Many of the symptoms of relatively simple and benign medical conditions can mimic those of more serious illnesses. For example, individuals suffering from a panic attack or gastroesophageal reflux disease may think they are having a heart attack. This makes it difficult for us to decide whether to rush to the ER or doctor’s office or to just wait it out. In most cases, it is better to be safe than sorry and have yourself checked by your physician. Many diseases are more effectively treated if diagnosed early. Such is the case with Bell’s palsy. The condition causes a sudden…
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Tremors are a very common physical finding. They mainly affect the hands, but can also be seen in the head, arms, legs, and the voice. Most people will notice their hands tremble a little from time to time and this is normal. The problem comes when tremors are persistent and/or interfere with normal activities. A tremor is a shaking of a body part that cannot be controlled by the individual suffering from the tremor. Since nerves control the body’s movements, the cause of tremors can be due to changes either in the brain, where the nerve fibers begin, or in…
Warts are caused by an infection of the skin with the human papilloma virus (HPV). They can occur on any part of the body, but are commonly seen on the hands or feet. The virus can be transmitted from one site on the body to another and from person to person by direct and indirect contact. Common warts are generally benign growths, but can cause problems when they become irritated, painful, or cosmetically unfavorable. Local irritation of the wart and cosmetics are the most common reasons individuals will have them removed. Warts on the hands can be flat (flat warts)…
It almost seems impossible to not write about the flu each year once flu season starts. This is especially true because of the sudden and drastic rise in cases in our area over the last few weeks. The state of Virginia is currently seeing widespread influenza-like illness (ILI) activity. The CDC currently indicates we are in the moderate to high activity range, as are states that border us including North Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Information regarding national and regional flu activity is available to the public at: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/index.htm#ILIMap. Last year and the year prior, the peak for the flu season…
Leg cramps are a common medical malady that can affect all ages. Many individuals experience leg or muscle cramps in relation to specific activities, for example during exercise. However, in others, pinpointing the cause of a cramp may not be so straightforward. Muscles are designed for locomotion. That is, they allow movement of the body by moving the bones to which they are attached. Each muscle is attached via a tendon to a bone at one end, its “origin;” and to another bone at its opposite end, its “insertion.” Between the two bones is a joint. When the muscle contracts,…
Cancer is a very ominous word. It literally means “crab,” and usage of the word aptly describes the way a malignant tumor attaches and holds on to its victim. There are as many types of cancers as there are types of cells in the body. Some are more common than others, such as lung, colon, breast and prostate cancers. Each cell in the body has a specific function and is under strict genetic and body system control. Each cell grows, divides and dies in a predictable manner. A liver cell, for example, looks the same as every other liver cell…
Zika virus infection has quickly become a hot topic in the news this week. As of this writing, nearly forty cases have been identified here in the U.S. These individuals had recently traveled to a country where the infection has been known to be ongoing. Fortunately, health officials have confirmed that other residents of the states are not at risk of catching the virus from the infected persons. Zika virus is an emerging mosquito-borne virus that was first identified in Uganda in 1947 in rhesus monkeys. The first human infection was identified in 1952 in Uganda. Outbreaks of Zika virus…
During the course of a normal day, the feet are asked to bear much of the burden of our regular locomotion. We often take our feet for granted until they start hurting. Ideally, the foot is designed to distribute the weight of each step throughout the foot and not just on one particular area. There are many causes of foot pain including alterations in the bones, tendons, ligaments, circulation, and nerves in the foot. Anatomical differences can predispose a foot to excessive strain on its parts as it “gives” under the weight of the body. For example, some people have…
Fatigue is a very common medical complaint among a wide variety of age groups. Anemia is just one of the possible causes. Literally, anemia means lack of “heme” or blood. Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Without adequate hemoglobin, the body doesn’t get enough oxygen to carry out normal cell functions. The most common type of anemia is iron deficiency anemia. Iron is needed for the body to manufacture hemoglobin. Individuals can become iron deficient due to inadequate dietary intake of iron, during times of rapid…
Even though we have had an uncharacteristically warm December this year, the cold weather is just around the corner. Every winter season the focus of acute health conditions makes its usual turn toward the respiratory diseases. These include colds, ear and sinus infections, and the seasonal flu and its complications, such as pneumonia. Each year over 5.5 million Americans will get pneumonia. This figure does not include infections by individuals who are hospitalized or in a nursing home. Therefore, this type of pneumonia is referred to as “community-acquired” pneumonia. The lungs are responsible for bringing oxygen into the body. Oxygen…