Health Observed September 2025

SEPTEMBER 2025

Expert Retina Care with a Personal Touch 445928-1

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HEALTH OBSERVED | SEPTEMBER 2025

Stay in the Game.

Recover Stronger!

Shouldering the Pain Without Surgery

Stay in the Game.

Recover Stronger!

Shoulder pain doesn’t have to sideline your life. Today’s treatment options offer relief without the risks of surgery.

BY DR. CHRISTOPHER L. DILLINGHAM, M.D. BOARD-CERTIFIED, FELLOWSHIPTRAINED ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON

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very day, I see patients whose shoulder pain is holding them back-sometimes from enjoying their favorite sport, sometimes from simple daily activities like reaching into a cabinet or lifting a grandchild. Many of these people wait to seek care because they fear I’ll tell them surgery is their only option.

Here’s the good news: in most cases, surgery is not the first, or only, answer. Today, we have advanced, effective, and non-surgical treatments that relieve pain, restore motion, and help patients return to the activities they love.

The shoulder is unique. It’s the only joint in the body with a full 360-degree range of motion. That freedom allows us to throw, swing, lift, and reach but it also makes the shoulder more vulnerable to injury and instability. Fortunately, innovative regenerative therapies are changing the way we treat shoulder pain.

Biologic options like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and bone marrow

Larry Thompson (Actual Patient)

SFORZO | DILLINGHAM | STEWART ORTHOPEDICS

ADDRESS: 5831 Bee Ridge Road, Suite 300, Sarasota, FL 34233 PHONE: 941-378-5100 WEBSITE: sforzodillingham.com

aspirate concentrate (BMAC) harness your body’s own healing power. PRP uses growth factors from your blood to stimulate tissue repair, while BMAC adds cells from your bone marrow that help regenerate tendon, cartilage, and other tissues. Both can reduce inflammation, decrease pain, and improve function in conditions such as tendonitis, partial rotator cuff tears, and arthritis.

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Other minimally invasive approaches, such as corticosteroid or hyaluronic acid injections, combined with tailored physical therapy have been highly effective. My goal is always to develop a plan that fits each patient’s needs and lifestyle.

That begins with a careful evaluation, including a physical exam and imaging, followed by a conversation about the best next step.

In my experience, after appropriate non-surgical treatment, many patients feel improvement within weeks to a few months. Often, they can return to playing golf, reaching overhead, or playing with their grandchildren without needing surgery at all.

At Sforzo | Dillingham | Stewart Orthopedics, we see our patients as more than an injury or diagnosis.

We believe true healthcare is personal-and it’s rooted in options, not just operations. Our team is here to

After appropriate non-surgical treatment, many patients feel improvement within weeks to a few months.”

— Christopher L. Dillingham, M.D. help you heal, regain confidence, and most importantly, get back to doing what you love.

You don’t have to live with shoulder pain or assume surgery is the only answer. Relief and recovery are possible. Call us today at 941.378.5100 or visit sforzodillingham.com to schedule your appointment.

NOT ALL SHOULDER PAIN MEANS SURGERY Common Conditions Treated Without Surgery: ■ Rotator cuff tendonitis or partial tears ■ Shoulder bursitis ■ Arthritis ■ Labral injuries ■ Frozen shoulder ■ Impingement syndrome When to See a Specialist: ■ Pain lasting more than 2-3 weeks ■ Limited range of motion ■ Weakness or clicking in the shoulder ■ Difficulty sleeping due to pain Call 941.378.5100 to schedule an evaluation today.

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SEPTEMBER 2025 | HEALTH OBSERVED

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Caring for Ears, Noses, and Throats From Children to Adults

From Frustrated to Fit How Howone oneholistic holisticprogram programisis helping helpingclients clientsshed shedpounds pounds and andfeel feelstronger strongerthan thanever. ever.

Bringing Compassion and IExpertise to Retina Care ffyou’ve you’veever everlost lostweight, weight,only onlyto tosee seeitit slowly slowlyreturn, return,you’re you’renot notalone. alone.Many Many diets dietsfocus focuson onthe thenumber numberon onthe thescale, scale, not noton onhow howthe thebody bodyworks worksduring duringweight weight loss lossor orhow howto tomaintain maintainresults resultslong longterm. term.

