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...
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...
Panic Attack In through the nostrils Out through the mouth Breathe breathe breathe Shake your hands You can beat this Pounding pounding pounding In your chest. Don’t keep looking out the window Its too tempting and besides- You are on the fourth floor. Okay, if you...
Men typically tend to be quiet about their health concerns, and at times that can have devastating consequences. Many of us have been taught from childhood to "suck it up" and not complain. While this attitude can be beneficial in some aspects of life, it should not...
Diaper rash is a common problem that many parents face when taking care of their newborns, infants and toddlers. Although certainly not among the Three Common Pediatric Emergencies Requiring Immediate Medical Care, diaper rash is usually caused by prolonged skin...
A frequent medical office visit is for the complaint of one's heart beating hard, fast and/or skipping beats. This is known as palpitations, and is a very common problem with multiple causes, some of which are serious. Generally, the reasons for this problem falls...
The CAGE questionnaire was developed in 1970 and is widely used by physicians and mental health specialists to determine whether a patient's alcohol or drug use has become problematic. Although there are many other screening tools that have been created, this...
Fainting, or syncope, is the loss of consciousness for a few seconds or more, usually due to either a drop in oxygen and/or blood pressure to the brain. Symptoms of an impending faint usually include a sensation of vision tunneling, blurred vision and/or sudden...
What common medical conditions are associated with obesity? This is an important question, because if a condition is not recognized and treated, your best efforts at losing weight may be futile. As briefly mentioned in yesterday's blog, six common conditions...