As of 6/30/2023, I am officially retired from patient care. It has been a gripping, often exhilarating 45 year ride. On my last day, when left my office for the final time, passing my baton to my newly acquired partner, I suddenly felt something dissolving in my chest, something that Read more…
Researchers recently found that having the measles virus can cause long-term damage to the immune system, making patients more susceptible to other diseases. This research is particularly important in this era, when people who oppose vaccines argue that catching a disease like measles isn’t bad for you and can benefit Read more…
Recently, there has been a rash of vaping-related illnesses across the U.S., with patients reporting symptoms including a cough, chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, fever, vomiting, and weight loss. At least eighteen people have died, while more than 1,000 have suffered from vaping-related lung illnesses, according to the CDC. Read more…
Practically everyone has heard the old saying that dogs are a man’s best friend. Well, it turns out that saying may be truer than most people realize, after research showed that owning a dog may be good for cardiovascular health. People who owned pets were more likely to report having Read more…
People with type 1 and type 2 diabetes are at increased risk of developing some forms of cancer compared to the rest of the population. Researchers have finally figured out why, and it has to do with damage to a person’s DNA. Deoxyribonucleic acid, most commonly known as DNA, forms Read more…
Many people may not realize that Braille literacy among visually impaired Americans is on the decline. During the 1950s, up to half of all visually impaired U.S. schoolchildren learned Braille, according to the National Federation of the Blind. Today, only 10% of visually impaired students are learning Braille, and fewer Read more…
It’s no surprise that we all spend too much time on our devices. Between computers, Smartphones, tablets, and TVs, sometimes it seems like we simply shift from one device to another. Adults log about 11 hours of screen time per day, according to a 2014 Nielsen report. Rarely do people Read more…
Osteoarthritis is a condition that mainly affects middle-aged to elderly adults. It involves the wearing away of the protective cartilage around a person’s joints. Cartilage is a type of firm tissue that enables smooth joint movement. If the cartilage wears down completely, the bones may rub directly against one another. Read more…
As covered in some of my previous posts, Alzheimer’s is a truly heartbreaking disease. Loved ones watch while their family and friends disappear in front of their eyes—physically present, but no longer the person they once were. That’s why it’s so exciting that doctors have found a blood test that Read more…
You have probably heard the old adage, “Drink eight glasses of water per day.” While water consumption is important in preventing dehydration and for overall health, there is no magic number for how much water you should drink per day. Plus, that figure doesn’t even take water from other sources Read more…