M ago10:11

10:11

Send us a text Loose or sagging skin creating folds on the upper eyelid, excess skin and wrinkles around the lower eyelid, drooping lower eyelids -- all these and others can at some point impair your vision. Or perhaps you feel that the skin around your eyes could use a refresh. Coby Ray, M.D., an oculoplastic surgeon at Texas Tech Physicians, is o…

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Stroke, clot formation, breastfeeding, and prostate cancer 12:14

4M ago12:14

12:14

Program notes: 0:40 Polygenic risk score for prostate cancer 1:40 90th percentile or higher 2:40 Genetic risk for cancer 3:41 Avoid false positives 4:00 Cervical artery dissection and subsequent stroke risk 5:00 High in older people, Black and Hispanic people 6:00 Nonspecific symptoms may predict 7:00 Preventing clotting in patients with cancer 8:0…

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Hope and Healing: Preventing Child Abuse in Our Community 21:25

4M ago21:25

21:25

Send us a text April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Lynn Jennings, Ph.D., has ben treating child sexual abuse, physical abuse and neglect for over 20 years. She is the TTUHSC School of Health Professions Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program assistant program director/instructor in the Department of Clinical Counseling and Mental Hea…

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Strep, hearing loss, MS, and TAVR outcomes 12:03

4M ago12:03

12:03

Program notes: 0:33 TAVR outcomes improved 1:33 Dapagliflozin 2:33 Looked at comorbidities 3:00 Tolebrutinib for relapsing MS 4:00 Annualized relapse rate 5:00 Works in the CNS 6:00 First endpoint wasn't proven 6:20 Invasive group A strep 7:20 Become more resistant to antibiotics 8:01 Not a single type of group A strep 8:25 Hearing loss and heart f…

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Understanding Food Sensitivities to Dyes 6:37

5M ago6:37

6:37

Send us a text Natural and artificial food dyes are ubiquitous, but some people try to avoid consuming food or beverages of a certain color for different reasons. James Tarbox, M.D., Texas Tech Physicians allergist, explains that food dyes are added to food for aesthetic purposes and are generally safe. They can cause rare allergic reactions such a…

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Diet, dementia, cardiovascular disease and risk factors 12:27:00

5M ago12:27:00

12:27:00

This week's topics include aging and diet, blood based biomarkers for dementia, ten and thirty year risk for cardiovascular disease, and global effect of cardiovascular risk factors. Program notes: 1:00 Five factors and cardiovascular disease 2:00 Additional life years free of CVD 3:00 Irrespective of where you live 3:27 Optimal dietary patterns fo…

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Decoding the Delight: Why We Feel Good After Cleaning 15:02

5M ago15:02

15:02

Send us a text If you want a quick boost to your mood, just clearing or cleaning a small space will make you feel better. Logan Winkelman, Ph.D., is our guest expert and explains why tidying up can be therapeutic. Dr. Winkelman is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Clinical Counseling and Mental Health and Program Director for the Master o…

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A-fib, bleeding, penicillin, hypertension 12:10:00

5M ago12:10:00

12:10:00

This week's topics include a better way to treat A-fib, managing bleeding in cardiac surgery, penicillin for strep infections, and treating pulmonary hypertension. Program notes: 0:55 Ablation for afib 1:51 Pulsed field ablation PFA 2:55 Training physicians 3:23 Prothrombin complex versus frozen plasma 4:24 Noninferiority outcome 5:24 Documented bl…

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Biopsies, long term risk after TIA 12:54

5M ago12:54

12:54

This week's topics include cell signatures in PCOS, a new technique for prostate biopsies, improving the safety of carotid endarterectomy, and long term risk after TIA. 0:41 Long term risk of stroke after TIA 1:39 About one in five over the next ten years 2:40 Need to continue antiplatelet agents 3:33 New technique for prostate biopsy 4:36 Biopsy n…

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When Breathing Gets Hard: Understanding COPD 17:52

5M ago17:52

17:52

Send us a text Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, referred to as COPD, is a progressive disease which can, over time, limit your ability to do basic activities such as walking, cooking or taking care of yourself. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, it is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. and is two times more c…

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Protecting Your Kidneys: Vital Tips from a Nephrologist 14:15

6M ago14:15

14:15

Send us a text March is National Kidney Month. Kidneys are two bean-shaped organs that filter wastes and extra water out of our blood and make urine. Damage to your kidneys means they can’t filter blood the way it should, which could lead to kidney disease. Our guest for this episode is Leo Yamaguchi, M.D., associate program director and vice chief…

