The percentage of US adults who smoke cigarettes has been decreasing over the past several decades. In 1965 approximately 42% of adults smoked cigarettes as compared to 18% today. In spite of warnings regarding health risks associated with smoking, however, nearly 42 million adults and over 3.5 million middle and high school students continue to…...

The diagnosis of depression includes several subgroups including major depression, dysthymia and minor depression. Taking these three entities into consideration, it has been estimated that as many as one-in-five patients seen in primary care offices are depressed. The diagnosis of major depression is based on exhibiting five or more of the following symptoms for a…...

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is gaining acceptance as a convenient and relatively complication-free method of treating precancerous skin lesions on the face. These lesions, known as actinic keratoses (AKs), are primarily caused by damage from UV radiation from the sun. If left untreated, some of these AKs will eventually develop into squamous cell cancer (SCC). PDT,…...

According to a 2006 report released by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), one in four U.S. adults say that they suffered a day-long bout of back pain in the past month, and 1 in 10 say the pain lasted a year or more. Standard treatment recommendations for acute low back pain currently include the…...

The availability of over-the-counter (OTC) medications, that at one time could only be obtained by prescription, has allowed thousands of people to treat minor illnesses on their own. This benefits consumers by avoiding unnecessary doctor visits and offering a less expensive alternative to prescription drugs. It is important to remember, however, that just because a…...

An eDoc client recently wrote in asking about ways to reduce excess fatty tissue in the upper arm region that she referred to as “chicken cutlets”. Several factors should be taken into consideration in regard to firming the upper arms: Is overall weight reduction needed? If general weight reduction is needed, improvement in overall weight…...

Autism, currently and more accurately referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a developmental disability that includes autistic disorder and Asperger’s syndrome. ASD is caused by changes in the brain that appear to occur during its early development. There are no distinguishing physical features of autistic children and at least early in life, they…...

There are many causes for people’s memory to “slip”. These include medication side effects, dementia, depression, medical conditions, and unhealthy lifestyle choices. By addressing the underlying cause, it is possible that memory can be improved. For example, if a medication is responsible, discontinuing or changing that medication can have a beneficial effect. While normal…...