Acne can be frustrating, especially when it does not go away after your teenage years. Believe it or not, acne can continue to affect adults beyond adolescence, or develop for the very first time in adulthood. This may be particularly distressing for adult women, who are more likely to get acne after the age of …
Adult female acne: Why it happens and the emotional toll Read More »
Active surveillance for prostate cancer has its tradeoffs. Available to men with low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer, the process entails monitoring a man’s tumor with periodic biopsies and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests, and treating only when — or if — the disease shows signs of progression. Active surveillance allows men to avoid (at least for …
An emerging treatment option for men on active surveillance Read More »
Many people seek medical attention when they have diarrhea, usually when it is severe or is not improving. Doctors like myself ask questions to see what could be causing the problem: Food poisoning? Irritable bowel syndrome? Medication side effects? We also consider that diarrhea may be due to Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). What is C. …
It’s happened to so many people who menstruate: you’re going about your life until you realize that you just got your period. The ungainly scramble to find a restroom and the fervent prayer that you packed a menstrual product leaves you feeling anxious, vulnerable, and exposed. This is compounded by the fact that our society …
If you’re in your 80s or 70s and you’ve noticed that you’re having some memory loss, it might be reasonable to be concerned that you could be developing Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia. But what if you’re in your 60s, 50s, or 40s… surely those ages would be too young for Alzheimer’s disease …
I’m too young to have Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, right? Read More »
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is commonly diagnosed when people are in their 20s and 30s, which is also when many people are planning families. Many people who have been diagnosed with IBD (which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) have questions and concerns regarding their fertility, conception, pregnancy, delivery, and breastfeeding. Thinking about conceiving a …
Inflammatory bowel disease and family planning: What you need to know Read More »
Growing evidence suggests that poor sleep is linked to a host of health problems, including a higher risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. Now, a recent study on people in midlife finds that having a combination of sleep problems — such as trouble falling asleep, waking up in the wee hours, …
Struggling to sleep? Your heart may pay the price Read More »
In the aftermath of the killing of 19 children and two adults in an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, there is a lot of discussion — and argument — about what we should do to prevent shootings like this from happening. In the midst of all the back and forth between banning guns and arming …
Gun violence: A long-lasting toll on children and teens Read More »
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, and rates are rising, particularly in adults ages 20 to 49. Unfortunately, approximately 30% of eligible people in the US still have not been screened for CRC. Colon cancer may be prevented with screening tests that look for cancer or …
Colon cancer screening decisions: What’s the best option and when? Read More »
At one time, replacement parts for the eyes must have seemed unimaginable. Nowadays, if the inner lens of the eye becomes clouded by a cataract, a routine surgery to swap it out with a new artificial lens restores vision. But what happens if the outer lens of the eye (the cornea) becomes damaged or diseased? …