An aortic aneurysm is more likely to occur in someone who was born with a bicuspid aortic valve (BAV). “The aorta is the large artery carrying oxygenated blood away from the heart,” explains Dr. David [...]
For those with thoracic aortic aneurysm, the restriction of “No straining” when lifting weights needs to be explained. If you’ve been diagnosed with a thoracic aortic aneurysm and have always lifted weights, you’re likely wondering [...]
What questions should you ask regarding blood pathology if you might have lymphoma? Lymphoma is cancer of the lymph nodes, and if this disease is suspected by your physician, then your blood will need to [...]
Being fat increases the risk of uterine cancer, plain and simple. DNA mutations that lead to uterine cancer do NOT care if you love your larger-than-life body or hate it. Fat is a risk factor [...]
What about the enablers of super morbidly obese bedridden people: spouses or family members who keep feeding them tons of food? Have you seen any of those TV shows about 700, 800, even 900 pound [...]
What is it with the spouses of bedridden super morbidly obese people who keep bringing them trays of food? Being addicted to excessive amounts of eating is no excuse for bringing to the food addict, [...]
Should a virgin get a Pap smear? Pap smears are very effective screening tools for cervical cancer, which is primarily caused by the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV). Recommendations for when women should begin getting [...]
Too many periods may contribute to the cause of ovarian cancer — the deadliest of all gynecological cancers. […]
An episode of atrial fibrillation may cause a mild elevation (“indeterminate range”) in troponin, but does this relate to a mortality or heart attack risk? “In of itself, A-Fib does not cause a rise in [...]
Though most colon cancers arise from what was once a benign (and removable) polyp, there are a number of circumstances in which the tumor starts growing without first transforming out of a polyp. Not all [...]
What percentage of people, diagnosed with colon cancer, did not have a colonoscopy within 10 years of the diagnosis? Colonoscopies to screen for colon cancer are recommended every 10 years beginning at age 45 for [...]
Would a routine colonoscopy prevent colon cancer if done every 10 years, since this type of cancer grows so slowly and usually starts as a benign polyp? The colonoscopy is a marvel of medical technology [...]
There's good reason why 40 is that "magical" number for when a typical person should begin getting colonoscopies for colon cancer screening. A colonoscopy is a minimally invasive procedure that can detect colon cancer, or [...]
You’ll be surprised which turns out the winner between humidity and dry air when it comes to nasal congestion relief, and why. The kind of air you breathe, in terms of how dry it is [...]
Which is worse for the motorcycle rider’s hearing: the roaring engine or the roaring wind? Hearing loss is a real threat to the toughest motorcycle rider, and it seems as though the volume of wind [...]
Bald men need to be aware that, though bald may be beautiful, bald can also be deadly. Though skin cancer that grows on the scalp comprises only 2 percent of all skin cancers, this is [...]
Normal mole under magnification Can a normal mole ever turn into squamous cell carcinoma, which kills about 3,500 Americans every year and is considered the second-deadliest of all skin cancers? It's a good [...]
Melanoma can arise from a pre-existing mole, so you might be thinking that it’s smart to have your normal moles removed to at least prevent the development of melanoma from these moles. If you have [...]
Only a biopsy has the final word on whether or not a worrisome mole contains melanoma cells or is entirely a melanoma. That suspicious mole should be biopsied, even if your dermatologist says it “probably [...]
If you want a mole removed with a laser, the mole might grow back. Traditionally, the idea is that a laser beam will penetrate the mole’s surface area to disintegrate any abnormal cells, and the [...]
Learn how to produce a very reliable mole map at home for melanoma screening. I have been “mole mapping” for three years and have learned along the way some excellent mapping techniques, for melanoma screening. The [...]
Can melanoma come from small, tiny moles? Do you believe a mole can never turn into melanoma as long as it’s small or tiny? If, during your monthly skin exams for cancer, you’ve decided to skip past [...]
You've heard that severe childhood sunburns raise melanoma risk, but what if you had no childhood sunburns, but got them as an adult? Don't think for a moment that the absence of a sunburn during [...]
Is it safe to take glucosamine and chondroitin with antidepressants? Are you taking an antidepressant and would like to also take chondroitin or glucosamine? There are certain compounds that should not be taken with antidepressants [...]
So will that sleeping pill keep you from waking up with pain? If you have pain, be it from a knee injury, back injury, tendonitis in the shoulder, carpal tunnel syndrome or a pinched nerve [...]
Cymbalta is an antidepressant that can be used to treat depression caused by narcotic painkillers such as Norco/Vicodin, Percocet, OxyContin, codeine, etc. Yes, narcotic painkillers can cause serious depression as a side effect. This side [...]
Celiac disease specialist, Dr. Stefano Guandalini, addresses the cancer issue. You may know that having celiac disease increases your risk of developing intestinal cancer. This is because as celiac disease progresses, the damage to the [...]
How many people with Sjogren’s syndrome suffer memory problems? Sjogren’s syndrome indeed can cause memory problems, even though this autoimmune condition is associated with dry mouth and dry eyes. Because Sjogren’s (pronounced show-grens) syndrome is [...]
How much does Sjogren’s syndrome affect life span? Sjogren’s syndrome may bring to mind simply that of chronic dry mouth and dry eyes, which don’t sound too serious. Many people with Sjogren’s syndrome suffer only [...]
How young is too young for a child to get melanoma? Children CAN develop melanoma -- the deadliest type of tumor that can arise from a type of skin cell known as the melanocyte: a [...]
Teens who use tanning beds increase their risk of deadly melanoma skin cancer risk. More and more teens are using tanning beds, such as in about a million visits daily in the U.S. Using a [...]
A second surgery for sentinel lymph node removal, if you’ve just been diagnosed with melanoma, may not be necessary, if your doctor knows about the MCW Melanoma Cocktail. As a new skin cancer patient, you [...]
Biopsies for diagnosing melanoma aren’t as accurate as you may believe. Biopsies for melanoma are not much more reliable than an 85 percent accuracy rate, according to chemistry professor Warren S. Warren, director of Duke [...]
The earlier that melanoma is caught, the more likely you can be cured from this vicious cancer. Most people are not aware of a groundbreaking technology that detects melanoma far earlier than any clinical exam [...]
I underwent serial digital dermoscopy at University of Colorado Hospital, and here’s what it’s like. I finally decided to have serial digital dermoscopy done for melanoma screening, something I’ve been putting off for several years. [...]
My brother has had two small dogs (not fat, not even overweight) for a number of years and informed my mother that if she got a small dog, she wouldn’t have to walk it. His [...]
A veterinarian discusses three categories of causes of sudden hind leg weakness in a senior aged cat. If your old cat has experienced sudden-onset weakness in its hind legs, there can be a serious medical [...]
Anybody who’s ever had a white German shepherd (such as me) knows that these magnificent dogs shed quite a bit, and unless you keep up with this, there will be “hairs everywhere.” Here are some [...]
A veterinarian explains the most common injuries and problems that may affect a large dog when it’s exercised too much. A large dog is prone to certain injuries or problems if he’s given too much [...]
Here is a complete guide to cat stools from a veterinarian: what different shapes, colors, consistency and other features might mean. It’s very important that you get comfortable with the idea of inspecting your cat’s [...]
