Matthew D. Oglesbee, MD, recently joined Hattiesburg Clinic Hospital Care Service. Dr. Oglesbee received his medical degree from the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Miss. He completed an internship and residency in internal medicine at Louisiana State University in New Orleans, La. Dr. Oglesbee has a special practice interest in palliative care and infectious disease. He is a member of the American College of Physicians. He joins the other physicians at Hospital Care Service.

Physical therapists at Hattiesburg Clinic are offering a new form of therapy. Jeremy Bennett, PT, DPT, at Bellevue Physical Therapy, and Ryan Woods, PT, DPT, at Poplarville Physical Therapy are now offering dry needling. Dry needling, also known as intramuscular manual therapy, is a technique in which a small “dry” needle – one without medication or injection – is inserted into areas of the muscle, called trigger points. “The goal is to stimulate the body’s natural healing response in an effort to improve the function of the musculoskeletal system and reduce symptoms,” said Woods. Dry needling is used to treat a variety of conditions, including:

• Musculoskeletal injuries
• Tissue inflammation
• Headaches
• Radicular pain
• Sensitized nerve tissue
• Tissue adhesions

“Patients with musculoskeletal dysfunction are the majority of our clientele. Dry needling gives us another way of addressing these issues,” said Bennett. Both Bennett and Woods have specialized training and certification in dry needling therapy. For the most effective treatment, this service is performed as part of a comprehensive rehabilitation plan rather than a standalone treatment. To schedule an appointment at either of these locations, call Bellevue Physical Therapy at 601-261-1550 or Poplarville Physical Therapy 601-795-6618.

W. Kendrick Currie, MD, recently joined Hattiesburg Clinic Ellisville Family Clinic. Dr. Currie received his medical degree from the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, Miss. He completed an internship and residency in family medicine at Floyd Medical Center in Rome, Ga. Currie is board certified in family medicine by the American Board of Family Medicine. He is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, the Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians and the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians. His special practice interests include diabetes, hypertension and wellness. Currie joins O. Elizabeth Danford, MD, and Joseph R. Danford, MD, at Ellisville Family Clinic.

Research has shown that screening mammography can help reduce the number of breast cancer-related deaths among women ages 40 to 74, according to the National Cancer Institute. Hattiesburg Clinic observes Breast Cancer Awareness Month every October with its annual “Pink the Tree” tradition to bring awareness to screening mammography. Each October, a memory tree is set up in the Surgery department, located on the second floor of the main clinic, and an awareness tree goes up in the lobby of 28^th Place. Employees and patients have the option to purchase pink ornaments in honor or memory of a breast cancer patient to place on the memory tree. These can be purchased from the Surgery receptionists for $1. Employees are also encouraged to place a pink ornament on the tree at 28^th Place. Departments are able to show their support for breast cancer awareness by decorating their department in pink, wearing pink or having breast cancer information available for patients. “We don’t put up the trees or decorate in pink just because it’s pretty. All of this is for a purpose,” said Susan Yarrow, public relations manager at Hattiesburg Clinic. “The goal is that people see the trees, the decorations, the pink that we wear as a reminder of the importance of mammograms and how they can potentially be life-saving.” Yarrow reaffirmed this fact with statistics from a women’s symposium Hattiesburg Clinic participated in earlier this year. About 264 women visited the clinic’s booth at the symposium and 100 of them were identified as patients. Out of the 100 patients, 16 scheduled and completed screening mammography after they attended the symposium. Two of the 16 who had mammograms went on for additional breast imaging and were diagnosed with breast cancer. “The goal is to catch it early so that treatment can begin sooner rather than later,” said William Whitehead, MD, Hattiesburg Clinic surgeon and medical director for The Breast Center. “Every case is different, but we hope that people will become more self-aware not only by talking with their doctor or scheduling a mammogram but also by routinely examining themselves.” The American Cancer Society says women 40 to 44 should have the choice to start annual breast screening with mammograms if they wish to do so. The society recommends a mammogram once a year for women ages 45 to 54. Women 55 and older can switch to mammograms every two years or continue annual screening. Appointments are available at The Breast Center Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Individuals should contact their primary care provider to schedule an appointment.  

