Archives

Dear Doctors: I’ve heard there’s a test that’s more accurate than BMI. Do you know what that is? My daughter is 17 years old, plays tennis, lifts weights and has a sporty build. She’s not overweight, ... more

Dear Doctors: I threw out my lower back two years ago while I was helping my cousin move. My back would feel better for a while, but then the pain would always come back. I noticed that since I starte... more

Dear Doctors: The whitening toothpaste I’ve been using for several years has a pleasant flavor and keeps coffee from staining my teeth. But I just realized it contains xylitol, which I’m hearing can c... more

Dear Doctors: We live in New Hampshire, and people are worried about Eastern equine encephalitis. There have been several cases, and someone has died. I’ve lived here all my life, and this disease is ... more

Dear Doctors: I would like to know why it is that so many medications have side effects. Is it the medications themselves, or is it the additives that are used in making them? Also, why do some people... more

Dear Doctors: I had such bad abdominal pain that my husband took me to the ER. I was told I was passing a kidney stone. It took two days, and it was excruciating. What are kidney stones? Is there anyt... more

Dear Doctors: I was in a car accident, and an X-ray showed I had two broken ribs. A second X-ray taken a month later showed I also had a cracked rib. Why didn’t that show up the first time? Why isn’t ... more

Dear Doctors: I’ve been seeing a lot of news stories about whooping cough. Is there really another illness that we need worry about? What is whooping cough, and how do you get it? What is the treatmen... more

Hello, dear readers, and welcome to the first letters column of autumn. How quickly the summer flew by. That means it’s time to schedule vaccinations and boosters, and to stock up on COVID tests -- ye... more

Dear Doctors: My niece and nephew, ages 5 and 9, will be living with my wife and me this year. We have a good pediatrician for their vaccinations and checkups. What other health-related tasks should w... more

Dear Doctors: I am an adult woman, and I have an umbilical hernia. I want to decrease the amount of belly fat that I have. What kinds of exercises are safe to do when you have an umbilical hernia?... more

Dear Doctors: I was sick for months with debilitating pain, extreme weight loss, fatigue and loss of appetite. I was diagnosed with C. diff related to an abdominal surgery. I’m being treated with anti... more

Dear Doctors: I had such a bad attack of vertigo that my boyfriend drove me to urgent care. The doctor got it to go away by having me lie down and then moving my head around. Why did I have that episo... more

Dear Doctors: I have dandruff, and my doctor says it’s from seborrheic dermatitis. Can you explain what that is? I’ve been using the special shampoo I was given, and it helps. When I stop using it, th... more

Dear Doctors: Ads for hydration boosters claim to make one glass of water equal to three glasses of water. These products seem to be primarily water, sugar and salt. I have water, sugar and salt in my... more

Dear Doctors: My understanding is that nicotine and tar are what hurt you when you smoke cigarettes. But you recently said there’s also carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke, and that it’s even more dang... more

Dear Doctors: A few weeks ago, one side of my dad’s face became paralyzed. He couldn’t close his left eye, and the left side of his mouth wouldn’t work. We thought it was a stroke, but the ER doctors ... more

Dear Doctors: I have been dealing with toenail fungus on just a single toe for more than a year. There is a mountain of misinformation about it on the internet, and I keep seeing ads for all sorts of ... more

Dear Doctors: Can you please do a column about familial hypercholesterolemia? It is my diagnosis, and I would like you to explain it. My LDL is over 500. It is my understanding that there are differen... more

Dear Doctors: I had a COVID-19 vaccine in June 2023, so I’m overdue for another. I’ve heard there’s going to be an updated vaccine coming out in the fall. If possible, I would like to get it at the sa... more

Hello, dear readers, and welcome to a bonus letters column. We have some interesting questions to address and will get right down to business.... more

Dear Doctors: My husband is having an elective surgery soon. It requires full anesthesia, so he has had a lot of pre-op tests. One of the blood tests showed that his red blood cells are too big. The n... more

Dear Doctors: A man I have been dating had a stroke a few weeks ago, and now he has aphasia. When I visit him at the rehab, he’s ready for me to leave after a short time. Is this normal? He seems to b... more

Dear Doctors: It’s time for my daughter to have a Pap smear, but she’s putting it off because it was so painful last time. I wonder if switching to a female doctor might help? It’s a very unpleasant t... more

Hello, dear readers, and welcome back to the monthly letters column. Even with autumn on the horizon, we will once again urge everyone to please take the risk of heat-related illness seriously. It’s a... more

Dear Doctors: I sprained my ankle playing soccer. It’s not the first time, and I thought I knew what to do. But as soon as I started to wrap it, I got a bunch of conflicting advice: use ice; use heat;... more

Dear Doctors: I just read that adding honey to yogurt is good for your gut microbiome. Is that true? I avoid added sugar, so I buy plain yogurt and have it with fresh berries. But I’m eating the yogur... more

Dear Doctors: My boyfriend and I started a landscaping business. It means we lug around plants and trees and sacks of soil. He’s strong and doesn’t pay much attention to technique, but I worry it’s go... more