That’s That’swhere whereDanee DaneeBarnett Barnetttakes takesaa different differentapproach. approach.AAlocal localacupuncture acupuncture physician physicianwith withmore morethan than15 15years yearsof of experience experiencein inhealthy healthyweight weightmanagement, management, Barnett Barnetthas hashelped helpedher herclients clientslose loseaa combined combined80,000 80,000pounds. pounds.But Buther herreal real mission missiongoes goesbeyond beyondweight weightloss. loss.It’s It’sabout about protecting protectingmuscle, muscle,shifting shiftinghabits, habits,and and building buildinglong-term long-termwellness. wellness.

At The Retina Group of Florida, Dr. Jie Sun delivers the same caring expertise that once helped her own family.

Dr.’s Benjamin & Rachel Kelley

WHY WHYMOST MOSTDIETS DIETSMISS MISSTHE THEMARK MARK

Traditional Traditionaldiets dietsoften oftenlead leadto tofast fastresults, results,but but aalot lotof ofthat thatinitial initialweight weightloss losscomes comesfrom from water wateror oreven evenmuscle. muscle.And Andsince sincemuscle muscleplays plays aamajor majorrole rolein inmetabolism, metabolism,losing losingititcan canmake make your yourbody bodyburn burnfewer fewercalories caloriesover overtime. time.

“Muscle “Muscleisismetabolically metabolicallyactive activetissue, tissue, ”” Barnett Barnettexplains. explains.“You “Youmight mightlook looksmaller smaller for foraawhile, while,but butififyou youlose losemuscle, muscle,your yourbody body becomes becomesless lessefficient. efficient.That’s That’swhy whypreserving preserving lean leanmass massisisso soimportant. important. ””

are a husband-and-wife team treating patients of All Ages for a wide range

If you experience any of the following symptoms, it’s important to see a retina specialist promptly:

DANEE DANEE BARNETT ■ Sudden BARNETT appearance of floaters (tiny WEIGHT WEIGHT LOSS LOSS &&WELLNESS WELLNESS spots or cobwebs drifting in your vision)

ADDRESS: ADDRESS: 330 Pineapple Ave, ■ Flashes of330 lightSS inPineapple your field Ave, of vision Sarasota, Sarasota, FL FL34236 34236 ■ A shadow or curtain blocking part of PHONE: PHONE: 941-365-0812 your vision941-365-0812 VISIT: VISIT: DaneeBarnett.com DaneeBarnett.com ■ Sudden decrease or loss of vision ■ Blurred or distorted central vision ■ Distorted or wavy lines when looking at objects ■ Unexplained vision loss, especially if you have diabetes or high blood pressure

You You might might look look smaller smaller for for aa while, while, If you notice any symptoms, don’t wait but ifif you you lose loseGroup muscle, muscle, your AASMARTER, SMARTER,MORE MOREPERSONALIZED PERSONALIZEDPLAN PLAN but contact the Retina of Floridayour for Barnett’s Barnett’sfour-phase four-phaseprogram programuses usesadvanced advanced body expertbecomes evaluation and care. body becomes less less efficient. efficient. metabolic metabolictesting testingto topersonalize personalizeeach eachplan. plan.

That’s That’s why why preserving preserving lean lean At Atthe thecore coreisisbioimpedance bioimpedanceanalysis analysis(BIA), (BIA), mass mass isis so so important.” important.” aatool toolthat thatmeasures measuresbody bodycomposition composition

of Ear, Nose, and Throat disorders, including but not limited to: • Allergies (Including Testing and Immunotherapy)

including includinglean leanmass, mass,fat fatmass, mass,water waterlevels, levels, and andmetabolic metabolicrate. rate.

“Two “Twopeople peoplemight mighthave havethe thesame sameweight weight and andheight heightbut butvery verydifferent differentbody bodymakeups, makeups, ”” she shesays. says.“BIA “BIAhelps helpsus ussee seewhat’s what’sreally really changing changingso sowe wecan canadjust adjustthe theplan planin inreal real time. time. ””

• Sinusitis • Nasal Obstruction • Hearing Loss • Chronic Otitis • Chronic Tonsillitis and Tonsil Stones • Dizziness/Vertigo • Ear pain/Plugging/Popping • Obstructive Sleep Apnea • Voice and Swallow Disorders

Jie Sun, M.D.

• Head and Neck Cancer

THE THEFOUR FOURPHASES PHASESOF OF THE RETINA GROUP OF THE THEDANEE DANEEBARNETT BARNETT FLORIDA APPROACH APPROACH ADDRESS: 5985 Silver Falls Run, Suite

Phases Phases 11&&2: 2:Ranch, Burn Burnfat, fat, improve body 102 Lakewood FLimprove 34211body composition composition PHONE: 941-269-4150 WEBSITE: retinagroupflorida.com Phase Phase3: 3:Learn Learn totomaintain, maintain,not notrebound rebound

Now Seeing Patients of All Ages at Four Convenient Locations!

Phase Phase4: 4:Build Buildreal realhabits habitsfor forlife life

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941-748-2455

Same-day appointments Mon, Wed, and Fri, pending availability. Please call ahead.

1838 Rye Road Bradenton, FL 34212 Mon - Fri | 8am - 4pm 8340 LWR Blvd., Suite 180 Bradenton, FL 34202 Mon - Fri | 8am - 5pm 701 Manatee Ave. W., Suite 202, Bradenton, FL 34205 Mon - Fri | 7:30am - 5pm

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772 Cortaro Drive, Sun City Center, FL 33573 Mon, Wed, Thu | 8am - 5pm

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SIGNS YOU NEED RETINAL CARE

Why WhyItItWorks Works hecrash newest physician at the Retina Forget Forget crashdiets. diets.

This Thisprogram program isisbuilt built around around how howof your your body bodyactually actually works works Group Florida, Dr. Jie Sun, is - -focusing focusing on onmuscle muscle preservation, passionate aboutpreservation, helping her patients, metabolic metabolic health, health, and and sustainable sustainable change. perhaps because her journeychange. to becoming an eye doctor and a retinal specialist is personal.

As a young child, Dr. Sun watched as her grandmother suffered from eye disease, which inspired her career path to becoming an eye doctor. Then, while she was in medical school, her father was diagnosed with retinal detachment. She stayed with him through the whole process, witnessing his retinal specialist explaining the surgery to him and taking care of him.

“After that repair, he got his vision back,” said Dr. Sun. “It was incredible to see how his doctor was able to do something to improve his quality of life.”

Because of that experience, she chose to become a retinal specialist. Dr. Sun earned her M.D. in Clinical Medicine from Shandong Medical College and completed a Ph.D. in Ophthalmology at Qingdao University Medical College. She also holds a Master of Public Health from Harvard University. Dr. Sun specializes in medical retina and uveitis, or ocular inflammation.

Her career has included clinical care, academic research and healthcare administration. She has come full circle,

returning to clinical care with the Retina

Group, whose staff she describes as friendly — —Danee Danee Barnett Barnett

and welcoming. “The minute I stepped into the clinic, they treated me like family,” she Rather Ratherthan thanstrict strictdieting, dieting,clients clientsfollow follow said. aaMediterranean-style Mediterranean-style eating eating plan planyou tailored tailored As a patient, from the moment walk to totheir their unique unique needs. needs. strikes strikes ahealthy healthy in the door, their staffItIt will also amake you balance balance of ofprotein, protein, good good fats, fats,providing and andcarbs, carbs, with with feel comfortable and heard, you room roomfor fortreats treatslevel as aswell. well.

For Forthose thoseon onGLP-1 GLP-1 with the same of personalized care and medications medications like like Ozempic Ozempic or Wegovy, Wegovy, Barnett Barnett attention they would wantor for themselves. offers offers added support to toFlorida’s protect protectmuscle muscle and and Theadded Retinasupport Group of sympathetic meet meetnutritional nutritional needs. retina specialistsneeds. can handle everything from retinal tears, certain retinal detachments, MORE MORETHAN THAN JUST JUSTAAand MEAL MEAL PLAN PLAN macular diabetic retinopathy age-related The Theprogram programalso also addresses addressesthe the emotionemotiondegeneration to vitreoretinal diseases to aloffer alside sidecomplete of ofweight weightcomprehensive loss. loss.Stress Stressmanagement, management, treatment at lifestyle lifestyle coaching, coaching, and andoptional optional addiction addiction one convenient location.

In fact, the Retina acupuncture acupuncture help helphas clients clients stay on ontrack track and Group of Florida fourstay locations onand the build buildsustainable sustainable routines. routines.