Hattiesburg Clinic Physician Addresses Misconceptions for ADHD Awareness Month in October Millions of children and adults are living with a condition that is highly treatable but carries with it many public misconceptions: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. ADHD is a chronic neurodevelopmental disorder that currently affects 11 percent of school-age children, based on data from the National Resource Center on ADHD. Symptoms range from difficulty paying attention to being easily distracted and struggling with waiting or taking turns. Although there is much research and information available on the topic, there are still many inaccuracies about ADHD shared throughout society. In his more than 36 years of practice as a pediatrician, Ronald Kent, MD, with Hattiesburg Clinic Connections, has heard many of these ADHD myths. In recognition of ADHD Awareness Month this October, here are 18 common myths about ADHD, according to Dr. Kent:

1. ADHD isn’t a real medical disorder.

“ADHD is recognized as a legitimate disorder by the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Education, American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychiatric Society,” said Kent.

2. ADHD is a new diagnosis. 

“Symptoms were first described in an article in the medical journal Lancet in 1902. The name has changed over the years as researchers have learned more about the disorder. The primary symptoms have remained the same as first described in that article.”

3. The use of medication for ADHD is a recent development.

“Dexedrine was first used over 60 years ago. Ritalin was first used over 50 years ago. New medications are developed to improve efficacy and tolerability.”

4. Children eventually outgrow ADHD. 

“Seventy percent continue into adolescence, and 50 percent continue into adulthood.”

5. ADHD affects only boys.

“The gender difference in those who are diagnosed is less now but is still slightly greater in boys than girls. Because of this myth, more boys are diagnosed than girls.”

6. Being distracted is normal.

“It is true that some distraction is normal. However, in ADHD, distraction produces an inability to be productive. Some people believe that distractibility is the core symptom in ADHD.”

7. He’s just being a boy.

“It’s true that most boys have more trouble in school than girls. It is important to look at age-related norms. However, when activity levels significantly interfere with school performance, it is not normal.” 

8. He would do better if he just tried harder. 

“If ODD, or oppositional defiant disorder, is present, effort can be a problem. ODD is a persistent pattern of behavior involving anger or irritability, defiance towards authority figures and vindictiveness. Many children with ADHD spend hours doing homework, but working hard and not seeing results usually produces either anger or depression.”

9. He’s bored.

“Bored children can develop behavior problems, but bored children without ADHD do their work. Bored children with ADHD don’t do their work.”

10. ADHD is the result of poor parenting.

“The problem is rooted in brain chemistry, not discipline. Poor parenting can make any child’s behavior worse. Overly strict parenting can actually make ADHD symptoms worse.”

11. People with ADHD will never amount to anything.

“There have been several successful people throughout history who were thought to have ADHD, including Wolfgang Mozart, Benjamin Franklin and Abraham Lincoln. Other successful people who have actually been diagnosed with ADHD include David Neeleman, the founder of JetBlue, and Paul Orfalea, who founded Kinko’s.”

12. ADHD treatment with medication makes drug abuse more likely.

“A Harvard study by Dr. Joseph Biederman, a Harvard psychiatrist, followed multiple groups of adolescents. In that study, only 25 percent of the group with ADHD that was being treated abused drugs or alcohol, while 75 percent of the group with ADHD that were not being treated abused drugs and alcohol.”

13. Medication turns children into zombies.

“Medication can change the way a child or teenager interacts with the world; but, usually, an altered state of consciousness is caused by too high a dose of medication.”

14. If a child can focus on anything, he does not have ADHD.

“This is one of the biggest misconceptions about ADHD. Children with ADHD can pay attention. What they have trouble with is sustaining their attention and attending to boring tasks.”

15. ADHD is just a school disorder, so that’s the only time medication should be given.

“ADHD is a global disorder. Medication can be beneficial in a social environment. It can be beneficial in sports. Medication is necessary for driving. It can also help the family function better.”

16. ADHD medication stunts growth. 

“Ten out of 12 studies show no effects on growth. In the other two studies, the maximum change was one inch. With that said, close monitoring of growth is recommended.”

17. ADHD medications cause heart problems.

“Studies show no increased rate of cardiovascular events with ADHD medication, but stimulants can make underlying disorders worse.”

18. Having ADHD does not qualify you for a 504 plan.

“The United States Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights states, ‘Regardless of how well he or she performs in school, a student who has trouble concentrating, reading, thinking, organizing or prioritizing projects, among other important tasks, because of ADHD may have a disability and be protected under Section 504.’” Anyone interested in learning more about ADHD and other behavioral or mental health disorders can attend the 14th Annual ADHD and Related Concerns Conference Oct. 19-20, at Temple Baptist Church in Hattiesburg, Miss. To register for the conference, visit www.s-resa.org.