So the leg suddenly swells up four days out from hip replacement; does this mean a deep vein thrombosis (DVT)? After my mother’s hip replacement surgery (fracture repair), I thought that the surgical leg looked [...]
Have you been noticing a very gradual onset of mild headache that gets worse into the evening, but never gets past a level 5 on a 1 to 10 pain scale, and in fact, is [...]
Is the 3D (tomosynthesis) mammogram worth it for dense breasts vs. the 2D (regular) mammogram? “3D mammography vs. 2D mammography showed increased cancer detection, clinically significant for women with scattered and heterogeneously dense breast tissue [...]
There are certain exercises and a certain WAY to work out that will give you the best prehab for your body to prepare for major surgery. So let's look at it this way: Even the [...]
Here is your simple explanation for what sarcoplasmic hypertrophy really is. Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is the goal of bodybuilders, because bodybuilders want to get as big as possible – in terms of muscle belly size, a [...]
Few people enjoy hearing kids screaming during play, though many parents who don’t like hearing this kind of noise from their own children will claim there’s nothing they can do about it. Parents must ask [...]
Heavy exercise prior to a liver enzyme blood test can elevate the ALT or AST, but just how much exercise are we talking here? “AST and ALT elevation after exercise is related to inflammation of [...]
Constipation alternating with diarrhea is a classic symptom of irritable bowel syndrome, but also can be caused by colon cancer. What if you find that lately, you’re experiencing this troubling symptom? “Alternating constipation with diarrhea [...]
Are symptoms of chronic subdural hematoma in people under 65 more likely to occur sooner within 90 days when compared with elderly patients? Anyone who clicked on this article probably already knows that by definition, [...]
Can it be possible for an advanced elderly person on a blood thinner to escape a chronic subdural hematoma after a hard hit to the head? Well, I don’t know what really constitutes a “hard” [...]
How many millimeters--how big--must a chronic subdural hematoma be before it begins producing symptoms? After all, if a brain bleed beneath the dura mater is small enough, it won't cause any symptoms. I posed this [...]
If your neurological symptoms like headache come and go, does this rule out a chronic subdural hematoma? Let’s say you get hit in the head really hard but don’t experience any immediate neurological symptoms such [...]
Wondering if after hitting your head you should avoid impact exercise like running or box jumping to prevent a brain bleed? After all, the jarring and shaking of such activity might induce bleeding in the [...]
If you get hit in the head hard, should you avoid natural blood thinners like fish oil and garlic to prevent a chronic subdural hematoma? I posed this very interesting question to a neurological surgeon, [...]
In younger adults, how common is it that a chronic subdural hematoma would not cause a headache? A subdural hematoma is bleeding under the dura mater of the brain. This can begin happening several weeks [...]
What you can't see CAN hurt you: trans fats. Do not buy Marie Callender’s chicken pot pies if you don’t want artery-clogging trans fats that are linked to up to 27,000 heart disease [...]
Can lying down to go to sleep actually cause premature ventricular contractions? "Most people are more aware of their heartbeat after they lie down at night, thus triggering the perception, but not the reality, of [...]
Does a TIA headache have any features that distinguish it from migraine head pain, or vice versa? Suppose you’re diagnosed with migraine headaches. And suppose as time goes on, you’re aware that your risk of [...]
A TIA (transient ischemic attack) can cause a really bad—and very brief—headache. And this also describes the so-called ice pick headache. But if you keep getting stabbing, sharp pains in your head (lasting up to [...]
If you had an untreated transient ischemic attack, should you avoid driving, and if so, for how long? I wondered about this, because I’ve witnessed what strongly appeared to be two TIAs of my elderly [...]
Coumadin is a potent blood thinner, so how effective is it at preventing a transient ischemic attack, also known as a TIA? “The only time that I would recommend Coumadin for TIA or stroke prevention [...]
Just how effective is an MRI at detecting a transient ischemic attack or TIA? Well, when compared to a CT scan, an MRI “is more sensitive when evaluating someone for a TIA or stroke,” says [...]
Is it possible for a CT scan to show a recent TIA (transient ischemic attack)? Wouldn’t it be great if a TIA could leave “footprints” that can be seen on a CT scan? This way, [...]
Can sudden-onset unawareness be caused by a transient ischemic attack? A sudden experience of mental fog or what seems like unawareness to an observer can be quite unsettling -- especially to anyone who knows what [...]
Is it possible that a headache can be the only symptom of a transient ischemic attack (TIA, mini-stroke)? Let's say the headache even lasts just a few minutes. What are the odds that this could [...]
If you're worried about developing the painful condition of sciatica, and you haven't been strength training -- it's time to hit the gym and lift those weights. It's yet one more benefit to weight workouts: [...]
You can be simply bending over to tie a shoe when suddenly a sharp pain rips down your leg and takes your breath away. Sciatica can be the cause of this. “Yes, stabbing sciatic pain [...]
If you have a stabbing butt pain only, can this be caused by sciatic nerve problems? Imagine walking around in the house or at a store, or standing in line, when suddenly a stabbing pain [...]
If a spinal disc might easily tear in some people, could certain exercises raise the risk of a herniation? A herniated disc is when disc material bulges (herniates) out from the spinal column. This puts [...]
Sciatica is a cause of sudden attacks of severe pain that can shoot down the leg, often starting in the butt. Cardio exercise is something that you should strongly consider if you're determined to knock [...]
Have you found that walking even just one mph on your treadmill desk after 30 minutes leaves your low back feeling oddly stiff? What's going on here? A chiropractor explains why slow walking on a [...]
How is it possible that sciatica can cause only pain and no other symptoms like numbness or tingling? “Symptoms of sciatica can vary," begins Dr. Jeff Langmaid, DC, founder/owner of The Evidence Based Chiropractor, LLC, in [...]
WHY are energy drinks suspected as a cause for heart attacks in some people? Don’t assume it’s the caffeine. How often do you hear of people dropping from heart attacks because they drink five cups [...]
What's REALLY going on when you can't get rid of your belly fat despite doing cardio exercise seven days a week, week after week? There's a reason why the fat won't budge. And the stomach [...]
Are all burps the same or can some be caused by angina? Angina pectoris is the medical term for chest pain that results from reduced blood flow in the heart's arteries. Sometimes, shortness of breath [...]
Ever wonder how a short, eight-second EKG could tell a doctor about someone’s heart? Lance S. Burns, MD, emergency medicine specialist, of Legacy ER & Urgent Care, Frisco East location, performs many EKGs in the [...]
What are the odds that sudden brief chest pains mean a pending heart attack or other heart problem like angina? “Very brief chest pain is often non-cardiac, although this complaint requires an appropriate workup for [...]
Can angina chest pain be “cured” or reversed with exercise in the absence of medical intervention? Have you found that your chest pain tends to improve with exercise or physical activity? Perhaps you begin with [...]
What can chest pain when coughing actually mean? This isn't about chest pain that has an accompanying cough. I’m talking about chest pain that is brought on by coughing. “Chest pain when coughing is also [...]
Chest pain is a very common symptom that can occur every day for benign reasons but also heart related reasons. One condition that can cause chest pain on a daily basis is gastroesophageal reflux disease [...]
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