Sticky Gluey Lips: Causes and Solutions by Dermatologist
Are your sticky and gluey lips driving you mad? Do your lips sometimes feel like there’s rubber cement coating them? The good news is that this is not a sign of cancer or a neurological [...]
If It Looks Like Melanoma, How Likely IS It Melanoma…?
If something on your skin looks like melanoma, does this usually mean that it IS melanoma, or just HOW do the odds swing in cases like this? […]
How Can Only Milliseconds Make a Difference in LQTS?
It’s amazing that only 30 milliseconds—the blink of an eye—is the difference between a normal heart & one that’s at risk for suddenly stopping due to LQTS. […]
Does Genetic LQTS Affect Older Adults or Just Kids & Teens?
Online info about genetic LQTS always says that it “affects children and young adults.” This implies long QT syndrome can be outgrown if it doesn’t kill first. It’s time to clarify this very misleading information. [...]
Life Expectancy if Long QT Syndrome Is Not Treated
There’s the case of a woman who didn’t learn she had genetic LQTS till age 82, yet had never suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. But that’s a very exceptional case. On the other hand, nobody [...]
MRI vs. CT Scan for Chronic Subdural Hematoma
Why isn’t MRI the tool of choice for chronic subdural hematoma since the CT scan emits radiation? A brain bleed might require many follow-up imagings during the course of treatment and recovery. [...]
MRI vs. CAT Scan for Acute Abdominal Pain
Why is the CT scan the first imaging tool of choice for acute abdominal pain since it emits radiation? What if the patient in the ER insists on an MRI to avoid the radiation exposure? [...]
How Can a CT Scan Miss a Chronic Subdural Hematoma?
There are cases in which a chronic subdural hematoma on a CT scan image is missed. How can this be? […]
Why Can’t an MRI Be Used for Calcium Scoring?
Since the CT scanner emits radiation, why isn’t MRI technology used to determine one’s calcium score? After all, there is zero emission of radiation from an MRI procedure. Furthermore, many people would much prefer lying [...]
How Soon After a CT Scan Could It Cause Cancer?
Anyone concerned about how soon after having a CT scan it could cause cancer certainly knows about the “one in 1,000” statistic. In other words, in past studies, researchers have concluded that the odds of [...]
You Know Your Elderly Parent Might Have Alzheimer’s When…
How can you tell an elderly parent might have Alzheimer’s when forgetfulness is a normal part of aging? […]
All the Sounds in the Ear that TMJ Disorder Can Cause
TMJ disorder can cause tinnitus, but what does this tinnitus sound like? Tinnitus has been described as being many different kinds of sounds that a person subjectively “hears” inside their ears. […]
Cause of Headaches and Swooshing Sound in Ears
One of the possible causes of new-onset headaches and a swooshing sound in the ears will really surprise you. In fact, doctors failed to figure out what was causing these symptoms in a 14-year-old girl. [...]
Can Sleep Apnea Mandibular Appliance Worsen TMJ Disorder?
Oral appliances for sleep apnea, namely the mandibular advancement device, can make a pre-existing TMJ problem worse. This is ironic, because in some cases of obstructive sleep apnea, TMJ disorder is the cause. [...]
Two Medical Conditions that Can Make TMJ Worse
There are common two medical conditions in particular that can make TMJ disorder a lot worse. Temporomandibular joint disorder symptoms are bad enough without some other medical condition amplifying them. […]
Is Your Headache from TMJ or Brain Tumor? Misdiagnosis Possible
Have you been told by a dentist that your headaches are from TMJ? What has your dentist done to rule out a brain tumor? “There are many different kinds of headaches, but TMJ headaches typically [...]
Lip Swelling Overnight: Causes, How to Treat and Prevent
Waking up in the morning to find that your lips have swelled up can be a pretty alarming experience. “Lips can swell [overnight] for a number of reasons,” says Walter Gaman, MD, FABFM, board certified [...]
Does Having PVC’s when Relaxed Mean a Serious Heart Problem?
You’re just sitting there relaxed before the TV, computer or reading a magazine when suddenly you get a run of PVCs. Can a healthy heart have premature ventricular contractions at rest? You know what these [...]
Can Prilosec Cause Heart Palpitations or PVC’s?
There’s a very logical reason why premature ventricular contractions or palpitations seem to go hand-in-hand with Prilosec. Prilosec is commonly used in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease -- commonly known as GERD or just [...]
Can Chocolate Cause PVC’s & what Type Specifically?
If you’re a chocolate lover but also suffer from premature ventricular contractions, does this mean you must give up your Heaven? Chocolate is the Eighth Wonder of the world. It's been said that on the [...]
Sudden Fast Heartbeat when Turning to the Side in Bed: Causes
Boom-boom-boom-boom, your heart rate noticeably speeds up simply because you turned over to the side in bed. Does this mean poor fitness or an arrhythmia? […]
Heart Thumps when Lying on Stomach: Cause, Solution
Thump Thump Thump! Does this describe your heart when you lie on your stomach? Are you feeling a “boom boom boom” that seems to be just a bit too forceful? And it occurs only when [...]
Can a DVT Cause Numbness or Tingling in the Leg?
You know that a DVT can cause pain, cramping and soreness in a leg, but did you also know that it can cause numbness and tingling? “Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is often labeled the ‘silent [...]
Can Diabetes Cause Cloudy Urine After Eating?
Cloudy urine may be a sign that something is wrong, including kidney damage from diabetes. […]
Cause of Tingling on Tip of Nose Includes Multiple Sclerosis
“Tingling at the tip of the nose can occur for a variety of reasons,” including MS, says Walter Gaman, MD, FABFM, board certified in family medicine and the author of several award-winning books including “Age [...]
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? […]