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 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...
Celiac disease (sprue) is a fairly common, often inherited condition that frequently goes undiagnosed. Patients with this disease have difficulty absorbing nutrients and vitamins due to inflammation of the lining of the small intestine (see picture). Foods that...
MRSA, or Methicillin-resistant Staph aureus, is a bacterial infection which is becoming more frequent worldwide, largely due to the overuse of antibiotics. What makes it problematic is that many common and widely prescribed antibiotics, such as amoxicillin and...
Economics times are tough, and cost of prescription medication can take a significant bite out of one's budget. Many name brand prescriptions cost several hundreds of dollars for one month's supply. Even generics, while still much cheaper than their respective name...
Ouch! Once you get a cold sore blister, odds are quite high that it will recur in the same spot over and over again for the rest of your life, sometimes up to a dozen times a year. Known as herpes labialis, it is caused by the same kind of virus that causes genital...
"Doc, I'm losing clumps of my hair in the shower!" Hair loss, or alopecia, is a common problem that most people will encounter during their lifetime. There are several causes of alopecia, and treaments for these causes can vary. Male Pattern Baldness - Male pattern...
"Doc, my muscles are always stiff and sore and I'm so tired. What's wrong with me?" This is a common complaint that I frequently hear in my office, and it is often due to fibromyalgia. This chronic condition affects about 1 in 50 people and is more common in women. ...