Can a Class 2 Heart Murmur Go Away on Its Own?
Have you been diagnosed with a class II heart murmur and are scared? In June 2011 a cardiologist told me I had a class II heart murmur on inspiration (inhaling). It was not something he [...]
Orange Urine vs. Dark Yellow: Telling the Difference
A proven way to tell the difference between orange urine, yellow-orange and dark yellow. If you’ve read somewhere that orange urine can be a sign of disease and are wondering if what you’re seeing as [...]
Can Angina Come and Go Every Second, Blinking On and Off ?
Do you get chest pain or what feels like angina that comes and goes, literally hurting one second then going away the next, like intervals? “By definition, angina occurs when the oxygen supply to the [...]
Angina During Rest but Never from Physical Exertion Possible
There's a type of angina that can occur at rest but not during exertion. Maybe you know that “unstable angina” can occur at rest, even during sleep and awaken the patient. But this type of [...]
Can an X-Ray Show a Heart Attack?
If you go to the ER complaining of chest pain or shortness of breath/difficulty breathing, the doctor will want to order a chest X-ray. You may wonder if this type of image can show a [...]
Shortness of Breath, Chest Pain: What if Tests Are Negative?
Find out what you should do if ER testing finds nothing wrong with your heart despite chest pain and shortness of breath. Chest pain is the No. 1 reason why people visit the emergency room. [...]
Do Clear Carotid Arteries Mean Clear Coronary Vessels?
Just because your carotid arteries are “clean” doesn’t mean you don’t have severe blockages in your coronary vessels. I was inspired to write this article after my father underwent an exam to see if there [...]
Catheter Angiogram for Chest Pain but Low Heart Disease Risk?
Low risk for heart disease but chest pain? Which test is warranted: CT angiogram or catheter angiogram? Find out what someone with low risk for heart disease should do if they have suspicious symptoms and [...]
Normal Stress Test but a Massive Heart Attack the Next Day ?
A cardiologist explains why you can have a normal stress test one day and then a massive heart attack the next. You’ve probably heard of instances in which a person had a normal stress test [...]
Is Exercise Safe if You Have PVCs 24/7?
A cardiologist addresses exercise safety in people with many PVCs, even nonstop. Some people have premature ventricular contractions seemingly nonstop, thousands and thousands a day, and fear that exercise may not be safe for them. [...]
How Does Exercise Suppress PVCs?
A cardiologist explains how exercise suppresses or inhibits PVCs: premature ventricular contractions. Though some people with PVCs wonder if it’s safe to exercise, it’s a well-documented fact that exercise suppresses PVCs. In fact, many individuals [...]
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Prevention: 7 Lifestyle Changes
Making lifestyle changes to help prevent a DVT is as easy as 1 through 7. Deep vein thromboses are much more common than you think and are very dangerous, requiring immediate medical intervention. “The problem [...]
ABDOMINAL AORTIC ANEURYSM: Surgery, Drugs, Watchful Waiting
An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a very serious condition, but not all cases require treatment. The aorta is the largest blood vessel in the body. It comes out of the heart and travels all the [...]
Peripheral Neuropathy Misdiagnosis: Doctors Miss Disease
Just because doctors haven’t mentioned peripheral neuropathy as the cause of your pain, doesn’t mean you can’t have it. “Peripheral neuropathy” means disease of the nerves of the peripheral nervous system, and I know at [...]
What’s the Death Rate of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair?
The death rate following the repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm is something that you'd definitely want to know. However, if your doctor is already discussing surgical treatment with you, it's a safe bet that [...]
How Long Does It Take DVT to Get to Lungs After Breaking?
A DVT (blood clot) that's in your leg has a chance of breaking apart or completely dislodging and then going to your lungs...and how long this takes is not what you may think it is. I [...]
Can You Get a Pulmonary Embolism without a DVT?
Find out the interesting answer to the question: Can a pulmonary embolism form in the absence of a DVT? “By definition a PE is an ‘embolus’ that has traveled to the lungs," says Seyed-Mojtaba Gashti, [...]
Can a DVT Cause Swelling in the Ankle Only & Nowhere Else?
How likely is it that the swelling in only one ankle, but nowhere else in the leg, is being caused by a deep vein thrombosis? A DVT typically causes swelling up and down the lower [...]
DVT in Neck after CABG: Shouldn’t Patient Get SVC Filter?
What should be done when a patient gets a DVT in the neck after coronary bypass surgery? Seems like an SVC filter should be placed? Following coronary bypass surgery (a.k.a. CABG), it’s possible for a [...]
Risk of DVT in People Who Use Wheelchairs
Is deep vein thrombosis common in people who use wheelchairs? Since prolonged “inactivity” is a risk factor for developing a DVT, the logical conclusion would be that this condition is quite common in people whose [...]
