- PediatricsGeneral Page Tier 3BlogStrep throat is a throat infection caused by a bacteria called group A Streptococcus bacteria (group A strep). The bacteria live in the nose and throat. Strep throat is contagious and spreads easily from person to person through airborne droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. Good hand washing is important to help prevent the spread of this illness. Children diagnosed with strep throat should not attend school or daycare until they have been taking antibiotics and had no fever for 24 hours. Strep throat mainly affects school-aged children between 5 and 15 years of age, but can affect adults too. When it isn’t treated, it can lead to serious problems including rheumatic fever (an inflammation of the joints and heart) and kidney damage. How is strep throat spread? Strep throat can be easily spread from an infected person’s saliva by: Drinking and eating after them. Sharing a straw, cup, toothbrushes, and eating utensils. When to go to the emergency room Call 911 if your child has trouble breathing or swallowing. Call your health care provider about other symptoms of strep throat, such as: Throat pain, especially when swallowing. Red, swollen tonsils. Swollen lymph glands. Stomachache; sometimes, vomiting in younger children. Pus in the back of the throat. What to expect in the ER Your child will be examined and the health care provider will ask about his or her health history. The child’s tonsils will be examined. A sample of fluid may be taken from the back of the throat using a soft swab. The sample can be checked right away for the bacteria that cause strep throat. Another sample may also be sent to a lab for testing. Your provider will usually prescribe an antibiotic to kill the bacteria. Be sure your child takes all the medicine, even if he or she starts to feel better. Antibiotics will not help a viral throat infection. If swallowing is very painful, your provider may also prescribe painkilling medicine. When to call your health care provider Call your health care provider if your otherwise healthy child has finished the treatment for strep throat and has: Joint pain or swelling. Shortness of breath. Signs of dehydration (no tears when crying and not urinating for more than 8 hours). Ear pain or pressure. Headaches. Rash. Fever (see Fever and children, below). Easing strep throat symptoms These tips can help ease your child’s symptoms: Offer easy-to-swallow foods, such as soup, applesauce, popsicles, cold drinks, milk shakes, and yogurt. Provide a soft diet and avoid spicy or acidic foods. Use a cool-mist humidifier in the child’s bedroom. Gargle with saltwater (for older children and adults only). Mix 1/4 teaspoon salt in 1 cup (8 oz) of warm water. Are you looking for a primary care doctor? Search our Find A Doc directory. Originally published Jan. 31, 2018. Last updated Jan. 10, 2020.0
- News & Press ReleasesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogThe Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation has recognized Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) as an “LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Top Performer” for the second year in a row. The HRC Foundation is the educational arm of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization. AAMC earned the distinction for its LGBTQ-inclusive policies and practices in four categories: non-discrimination and staff training; patient services and support; employee benefits and policies; and community and patient engagement. “AAMC is committed to creating an environment that’s equitable and inclusive for our patients, visitors, workforce and community,” said Shirley Knelly, vice president of quality, chief compliance officer and executive sponsor of the LGBTQIA Business Resource Group at AAMC. “We are very proud to be recognized for a second year in a row, and we are particularly proud of the accomplishments of our Health Equity Task Force in working to eliminate health disparities in the community and further strengthening our commitment to a diverse and inclusive workplace.” READ MORE: Anne Arundel Medical Center receives Carolyn Boone Lewis Equity of Care Award from the American Hospital Association AAMC’s LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Top Performer designation is reported in the 12th edition of the Healthcare Equality Index (HEI). A record 680 healthcare facilities actively participated in the HEI 2019 survey. Among participants, 148 earned the LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Top Performer designation. “The health care facilities that participate in HRC’s Healthcare Equality Index are making clear that they stand on the side of fairness and are committed to providing inclusive care to their LGBTQ patients,” said HRC President Alphonso David. “Going beyond inclusive non-discrimination policies, these healthcare facilities are adopting best practices in the areas of LGBTQ patient care and support, employee policies and benefits, and LGBTQ patient and community engagement. We commend all of the HEI participants for their commitment to providing inclusive care for all.”0
