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Articles written by Andrew Ellsworth Md


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  • Colon cancer screening is important

    Andrew Ellsworth MD, Prairie Doc|Apr 2, 2025

    Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and women. The lifetime risk of developing colon cancer is 1 in 24 for men and 1 in 26 for women. Early detection and treatment are instrumental at improving survival rates and regular screening decreases the risk of colon cancer in the first place. Colonoscopy remains the gold standard for colon cancer screening. While detecting cancer early on is important for survival from any cancer, detecting and removing precancerous...

  • Pnuemonia vaccine saves lives

    Andrew Ellsworth MD, Prairie Doc|Mar 26, 2025

    Over 100 years ago, the gold mining industry of South Africa had a problem: too many workers were dying from pneumonia. They turned to Dr. Almorth Wright, a British physician who had successfully created a vaccine against typhoid fever that saved countless lives of British soldiers in World War I and other wars. Wright and his colleagues developed an inoculation of killed pneumococci bacteria which resulted in a substantial reduction of cases of pneumonia and death in the miners. Pneumonia is...

  • Popeye and testosterone replacement

    Andrew Ellsworth MD, Prairie Doc|Feb 12, 2025

    A few (or more) years ago, Popeye the Sailor Man was an inspirational cartoon character. When needed, the superhero would quickly swallow some spinach and become strong, able to pack a punch that would defeat any evil villain. Nowadays, TV and internet commercials are encouraging men to consider testosterone replacement as the way to become stronger. While they are quick to tout the benefits, the risks are important and should not be ignored. Testosterone is the hormone in men that is produced...

  • Feeling winded

    Andrew Ellsworth MD, Prairie Doc|Mar 27, 2024

    “Well, doc,” the patient was telling me, “I get winded so easily now. I can hardly go to the mailbox without stopping to catch my breath. It did not used to be that way. Do you think something is wrong?” Many of us have experienced shortness of breath. After a period of inactivity, such as winter or a busy month, when we decide to exercise again, it may be easier to feel winded. That experience can be due to deconditioning, feeling out of shape. A good remedy for that is a gradual increas...

  • Get your eyes checked

    Andrew Ellsworth MD, Prairie Doc|Oct 26, 2023

    If you ever played baseball, you may have been told to “keep your eye on the ball.” When batting, a baseball player is taught to watch the ball the entire time from when it leaves the pitcher’s hand to when, hopefully, their bat smacks the ball for a hit. It may sound simple, but some pitchers can throw fast and sometimes they throw a curve ball. Great hitters use their vision and spot the difference, helping them get a hit. Lose focus and, in the blink of an eye, the pitch has whipped past...

  • The secret to losing weight

    Andrew Ellsworth MD|Oct 5, 2023

    People often think they need to lose weight. The hard part, of course, is following through on that desire in a sustained and successful manner. Here are a few of the ways people do lose weight and the secrets of their success. Some people should not lose weight, so please talk to your doctor. First of all, consider the reasons to lose weight. Benefits can include having more energy, improved mobility, fewer aches and pains, sleeping better, improvement in mood, lower blood pressure and lower...