Ask the Expert

November 23, 2009

How to avoid, treat diverticulitis

Diverticulitis occurs when small, bulging pockets - or diverticula - occur within the colon and become infected. In most cases a slight or micro-perforation occurs. The majority of the time, the healthy body confines the infection to a very small space, and with time and a course of antibiotics, the infection will resolve itself.

November 16, 2009

Ask the Expert: Dr. Peter Campochiaro, Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins

Diabetes control slows retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is the most common cause of moderate and severe vision loss in working-age Americans.

November 2, 2009

Treating meningiomas, tumors that grow outside brain

A meningioma is a benign tumor that grows from the tissue that covers the brain called the "arachnoid membrane." The tumor grows from outside the brain, not from within the brain. Meningiomas are usually slow growing and can frequently be present without causing any symptoms.

October 26, 2009

Many causes of anemia, some easily treated

People of all ages, from newborns to the elderly, may experience anemia - the lack of healthy red blood cells in the body - at some point in their lives. It is estimated that there are 3.5 million people in the United States who have anemia.

October 19, 2009

Treatment of Graves' disease

Graves' disease is a disorder in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the thyroid gland and causes it to make too much of the hormone thyroxine. Because the thyroid gland regulates the body's metabolism, weight, energy, mood and organ functions can be affected when there is a problem. Dr. Asha Thomas, an internal medicine specialist at Sinai Hospital with a sub-specialty in endocrinology and metabolism, writes about the condition.

October 12, 2009

Dementia's effects vary with cause

Dementia is an illness characterized by significant impairment of one or more areas of higher cognitive functioning, such as memory or ability to calculate. Dr. Mel Daly, a geriatrician at Greater Baltimore Medical Center Greater Geriatrics Group, discusses symptoms and treatment for dementia.

October 5, 2009

Heartburn, attack can feel similar

A reader of our Picture of Health blog asked recently how to distinguish the symptoms of heartburn from the symptoms of a heart attack.

September 28, 2009

Good treatments exist for essential tremor

Essential tremor is a neurological problem that results in tremors (shakiness), usually of the hands and arms, writes Dr. William Weiner, professor and chairman of neurology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and director of the school's Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center.

September 21, 2009

Brain injury can be mild or serious

Caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head, a traumatic brain injury can range from mild (known as a concussion) to severe, and can disrupt the way the brain normally works. Signs and symptoms of a brain injury can show up right after the injury or take several hours or days to appear. Although most people get better over time, it is important to know when and how to seek help. Dr. Beth Slomine of the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program at Kennedy Krieger Institute offers advice about head injuries:

September 14, 2009

Congestive heart failure's cause varies

Congestive heart failure refers to a large number of conditions that affect the structure or function of the heart, making it more difficult for the heart to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the body's needs.

September 7, 2009

Prevent Running Injuries

Running puts an enormous amount of pressure and strain on the body and can often lead to injury, says Dr. Brian Polsky, a sports medicine specialist and orthopedic surgeon at St. Agnes Hospital. Sixty percent of runners experience an injury severe enough to sideline them, he says. With marathon season here - the Baltimore Marathon takes place Oct. 10 - Polsky outlines a few steps runners of all abilities can take in order to prevent running injuries.

August 31, 2009

Enough sleep is essential for kids

Good and adequate amounts of sleep are essential for the growth and development of children. Sleep problems vary with age. For example, younger children may suffer from snoring and sleep apnea. Sleep terrors and sleepwalking also are common. For teens, sleepiness is commonly caused by inadequate sleep from later bedtimes combined with early start times of typical high schools.

August 24, 2009

Gastroparesis more likely in women

Gastroparesis, otherwise called "paralyzed stomach," affects about 25 percent of people with type 1 diabetes and 10 percent of people with type 2 diabetes. People diagnosed with a neurologic disease, such as Parkinson's, and those who have had stomach ulcer surgery may also be affected.

August 17, 2009

Surgery can correct uterine prolapse

Uterine prolapse and other forms of pelvic organ prolapse affect millions of women, leading to more than 200,000 surgeries a year, writes Dr. Kevin M. Audlin of Mercy Medical Center.

