Dear Doctors: I have been following your column for a few years now, and clinical trials get mentioned a lot. I know they are used to make sure that a new drug is safe, but other than that, I'm not su... more
Dear Doctors: I have developed pain in my right hip that runs down my thigh and calf. An orthopedic specialist who looked at my scans says it may be a pinched nerve. But my physical therapist says it ... more
Dear Doctors: My blood pressure is just a tiny bit high. Does that really matter? My doctor said I should think about taking a blood pressure drug, but I’d rather try to bring it down naturally. I jus... more
Dear Doctors: I recently read about a study that says eating late makes it easier to gain weight. I would like to know more about that. I've been having success with weight loss by not eating after 6 ... more
Dear Doctors: I twisted my knee snowboarding. I thought it was just a sprain, but it turns out I have a partial tear in my ACL. My doctor says I need surgery. If I just wait and am very careful, won't... more
Dear Doctors: When I had my annual checkup last fall, the blood test showed I am close to having prediabetes. My doctor said I need to change my diet and get more exercise. I recently read that taking... more
Dear Doctors: A good friend has Parkinson's disease. She has mentioned trying probiotics to her doctor, but he doesn't seem interested in the idea. My friend worries she might alienate him if she gets... more
Dear Doctors: I suffer from chronic back pain, and my doctor told me that the only treatment available is pain medication. Is that because the problem is with my lower back? Are there any other treatm... more
Dear Doctors: My fiance and I adopted a cat, and his mother is insisting that we must give it back. She says you can get toxoplasmosis from having a cat in the house, and if I get pregnant, I'll give ... more
Dear Doctors: I recently developed very bad psoriasis, but only on my scalp. The itch is awful. I'm not interested in the medications advertised on TV because of the side effects. Can you recommend an... more
Dear Doctors: I love decaffeinated black tea and drink a lot of it. Since I don't add sugar or milk, I have always felt it was healthy. Now I'm questioning that assumption because I've heard that the ... more
Dear Doctors: I've noticed that as I get older, jet lag hits me harder. I recently read that timing your meals on the day you fly can make a difference. Do you know if that's true? I'm also curious ab... more
Dear Doctors: I work in a big shop where we make custom furniture. My wife thinks it puts me at risk of COPD and insists I should use a mask. Is she right? I thought COPD was something that happens to... more
Dear Doctors: A dear friend was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. It was so advanced, he died just a month later. I recently saw a discussion on television about using AI to detect pancreatic cancer e... more