Type 2 diabetes is by far the most common form of diabetes in adults. This occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin or the insulin does not work well at moving glucose (a type of sugar) from the bloodstream into the cells of the body. There is an...
We have witnessed dramatic changes in our health care system over the last fifty years. Advances in medical science have extended and improved the quality of our lives. However, there are aspects of medical care that have suffered. Despite providers' best...
Pneumonia is a lung infection in which the air sacs, called alveoli, become inflamed and fill with fluid. Bronchitis, on the other hand, is much more common and describes inflammation of the air passageways (trachea and bronchial tubes) going down to the lungs....
An actinic keratosis is a flaky patch of sun damaged skin that occurs most frequently on the face, neck, scalp, arms and hands. The nose, ears and lips are most commonly involved sites on the face. The flaking is easily rubbed off, but usually comes back, generally...
Traveler's diarrhea is a frequently encountered intestinal condition that occurs when a visitor to a third world country ingests food or water infected with a micro-organism that the traveler does not have an immunity to. The condition is characterized by at least...
A couple of years ago, I decided to begin training for an upcoming backpacking trip with my son. Unfortunately, I chose an unusually hot summer day where the temperature hit 98°F, and I dearly paid for it. My 8.5 mile hike of the Liberty Lake Loop trail started out...
A common childhood injury after a fall is a radial fracture. Also known as a torus, greenstick, or buckle fracture, this break occurs when a child reaches out with his hand to cushion a fall. Since a child's bones are still relatively soft when compared to an adult,...
With the start of summer comes a rash of knee and ankle injuries on the basketball court sustained by middle-aged weekend warriors. These basketball wannabes leave their sedentary desk jobs and attempt to jump and sprint down the court, striving to relive their glory...
"My blood pressure is only high when I am at the doctor's office." This comment is a frequently heard in health care settings, and is clinically known as white coat hypertension. We used to think that this finding was benign, but a recent study published in the New...
It is a common misconception that drugs and alcohol are the only offending substances to cause addictions. Many of us battle something during our lifetime that can become an unhealthy preoccupation, whether it be with drugs, money, pornography, food, gambling,...