"This blog was developed to provide medical updates that are important and have my perspective as additional insight."
Tom Hopkins is a beloved retired school-teacher from Saguaro High, and he is a thriving senior . Tom and his wife are engaged and involved on multiple levels. Not only did they take a stimulating trip to Morocco this past summer, but he then Tom wrote about it and got the Arizona Republic to take …
Recently, a patient turned me on to Sudocrem. This is a topical cream for skin irritations in the backside, groin, and skin fold areas where irritations and infections develop. There are a variety of topicals to use for these issues and I’ve mentioned other amazing products including Interdry, a silver ion impregnated cloth sheet that …
Chico Marx supposedly is the first one to say the above quote in the movie Duck Soup, but I’ve often heard it attributed to various politicians as well, when they’ve been caught doing something unsavory. Either way, the quote gets at an important concept…. how we ‘know’ something is true, and it’s a critically important …
Although there are no cases of Zika virus transmitted in Arizona, the recent reports of cases in Florida, and the knowledge that mosquitoes that can transmit Zika live in Arizona, means that we will likely see some transmission of Zika in Arizona at some point in the future. That said, there is no reason for …
Would it surprise you to know that Mr. Putin is Gluten sensitive? It would surprise me….as I have no idea. But…..gluten-free fad, from a scientific standpoint has about as much accuracy as Mr. Putin’s statements have about any topic….there is not much truth there. If you ask any well-trained physician about gluten, they will explain …
I often mention ‘sexy’ science topics in my blog, because these are the issues that make it into the popular press. Many of these examples of late are focused on connections between commonly used medications and dementia. In the studies, there is a correlation between increased use of the offending medication and development of dementia …
I saw an article on this topic and had to laugh. The world of health care and medicine is changing dramatically due to a litany of economic pressure, governmental changes, scientific discoveries, and new technologies. But here, at our office, I do not envision any major changes taking place. With the passing of Justice Scalia …
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I’ve seen super-bugs in our town. They are occurring more frequently than in the past due to the broad use of strong antibiotics in the community and the progressive resistance to these antibiotics. Now, that fact might worry you…but relax. To me, a superbug is a bacteria that has multiple antibiotic resistances but can …
When Lee Atwater, the republican strategist for George H Bush, developed brain cancer and died back in the 90’s, the concerns about the connection between cell phones and brain cancer came to public attention. And a recent study in rats showed a higher incidence of brain tumors in male rats exposed to EMR for …
Patients often direct me to resources for self-improvement and care, and recently, one my robust patients told me how much he enjoyed the stretching classes on PBS, Channel 8. Called Classical Stretch, it is the #1 fitness show on PBS….and I’ve never heard of it. Since it has such high marks, I wanted to …
A recent study at Stanford University has shown great results in treating stroke patients and reducing disability several months to years after the stroke happened. In a proof-of-concept experiment, implanting stem cells harvested from bone marrow in the brain tissue affected by a stroke, yielded impressive improvements in functionality. New movement and capacities were seen …
I have a lot of patients who are dealing with some balance issues and this limits their ability to be active. As a result, this leads to more inactivity and even worse balance. But one of this comments they routinely make when I ask about it, is how they fair at the grocery store. I’m …
I came across the obituary for John J Freeman, III in the Wall Street Journal this past weekend, and like many obituaries, it led me on a research project to understand the connections in this mans life. A renowned medical researcher at UC Berkley he used electrodes, combined with high-level mathematics, to explore how the …
Yesterday was busy, as usual, but it was remarkable that 8% of our patients that day were 90 or over. Amazing how many of our patients are in fine shape in their 90’s and sometimes I will get into a conversation about what it is that explains a long, healthy life. One patient said….”I’ve got …
That’s the attitude…..the one you need when you confront a difficult medical issue. Sometimes you will be told that something cannot be done or fixed, but you need to push on and find the resources to help you through. Winston had it right. Recently I had a patient with a small stroke that affected the occipital …