Watch the Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcast every Tuesday through Thursday on Action News 5 WMC-TV at 5 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 17 – Cervical Spinal Fusion

Frank Gallo had the classic symptoms of a herniated disc in the cervical spine of his neck. "At night my left arm started to go numb. I was having a burning in my neck," Gallo said.

According to Laverne Lovell, M.D., people who develop cervical disc herniation usually complain of neck pain, shoulder pain and radiating arm pain. There is often numbness, and sometimes pain that extends all the way to their hand and fingers.

Neurosurgeons at the Methodist Healthcare Neuroscience Institute like Dr. Lovell can perform a cervical spinal fusion to relieve the numbness. "We enter through the front of the neck and remove the disc. Placement of a bone graft in the disc space is performed to fuse across the vertebral bodies," Dr. Lovell said.

More about cervical spinal fusion, located in the Healthwise Knowledgebase.

Sleep Center Call Center - Wednesday, Oct. 18

The Methodist Breast Center offers patients a relaxed, comfortable setting for all services involving the diagnosis of breast cancer.

"We do screening and diagnostic mammography. We do breast biopsies using ultrasound and steriotactic guidance," said Dr. Linda Hodgkiss, medical director.

The center's medical professionals provide quality care with the latest technology such as Confirma, a software technique that helps quickly and more accurately interpret breast MRI studies. A nurse navigator helps women who have an abnormal mammogram move through the diagnostic process. The nurse also provides emotional support, answers questions and is a resource for patient information.

The Methodist Breast Center is located at 7945 Wolf River Blvd. Call 901.516.6777 for an appointment.

 Flu Shots - Thursday, Oct. 19

Fall is here and with fall comes flu season, which can start as early as October and last until May. Every year five to 20 percent of Americans get the flu, more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from complications from the flu and about 36,000 people die. This is why it is so important for people to get vaccinated, especially for those who are in a high risk group.

According to Dr. Jeff Lowrey, medical director, the high risk group includes "anyone over 50 years of age, younger children, people who live in nursing homes and those who have chronic health conditions."

Even people who are not in a high risk group should get vaccinated because it is the best way to help prevent catching the flu and feeling those nasty symptoms of a high fever, body aces and cough.

For more about flu season, read "Flu Season: How to Be Prepared."