- OrthopedicsGeneral Page Tier 3BlogIf you’re a homeowner, it may seem as if your list of yard work never ends. Mowing, weeding, raking leaves and gardening are only a few of the common yard chores that take up both time and energy. But did you know your back and spine could be in danger of injury due to the high demands these chores put on your body? Here are some tips to help prevent back pain when you’re taking care of your yard: General Lifting Tips to Prevent Back Pain Squat or kneel when lifting light or heavy objects. Pull the object close to your body and then lift. The power should come from your legs, not your back. Maintain proper posture with a straight back by tightening your stomach muscles without holding your breath. Use smooth, not jerky, movements. Push instead of pull when possible. Leaf Raking Tips Use power from your arms and legs to pull the rake, not from your low back. Consider using a leaf vacuum or mowing your leaves instead of raking and sending them to the dump. Leaves are great free mulch for your winter garden and yard, or an excellent addition to your garden soil. Not only will you help save your back, but you’ll help the environment too. Squat or kneel on a foam knee pad to bag leaves. This will help you maintain good posture by keeping your back straight instead of bending at the waist. Don’t hold your breath when raking or lifting bags, inhale and exhale normally. Change position so you’re not always raking using one side of your body. Gardening Tips Kneel with a straight back and tight stomach muscles, while continuing to breathe normally. Move your body close to where you are weeding instead of reaching too far in front. Keep your body lined up straight with your work area to avoid twisting and pulling. Physical therapy can help with a wide range of injuries, increasing your mobility and decreasing your pain. Learn more about the techniques and services we offer at Luminis Health.0
- Cancer Care, Men's Health, Women's Health, PediatricsGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAbout 12,000 women get cervical cancer every year in the U.S., and a third of those cases are fatal. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly all of those cases are linked to the human papillomavirus infection, also known as HPV. HPV can also cause other forms of cancer. Experts say the infection causes between 50 and 60 percent of cancers including cervical cancer, vaginal and vulvar cancers, anal cancer, throat cancer and penile cancer. However, there is a vaccine that can help prevent these cancers. Here’s what you need to know. HPV vaccine guidelines About nine in 10 people will catch HPV eventually, and medical experts recommend that both males and females get the vaccine before they become sexually active. According to the National Cancer Institute, the vaccine has helped to lower HPV among women in their 20s by nearly two-thirds. There are three HPV vaccines available – Gardasil, Gardasil 9 and Cervarix. The CDC recommends the vaccine for women through age 26, and men through age 21. But there are guidelines for when your child should get the HPV vaccine, based on age. Boys and girls who are 11 or 12 should get two shots of the vaccine six to 12 months apart. Those who receive their shots less than five months apart will need a third shot. If your child is 15 or older, he or she will need three shots over six months. Doctors also recommend that children with weakened immune systems receive three shots. Children who are allergic to yeast or latex should not receive the vaccine. Talk to your pediatrician if your child has any severe allergies. Women who are pregnant should also not get the HPV vaccine. As with any vaccine, there can be side effects. Common side effects include pain, redness or swelling in the arm where the patient received the shot; fever; headache or feeling tired; nausea; and muscle or joint pain. According to the CDC, most people who get the vaccine never experience side effects. Screening for HPV related cancers The CDC says the HPV vaccine isn’t a substitute for cervical cancer screening, and it doesn’t protect against all types of HPV that can lead to cervical cancer. Women should still see their gynecologist for regular Pap tests. There are no recommended screening tests for anal and penile cancers, or for throat cancers. You should visit your doctor regularly for checkups.0
