Dear Doctors: I just turned 57, and my doctor is now saying that I should get vaccinated for pneumonia. The only time I ever had pneumonia was one time when I had a bad case of the flu. Why isn’t he t... more

Dear Doctors: I’ve read that people who gain weight during the holidays often don’t manage to lose it again. Is that right? In the last few years, it has happened to me. I have several Christmas parti... more

Dear Doctors: I’m a 68-year-old man who cannot remember the last time I awoke in the morning feeling fully rested. My friends laugh and say those days are long gone for people our age. Is this true? I... more

Hello, dear readers, and welcome to our monthly letters column. The upcoming holidays mean an increase in socializing and public gatherings. If you have yet to get your flu shot or COVID-19 booster, a... more

Dear Doctors: A friend who has Parkinson’s disease is starting to have trouble swallowing. Can you explain why that is? I thought Parkinson’s mainly affects the hands and limbs. Also, she and her husb... more

Dear Doctors: I am a 47-year-old woman in good health. I exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet. At my physical, I was surprised when my doctor said I have A-fib. I have never felt anything wrong w... more

Dear Doctors: Like a lot of people, I’ve had to return to the office. At home, I did calls and meetings on the treadmill, walked at lunch and lifted weights during breaks. That’s not possible now. I k... more

Dear Doctors: My husband and I both work in an office, and our three kids are in school. That’s a lot of exposure to germs and bugs. When someone gets sick, how do you know if it’s a cold or the flu -... more

Dear Doctors: I meet up with friends a few days a week to go running. One of them always skips the cooldown and hops right into his car to drive to work. A trainer once told me that’s a recipe for sud... more

Dear Doctors: My sister has been diagnosed with myasthenia gravis. It started last year, when she turned 38, and it has been getting worse. I would like to know more about the condition. Also, I have ... more

Hello, dear readers, and welcome to a bonus edition of our monthly letters column. We are receiving a lot of questions about the various respiratory tract infections that become common this time of ye... more

Dear Doctors: I was recently sick with what I thought was the flu. I had a fever, sore throat and a terrible cough. I have asthma, so my husband insisted that I see our family doctor. She said that I ... more

Dear Doctors: I always thought that your body ages gradually as you get older, kind of like your car does. But now I’ve been hearing that we actually go through a couple of spurts where we age really ... more