edocamerica

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis affecting up to 27 million Americans.  In OA, cartilage that lines the joints breaks down.  With loss of this natural cushion, the bones begin to rub together, damaging the joint. Symptoms of osteoarthritis include pain, swelling and reduced range of motion. …

Cigarette smoking, obesity, and alcoholism are all well-known causes of premature death.  Recently, two closely related risk factors—social isolation and loneliness—have also been identified as being important in causing early mortality.  Social isolation can be characterized by living alone, having few social network ties, or having infrequent social contact. These…

Listeria monocytogenes, or Listeria for short, is a bacterium that causes an infection called listeriosis. Recently, Sabra Dipping Co. voluntarily recalled 30,000 cases of its Classic Hummus because of possible Listeria contamination.  Just prior to that, several people became infected with Listeria due to contamination of Blue Bell ice cream. …

Nocturia is defined as “excessive urination at night”. Normally, the amount of urine the body produces goes down at night, reducing the need to urinate for the 6 to 8 hours that people are sleeping. Since waking to urinate on one occasion during the night is generally considered to be…

For several decades, the humble egg has been maligned because of its cholesterol content and the concern that eating eggs raises coronary heart disease risk. Most of this concern appears to be theoretical, however, since more recent data from population studies indicates that moderate egg consumption does not significantly raise…

Alopecia areata is a disease that affects hair follicles, resulting in patchy areas of hair loss.  In rare cases, the disease causes total loss of hair on the head and other areas of the body.  In general, alopecia areata is a benign condition, although it may cause significant emotional or…

Scientists have studied populations of humans whose life expectancy fails to meet the norm.  Major factors related to a decreased life expectancy include: 1) poor genetics, 2) a weak immune system, 3) genetic mutations and 4) unhealthy lifestyle habits.  Lifestyle issues that are correlated with increased risk of disease and…

While writing an article on the various components of over-the-counter (OTC) cold medications, I learned that zinc, the active ingredient in a popular nasal spray marketed to shorten the duration of the common cold, had been removed from the product. This was requested by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) because…

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently released a report on the effect of unsafe listening practices on hearing. They estimate that up to one billion young people worldwide could be at risk of hearing loss due to exposure to excessive sound levels.  According to WHO, teenagers and young adults in…

A trip to the pharmacy or grocery store to pick up an over-the-counter medicine to help with cold symptoms can be a confusing affair.  A host of manufacturers, each vying for your business, claim to be better than the others.  The use of different letters behind the name of the …