Health & Wellness Blog

Reduce Your COPD Risk, No Matter Where You Live COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is a serious lung condition that affects millions of people. Also known as emphysema or chronic bronchitis, COPD causes breathing problems that can worsen over time. Anyone can develop COPD, but smokers or ex-smokers and…

November is Healthy Skin Month! Living in our Northeast South Dakota region can be particularly hard on your skin, especially in the winter. Here are some tips to help keep your skin healthy throughout the winter months. With our cold and dry winters you have to put a little extra…

Halloween is one of the most dangerous nights each year for pedestrians, especially children - statistics show a 43% increase in pedestrian injuries and deaths on Halloween night. Keep your ghosts and goblins safe on the trick-or treat trail this year: Always accompany young children: Research shows that 6pm-9pm are…

To piggyback off of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month in September, it is the perfect time to discuss "BPH."  BPH stands for benign prostatic hypertrophy.  To simplify this definition, it is a natural age-related growth of the prostate gland that is influenced by hormones.  Why is this important? The prostate is…

A recent article from Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety Center (UMASH) found that in 2019, data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicated that the most dangerous sector in America is still agriculture - responsible for 573 fatalities, or an equivalent of 23.1 deaths per 100,000 workers.  As we enter…

A darting pet, hallway rug or late-night trip to the bathroom can quickly change from a nuisance to a life-changing fall experience. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one of four older Americans fall each year, and a single fall doubles the chance of falling again.…

Bleeding is the #1 preventable cause of death after a traumatic injury—it is important to be able to identify and intervene when there is life-threatening bleeding present. Prairie Lakes Healthcare System partners with the American College of Surgeons (ACS) to provide Stop the Bleed® to the public in the Watertown…

From Dr. Jeffrey Smith, Dermatologist: There are many ways we are exposed to the sun during the day. It can be fun partaking in activities under the sun, but it is important to remember good skin care practices. One in five Americans will have skin cancer during their lifetime. I…

Now that we are in the middle of the warmest summer months, it’s important to understand the danger of prolonged heat exposure. Monica E., our Director of Emergency Medicine shares some helpful information. Heat-related illnesses occur when the body’s temperature gets too high as it fluctuates depending on the heat…

Since 1998, more than 900 children have died from vehicular heatstroke - an average of 38 per year - and 53% of incidents involve a parent or caregiver forgetting the child was in the vehicle.  Even on mild or cloudy days, temperatures inside vehicles can reach life-threatening levels. Watch the…