The People's Perspective on Medicine, since 1976
Helping you to make informed decisions about both traditional and alternative treatments.
How Can You Prevent Chigger Bites and Itching?
You might as well call chiggers “no-see-ums.” That’s because chiggers are so tiny you rarely, if ever, see them on your body. They are also known as red bugs, berry bugs (because they seem to ha…
Generic Celebrex Disappoints | How to Get Author…
The Food and Drug Administration first approved generic Celebrex (celecoxib) on May 30, 2014. Not long after that, we began getting complaints from people in pain. Many maintained that the generic cel…
Pectin and Grape Juice to Ease Sore Joints
People with arthritis usually rely on nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or naproxen for pain relief, but these medicines can cause trouble if a person takes them for a lo…
Why Is Antidepressant Withdrawal So Hard?
It is estimated that one out of every eight Americans takes an antidepressant medication (JAMA Internal Medicine, Feb. 2017). According to the New York Times, roughly 25 million Americans have been ta…
No Study Support for Fish Oil Soothing Dry Eyes
Fish oil is one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids. These compounds have anti-inflammatory activity, and doctors have hoped that fish oil supplements would prove useful against a wide range of…
How Can You Get Rid of the Awful Itch of Scabies…
What causes itching? There are any number of causes, including allergic dermatitis (think poison ivy or poison oak) and drug reactions. Nonetheless, some of the most common and most persistent itches …
Will Curcumin Pills Ease Your Knee Pain?
Who would guess that the yellow spice in curry would become controversial? For centuries, people have been using turmeric to add color and flavor to their food, and in traditional Ayurvedic medicine, …
Do You Know Someone Taking Stimulants for ADHD?
Many of my fellow pharmacists have recently watched the popular Netflix documentary about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder drugs (stimulants) called Take Your Pills. I decided to see what the …
Overdosing on Acetaminophen in Cold and Flu Reme…
Many over-the-counter medicines marketed for treating colds and flu contain acetaminophen (paracetamol in Europe, Australia and New Zealand). This non-aspirin pain reliever helps lower fever. Acetamin…
Show 1118: What You Should Know About Lithium
Lithium rich water from hot springs such as those at Lithia Springs, GA, have long been sought after for their healing properties. This element was used for decades to treat some forms of mental illne…
Immunotherapy Offers Hope for Lung Cancer
Lung cancer accounts for more cancer deaths than any other type, with 150,000 fatalities every year. Until recently, treatments were unimpressive and the prognosis for patients was “dismal,” as on…
What’s the Best Way to Take Blood Pressure Mea…
Health professionals often rely upon blood pressure measurements taken in the clinic to diagnose hypertension. If a patient has a blood pressure (BP) reading greater than 130/80 in a doctor’s office…
How Will FDA Treat Drug Derived from Cannabis?
FDA staffers have reviewed data for an epilepsy drug derived from cannabis. They have written that the application is well done and that the balance of risks and benefits looks good. Drug Derived from…
Will Nuts Protect You from Afib?
Nut lovers are less prone to the heart rhythm abnormality known as atrial fibrillation. In this condition, the upper chambers of the heart don’t pump blood rhythmically and efficiently. As a result,…
Is NyQuil A Good Way To Stay Asleep?
We often wonder whether people read the label of their over-the-counter medicines. If they did, would most know what they were taking? Nyquil Cold & Flu formula is advertised to “relieve your s…
Will Your Toes Be Fungus-Free and Purple?
When the weather gets warm, are you embarrassed to put on sandals so everyone can see your toes? Even though it is very common, toenail fungus can be unsightly.You might also have trouble getting rid …
Aromatherapy | Can a Sniff of Alcohol Relieve Na…
Have you ever experienced nausea? Who hasn’t? It’s a terrible feeling. It can be brought on by vertigo or medications. Cancer chemotherapy drugs are notorious for triggering unrelenting nausea and…
Will Cannabis Cream Really Ease Neuropathy?
People with neuropathy are often desperate for relief. The causes of this nerve pain may vary, from drug side effects to the aftermath of an infection. Sometimes too little or too much of a common vit…
Will Soap Under Sheets Help Your Leg Cramps?
Have you ever leapt out of bed in the middle of the night with a terrible pain in your calf or your hamstring? Nocturnal leg cramps can really wreck a night's sleep. Some people are quite susceptible …
How to Control Your Blood Sugar Without Drugs
How is your blood sugar? According to the CDC, 84 million American adults have prediabetes, a condition in which blood sugar is elevated but doesn't reach the threshold for a diagnosis of diabetes (12…
Warning: Adderall Led to Unexpected Liver Injury
A wise patient asks about possible side effects before filling a new prescription. Sometimes, however, even that is not enough. One reader experienced a serious side effect, acute liver injury, that w…
Will Gelatin Strengthen Your Broken Nails?
Nail problems are notoriously stubborn. It takes a long time for nails, especially toenails, to grow out. Consequently, a treatment that is working from the inside out, improving the nail plate and ma…
How to Avoid Trouble at the Pharmacy Checkout
In one of the first scenes of the returning show, Roseanne, Roseanne is sitting at the kitchen table when her husband walks through the door, prescription bag in hand. “Oooh! My favorite! Drugs!” …
Is Fish Oil Helpful or Useless for Dry Eye Disea…
Dry eye disease affects roughly 14 percent of American adults. Older women are especially susceptible to this chronic and hard-to-treat condition. Fish Oil Put to the Test for Dry Eye Disease: Many he…
Why Did Hot Pepper Headache Land Man in the Emer…
Those of us who love hot peppers cherish the experience of pain and pleasure brought on by the chemical called capsaicin. That is the active ingredient in hot chili peppers that lights up our taste bu…
Show 1117: What Can Chinese Centenarians Teach Y…
More Americans are living to old ages, but frequently their later years are plagued with chronic diseases. Is there a way to stay healthy into the ninth and tenth decade of life? To find out, we take …
Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen in the Produce Bin
Most health experts emphasize the importance of eating lots of vegetables, but which ones have the least pesticide residue? If you want to avoid pesticides as much as possible, but can't afford to buy…
Why Grandma Was Right about Vegetables
Your grandmother may have told you to eat your vegetables. Ours certainly urged us to do so. Was Grandma following her own advice? She should have. A new study from Australia reinforces the benefits o…
Are You Wasting Your Money on Curcumin?
If you have ever shopped for supplements online, you may have wondered if you are wasting your money. Ever since 1994, when Congress passed the Dietary Supplement and Health Education Act (DSHEA), FDA…
Lyrica and Weight Gain | Can It Be Reversed?
Pregabalin (Lyrica) has become a go-to drug for nerve pain (neuropathy). There aren't many medications in the doctor’s tool kit for this kind of problem. A similar drug, gabapentin, has been approve…