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Keeping Kids Safe: A Guide to Burn Prevention 14:07

6M ago14:07

14:07

Send us a text Parental vigilance is the best way to keep children safe from burns, a common injury for kids. Possible burns are not limited to injuries from fireplaces, camp fires or fireworks. Risks include chemicals, electric cords, hot foods and hot water from the tap. Allan Pang, M.D., is a Texas Tech Physicians surgeon who specializes in burn…

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Measles is Back: What You Need to Know Now 14:18

6M ago14:18

14:18

Send us a text There are more than 100 confirmed cases of measles in Texas. Measles spreads incredibly fast in children and adults. Ron Cook, D.O., TTUHSC Chief Health Officer, is our guest for this episode. He answers our questions about symptoms, how it spreads, whether or not adults are safe and what we can do to protect ourselves and others fro…

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Beyond Fandom: Exploring the Depth of Grief 12:31

6M ago12:31

12:31

Send us a text Have you felt an overwhelming sadness when a favorite character or celebrity has died? It's OK to mourn the loss, even over a fictional character or someone you've never met. Natalie Harryman, licensed marriage and family therapist with the Counseling Center, is our guest for this episode. She explains why we feel this loss, what we …

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Crafting, Music and Movement: How to Keep Your Body in Tune 25:21

7M ago25:21

25:21

Send us a text Music and hobbies keep us engaged. If you're like many who use their fingers, hands and arms and sit for long periods when working on their hobbies or playing an instrument, beware that overuse can be lead to injuries. Our expert for this episode, Jean-Michel Brismée, Sc.D., PT, is a physical therapist and distinguished professor in …

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The Heart of the Matter: Understanding Sudden Cardiac Arrest 13:44

7M ago13:44

13:44

Send us a text Sudden cardiac arrest is a critical emergency where the heart unexpectedly stops beating. According to the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, it strikes people of all ages who may seem to be healthy, even children and teenagers. Sudden cardiac arrest leads to death in minutes if the person doesn’t get help right away. Ron Banister, M.…

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Hip Preservation Surgery: When and Why to Consider It 18:11

7M ago18:11

18:11

Send us a text Hip pain can impact our quality of life significantly, but traditional hip replacement surgery may not be the only option. Matthew Kraeutler, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon with Texas Tech Physicians, talks to us about hip preservation surgery, procedures designed to delay or prevent the need for a total hip replacement. He tells us who…

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Baby Steps: Getting Ready for Your Newborn’s Arrival 20:38

8M ago20:38

20:38

Send us a text Kirsten Robinson, M.D., Texas Tech Physicians pediatrician, discusses essential preparations for new parents. Dr. Robinson advises starting prenatal care early, optimizing health conditions, and taking prenatal vitamins. Key items for newborns include a safe sleep environment, a car seat, a thermometer, basic care items, and a pediat…

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The Great Escape: Breaking Free from Nicotine Addiction 12:52

8M ago12:52

12:52

Send us a text Start the new year with a plan to quit smoking, vaping or dipping and see significant health benefits. The good news is that you don't have to do it alone. Sara Tello, a Texas Tech Physicians nurse practitioner specializing in smoking cessation, explains how she helps smokers quit. Tello emphasizes the importance of a personalized ap…

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Beyond the Feast: Holiday Safety Tips from a Burn Surgeon 10:35

9M ago10:35

10:35

Send us a text Alan Pang, M.D., a Texas Tech Physicians surgeon burn specializing in wound, trauma and critical care, discusses common burn injuries during the holiday season, emphasizing prevention and treatment. He highlights scald burns from cooking and hot beverage spills and fire risks from Christmas trees. Safety tips include keeping children…

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Holiday Harmony: Balancing Tradition and Well-being 17:19

9M ago17:19

17:19

Send us a text Amy Stark, M.D., an addiction psychiatrist with Texas Tech Physicians, discusses the challenges of maintaining sobriety during the holidays. She emphasizes the importance of non-alcoholic options at parties and suggests strategies for those struggling with addiction, such as bringing their own non-alcoholic drinks and using visual cu…

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Toxic Family Dynamics: Breaking Free 15:01

9M ago15:01

15:01

Send us a text The holiday season is a challenging time for many of us, especially those who might be caught in toxic family relationships or find ourselves estranged from loved ones. How can we deal with that while protecting ourselves is our topic for this episode. Our guest for this episode is Nicole Noble, Ph.D., a counselor with the School of …