News

Graston Technique Promotes Faster Soft Tissue Healing

By Margaret van den Bergh, PT

Graston Technique. It’s a strange-sounding name for a new physical therapy method that can help patients heal faster from soft tissue injuries like sprains, fibromyalgia, tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, shin splints, trigger finger, and plantar fasciitis, to name a few.

Backed by over 20 years of research, clinical studies, and successful clinical application. GT therapy is part of the curriculum for 43 advanced degree programs in physical therapy, chiropractics, and athletic training. It is used regularly by over 250 professional and amateur sports teams and by U.S. Olympic training centers. There are over 16,000 certified physical therapists, chiropractors, and athlete trainers worldwide.

Now three Grace Cottage Family Health & Hospital’s physical therapy staff members are also certified to offer this treatment: Rebecca Griswold, PTA; Melissa Walker, DPT; and me.

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Be a Life Saver!

By Dr. Timothy Shafer, Grace Cottage Family Health

Did you know that you have the potential to save eight lives, by donating your organs after you die? All across the nation, thousands of people are waiting for a heart, lung, liver, pancreas, kidney, or intestines. Others could benefit from a tissue donation. You could make the difference.

It’s understandable that talking about organ donation is difficult. Until the issue touches you directly, affecting you or someone you know, it’s easier to avoid the topic.

Consider, though, that this is one way you can save someone’s life without risk to your own.

Consider also the following illustrative story: A baby boy was born a few years ago. It should have been a happy occasion, but instead, there was much anxiety because the baby had two malfunctioning kidneys. If only one kidney was faulty, he could have survived that way.

It is actually fairly common to live with one kidney. Some people are born this way. Amazingly, others give away one of their kidneys to help someone who needs it. As long as they protect the remaining kidney, they can live normal lives.

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Grace Cottage Hospital Cell Coverage Saved

Greg Sukiennik of the Brattleboro Reformer reports on the quick response of Governor Phil Scott’s office and AT&T in keeping cell phone reception in tact at Grace Cottage Family Health & Hospital. Grace Cottage President and CEO Doug DiVello told the Reformer the COW was driven east from Missouri and arrived at the hospital over […]

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Healthcare Matters – Ep. 9 The Future of Healthcare in the US

In this episode we will discuss the future of healthcare in the US compared to other parts of the world and how we might achieve a higher return on investment on both a personal and national level. Our guest is Dr. Kenneth Rudd who is an emergency department physician at Grace Cottage Hospital and a family physician at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Family Medicine.

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Time for a Colon Cancer Screening Test? You Have Options

By Dr. Ewa Arnold, Grace Cottage Family Health

Is it time for your colonoscopy? I bet you’re not looking forward to that! Colon cancer screening tests are highly unpopular, but they are certainly worth the discomfort.

Did you know that colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S.? The disease affects both men and women, mainly but not exclusively those over age 50. Despite this dire morbidity statistic, it’s important to remember that colon cancer is highly treatable—if discovered early. That’s why it’s so important to have your colon screening tests on schedule.

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, so this is a good time to revisit the topic.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that, beginning at age 50, adults have regular screenings until at least age 75. Colon cancers generally develop slowly. After age 75, you should discuss the alternatives with your provider.

Despite the notoriously uncomfortable preparation required,

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Free 11-Week Workshop for Those with Addictive Eating Disorders

Grace Cottage is offering a free support group for the community called “Overcoming Addictive Food Behavior,” starting Wed., April 18, and meeting for 11 weeks.   Compulsive overeating is a complex and pervasive problem.  A one dimensional approach to weight loss has rarely worked because different people are overweight for different reasons, and most people […]

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What Do Your Kidneys Do?

By Dr. Maurice Geurts, Grace Cottage Family Health

What is the function of your kidneys, and why do you have two of them? Good questions to ask, especially during March. It’s National Kidney Awareness Month.

First question first: your kidneys are two bean-shaped organs, each about the size of your fist, located just below your rib cage and toward your back, near the spine. They are part of an important blood filtering system that extracts wastes and extra water, sending this out of your body through the bladder.

The kidneys are busy organs. They filter about 150-200 quarts of liquid each day. One or two of these are excreted as urine, and the rest of the liquid returns to the bloodstream.

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Hospitals Ask Area Residents to Take Health Needs Survey

WINDHAM COUNTY, VT – Throughout the month of March, residents of Windham County are encouraged to take a brief survey to share what they consider their most pressing healthcare needs and concerns. The survey is an important part of a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) being conducted jointly by Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, the Brattleboro Retreat, […]

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Healthcare Matters – Ep. 8 Men’s Health

Healthcare Matters Ep 8

Bill Monahan, a Registered Nurse and Community Outreach Coordinator, speaks with host Marty Cohn, as they discuss men’s health topics from the cultural barriers men face when seeking medical help, to common sense ways to stay healthy.

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Couch to 5K Training Program Offered thru 5/8

The C25K group will meet Tuesdays at 5 p.m. in the Grace Cottage cafeteria, March 13th – May 8th. Participation is free. The group will train outdoors together once a week, and they’ll be encouraged to train on their own time two more days each week. Best to start on March 13th, but you may join the group at any time.

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