Early vitamin research identified vitamin D as the way to treat rickets, or malformed bones. More recent research confirms that vitamin D is indeed essential for strong healthy bones. But its effects go far beyond bone. Inadequate vitamin D has... (Read More)
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Americans have grown accustomed to hearing about acupuncture and herbs such as ginkgo from traditional Chinese medicine. But most have never heard of another ancient healing tradition, Ayurveda. Ayurvedic medicine comes from India, where its history stretches back thousands of... (Read More)
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When an official with the American Cancer Society suggested recently that we expect too much from some screening tests, such as those for breast or prostate cancer, he got a lot of pushback. We get more insight on the utility... (Read More)
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America has been waging a war on drugs of abuse for a very long time. Are we winning or losing? A "get-tough" legal policy has resulted in many drug users being locked in prison. One guest argues that this is... (Read More)
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Unusual symptoms like dizziness could signal a stroke, but they could also be something much less serious. Doctors struggle to get the diagnosis right, but now they have a new tool--and it is quicker and cheaper than the standard approach.... (Read More)
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Medicine is dependent on documented evidence, but sometimes intuition can play an important role in getting the right diagnosis. Emergency room personnel may share impressions or premonitions that could help with patient care. When should we pay attention to that... (Read More)
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Your skin is the largest organ of your body. A lot can go wrong, but at least you can see it. How can you tell what's a minor problem and what deserves expert medical attention? One dermatologist offers pictures online... (Read More)
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Patrick Malone is a malpractice attorney who has sued doctors, hospitals and drug companies. Now he shares what he has learned about health care to help keep you out of his office. Wouldn't it be better to avoid medical errors... (Read More)
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Arthritis comes in many forms, but all of them make joints stiff and sore and can result in significant disability. It is among the most common chronic conditions in the U. S. Learn about the differences between osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis... (Read More)
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Medical mysteries are a source of fascination. On TV shows like Gray's Anatomy or House, the patient's life hangs in the balance until the correct diagnosis is reached. That is true in real life as well. Though many diagnoses are... (Read More)
The DASH diet was developed to help lower blood pressure naturally. Research shows that it is good for the heart; now a study from Cache County, Utah, suggests that older folks who eat a DASH-style diet with lots of vegetables... (Read More)
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Menopause used to be spoken about in whispers, if at all. Women dreaded The Change, and many men did as well. Now, with many thousands of baby boomers going through menopause every week, women are changing their attitudes. Menopause doesn't... (Read More)
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Diagnostic errors have gotten less attention from health care critics than medication mistakes or wrong-site surgeries, but they are just as dangerous. Without the right diagnosis, getting the right treatment is a matter of guesswork or luck. Two renowned patient... (Read More)
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Overhauling the health care system is high on the President's list of to-dos. But it has become a political hot potato. Why are so many people so excited about this policy issue? We talk with Howard Dean, MD, about... (Read More)
Each foot has 26 bones, 33 joints and more than 100 tendons, ligaments and muscles, so the human foot is something of a masterpiece. Our feet carry us thousands of miles in the course of a lifetime, and when they... (Read More)
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Patients expect doctors to be objective in determining the best treatment and to keep the patient's best interests foremost. But there is disturbing evidence that some doctors supplement their incomes significantly with industry agreements on the side. How does this... (Read More)
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There is an epidemic of thyroid disease in the United States. Nearly 90 millions prescriptions for thyroid hormone were dispensed last year alone. But many people don't even know they are lacking adequate thyroid hormone.Physicians often assume the treatment of... (Read More)
Integrative medicine combines the latest medical techniques with ones that come from centuries-old healing traditions, such as acupuncture or yoga. What is the evidence behind such approaches?Learn how integrative coaching can turn good intentions into practice. Guest: Tracy Gaudet, MD,... (Read More)
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Although doctors pride themselves on practicing evidence-based medicine, not everything that happens in a hospital or clinic is supported by science. Do health care providers always act based on logic? We Americans imagine that we are (usually) rational and make... (Read More)
Have you ever waited for the results of a medical test and wondered what it would show? You may have consoled yourself, as the days stretched into weeks, that "no news is good news. I would be told if the... (Read More)
The science of nutrition seems to lead to a lot of contradictory advice. Vitamin E is a great example. At one time, it was supposed to prevent cancer and heart disease and help people stay healthy into their later years.... (Read More)
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Veins get no respect. Millions of Americans worry about heart attacks, which occur when arteries are blocked by a blood clot. But blood clots in veins get very little attention, although they can also be life threatening. Deep Vein Thrombosis... (Read More)
Three million Americans have hepatitis C, a viral infection of the liver that can cause long-term illness. The medication used to treat it must be taken for a long time and often doesn't cure the condition. But a new treatment... (Read More)
Symptoms such as severe fatigue or irritable bowel syndrome are sometimes diagnosed as psychosomatic disorders. But intolerance to gluten, called celiac disease, can cause malabsorption that could trigger these symptoms along with others, such as anemia, migraines, osteoporosis, dermatitis, infertility... (Read More)
Generic drugs are supposed to be identical to their brand-name counterparts, but they are much cheaper. That's why so many insurance companies and HMOs insist upon their use.Reports have been cropping up that suggest not all generic drugs meet the... (Read More)
Molds and pollen from grasses and trees trigger allergies that cause a lot of misery. Red, itchy eyes and runny noses are often accompanied by cognitive fogginess. Judgment may be affected. But the common treatments, especially OTC antihistamines, may not... (Read More)
Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome are both elusive and debilitating conditions. They are difficult to diagnose and even trickier to treat. Many physicians chalk them up to psychosomatic problems and don’t have much to offer patients. The CDC counts these... (Read More)
Our ancestors survived without supermarkets, by growing and preparing their own food. Some of their traditional ways of cooking, that involve fermenting foods like sauerkraut or sourdough bread, are sliding into oblivion. Our guest, Sally Fallon, has been bucking the... (Read More)
Ticks are almost everywhere, and wherever they go, they are out for blood. With so many ticks in woods and fields across the country, there is a growing risk of tick bites. They can transmit disease.Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is... (Read More)
Exercise is essential for keeping the heart and circulatory system healthy. It helps, too, to moderate blood sugar and control metabolism. Now, animal research suggests that physical fitness also benefits the brain.Guest: John Ratey, MD, is an associate clinical professor... (Read More)