West Coast of Florida, with a total of 23 locations throughout the state. And if you THE THETAKEAWAY TAKEAWAY have an emergency, a Retina Group of Florida Lasting Lastingweight weight loss lossisisnot nothours just justabout about eating physician is available 24 a day.eating less. less. isisabout about understanding understanding yourbody, body, Dr.ItItSun works out of all fouryour local offices supporting supportingRanch, ititin inthe the right rightway, way, and andcreating creating Lakewood Sarasota, Venice and Port habits habitsyou youcan canactually actually maintain. maintain.

Charlotte.

She is accepting new patients for medical retina and uveitis.

Physicians in all four locations also treat

The minute I stepped into the clinic, they treated me like family.”

- Dr. Jie Sun other retinal disorders, perform surgery and are leaders in research and clinical trials.

If you have been diagnosed with a retinal disease, ask your ophthalmologist to refer you to the Retina Group of Florida.

Visit RetinaGroupFlorida.com for Your Local Retina Specialists with Same Day Emergency Appts & 24/7 Support.

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Source: Source:METAGENICS METAGENICS

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HEALTH OBSERVED | SEPTEMBER 2025

KNOW THE SIGNS OF MITRAL VALVE REGURGITATION If you’re experiencing any of the following, it may be time to talk to your doctor: ■ Shortness of breath during daily activities ■ Unusual fatigue or weakness ■ Heart palpitations or irregular heartbeat ■ Swelling in the legs or feet ■ Difficulty lying flat due to shortness of breath

DR. ALESSANDRO GOLINO

Don’t ignore the signs - early detection can lead to better outcomes.

Manatee Memorial Hospital: Expertise in Mitral Valve Repair Minimally invasive heart care that gets you back to what matters.

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MANATEE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL ADDRESS: 206 2nd St East, Bradenton, FL 34208 PHONE: 941-746-5111 WEBSITE: manateememorial.com

t Manatee Memorial Hospital (MMH), proven expertise in minimally invasive mitral valve repair is not just about advanced techniques: it’s about helping people regain their health and get back to the activities of daily living.

Your heart beats nearly 100,000 times a day, and every beat depends on valves that keep blood moving in the right direction. One of the most important is the mitral valve.

Its role is simple but vital: open to let blood in, then close to keep

it from leaking back. When the mitral valve doesn’t close properly (a condition called mitral valve regurgitation) blood slips backward, forcing the heart to work harder.

That’s when people begin to notice changes: getting winded walking to the mailbox, tiring quickly while playing with grandkids, or feeling too drained to take the dog for a walk. Left untreated, the condition can progress to heart failure.

For many years, open-heart surgery was the standard repair.

While effective, and still an option at times, recovery can take weeks.

Now, many patients can benefit from a less invasive approach: transcatheter mitral valve repair.

Using a thin catheter, doctors place a small device called a MitraClip™ on the valve to help it close tightly. Recovery is often measured in days rather than weeks, allowing patients to return quickly to their routines, families, and the activities they enjoy.

Here in Florida, Manatee Memorial Hospital is recognized for this procedure. Under the guidance of Dr. Alessandro Golino, Chief of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, MMH performs more MitraClip™ procedures than any other hospital in the state*. Dr. Golino is recognized nationally and internationally for his expertise, performing roughly 200 mitral valve repairs each year*.

“Early detection is critical,” says Dr. Golino. “The sooner we identify valve problems, the better the outcome. With our team at Manatee Memorial, we’re able to give patients every chance for a healthier, longer life.”

When a mitral valve is repaired

The sooner we identify valve problems, the better the outcome.”

— Dr. Alessandro Golino and healthy blood flow is restored, patients often describe a renewed sense of energy and relief when the simple pleasures of daily life become possible again.

When it comes to mitral valve repair in Florida, MMH combines advanced, minimally invasive treatment with experienced care. They help patients return to stronger, healthier lives. *Abbott Laboratories. Physicians are independent practitioners who are not employees or agents of Manatee Memorial Hospital. The hospital shall not be liable for actions or treatments provided by physicians. For language assistance, disability accommodations and the nondiscrimination notice, visit our website. Individual results may vary. There are risks associated with any surgical procedure.

Talk with your doctor about these risks to find out if the MitraClip™ procedure is right for you.

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