Can MS Cause Excruciating Back Pain?
Multiple sclerosis is known for causing pain, but can it cause excruciating or severe pain – in one’s back? If back pain isn’t the No. 1 non-fatal health problem in the U.S., then it certainly [...]
Can Multiple Sclerosis Cause Toe Pain? What Really Is MS Pain?
If you have multiple sclerosis and toe pain, or if you have unexplained toe pain but have not yet seen a neurologist, there are several important factors that you need to understand. […]
Can MS Be Caused by a Car Accident?
Why does multiple sclerosis seem to develop soon after a car accident? Does the car crash directly cause MS or does it trigger something that’s already there and just make it more noticeable? [...]
Benign Muscle Twitching vs. MS Twitching: the Differences
There are differences between benign muscle twitching and the twitching muscles of multiple sclerosis. When a twitching muscle evokes fear in a person, that fear is usually over ALS, a fatal motor neuron disease that [...]
What Is a Plethoric IVC?
A medical report might say that the patient has a “plethoric IVC.” Here is a full description in plain English of what a plethoric IVC is and what causes it. “The heart is a pump,” [...]
Can a Baby Get SIDS from Sleeping with Blanket Over Face?
If you’re worried that your infant might get SIDS, here’s why you need to keep the blankets and pillows away from your baby’s face during sleep. “A baby can suffocate and die if sleeping with [...]
If Your Baby Won’t Look at You Does this Mean Autism?
If your infant does not look at you, this may or may not be a sign of autism. […]
My Baby Doesn’t Mind Loud Noise: Is this Hearing Loss?
Some babies don’t flinch or seem uncomfortable in loud environments, and parents may think this means their baby’s ears won’t be harmed by the noise, or that perhaps there’s already hearing loss. […]
13 Year Old’s Chest Hurts when Inhaling: Possible Causes
Here’s what to do if your 13 year old’s chest hurts upon inhaling, and what the possible causes are including a heart problem. […]
All the Smells a Baby’s Poop Has and What They Mean
Baby poop smells different than that of adults, and there are different kinds of odor that a baby’s bowel movements can have. […]
Baby Poop Dangerous Color Guide by a Pediatrician
The color of your baby’s poop says a lot about their health. Certain colors and even textures mean potentially serious conditions that need prompt medical attention. […]
Can a Brain Tumor Cause a Nosebleed?
A brain tumor actually can cause a nosebleed. “Tumors starting from the skull base can erode into the sinus cavity causing nosebleeds,” says John M. Abrahams, MD, chief of neurosurgery at Northern Westchester Hospital, and [...]
Heart Pounds after Bending Over, Standing Back Up
If your heart pounds or races after bending over and then standing back up, there is good news and also bad news for you. […]
What Feeling a Pulse in Your Head Really Means
Does feeling a pulse or heartbeat in your head mean you have an aneurysm? There are two ways to experience feeling a pulse in your head. […]
What Causes High Blood Pressure in Skinny Adults?
There’s a simple reason why many thin people have high blood pressure, but this reason is no excuse for obese people to deny the dangers of excess weight. […]
How Much Worse Is a Total Cholesterol of 1,000 than 500?
Can total cholesterol be SO high, 1,000 vs. 500, that anything higher would not make a difference in how at risk the patient is for a heart attack? What about treatment options; would they differ? [...]
Chest Pain from Anemia vs. Heart Attack: Symptom Comparison
What features of chest pain from a heart attack would not be felt from anemia? A person may also have symptoms days before the actual heart attack. […]
Can Heart Palpitations Be Caused by Low Iron Levels?
Heart palpitations—the perception that the heart is skipping beats, making extra beats or beating erratically, has multiple causes. Low iron levels can be associated with this situation, which ranges from annoying to frightening. Suddenly feeling [...]
Can Tight Shoes Cause Permanent Peripheral Neuropathy?
Tight shoes can feel as though they are very gradually causing peripheral neuropathy if you wear them often. In order for tight shoes to cause permanent peripheral neuropathy, you’d have to wear them way more [...]
What Does Sugar in the Urine of Non-Diabetics Mean?
Sometimes, sugar can find its way in the urine of people who don't have diabetes. This can make them wonder if diabetes awaits them around the corner. What Sugar in the Urine of Someone Without [...]
How Much Can Light Smoking Raise DVT Risk?