August 10, 2009

Ganglion cysts can be easily removed

A ganglion cyst is an abnormal growth or mass adjacent to any joint in the body. It is most commonly seen around the wrist or digits, but can develop near the shoulder, knee or foot. Depending on the location of the cyst, various names have been used to describe the mass. A ganglion adjacent to the nail of the finger is called a mucous cyst, and one behind the knee is called a Baker's cyst.

August 3, 2009

'Tennis elbow': Villain is overuse, so give it a rest

Christina Marie Morganti, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine with the Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Center, explains "tennis elbow" - also known as lateral epicondylitis - and how to take care of it.

July 27, 2009

Scratching increases eczema rash

Eczema is the name for a group of skin diseases characterized by dry sensitive skin; red, scaly rashes; and severe troubling itch.

July 20, 2009

Ask the Expert: Robert Ancona, St. Joseph Medical Center

Coxsackieviruses may cause conjunctivitis, herpangina and hand, foot and mouth disease

Coxsackieviruses can cause many clinical syndromes that overlap with other viruses, including common cold symptoms, fever, sore throat, rashes, eye infections and diarrhea, says Dr. Robert Ancona, chief of pediatrics at St. Joseph Medical Center.

July 13, 2009

Ask the expert: Marc W. Hungerford, Mercy Medical Center

Avascular necrosis can affect joints

Avascular necrosis is a disorder of the bone. It affects the ends of long bones, primarily the hip, but the knee and shoulder and ankle can also be affected, says Dr. Marc W. Hungerford, director of joint replacement and reconstruction at Mercy Medical Center.

July 6, 2009

Ask the Expert: Dr. Cristina Sadowsky, Kennedy Krieger Institute

Think safety before diving in

With summer in full swing and many families headed to the pool and beach, we're reminded that diving accidents are a common cause of spinal cord injuries. Males between the ages of 15 and 25 are the most common victims of diving injuries, 90 percent of which result in paralysis. Dr. Cristina Sadowsky of the International Center for Spinal Cord Injury at Kennedy Krieger Institute offers ways to prevent diving injuries with five things to keep in mind before you dive in and cool off this summer.

June 29, 2009

Causes, effects and treatment of erectile dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction, also known as ED, refers to the inability of the man to obtain and maintain erection of the penis sufficient to permit satisfactory sexual intercourse. About 18 million American men experience erectile dysfunction. Dr. Arthur L. Burnett II, medical director of the Johns Hopkins James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute's Male Consultation Clinic and professor of urology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, discusses causes, effects and treatment of the condition.

June 22, 2009

Ask the Expert: Dr. Vadim Gushchin, Institute for Cancer Care at Mercy Medical Center

Gastric cancer incidence low, but diagnosis often late

Gastric cancer is a difficult malignancy to treat. A combined approach of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation can be challenging for patients to tolerate and the survival rates are poor. Dr. Vadim Gushchin, director of gastrointestinal oncology at the Institute for Cancer Care at Mercy Medical Center, discusses the little-known but dangerous disease.

June 15, 2009

Ask The Expert Dr. Zhaoming Chen, St. Agnes Hospital

An alternative approach to pain

Pain is the No. 1 reason people seek medical help. Acute-onset pain suggests a medical emergency and immediate medical assistance is necessary. Chronic pain has a significant impact on human life. According to Dr. Zhaoming Chen, the best way to control chronic pain is a multidisciplinary approach that includes complementary and alternative medicine.

June 8, 2009

Ask the expert: Charles Edwards II, Mercy Medical Center

Exercise can reduce scoliosis symptoms

Scoliosis, an abnormal curvature of the spine, affects roughly 2 percent of the population, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. For National Scoliosis Awareness Month, Dr. Charles Edwards II of the Maryland Spine Center at Mercy Medical Center offers five things you should know about the disease.

June 1, 2009

Ask the Expert: Howard W. Francis, Johns Hopkins School Of Medicine

Keep your ears a 'swab-free' zone

The American Academy of Otolaryngology is urging people not to use cotton swabs to clean their ears. With the public going to the pool or the beach, keeping ears in a "swab-free zone" may be easier said than done. Dr. Howard W. Francis, an associate professor in the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine's Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, explains the purpose of earwax, the potential damage caused by the use of cotton swabs and the safest alternatives for cleaning your ears: