Diseases & Conditions Archive

Millions of Americans get influenza during most flu seasons. Good hygiene habits can help you avoid catching the virus, and a flu shot can substantially reduce your risk as well.

Sinusitis occurs when blocked sinuses cannot drain and the backed-up mucus gets infected. The simplest and often most effective treatment is daily nasal irrigation. It can also help to drink a lot of water, inhale steam, and sleep with the head elevated.

Allergic rhinitis, commonly called hay fever, can be a minor seasonal nuisance or a troubling year-round problem. Most people can find relief by taking an antihistamine and by avoiding the allergens that trigger the irritation.

I have been taking a stool softener daily for two months. It's helped with my constipation. Are there any risks to taking a stool softener on a long-term basis?

Recently, I had a pelvic ultrasound to evaluate uterine fibroids. During the procedure, the radiologist found a cyst in one of my kidneys. Should I be concerned about kidney cancer?

Painful conditions like de Quervain's tenosynovitis, inflammation of the tendons that move the thumb, and stenosing tenosynovitis, or trigger finger, when a digit becomes locked, can develop due to overuse or repetitive movement.

One morning last week I woke up hearing my heartbeat in my left ear. I hear it most clearly when I am in bed or sitting quietly. My health is good, and I was told after a recent cardiac workup that my heart was "perfect." Should I be worried?

Q. I've tried a lot of things for a fungal infection in one of my toenails, but it just won't go away. What do you know about laser treatment for toenail fungus?

A. Two lasers using different types of laser energy have attracted attention as treatments for fungal infection of the toenails, a condition called onychomycosis (pronounced oh-nee-koh-my-KOH-sis), which can also affect the fingernails. The theory is that a precisely directed laser can eliminate the fungus without harming the surrounding nail tissue. The underlying technologies are already in use for other conditions, including cataract surgery, dental work, and hair removal. Although there is some laboratory evidence that lasers can squelch fungal organisms, clinical studies in humans thus far are limited.

Q. I have read that people who have had their gallbladders removed should take bile salts. My gallbladder was removed many years ago, and no doctor has said I should take bile salts. Should I?

A. Bile salts are produced in the liver, secreted into the bile ducts and gallbladder, and sent from there to the small intestine by way of the common bile duct. In the intestine, bile salts make it easier for your body to absorb and digest the fats and fat-soluble vitamins that you've eaten. Remember, not all fats are bad: there are "good" fats, and they are crucial to our health.

No doubt cold weather can be hard on your health, but there may be a silver lining or two.

Winter and its chilly temperatures are a mixed blessing when it comes to human health. We might not appreciate it at the time, but cold temperatures perform a great public health service by killing off disease-mongering insects and microorganisms, and one of the big worries about climate change is that winter will lose its pestilence-fighting punch. Although it's a bit theoretical, cold weather may also help us slim down by stimulating metabolically active brown fat. And in Scandinavia and Russia, many people actively seek out the cold: wintertime swimming in frigid water is believed to do health wonders, and there's some science (not much, but some) suggesting that it might be so.