Could a smoking habit be light enough to no longer be a risk factor for DVT? Or is the risk of deep vein thrombosis the same for light smokers as it is for moderate and [...]
Does Upper Arm Size Affect Blood Pressure Reading?
If you think that your big arm is affecting your blood pressure readings, you’re correct. The size of your upper arm affects the blood pressure reading. […]
Can a DVT Come Back in Its Original Location?
If you’ve been treated for a deep vein thrombosis, is it possible that it could come back in its original location? “Yes, if there is some residual blood clot in the vessel or irritation of [...]
Do Twitching Muscles Wake You Overnight? What to Do
Do you suddenly wake up in the middle of the night and realize that the cause is twitching muscles? Big twitches in a major muscle group are most likely to snap someone out of a [...]
Can a DVT Cause Pain without Swelling or Redness?
We always hear how a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) can cause pain, swelling and/or redness in the affected area, which is commonly the calf. The blood clot may also form in the upper leg or [...]
Stinky Sneezes: Causes and Solutions
Do your sneezes smell so bad that even YOU can’t stand them? Are your sneezes so stinky that you do all you can to muffle them even if you’re the only one in the room? [...]
Salivary Gland Infection vs. Salivary Gland Cancer Symptoms
There are distinct differences between the symptoms from a salivary gland infection and those from cancer. First off, an infection of the salivary glands is far more common than is a malignancy. […]
Does Low Thyroid Cause a Lump Feeling in the Throat?
That lump feeling in your throat sometimes isn’t just a feeling; it could be cancer, acid reflux, anxiety and not so surprisingly, low or underactive thyroid. “When the thyroid gland is not producing enough thyroid [...]
Part of the Body Melanoma Most Often Grows in Dark Skin
There are certain parts of the body that melanoma is more likely to grow in blacks and other dark skinned individuals. People with dark skin are not immune to melanoma, especially since this skin cancer [...]
How Rare Is Melanoma in Dark Skinned Children?
Though melanoma is very rare in children, and rare in dark skinned adults, just how rare is it in a person who’s both dark and under age 20? […]
Causes of Barrett’s Esophagus Other than GERD
Barrett’s esophagus is a risk factor for esophageal cancer. GERD causes Barrett’s esophagus. But what else might cause this precancerous condition? “The lining (epithelium) of the esophagus is normally what is called a squamous epithelium, [...]
Do Dark Skinned People Ever Get Basal Cell Carcinoma?
Even though basal cell carcinoma is a skin cancer heavily associated with sun exposure among Caucasians, those with dark skin can still get this disease. […]
Burping from the Esophagus: Causes and Solutions
The good news about burping from the esophagus is that you don’t have to fear that this means cancer. However, one of the causes, if left untreated, can lead to a condition that’s a risk [...]
How Common Is Phantosmia: Smelling Something that’s Not There?
If you’ve been smelling things that aren’t there (phantosmia), you’re in good company: lots of it. Phantosmia is also far more common in people over the age of 40, says a study. […]
Can a Teenager Get Melanoma in the Mouth?
The answer is “Yes” to the question, Can a teen get melanoma of the mouth. The most highly publicized presentation of melanoma is that of a “mole” on the skin. […]
Costochondritis or GERD? Symptom Overlap, Which Is It?
GERD and costochondritis (“costo”) both cause pain in the chest. Both can cause enough chest pain to make a person think they’re having a heart attack. But there are also differences between the chest pain [...]
Why Your Poops Are Sometimes Pointy
Are the ends of your poops shaped like a spear or pointy? Usually, when stools come out, they have bulbous or clumpy ends when they are well-formed. But every so often, you may find that [...]
Chances of a 25 Year Old Having Throat Cancer
All it takes is one persistent symptom to make a 25 year old fear throat cancer – which actually CAN strike young adults, even though most newly diagnosed cases in the U.S. occur in people [...]
Can White or Olive Skinned Children Get Nail Melanoma?
Though black adults are more likely to get nail melanoma, white and olive skinned children CAN get nail melanoma — which is deadly if not caught in time. […]
Burping up Acid Reflux While Asleep: Causes & Solutions
Have you ever been awakened by a sudden burping up of yucky tasting liquid that even may have dripped out of your mouth? This is acid reflux that comes from the stomach. It can be [...]
