Archives

Dear Doctors: Can you please talk about gastritis -- what it is and why someone gets it? I think I have it, but I don't understand how it happened. Also, is there a special diet you should be on when ... more

Dear Doctors: I’d like information about meniscus tears. I am a 59-year-old active woman, and I just tore my meniscus in two places. I also have osteoarthritis. I'm told that surgery is no longer reco... more

Dear Doctors: I am a 57-year-old man, and ever since the pandemic started, I have had trouble getting enough sleep. I sometimes use a sleep medication, and it has been helpful. But I've been reading t... more

Dear Doctors: I have noticed recent advertisements for ashwagandha, which is supposed to be useful for stress management. I am looking for guidance on this supplement, including whether it works and i... more

Dear Doctors: We recently relocated for my husband's job. It's hotter here and a lot more humid than our previous home. All three of our children, including the baby, are suddenly dealing with heat ra... more

Dear Doctors: I have seen my doctor and gynecologist for pain in my groin area that gets worse when I'm sitting or if I squat. It worsens at the end of the day. I'm told it could be pudendal neuralgia... more

Dear Doctors: I am 65 years old, and I have never been to a cardiologist. I am concerned about heart disease and the possibility that I may have blocked arteries. I would like to know what screenings ... more

Hello, dear readers, and welcome back to our monthly letters column. We're getting closer to autumn, but in much of the country, heat waves continue. Please be sure to take precautions. Drink enough w... more

Dear Doctors: I would like to know about the new COVID-19 variant called Eris. Will there be a new booster for it? Also, I read that you'll get better immune response if you get all of your COVID shot... more

Dear Doctors: I was surprised to read that there have been several cases of locally acquired malaria diagnosed near my home in Florida. I didn't realize that we still have malaria in the United States... more

Dear Doctors: My wife's insurance company is suggesting that she get a hearing test. She is only 51, and her hearing is fine. Does she really need to get this screening?... more

Dear Doctors: A friend of mine was recently diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. She has been told that exercise -- especially swimming -- can be helpful. She isn't a strong swimmer and is afraid to tr... more

Hello, dear readers, and welcome to a bonus edition of our monthly letters column. Our mailboxes are overflowing, so we'll get right down to business.... more

Dear Doctors: I had a scare exercising on a hot day. I got a terrible headache, my skin got clammy and I felt really weak. I was sure I was going to faint. I had to get into a cool bath to start feeli... more

Dear Doctors: Sometimes when I get nervous, my stomach will knot up and start to ache. Sometimes I even get diarrhea, which is embarrassing. Why does that happen? Should I see a doctor? I'd like to kn... more

Dear Doctors: My dad is recovering from a heart attack. He wants to get back to living his life, but I can tell he's worried. His doctors have suggested that he start doing a program called cardiac re... more

Dear Doctors: I started getting patches of red, bumpy skin on my elbows last year. My doctor said it is eczema and prescribed some creams to deal with the terrible itching. They work pretty well, but ... more

Dear Doctors: I was rubbing my face and a cluster of new floaters appeared in my right eye. There's also an arc of light when I look from side to side. I'm told it might be vitreous detachment and tha... more

Dear Doctors: Our 12-year-old son loves swimming. He's in the pool all year, without any problems. This summer, he started taking surfing lessons, and he got a pretty bad earache. His pediatrician dia... more

Dear Doctors: My boyfriend says that lately I've been talking in my sleep and sometimes acting out my dreams. One time I actually hit him. He says it may be something called an REM sleep behavior diso... more

Dear Doctors: My husband is 78 years old. A second colectomy left him with one-fourth of his colon, and he suffers from chronic diarrhea. I've read that he should avoid sugar and alcohol, which he won... more

Dear Doctors: I’m 68 years old and was recently diagnosed via an MRI with mild hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Is this an unusual diagnosis at my age? I would like to know more about this condition and h... more

Hello, dear readers, and welcome back to our monthly letters column. With our inboxes still overflowing, we'll get right down to business.... more

Dear Doctors: Would you please address radon gas? I've spent 40 years in real estate sales here in Florida, and while radon is noted in inspections, most buyers don't realize it's dangerous. Any infor... more

Dear Doctors: I'm a 97-year-old woman. Sometimes my blood pressure drops, and I faint. It lasts just a few seconds, because as soon as I'm prone, I wake up. I don't have any cardiac issues, and there'... more

Hello, dear readers, and welcome to a bonus letters column. We're working our way through a bonanza of mail and will continue to respond to as many of your notes and emails as possible.... more

Dear Doctors: I'm 54 years old and post-menopausal. I've had increasing issues with my lips for three years. At first, it felt like a persistent sunburn, and now my lips feel as if they are made of ti... more

Dear Doctors: After a thoracotomy for lung cancer surgery, I had pain and tingling, along with tightness and spasms, in my midriff. I was told it would ease, but it hasn't. It's been a year, and the s... more