Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the most frequently encountered cardiac arrhythmia. The degree of patient awareness varies widely, from highly symptomatic patients experiencing chest pressure, shortness of breath, dizziness to those who are completely oblivious. The perceived presence or absence of AF does does not lessen the risk of stroke.
Acute External Otitis (AEO), known as Swimmer’s Ear, is a diffuse infection of the ear canal usually due to bacteria which at times causes horrific pain. It can spread beyond the ear to the jaw and neck glands making it difficult and painful to open your mouth, chew and swallow.
Allergic Rhinitis (AR) has been called Rose Fever, Spring Fever, Summer Cold, and Hay Fever. But, it does not cause a fever. It is not the common cold and it’s not limited to one season… Incidentally, how many people do you know who are allergic to hay?
“I can hear you Doc, but I can’t get a grip on the words”
“Doc, people mumble all the time, they don’t speak up.”
Another patient put it this way: “Have you ever driven on the highway and listened to the same radio station for 40 or 50 miles and then the reception breaks up? Well, that’s how I hear people. When I hear people talk, I don’t have the clarity that I once had.”
Nosebleeds (“epistaxis”) have been a bloody nuisance from the time of Hippocrates to the present. It’s a common problem that can occur at any time, in any place and in any season. It’s most common in children from two to ten years of age and more frequent during the winter months. A blood vessel ruptures, the nose bleeds, parents are rightfully concerned and ready to rush the child to the emergency room.
For years physicians have struggled to identify the optimal blood pressure for a given patient population. The group of experts collectively known as the JNC (Joint National Commission) has been historically tasked to address the use of antihypertensive agents. Every few years, the JNC publishes recommendations on various topics as they relate to hypertension.
One in five people in the US complain of tinnitus. It can disrupt your work and concentration and cause emotional stress. It can be temporary or permanent and involve one or both ears.
Hearing loss is the most common birth defect in the US. Parents are encouraged to be proactive about a child’s hearing, speech and language development. These are some of the steps a parent can take to tract your child’s development. The following checklist is provided as a ‘guide’ by the American Academy of Otolaryngology to determine if your child has a loss of hearing. Check only those factors that apply to you, your family or your child.
Shanika passed the hearing screening test done at the hospital two days after birth. The parents left the hospital feeling that everything was fine with their baby. Gradually she became less responsive to sounds. She was not startled by loud noises, nor did she turn her head in the direction of voices or sounds.
Elevated PSA levels must be interpreted thoughtfully and with care. There is not a level of PSA that is specifically diagnostic of prostate cancer. To use PSA in order to estimate a man’s risk of prostate cancer, PSA should be interpreted over time and in the context of other risk factors; such as a strong family history of prostate cancer and African-American ethnicity.