Marie Callender’s Chicken Pot Pie Has TRANS FATS!
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 [...]
Causes of PVC’s after Lying Down at Bedtime
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 [...]
TIA Headache vs. Migraine: Telling the Difference
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 [...]
TIA Headache vs. Ice Pick Headache: What’s the Difference?
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 [...]
Does an Untreated TIA Mean You Should Avoid Driving?
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 [...]
How Well Can Coumadin Prevent Transient Ischemic Attacks?
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 [...]
Can an MRI Show a Transient Ischemic Attack?
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 [...]
Can a CT Scan Detect a Recent Transient Ischemic Attack?
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 a TIA Cause Disorientation or Loss of Consciousness?
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 [...]
Can a Headache Be a TIA’s ONLY Symptom?
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 [...]
Can Strength Training Prevent Sciatica?
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: [...]
Can Stabbing Sciatica Pain Come on Suddenly?
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 [...]
Can Stabbing Sciatica Pain Affect only the Butt?
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 [...]
Can Specific Exercises Increase the Risk of a Herniated Disc?
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 [...]
Can Cardio Exercise Prevent Sciatica?
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 [...]
Does Slow Walking on a Treadmill Desk Stiffen Your Back?
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 [...]
Can Sciatica Cause ONLY Pain?
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 [...]
Here’s WHY an Energy Drink May Cause a Heart Attack
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 [...]
Can’t Rid Belly Fat Despite Cardio 7 Days a Week?
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 [...]
Think Your Burping Is Caused by Angina?
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 [...]
Why Are EKGs so Short, only Seconds?
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 [...]
Sudden Brief Chest Pains: Heart or Other Cause?
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 [...]
Does Your Chest Pain Improve with Activity?
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 [...]
Chest Pain When Coughing, Possible Causes
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 Every Day except During Exercise?
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 [...]
Angina in a 21-Year-Old: Could Be a Heart Problem?
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 [...]
You Smell Like Onions Because…
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 [...]
Wake Up Dog Tired After Feeling Great the Night Before?
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: [...]
Chin Muscle Twitching: Harmless or Disease?
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 [...]
Can Obesity Itself Cause a Bleeding Belly Button?
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 Appendicitis Come and Go or What? Doctor Explains
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 [...]
At What Age Do Ankles Start Swelling?
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. [...]
WHY Kids Are Scared of the Dentist; Solutions for Parents
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 [...]
Can Wisdom Teeth Removal Cause Nerve Damage?
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 [...]
Brushing Teeth: Cold vs. Warm Water
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 [...]
Benign Differential Diagnosis for a Winged Scapula
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 [...]
Scariest Top 4 Benign Medical Symptoms
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 [...]
Can Bodybuilding Ever Be Unhealthy?
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 [...]
What Makes You Poop Right Before Doctor Appointments?
Ever notice that minutes before a doctor’s appointment, you feel a bowel movement coming, regardless of time of day? I’ve noticed this. Whether the doctor appointment is in the morning, around noon or later in [...]
Why Older Women Shouldn’t Use Walking Sticks when Fitness Walking
The use of walking sticks, including among older women, seems like more of a fad or gimmick than an orthopedic necessity. As a former personal trainer, I’m opposed to the use of walking sticks (hiking [...]