110 Heartbeats Per Minute Pulse at Rest: How Bad Is This?
What’s going on when your pulse is 110 at rest but you don’t smoke or eat caffeine? A heart rate at rest of 110 is outside the normal range. […]
Lump on Top of Head for Years, Suddenly Getting Bigger
You’ve had this lump on the top of your head for years and have thought nothing of it—until recently because it’s suddenly getting bigger. […]
Can an HIV Infection Cause Dark Urine?
Dark urine has many causes, and even what “dark urine” actually means is open to interpretation. With HIV infections on the rise, the worry over dark pee as a possible symptom is also gaining momentum. [...]
What Twitching Between Thumb and Index Finger Means
Did you read somewhere that ALS causes muscle twitching & are now freaking out because you’re twitching between your thumb and index finger? Twitches Between Thumb & Index Finger: Uncommon Area for Fasciculations “Twitching between [...]
Dents in Thenar Palm Area: Atrophy or Normal Asymmetry?
When you look at your thenar palm area (right below the thumb) do you see dents that are suggestive of muscle atrophy? […]
Young Adult Getting Tons of Moles in a Short Period?
If a teen or young adult gets a bunch of moles in only a short period of time, is this predictive of future melanoma? Or perhaps some of those new moles ARE melanoma? [...]
Why Does A Mole Biopsy Sometimes Miss Melanoma?
Isn’t it frightening to read of a case in which a biopsy incorrectly labeled a mole as benign, and it later turned out to be a missed melanoma? This happens. […]
Melanoma Risk from Childhood Sunburns vs. Basal Cell Carcinoma
So which is a greater risk for melanoma: childhood sunburns or adult basal cell carcinoma? You’re probably aware that that blistering sunburns in childhood are thought to double a person’s individual risk for melanoma. [...]
Can Melanoma in a Nail Be Green?
You know that melanoma can indeed grow “in a nail” and cause a dark streak, but can this band of cancer ever be green? Or how about mostly brown or black with a little bit [...]
Hair Loss from Stress vs. Aging: How to Tell Difference
Is there a way a doctor can tell the difference between hair loss from stress and from aging? Chronic stress can definitely cause hair to fall out. The aging process as well is notorious for [...]
If a Scratched Mole Bleeds, Does this Mean Melanoma?
It is nothing short of unnerving to casually scratch a mole and then see it bleed. The scratching may not even be intended for the mole, but the mole just happens to be in the [...]
Sudden “Pimples” on Your Neck: Causes and Solutions
Are you noticing what appears to be pimples growing on your neck? “Pimples on the neck are usually either acne or folliculitis,” says Dr. Steven Musick, MD, a board certified dermatologist who runs Musick Dermatology, [...]
Can a Pimple Form in a Mole and Does this Mean Cancer?
What looks like a pimple growing in a mole may be a harmless pimple, or, it can be melanoma or another kind of skin cancer that often resembles pimples. […]
Why Do Some People Not Have a Toenail on Their Pinky Toe?
Ever see a pinky toe with no nail and wonder why, in some individuals, there is no nail on their pinky toe? Or sometimes there is, if you want to call it a true nail: [...]
Is a Mole on the Nipple More Likely to Become Melanoma?
Have you discovered a mole on your nipple — not nearby, but ON the nipple, and are worried it might be melanoma? […]
Can Tinnitus Be Caused by Melanoma Spread to the Brain?
Can a melanoma that spreads to the brain ever cause tinnitus? The brain is one of the first places that a melanoma tumor metastasizes to. This can result in a variety of symptoms. Tinnitus is [...]
Acne Along the Hairline: Causes and Treatment
Adults, not just teens, can suffer from stubborn acne or pimples along their hairline. Sometimes, the conditions that are ripe for the development of blemishes are concentrated along the hairline. […]
What Can a Blister Like Spot on the Scalp Be?
There are three main types of scalp lesions that can look like a blister, and this includes cancer. This is why it’s important to have a dermatologist inspect your scalp on a yearly basis as [...]
How to Do the Epley Maneuver on Yourself for BPPV Relief
If you suffer from BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional disorder), you can perform the Epley maneuver on yourself for instant relief from the dizziness and nausea. […]
How Does a Doctor Tell Which Ear Has BPPV?
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is an inner ear problem, usually affecting only one ear—but which ear? How does a doctor figure this out? […]
Clavicle Sticks Out More than the Other: Cancer or Asymmetry?
