edocamerica

“One man’s meat is another man’s poison…” – Lucretius, 1st century BC Recently, a friend of mine ended up in the emergency department a few days after starting a dietary supplement that she assumed was safe since it could be purchased without a prescription. What she didn’t realize is that…

Every day, millions of people use soaps and body washes that are labeled as being antibacterial or antimicrobial.  Much of the proliferation of these products appears to be due to the marketing efforts of their manufacturers. Makers of these products have convinced us that using these products demonstrates concern for…

Last week, normal immune function and how vaccines work were discussed. Before vaccines, the only way to become immune to a disease was to survive having it, a process known as “natural immunity”. In the process of developing natural immunity, however, symptoms of the disease, along with its potential complications,…

 The first vaccine was developed by Edward Jenner in 1796 as a means of preventing smallpox. Currently, vaccines to protect us from around 27 diseases are available in the U.S., with more under development. Immunization is the process in which vaccines are administered to help develop resistance or immunity…

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, approximately 85 percent of the population will develop an allergic reaction if exposed to poison ivy, oak or sumac. The cause for the rash, blisters, and infamous itch is urushiol (pronounced yoo-Roo-shee-all), a chemical in the sap of these plants. Avoiding direct contact…

It is estimated that approximately 80% of us will develop back pain at some point in our lives.  The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, estimates that approximately 27 million Americans are affected by back pain each year.  Misinformation and misunderstanding about back pain abounds. The following are a number…

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, occurring in over two million people each year.  Three of the most common types of skin cancer are squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Last week, characteristic features of each of these were described in…

Identification of common types of skin cancer Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, occurring in over two million people each year.  Three of the most common types of skin cancer are squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Each has characteristic features…

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is a respiratory illness occurring almost exclusively in countries in the Arabian Peninsula (Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), almost 30% of those individuals who developed MERS have died from its complications. …

Most people are aware of the many lives that have been saved through early detection and treatment of cancer.   A good example of this is regular Pap screening which has decreased cervix cancer mortality by at least 80%. Why then do we not hear much about screening for lung cancer,…