The People's Perspective on Medicine, since 1976
Helping you to make informed decisions about both traditional and alternative treatments.
Valsartan Blood Pressure Pills Recalled over Can…
This is scary. Please pay attention. Valsartan (Diovan) is a popular blood pressure and heart medication. According to our calculations, over 16 million prescriptions are dispensed annually. That mean…
A Walk Down the Aisle of Allergy Meds
“Decisions, decisions,” said the gentleman standing in the aisle of allergy meds, pondering his purchase. “I never know which one to get.” As a pharmacist, I see this very often – the allerg…
Show 1128: What You Need to Know About Tick-Born…
If you’ve spent time out in the woods this summer, or if you hope to hike or bike outside, you need to know about ticks. Ticks are not just icky; they can also carry dangerous diseases. In fact, tic…
Multivitamins No Help Against Heart Disease
Are multivitamins no help against heart disease? Millions of Americans take multivitamins, perhaps as many as 40 percent of older adults. A new study suggests that mixed vitamin and mineral formulatio…
A New FDA Warning About Serious Fluoroquinolone …
We can hardly believe that once again the Food and Drug Administration is warning about fearsome complications from antibiotics like Cipro and Levaquin. Serious fluoroquinolone side effects have been …
Can Acupuncture Help Your Joint Pain?
Can acupuncture help your joint pain? The answer might be yes, if you are a woman being treated for breast cancer. Many postmenopausal women with breast cancer may receive aromatase inhibitors such as…
Aspirin vs Activase: Cheaper Is Just as Good
Alteplase, known under its brand name as Activase, is a clot buster. That means it is injected in the early treatment of stroke in an attempt to reduce damage to the brain. Might aspirin also be helpf…
The Right Clothes Can Protect You from Ticks
Avoiding tick-borne diseases starts with preventing tick bites to the extent possible. Outdoor enthusiasts are turning to a new tactic: the right clothes, which are those coated with permethrin. Testi…
Why Would Vicks VapoRub Soothe Poison Ivy Itch?
Did you know that Vicks VapoRub has been around for more than a century? It can be found all over the world. We have been collecting Unique Uses fo Vicks for decades. Here is one that we never heard b…
To Avoid Skin Tags, Cut Back on Sweets
People often want to know how to make skin tags go away. These fleshy growths often appear near skin folds and in areas such as the eyelids, armpits, neck or groin. They are not dangerous, but having …
Preventing Swimmer’s Ear in People and Dog…
Swimmers may sometimes have to deal with a painful infection in the outer part of the ear. Otitis externa hurts when you wiggle the ear. Usually the problem can be traced to fungi or bacteria prolifer…
How Can You Find a Legitimate Canadian Pharmacy?
The cost of brand name drugs has skyrocketed in the U.S. Many people are finding it hard to afford their medicines. That's especially true if the copay is very high or if an insurance program does not…
Can a Chinese Fungus Help You Sleep Better?
Millions of people have trouble sleeping. For some, the main problem is falling asleep. Others report difficulty staying asleep. One reader who wakes up too early and can't fall back to sleep wonders …
Will Benfotiamine Ease Your Foot Pain?
Have you ever dropped a heavy can of food on your toe? The nail turns purplish-black and the foot hurts like crazy. After a few days, though, the pain calms down and only hurts when you wiggle or stub…
Why Do Beans Make You Fart?
Nutrition experts are constantly encouraging all of us to eat more vegetables. People who eat the most produce are about 15 percent less likely than those who eat the least to develop heart disease an…
Show 1127: The Health Impact of Environmental Di…
Since 1995, the world has experienced twenty of the hottest years on record. The wildfires raging across western states are expected to burn more acreage than last year’s devastating fires. Hurrican…
How Much Coffee Should You Drink to Improve Long…
Americans like their morning coffee. In some cities it seems as if there is a coffee shop on every corner. And yet our coffee consumption is paltry compared to many other countries. Not surprisingly, …
Mice on Aspirin Avoid Alzheimer’s. Will Yo…
Could humble aspirin help prevent Alzheimer disease? Research in genetically modified mice on aspirin suggests that the answer might be yes (Journal of Neuroscience, July, 2018). How Scientists Studie…
Will Diabetes Drug Metformin Also Help Your Lung…
Metformin is a very old drug that is used to treat type 2 diabetes. It was developed from the French lilac plant, Galega officinalis. Healers in the 17th century used extracts from this plant to treat…
Watch Out for Pain Relievers When Trying to Conc…
Women who are trying to become pregnant often want to know what they should do to improve their chances for success. New research suggests that those trying to conceive should avoid taking pain reliev…
Can Cod Liver Oil Relieve Your Knee Pain?
Knee osteoarthritis can really interfere with mobility. Doctors prescribe pain relievers such as diclofenac (Cataflam, Voltaren) or meloxicam (Mobic), but patients should not take such NSAID medicatio…
Do You Know Your Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) Levels?
Most people do not think much about Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin. It does not get the attention of vitamin D, vitamin K or vitamin C. And yet this water-soluble nutrient is crucial for every c…
Will Listerine Soothe Your Itchy Eczema?
Atopic dermatitis is an overreaction of the immune system that results in itchy eczema. People who are prone to hay fever or asthma are also more susceptible to this condition that produces red bumps …
Soy Sauce to the Rescue to Cool a Burn
What do you do for a burn? First aid experts recommend dousing the burned skin in cold water, and so do we. That stops the heat and prevents further damage. However, to cool a burn and ease the pain a…
Are You Taking A Sleeping Pill That Messes with …
Sleeping pills are big business. That is especially true for over-the-counter drugs. Millions of people take “PM” pain relievers regularly because they fear they may not fall asleep easily. Diphen…
Will Coconut Oil Protect You from Mosquitoes and…
Preventing bites from mosquitoes and ticks could mean side-stepping a serious infection such as West Nile virus or Lyme disease. So it's no wonder people are on the lookout for ways to avoid these bit…
Which Medicines Can Cause Severe Depression?
Most people experience sadness or depression sometime during their lives. Divorce, the death of a loved one, work-related problems or financial setbacks can all trigger severe depression. Once the cri…
Are Frequent Flyers At Higher Risk For Developin…
A new study suggests that flight attendants may be at significantly higher risk of developing cancer than the general population (Environmental Health, June 26, 2018). This was part of the Harvard F…
Show 1099: How to Recognize and Overcome Eating …
What could be more natural than eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are full? That simple approach is far from easy for many people. Hunger and eating get disconnected in eating disorders…
Will Eating Walnuts Lower Your Cholesterol?
Could eating walnuts lower your cholesterol? A few decades ago, people were warned to avoid walnuts as well as other types of tree nuts because of their high fat content. Experts expected this to lead…