Most people have heard the common expression that itching indicates that a cut or wound is healing. Is there any scientific basis to this belief or is this just an “old wives tale”?
Phases of wound healing. The body’s initial …
The common cold is a viral infection of the upper respiratory system. On average, children have six to eight colds per year, and adults have two to four. The common cold places a heavy burden on society, accounting for approximately …
Coughing helps to clear the respiratory system of irritants and secretions associated with a cold or flu. With most minor respiratory infections it is best not to interfere with this mechanism. When someone is unable to rest because of the …
There is a wealth of medical mythology attached to sneezing. One legend has it that when sneezing, the heart stops beating and the phrase “bless you” is meant to encourage the heart to resume beating. Other sources say that offering …
Guidelines published by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommend that adults ages 50-75 who are at average risk for the development of colon cancer can reasonably be screened by one of three methods: 1) fecal occult blood testing, 2) …
Rather than considering the amount of protection that they afford, new sunglasses are often selected for their frames, the size of the lenses, or for a particular coating on the lenses. It is important to remember, however, that the most …
The abuse of prescription medications, especially those in the opioid class of drugs (e.g. Vicodin, Lorcet, Oxycontin, others), has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. It is estimated that more than 2 million Americans suffer from substance use disorders related …
Many people have heard of the term “bursitis”, but few know what a bursa, the structure that is affected in bursitis, actually is. In the body there are over 150 bursae (the plural of bursa). A bursa is a small …
