The People's Perspective on Medicine, since 1976
Helping you to make informed decisions about both traditional and alternative treatments.
Try Olive Oil for Your Dry Mouth
Dry mouth is not a life-threatening condition, but it certainly can make you miserable. Quite a few medications can cause this irritating symptom. If your prescriber writes it off as a "minor" side ef…
Antibiotic plus BP medicine Led to Deadly Drug I…
We have been writing about the dangers of drug interactions for over 40 years. We assumed that when computers entered the scene doctors would check for dangerous drug combinations before prescribing a…
What Health Benefits Can You Get from Spices?
You may be well aware that vegetables and fruits are loaded with vitamins and minerals. Perhaps you've even heard about additional compounds we call phytonutrients. These may not be considered essenti…
Health Professionals Disagree About Putting Vase…
Have you ever experienced a really dry nose. It can happen in hot, dry areas like Arizona or New Mexico. It can happen in the winter when the heat is on and the humidity is low. Some drugs can cause a…
How Can You Prevent a Kidney Stone?
People who have had a kidney stone will tell you the pain is excruciating. They would do almost anything to avoid a repeat performance. So we were not surprised to hear from a reader who wanted to red…
Is Contrave For Weight Loss Fantastic or Disappo…
Would you like to lose a few pounds? Who wouldn’t? According to the CDC over 70% of Americans are overweight or obese. But shedding pounds and keeping them off is really hard. Sometimes a chemical c…
Big 25% Summer Sale to Save Your Lips and Undera…
You have probably seen the TV commercial that ends with the question: "What's in your wallet?" They are advertising the Capital One Card. We have a more fundamental question for your health and well b…
Will Wearing Your Bra Inside-Out Avoid Itch?
Under-breast itch is a nagging problem for many women. Some find it especially troublesome during summer weather, when skin fungus find a hospitable home in the warm, dark, moist folds under the breas…
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…