How normal is it for one collarbone (clavicle) to stick out more than the other? What actually causes this and can cancer be a potential cause? “Clavicles are generally symmetrical, but asymmetry is not necessarily [...]
Causes of Osteoarthritis in Young Adults 20’s and 30’s
Yes, young adults — those in their 30’s and even 20’s—have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis, even though this degenerative cartilage disease is strongly associated with the aging body. […]
Is It Safe to Lift Weights With a Headache ?
Is it safe to train with weights on a headache you got before the workout, and how about if the headache develops while you’re strength training? Some Headaches Mean Danger While Others Are Harmless “Headaches [...]
You Hit Head, Have Lingering Dizziness: What Should You Do?
Does dizziness after hitting your head always mean you should head to the emergency room? “Head injuries can be serious,” says J. Mark Anderson, MD, DABFM, of Executive Medicine of Texas and who is board [...]
Twitching in the Tiny Muscles of the Ankle Explained
Even the tiniest muscles are prone to twitching and this includes in the ankle. Often, the arch or a single toe starts twitching, but the small muscles in the ankle joint may also act up [...]
Permanent Dent in Arm from Resting It Against Desk
A dent in a limb is often associated with muscle atrophy in the mind of the layperson. Somehow, someway, perceived or actual dents in the arm or leg have barged their way into the hypochondria [...]
Fasting Glucose 109, Normal A1C: What Does this Mean?
A normal A1C is always good news, but what if it comes with a fasting glucose of 109, which is in the so-called prediabetic range? “A fasting glucose is a snapshot of what someone’s blood [...]
Cramping in the Forearm Muscles: Can this Be Serious?
The muscles of the forearm are relatively small but can cramp up due to many causes. The question is can this ever mean a serious condition? […]
How LONG Can You Have Skin Cancer Without Knowing It?
“Skin cancer can look like many things; therefore people can go long periods of time without recognizing that they have a skin cancer,” says Dr. Steven Musick, MD, a board certified dermatologist who runs Musick [...]
How Long Does It Take Melanoma to Grow to 2 Millimeters?
It’s a fact that melanoma can be well under six millimeters, and in fact, can be only one millimeter in diameter. The ABCD rules for melanoma certainly do not apply to all such skin cancers. [...]
Can Melanoma Patients Live More than 30 Years?
How many people walking around today were diagnosed with melanoma 30 years ago? This deadly skin cancer is on the rise, but is highly curable when caught at the stage 0 or “in situ” (in [...]
Can People Ever Smell Skin Cancer?
Have you been sniffing at that strange mole or patch on your skin to see if you could smell something odd that might mean cancer? Melanoma produces a distinctive odor that some dogs can detect. [...]
What’s the Biggest that Melanoma In Situ Can Grow?
Melanoma in situ is the earliest stage of this skin cancer, and it will often spread out before it goes deep. So what’s the biggest an in situ melanoma of the superficial spreading type can [...]
Can Melanoma Grow Inside the Belly Button?
Not only can melanoma grow inside the belly button, but this particular location makes the cancer potentially more aggressive and able to spread faster than if it were, for example, located on the chest, back [...]
Vision Blackouts, Heartbeat in Ear, Headache: Brain Condition
If you’re been suffering from blackouts, headaches and hearing your heartbeat in your ear, this could mean a serious brain condition. In fact, just one of these symptoms can be caused by something serious affecting [...]
Ascites, Jaundice, Mental Impairment in Chronic Heart Failure
Suppose an elderly person with chronic heart failure starts getting ascites and suddenly develops jaundice and change in mental status. The triad of ascites, jaundice and visible ascites (even mild) is often associated with cirrhosis [...]
Pain in One Eye with Movement: Brain Tumor? Aneurysm?
If you have pain in one eye when you move it, this can have many causes and unfortunately, two can be a brain tumor or an aneurysm. […]
Blurry Vision that Alternates Eyes: Tumor, TIA, Dry Eye?
If you’ve been experiencing blurry vision that alternates eyes, what are the odds that this could be caused by a tumor or transient ischemic attack, vs. a more benign cause? […]
Hearing Every Tiny Movement of One Eyeball: Causes & Solutions
If you've been hearing your eyeballs move -- does this mean you've gone bonkers? Or is this an actual phenomenon that's recognized by doctors? It Has a Name “Hearing every tiny movement of your eyeball [...]
Headache Pain When Moving Both Eyes: Can Be Emergency Condition
Do you feel headache pain whether you move your eyes right, left, up or down? Under certain circumstances this can mean an emergency situation. […]
