If you’re depressed over retirement and thinking of ending it all, here’s what happened to a 68-year-old, newly retired man who considered suicide. He's a relative of mine and I’ll call him Raymond. When he [...]
There are several causes of pain in the right side following gallbladder surgery. “Postcholecystectomy syndrome (PCS) is a complex of heterogeneous symptoms including persistent abdominal pain and dyspepsia that recur and persist after cholecystectomy,” says [...]
“Abdominal aortic aneurysms are extremely rare in teenagers and adolescents,” says Akram Alashari, MD, a trauma surgeon at Geisinger Medical Center in PA, and author of “THE POWER OF PEAK STATE.” Dr. Alashari explains that if an [...]
“Yes, patients can have dull pain if the symptoms are secondary to gallstones,” says Akram Alashari, MD, a trauma surgeon at Geisinger Medical Center in PA, and author of “THE POWER OF PEAK STATE.” Dr. Alashari [...]
Removal of the gallbladder can cause diarrhea, for sure -- and it may take a long time to go away. Following gallbladder removal, the diarrhea that may occur can take weeks to months to go [...]
Many people want to know if gallstone pain can be only mild, or is it always sharp and severe? “Biliary colic is associated with right upper quadrant pain,” says Akram Alashari, MD, a trauma surgeon [...]
A doctor explains how gallstones cause pain... Gallstone pain, or biliary colic, is often characterized by intense discomfort. The pain typically manifests in the upper right abdomen, just beneath the rib cage. It may also [...]
Actually, the No. 1 doctor-recommended treatment for constipation is so effective that it counts as ALL of the top five. Constipation stinks (no pun intended). It hurts and in some cases can feel as though [...]
“Usually a black speck in your stool is related to what you are eating – for example, coffee or pepper,” says Sander R. Binderow, MD. Will bleeding or blood cause black specks in stools? “A [...]
Colon cancer isn’t the only cause of black stools. There are other causes as well, and in fact, bowel movements may only appear to be black, when in they’re just a very dark green, brown [...]
Stools that come out like toothpaste from a tube or ribbon-like or thin like pencils can indicate colon cancer. “If you have an anal or low rectal cancer tumor, your stools might be smaller than [...]
Many people with GERD want to know if there’s a difference between prescription Prilosec and the over-the-counter version. “This is a relatively challenging question," says Akram Alashari, MD, a trauma surgeon at Geisinger Medical Center [...]
A doctor explains the three ways that GERD (acid reflux) can cause shortness of breath. “Shortness of breath,” when it comes to GERD or acid reflux, is more accurately referred to as labored or difficulty [...]
These top seven pills for prevention of migraine headaches are recommended by a neurologist who specializes in migraine pain treatment. Anyone who suffers from migraine headaches knows that these can reach a pain level of [...]
A sudden severe headache with that last bench press rep can have one of several possible causes. […]
Are you thinking of applying Rogaine (minoxidil) throughout your entire scalp to combat diffuse hair loss? Not all hair loss is the same. Some people suffer from it in a diffuse or scalp-wide way, rather [...]
A hair loss doctor explains why minoxidil can’t be made in shampoo form. Rogaine (generic name minoxidil) comes in either a liquid form that’s dripped onto the scalp from a medicine dropper, or a foam [...]
Do you dread taking nutritional supplements because they usually end up “stuck” in your chest (esophagus)? Hate that feeling? Is the supplement really trapped there or does it just feel that way? The pills that [...]
Have you gulped or guzzled water, only to find that it refluxes back up into your throat? What’s going on here? “Water, in and of itself, does not cause reflux,” says Akram Alashari, MD, a [...]
A doctor explains why acid reflux can sometimes cause a sensation of food being stuck in your chest. “Prolonged acid reflux can cause reflux esophagitis,” says Akram Alashari, MD, a trauma surgeon at Geisinger Medical [...]
A doctor explains why it seems your pills get stuck in your esophagus. Sometimes you may be convinced beyond doubt that the pills you just swallowed are sitting in your esophagus, not moving, just stuck [...]
“Someone with a cancer can experience loud noises in the stomach often if they are having symptoms of an intestinal obstruction,” explains Michael Blume, MD, a gastroenterologist at MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital, Baltimore. “The cancer itself [...]
Here is what a gastroenterologist explains might explain chest pain, left arm symptoms and burping all occurring together, which means that a heart attack must be ruled out as soon as possible. Once a cardiac cause [...]
A GI doctor explains what you should do when you have mild ongoing chest tightness, and what the burping with it might mean. “First of all, in any situation where one experiences chest tightness, even [...]
Find out what a GI doctor, not a layman in a thread, says is the cause of a growling, rumbling stomach 24/7. We expect our stomach to growl and rumble when we haven’t eaten for [...]
You might be surprised when you find out what the causes of extreme fatigue following exercise is. “Mostly fatigue comes from deconditioning, dehydration, uncontrolled hypertension and psychological as the most common reasons,” says Dr. Cynthia Thaik, [...]
If physical exertion brings on angina, will the angina necessarily persist as long as the activity does, or is it possible for it to disappear if the exercise continues? Let’s assume that the physical activity [...]
So who is more likely to suffer a heart attack? Those at the so-called mild to moderate risk? Or those who have a high risk for heart attack? The answer is very compelling -- given [...]
Okay, muscle twitching is a hot topic in cyberspace. Millions of men and women have twitching muscles. Many of them freak out and think muscle twitching means the deadly disease ALS because muscle twitching is [...]
If you were to ask a room with 100 people this question, "Does anyone here ever get a twitching eyelid?" how many hands do you think would go up? I am guessing that 97 hands [...]
Here's reassurance for those terrified of what their calf twitches, dents and cramps might mean. Calf cramps, calf twitches, and calf dents are extremely common. They are so common that few people talk about calf dents [...]
Where are your muscle twitching hot spots, and could this mean ALS? If muscle twitching has you concerned, particularly the so-called hot spots, then keep reading. Hot spots can grab your attention and cause a [...]
Do the enablers in “My 600 Pound Life” have a mental illness? They must have as much of a psych issue as do the super morbidly obese people they continue to bring enormous amounts of food to. [...]
An itchy scalp has many possible causes, including your shampoo, hair dyes, diabetes and dermatitis. “Itchy scalps are usually caused by either dandruff or allergies,” says Dr. Joel Schlessinger, MD, board certified dermatologist and cosmetic [...]
A dermatologist answers if it’s possible for a scabby dry mole to be normal, or is this most likely a sign of melanoma? “A scabby, dry mole can really be any number of things, including [...]
Grey hair indeed can result from the use of minoxidil; you aren't imagining it. The next question then is: Is this grey from rapid aging or just a harmless stain? “I haven't seen the phenomenon [...]
It's no myth: Clip-in extensions and braids can damage hair and cause it to fall out: hair loss, and the damage could be permanent. Clip-in extensions for the hair are wildly popular these days. There [...]
Imagine a doctor walking into the office where you've been waiting to hear the results of your muscle twitching worries. He's not smiling. Clipboard in hand, he pulls up a stool and licks his lips, [...]
Lowering blood pressure without drugs is perfectly safe, cheaper and has no nasty side effects of conventional medicine. If you want to lower blood pressure naturally, but are already on drugs to lower blood pressure, [...]
LPR (laryngopharyngeal reflux) affects 50 million Americans, and you may be one, as it causes many symptoms and can lead to cancer. LPR is frequently misdiagnosed as an allergy, sinus infection or asthma. Below are [...]
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