- Graduate Medical EducationGeneral Page Tier 3BlogLuminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center (LHAAMC) is practically a branch on Liz Hahn’s family tree. Her grandfather, Richard N. Peeler, M.D., F.A.C.P., joined the medical staff of what was then called Anne Arundel General Hospital in 1957. He served the Annapolis community for over 45 years as an internal medicine specialist with an emphasis on infectious diseases. In addition, her uncle—Dr. Mark Peeler, a vascular surgeon—and aunt—Dr. Susan Peeler, OB/GYN—are both current practitioners at LHAAMC. “I remember being at a ribbon cutting ceremony at the big hospital opening with my grandfather and my family,” Liz says. “And I remember growing up, how patients’ family members would stop my grandfather on the street and say, ‘You treated my mom and helped her — thank you.’” For Liz, these interactions with grateful patients were what first garnered her interested in medicine: “I started to really want to be part of the medical community in Annapolis—specifically, serving the people who I grew up with, the families that I knew,” she recalls. “It is such a tight knit community and being part of that community is so special.” One of the first steps in her journey toward a career in healthcare came in 2010 when the Annapolis High School sophomore began shadowing LHAAMC’s Dr. Savitha Chengappa, infectious disease specialist. Then, in 2011, Liz’s junior year of high school, she began volunteering as a research intern at LHAAMC’s Outpatient Infusion Center under the supervision of Lynn Graze, RN. The summer after her senior year of high school, Liz participated in a summer internship program at LHAAMC for high school students who were considering careers in medicine. It was through this program that she became acquainted with Dr. Barry Meisenberg, LHAAMC’s Department of Medicine chair who later became an important mentor to her. After graduating from Clemson University in May 2016 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Language and International Health, Liz returned to LHAAMC to take a job in the Health Outcomes Research Division where she researched ways to improve medical care for the populations served. She worked in this position for a year before enrolling in Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she graduated in May 2019 with a master’s degree in public health with a concentration in global disease epidemiology and control. After receiving her master’s degree from Johns Hopkins, Liz made the decision to apply to medical school. She was accepted at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Greenville and started in the fall of 2019. The problem? Knowing what area to specialize in! It was difficult to choose an area of specialty after having been influenced by so many talented mentors who each practiced in distinctly different areas of medicine. Ultimately, she settled on surgery. “It’s such a privilege that each surgical patient puts their life in your hands,” Liz says. “There is no greater honor than to have someone put that level of trust in you; it’s something that is very dear to me and important to remember in patient care.” Liz’s grandfather played an important role in this viewpoint. When he graduated from medical school at Johns Hopkins University in 1951, one of the speakers at his graduation ceremony spoke about how patients bare their souls to their doctors, putting trust in them each day. The young Dr. Richard Peeler was so moved by these words that he asked the speaker to send him the speech, which he kept with him his entire career. “When my uncle graduated from medical school, my grandfather printed and framed copies of the speech for him and his closest medical school friends,” Liz shares. “In turn, my uncle gave it to me when I was accepted to medical school. It has been on my desk for the last four years—a reminder every day when I’m studying that each patient’s trust and vulnerability is a privilege that I’m earning.” Liz felt a true sense of homecoming when she found out that she matched with LHAAMC for her surgical residency. She will be the third generation of her family to practice medicine at LHAAMC. On May 5, 2023, Liz graduated with a degree in medicine from the University of South Carolina, and on June 19 she will officially start her first year of residency beside some of the same people at LHAAMC who have played such integral roles in shaping her future. “I will be learning how to remove gallbladders in the same place where I had mine removed when I was 23!” Liz reflects. “What better way for me to give back to the community that has made me the person who I am today than to come back and someday be the mentor for a future high school student who is interested in a career in medicine.”0
How can we help?
Common Searches
Common Searches
Log in with MyChart
Access personalized site features & view your health records.
Learn more about MyChartDon’t have a MyChart account?
Your Account
View your Dashboard
Messages
Billing Summary
Find Care
Schedule Appointment
My Care Team
My Record
Appointments
Medications
Insurance Summary
Log in with MyChart
Access personalized site features & view your health records.
Learn more about MyChartDon’t have a MyChart account?