Parents often ask about the best way to check for fever. Rectal temperatures are the most reliable and accurate. This method is most reliable for infants under 3 months and toddlers when an accurate reading is crucial. Oral temperature are okay for older children who can keep a termomenter under their tongue with their mouth …
Those who suffer from chronic illnesses often forget what it is like to be healthy and so they will gradually become accustomed to not feeling well and accept it as being normal. Here are some questions that you can ask yourself to evaluate how your health is doing. -In the past year, how many days …
In the US almost 14 million units of blood are dispensed each year to 4.8 million patients. While blood transfusions undoubtedly save many lives, over the past five years, several studies have found that patients who received transfusions were also more likely to suffer heart attack, heart failure, stroke and death. In 2004, for instance …
This time of year I get a lot of questions from patients wondering if they should get the flu vaccine. Let me share some recent reports on the vaccine that I have come across. Flu shots have shown an inconsistent effect in the elderly. Even though flu vaccine coverage of elderly people in the US …
Drug companies are big investors in medical research and post-qualification training for doctors. A survey done by Mass General Hospital in Boston has put actual figures on the industry’s involvement. Nearly two-thirds of heads of department from 140 medical school and teaching hospitals said they had some relationship with industry. Over a quarter acted as …
When I grew up in back country of North San Diego County as kids we were continually out climbing the mountains. I remember mom routinely checking us for ticks when we came home. Back then if a tick was found embedded with its head in the skin we would use kerosene to remove it. I …