If you get hit in the head hard, should you avoid natural blood thinners like fish oil and garlic to prevent a chronic subdural hematoma? I posed this very interesting question to a neurological surgeon, [...]
In younger adults, how common is it that a chronic subdural hematoma would not cause a headache? A subdural hematoma is bleeding under the dura mater of the brain. This can begin happening several weeks [...]
What you can't see CAN hurt you: trans fats. Do not buy Marie Callender’s chicken pot pies if you don’t want artery-clogging trans fats that are linked to up to 27,000 heart disease [...]
Can lying down to go to sleep actually cause premature ventricular contractions? "Most people are more aware of their heartbeat after they lie down at night, thus triggering the perception, but not the reality, of [...]
Does a TIA headache have any features that distinguish it from migraine head pain, or vice versa? Suppose you’re diagnosed with migraine headaches. And suppose as time goes on, you’re aware that your risk of [...]
A TIA (transient ischemic attack) can cause a really bad—and very brief—headache. And this also describes the so-called ice pick headache. But if you keep getting stabbing, sharp pains in your head (lasting up to [...]
If you had an untreated transient ischemic attack, should you avoid driving, and if so, for how long? I wondered about this, because I’ve witnessed what strongly appeared to be two TIAs of my elderly [...]
Coumadin is a potent blood thinner, so how effective is it at preventing a transient ischemic attack, also known as a TIA? “The only time that I would recommend Coumadin for TIA or stroke prevention [...]
Just how effective is an MRI at detecting a transient ischemic attack or TIA? Well, when compared to a CT scan, an MRI “is more sensitive when evaluating someone for a TIA or stroke,” says [...]
Is it possible for a CT scan to show a recent TIA (transient ischemic attack)? Wouldn’t it be great if a TIA could leave “footprints” that can be seen on a CT scan? This way, [...]
Can sudden-onset unawareness be caused by a transient ischemic attack? A sudden experience of mental fog or what seems like unawareness to an observer can be quite unsettling -- especially to anyone who knows what [...]
Is it possible that a headache can be the only symptom of a transient ischemic attack (TIA, mini-stroke)? Let's say the headache even lasts just a few minutes. What are the odds that this could [...]
If you're worried about developing the painful condition of sciatica, and you haven't been strength training -- it's time to hit the gym and lift those weights. It's yet one more benefit to weight workouts: [...]
You can be simply bending over to tie a shoe when suddenly a sharp pain rips down your leg and takes your breath away. Sciatica can be the cause of this. “Yes, stabbing sciatic pain [...]
If you have a stabbing butt pain only, can this be caused by sciatic nerve problems? Imagine walking around in the house or at a store, or standing in line, when suddenly a stabbing pain [...]
If a spinal disc might easily tear in some people, could certain exercises raise the risk of a herniation? A herniated disc is when disc material bulges (herniates) out from the spinal column. This puts [...]
Sciatica is a cause of sudden attacks of severe pain that can shoot down the leg, often starting in the butt. Cardio exercise is something that you should strongly consider if you're determined to knock [...]
Have you found that walking even just one mph on your treadmill desk after 30 minutes leaves your low back feeling oddly stiff? What's going on here? A chiropractor explains why slow walking on a [...]
How is it possible that sciatica can cause only pain and no other symptoms like numbness or tingling? “Symptoms of sciatica can vary," begins Dr. Jeff Langmaid, DC, founder/owner of The Evidence Based Chiropractor, LLC, in [...]
WHY are energy drinks suspected as a cause for heart attacks in some people? Don’t assume it’s the caffeine. How often do you hear of people dropping from heart attacks because they drink five cups [...]
What's REALLY going on when you can't get rid of your belly fat despite doing cardio exercise seven days a week, week after week? There's a reason why the fat won't budge. And the stomach [...]
Are all burps the same or can some be caused by angina? Angina pectoris is the medical term for chest pain that results from reduced blood flow in the heart's arteries. Sometimes, shortness of breath [...]
Ever wonder how a short, eight-second EKG could tell a doctor about someone’s heart? Lance S. Burns, MD, emergency medicine specialist, of Legacy ER & Urgent Care, Frisco East location, performs many EKGs in the [...]
What are the odds that sudden brief chest pains mean a pending heart attack or other heart problem like angina? “Very brief chest pain is often non-cardiac, although this complaint requires an appropriate workup for [...]
Can angina chest pain be “cured” or reversed with exercise in the absence of medical intervention? Have you found that your chest pain tends to improve with exercise or physical activity? Perhaps you begin with [...]
What can chest pain when coughing actually mean? This isn't about chest pain that has an accompanying cough. I’m talking about chest pain that is brought on by coughing. “Chest pain when coughing is also [...]
Chest pain is a very common symptom that can occur every day for benign reasons but also heart related reasons. One condition that can cause chest pain on a daily basis is gastroesophageal reflux disease [...]
If you’re 21 or around this age and think you might have angina, go see a cardiologist. “Yes, any age can suffer from acute coronary insufficiency, even millennials,” says Lance S. Burns, MD, emergency medicine [...]
A doctor explains what could make you stink like onions. “There are multiple reasons why a person might smell like onions,” begins Kathryn Boling, MD, a board certified family medicine practitioner with Mercy Medical Center [...]
Just WHAT is going on when you’re full of energy straight through the late evening but then wake up dog tired after eight hours of sleep? Perhaps the following has happened to you many times: [...]
Has your chin been twitching lately, making you scared that you might have a neurological disease? Before I go any further with this, I want to make sure you understand that this article is about [...]
There IS a link between a bleeding belly button and being obese. The situation needs prompt treatment by a doctor. “Obesity itself does not cause a bleeding belly button, but it may contribute,” says Kathryn [...]
Can on-again, off-again severe pain in your stomach be appendicitis? “There is controversy about this even in the medical community,” says Kathryn Boling, MD, a board certified family medicine practitioner with Mercy Medical Center in [...]
Is ankle swelling more a function of how old you are than your health? I posed this question to Kathryn Boling, MD, a board certified family medicine practitioner with Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, MD. [...]
Knowing why children are afraid of the dentist will really help you correct this problem. “In my opinion, I believe that kids are very much influenced by their parents,” says Cyndi Blalock, DDS, owner of [...]
A dentist says that nerve damage can be caused by the removal of wisdom teeth. Here is what Cyndi Blalock, DDS, explains: “Yes, it can, if the patient is built with a inferior alveolar nerve [...]
How often do you brush your teeth and wonder if it really makes a difference whether the water is cold or warm, as far as the ability to clean your teeth? Of course, cold water [...]
You may have what looks like a winged scapula, but it may be something else that’s benign. In my case, the diagnosis was “functional weakness of the parascapular muscles.” The name is odd in that [...]
Sometimes the most frightening body symptoms are actually very benign conditions. So what are the four scariest medical symptoms that are benign or usually benign? TWITCHING MUSCLES. Another name for twitching muscles is fasciculations. Benign [...]
No matter how big your muscles get, you will not become unhealthy as a result. If you actually think huge muscles are unhealthy, then ask yourself why, when you're at the busy medical clinic for [...]
MOLES AND MELANOMA
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