General Practitioners

• Arthritis
  Broadly speaking, autoimmune disease is a situation in which the body fails to distinguish between “self” and “other”, and as such, makes antibodies against its own cells and tissues. These diseases span a gamut of organ systems, ranging from autoimmune disorders of the connective tissues (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus), to those affecting the gut (celiac disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s colitis), the endocrine system (Type1 diabetes mellitus...
• Fibromyalgia
  A painful disorder of the soft tissues, fibromyalgia is the most common cause of generalized musculoskeletal pain in US women between the ages of 20 and 55 years. Its clinical diagnosis is based chiefly on history and physical examination, with a typical symptom complex of fatigue...
• Medical Weight Loss
  Weight reduction, diet, exercise, and medication for lowering of blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure, and prevention of heart attack comprise the conventional approach to treating metabolic syndrome.
• Primary Care
  By current estimates, up to 33% of people seeking attention in primary care clinics report significant fatigue. The doctor must distinguish between recent fatigue, prolonged fatigue (greater than one month duration), chronic fatigue (greater than six months duration), and chronic fatigue syndrome, the latter two not necessarily being the same.
• Sleep Disorders
  One school of thought defended by some researchers is that a chronic sleep deprivation requires 6 weeks of consistent, restorative sleep for recovery. Dr. Cooke has had many successes with sleep disorder through combination of conventional and complementary approaches. Acupuncture, Alpha-Stim microcurrent stimulation, dietary modification, nocturnal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) when indicated by overnight sleep study, among other modalities, have helped many of her patients regain restorative sleep.
• Emergency Care
  Dr. Cooke still has her well-worn copy of one of the cornerstone medical texts on the evaluation of abdominal pain, “Cope’s Diagnosis of the Acute Abdomen”. Years spent in the emergency room helped to hone her diagnostic acumen. Abdominal pain presents a particularly broad differential diagnosis due to causes ranging from the benign to the sublime to the catastrophic.
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
  Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder characterized by unexplained, irregular or altered bowel habits and recurrent abdominal pain. While the jury is still out on its definitive causes, some people with IBS have evidence of microscopic inflammation, chronic infection, abnormal bacterial balance in the colon, or stress factors which aggravate their condition.
• Immunizations
  BCG: The Bacille Calmette Guerin was introduced in 1921 by the Pasteur Institute as an immunization against tuberculosis. It found its way into increasing use from the 1930s on and since that time was adopted variably by different countries. Some countries enforce it broadly, and others selectively, such as to indigenous populations or high risk groups. What is interesting is that some of the countries with the lowest reported COVID-19 death rates are those countries which enforce 98 to 99% coverage of the population, including, China, Japan and South Korea. What we also know by now is that Asian populations tend to be more compliant with mask wearing. BCG for immunization has been largely unavailable on the US market since 2012, and the preparation used for treatment of bladder cancer is also in scarce supply at present due to issues with foreign manufacturing standards and supply. Early in this pandemic, it was proposed that reinstating the BCG might provide enhanced immune protection against SARS-Cov-2, at a much better price point, and lower risk. There has been relatively little follow up on this in the literature.

Gynecologists

• Female Infertility
  Female infertility is increasingly commonplace with complex medical, psychosocial and economic aspects. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies ovulatory failure into 3 groups. The largest of these, comprising 70 to 85% of infertile women of reproductive age, secrete normal amounts of gonadotropins (reproductive pituitary hormones) and estrogens. However, FSH levels during the follicular phase of the cycle (typically, the first 14 days) is low. Some of these women ovulate occasionally or sparsely. Another 10 to 30% are classified as having ovarian failure.
• Endometriosis
  Dysmenorrhea, or painful menses, is one of the most common complaints among reproductive age women. Primary dysmenorrhea refers to crampy, recurrent, menstrual pain in the absence of demonstrable pelvic disease, such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids, pelvic inflammatory disease, or adenomyosis. The latter comprise some of the causes of secondary dysmenorrhea.
• Pelvic Pain

Internists

• Bladder Cancer
• Urology
  During her clinical years at Tulane Medical School, she enjoyed her rotations in neurology, general medicine, and urology at the Veterans Administration Hospital of New Orleans. This experience, along with growing up on a farm, extensive travel, and a general appreciation for variety as the spice of life have helped her to develop an ease of approach to men and women alike.

Neurologists

• Neurology
• Multiple Sclerosis
  Dr. Michael Hutchinson, my preferred general neurologist for referral over the past 6 years, is in consultation in the office on Mondays and Wednesdays, and by remote appointment on other days. He is an outstanding diagnostician, and has special expertise in multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, seizure disorder, and migraine. You can read more about him here: https://www.nyneuroscience.com/#meet or call to schedule at 212-889-2500. You can also email his office manager at Zaida@mhutchinsonmd.com

Psychiatrists

• Psychiatry
  Dr. Cooke, having completed a mini-fellowship sponsored by the ‘Turn the Corner foundation’ (www.turnthecorner.org) in collaboration with the ILADS group (www.ilads.org), has deepened her working knowledge of Lyme and related diseases. Antibiotic therapy is the mainstay of Dr. Cooke’s treatment for those infected with Lyme disease. Judicious use of probiotics, antioxidants, and nutritional strategies, can ease the side effects of antibiotic therapy. Referral to Lyme-literate practitioners, whether for second-opinion, psychiatry, or neuropsychological testing, is available for added patient support and assurance.
• Insomnia

Endocrinologist

• Hypothyroidism
  Subclinical hypothyroidism affects an estimated 5% of the general population and 15% of older women by conventional measures. Since every metabolically active cell depends upon thyroid hormone for normal function, the pattern of thyroid deficiency or excess can potentially manifest through any organ system.
• Thyroid
  There are 3 phases in the life of the hair follicle: growth, involution and resting phase. Under normal circumstances, about 75 hairs are shed daily at the end of the resting phase as about the same number enter the growth phase. Telogen effluvium, a massive loss of hairs in the resting phase, is the most common cause of diffuse hair loss. High fever, pregnancy, psychological traumas, thyroid disorders, or a major illness, among others, may all predispose to diffuse hair loss.

Radiologist

• Chemotherapy
  Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and newer immune therapies are the mainstay of current cancer treatment. Many people fear the ravages of treatment to the same degree that they fear the disease.

Dermatologists

• Psoriasis
  One woman in her sixties developed cold urticaria (itching) out of the blue, large welts forming on contact with cold. A detailed history and thoughtful prioritization of examinations led Dr. Cooke to suggest she see her dentist to investigate a possible pocket of infection underlying a tooth despite the lack of localized symptoms. Upon examination this is exactly what was found; the abscess was removed by her dentist, and the itching ceased. Another patient with chronic psoriasis had his best remission in years with a well known botanical preparation.

Physical Therapists

• Physical Therapy
  Conventionally, arthritis is treated with any of a range of medications, both over-the-counter and prescription. Physical therapy, glucosamine-chondroitin supplements and even injectables and surgery are among the options in therapy today. All of these have there place.