How Long After Air Travel Does DVT (Blood Clot) Risk Last?
So you've been cramped on that airplane for hours and are finally walking on the ground; how long after will DVT blood clot risk last? “As far as I know, DVT forms while traveling," says [...]
Diarrhea, Stomach Pain: Crohn’s Disease: PillCam Can Diagnose
Suffer from stomach pain and diarrhea? This could be Crohn’s disease, which can be diagnosed by swallowing a pill that has a camera. Crohn’s disease often presents with two key symptoms: diarrhea and stomach or [...]
NOISE INDUCED HEARING LOSS Causes, Prevention, Who’s at Risk
Noise pollution is a very real problem, says the EPA, yet few people take the risks of hearing loss seriously. We are still in the Dark Ages when it comes to understanding the risks of noise [...]
Can Being Around Screaming Kids Ruin Your Hearing?
An audiologist addresses a fair question: Can hearing be damaged by screaming children? I was inspired to interview an audiologist for this article because my sister has been diagnosed with bilateral moderate hearing loss. She [...]
Hearing Loss from Group Fitness Classes: Truth or Hype
Anybody who’s health conscious will want to know the truth about hearing loss dangers from pounding music in group fitness classes. Imagine you, the group fitness class enthusiast, are transported back in time about 60 [...]
Can Slamming Weights at the Gym Cause Hearing Loss?
It’s time for the big boys to admit it: Slamming and banging weights will likely damage hearing over time. For this article on hearing loss resulting from weights being thrown, slammed and banged around at [...]
Wood Chipper Can Damage Hearing: Wear Ear Protection
I’m stunned that often, I see men without hearing protection working around wood chippers. Wood chippers can be screaming loud, yet many workers continue to “chip” without protection for their ears. A typical wood chipper comes [...]
Can a Deep Vein Thrombosis Be Permanent?
Warning: A DVT can leave permanent effects. You want to do everything possible to avoid this very serious (and highly avoidable) condition. A vascular surgeon responds to the question: Can a deep vein thrombosis become [...]
Can Fish Oil and Garlic Supplements Lower DVT Risk?
Find out what a DVT expert says about fish oil and garlic supplements as preventive measures. A deep vein thrombosis is a pretty common condition in the general population, but there are those individuals who [...]
Prolonged Desk Work Can Cause DVT: Tips on Prevention
Excessive desk work certainly can increase one’s risk of DVT, says Dr. Paul Lucas. The human machine was not designed to spend all day sitting at a desk. Unfortunately, that's what many men and women [...]
Can Chronic Stress Cause a DVT?
A vascular surgeon is asked if chronic stress can actually trigger a deep vein thrombosis. “There is no real objective data on an association of chronic stress and DVT risk that I am aware of,” [...]
Can Compression Stockings Cause a DVT to Break Off?
A doctor answers the question if compression socks or stockings can trigger dislodging of a DVT. Compression socks or stockings are well-known to people who have a medical condition that causes fluid retention in their [...]
Does Psoriatic Arthritis Increase DVT Risk?
Find out what a doctor says about rheumatic disease’s relation to a deep vein thrombosis. Psoriatic arthritis is an autoimmune disease that has no cure -- only treatments -- and for some patients, the flare-ups [...]
Swelling from DVT vs. Joint Replacement Fluid Retention
Is there a way to tell the difference, without imaging, between DVT swelling and post-surgical edema or fluid retention from a joint replacement surgery? When a joint replacement patient views their affected limb for the [...]
Cause of DVT Weeks after Joint Replacement Surgery
Shutterstock/Naeblys The “grace period” for DVT development after joint replacement surgery is 90 days, but why so far out if by then, the patient is walking? Three months out from a knee or [...]
How Long in Length Can a DVT Be?
A doctor explains how long a DVT can measure in length; no wonder a breakoff can cause a massive fatal pulmonary embolism. Perhaps you’ve always thought that a DVT, a blood clot in a deep [...]
You Suspect DVT; Ultrasound Negative; What’s Next Step?
Find out what testing you should insist upon if you suspect a DVT but the ultrasound turns up negative. One of my articles on DVT is about Staci Stringer, who was told she did not [...]
Top 4 Causes of Swollen Legs after Surgery
There are four main conditions that can cause legs to swell after surgery. “There are a number of reasons for swollen legs post-operatively,” says Darren Klass, MD, clinical instructor of interventional radiology at the University [...]
Can a Blood Clot in the Leg Break off with Movement?
Learning you have a blood clot (DVT) in the leg is frightening. And even more unsettling is the thought that movement can cause it to break off and travel to the lung and become a [...]
Causes of DVT in Absence of Risk Factors & Clotting Disorder
Find out what can possibly cause a DVT when there’s no risk factors and no clotting disorders. A DVT is a deep vein thrombosis: a blood clot in a vein deep in the body, usually [...]