eDocAmerica Health Tips

There is a wealth of medical mythology attached to sneezing.  One legend has it that when sneezing, the heart stops beating and the phrase “bless you” is meant to encourage the heart to resume beating.  Other sources say that offering a blessing after sneezing came in the 14th century during…

The fascinating on-line exhibition, “Changing the Face of Medicine” sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, provides insight into the inspiration, influences and accomplishments of many women who have had a major impact on health care in the United States.  Today’s Health Tip recognizes just a small sampling of those…

Coughing helps to clear the respiratory system of irritants and secretions associated with a cold or flu. With most minor respiratory infections it is best not to interfere with this mechanism. When someone is unable to rest because of the cough or needs “help” in clearing secretions, they often consider…

The topic of sunscreen use is rife with controversy and misconceptions. Some authorities advocate against their use, believing that too little sun exposure will reduce the body’s vitamin D levels with the increased risk of osteoporosis and certain cancers (breast, colon, and prostate). The American Academy of Dermatology, on the…

Medical science has made tremendous strides in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.  Screening tests including mammograms for breast cancer, Pap smears for cervical cancer, and colonoscopies for colon cancer have allowed these cancers to be detected at an earlier stage when treatment is generally more effective. Treatment of several…

Earlier this month, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) published their most recent recommendations regarding screening for depression in adolescents (aged 12 to 18 years).  This recommendation seems particularly timely in view of reports of “clusters” of teen suicide recently reported in California and other locations in the…

Text messaging has become a preferred method of communication for a large number of Americans, particularly teens and young adults. According to market research performed by the Nielsen Company in 2010, the average teenager sends more than 3,000 texts per month!  Amazingly, this number appears to be on the rise,…

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that healthy adults get 150 minutes of moderately intense cardiovascular exercise per week. Considering the amount of time that many people have available for exercising, however, this is often an unrealistic goal. An alternate way of reaching the ACSM goal for cardiovascular…

Canker sores, also known as aphthous ulcers, are small, shallow lesions that develop on the soft tissues in your mouth, most commonly inside the cheeks or lips and at the base of the gums.  They are very common, affecting up to 20%-40% of the U.S. population at some point in…

Most people have heard the common expression that itching indicates that a cut or wound is healing.  Is there any scientific basis to this belief or is this just an “old wives tale”?    Phases of wound healing. The body’s initial response to a cut or break in the skin…