Summertime draws area residents and visitors alike for a swim in our beautiful lakes, rivers and pools, to cool off from the daytime heat. While most outings are relaxing and uneventful, waterborne intestinal, respiratory and skin infections can ruin the best vacation plans. Knowledge and prevention of these common illnesses can keep an outing this […]
What is a Cold Sore?
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 herpes. […]
Why am I Losing my Hair?
“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 baldness is the most common form of hair loss in men, […]
Appendicitis
I saw a patient a few weeks back who was brought in by her dad presenting with a typical medical dilemma…is the patient’s abdominal pain appendicitis or not? Unfortunately, there is usually not an obvious answer; the diagnosis is usually made by reviewing a combination of symptoms, compiling telltale findings on examination, and verification with […]
Fibromyalgia
“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. It is characterized by widespread […]