Dr. Murray Feingold
Dr. Murray Feingold's "Medical Minute" appears weekdays at 11:41 AM and on weekend mornings at 6:41 and 10:41. His interview feature, "One on One with Dr. Murray Feingold" can also be heard on weekday mornings.
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High School Reunions
High school reunions maybe hazardous to your mental health. I just received an announcement concerning my high school reunion and it is a “biggie.” However, at this stage, they are all “biggies.”
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Getting Better
If you are sick and require treatment, two basic steps must be taken to get better.
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Temper Tantrums
Temper tantrums in children ages of 3 to 6 are considered to be part of normal development. However, at times, temper tantrums may also be a sign of an underlying behavior problem.
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Frowning
You may have heard the saying, “turn that frown upside down.” The frown is due to the loss of elasticity in the area of the mouth.
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Infallible
As people get older they start losing abilities that they once possessed such as flexibility and vision. Another loss not as obvious is their sense of being infallible.
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The Choking Game
Most people are unaware of the “choking game.” It consists of self strangulation or strangulation by another individual by using hands or a noose.
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Insomnia
Insomnia affects people of all ages. A recent study was done to determine how often it occurred in adolescents.
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Deafness
The most common type of deafness affecting newborns is associated with an abnormality of the auditory or hearing nerve.
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Aspartame
Here is a quiz concerning aspartame also known as Nutrasweet and Equal.
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CPR
There is no question that it is a very scary situation when a person becomes unconscious in a public setting and requires cardiopulmonary resuscitation. This is true even for doctors or nurses who are not in a hospital setting with professional support and equipment available.
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Falls
Here are some astounding statistics. 5.8 million individuals age 65 and over have fallen at least once during the preceding three months. A third of these people needed to be examined by a physician.
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Celebrity's Physician
You would think that a doctor would be happy and flattered to be asked to be a celebrity’s physician. However, there is another side to that story.
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Arguments
It is my impression that as couples get older they argue more. There are a number of physical reasons to explain this.
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Pancreatitis
Although pancreatitis is not rare, many people are not well informed about it. The pancreas, which is located behind the stomach and small intestine, has two major functions.
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Stand or Sit
Does it make any difference to a patient if the doctor is standing or sitting during the doctor’s initial evaluation? A study was done, in an emergency room setting, to determine if the doctor stood or sat altered the patient’s perception concerning the amount of time spent with the patient.
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Urinary Incontinence
The inability to control ones urine is called urinary incontinence. Although it occurs in men, frequently due to an enlarged prostate, it is more common in women.
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Organic Foods
Years ago when you went food shopping there were not many choices concerning the types of food you could purchase.
Today, there a variety of choices including organic foods.
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Humor and Age
Have you noticed, as you have gotten older, other people may laugh at the punch line of a joke and you don’t? It could be that you just didn’t find the joke funny. Or, it could be that you just didn’t get it.
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Ginko
Ginko is an herb taken by many people to help them improve their memory. It is believed that this is accomplished by improving blood flow to the brain.
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Smoking and Movies
Studies have shown that adolescents who view smoking in the movies have a greater risk of becoming a smoker. This is important because it is during adolescence when the majority of people start smoking.
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The Stock Market
Several years ago the subject of one of my medical minutes was the relationship between the stock market and a person’s emotional health.
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Sex Education
Sex education is a controversial subject. Some parents believe that such education their responsibility. However, many parents do not provide sex education to their children.
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Sporting Events and Heart Disorders
Soccer is a very big sport in Europe and the World Cup is like our Super Bowl. Studies were done by German researchers to determine if there was an increase in heart disorders when the German soccer team played in the World Cup.
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Celiac Disease
Celiac disease is a common disorder. It is an autoimmune disease that affects the intestine. The body’s immune system reacts to the protein gluten that is present in grains such as wheat, rye, and barley.
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Depression
Some people find it difficult to fully understand why a person, in good health, with a nice home and wonderful children, could be depressed. The admonition to move on with your life is not easy to do if you are chronically sad and blue.
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TV and Obesity
Studies have shown that in children there is an association between watching television and being overweight and also consuming foods that are advertised on television.
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Quality Time with Kids
Do parents spend more quality time with one child than with another? Perhaps not intentionally but according to a recent study it does happen.
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Looking Forward
People are frequently unaware of something that is very important for their mental health, and possibly their physical health. It is also something that is usually doable.
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Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
Hot flashes and night sweats are very annoying and disturbing symptoms for menopausal women. A recent study was designed to determine if a woman’s weight had any impact on the presence of hot flashes and night sweats.
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The Aging Intellect
This is a good news bad news story. A recent study has shown that during the past 10 years there has been a significant decrease in the number of Americans aged 70 or older who become intellectually impaired.
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Cell Phones
Although cell phones have made a tremendous impact on today’s life styles, some people overdo it.
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Health Differences
Is there a widening breach between women and men? Or, are people just talking more about the differences between the sexes.
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Egg Allergy
Many people are allergic to eggs. The diagnosis can be confirmed by a blood test that shows an elevation in the body’s IgE.
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Neck and Back Pain
A recent article reported on the costs and health status among adults with neck and back problems from 1997 to 2005. The results were quite revealing.
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Dangerous Sports
I am a great sports enthusiast, but the physical dangers of various sports need to be re-evaluated. The most obvious harmful sport is boxing. Its purpose is to inflict enough physical injury to ones opponent so the opponent cannot continue to fight.
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Cough and Honey
A cough can be disturbing. To make matters worse, recent studies have shown that most over the counter cough medications for children are ineffective.
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Too Much Water
Drinking a lot of fluids is good for your health. Some people have a bottle of water constantly at their side and periodically take a swig of their precious colorless fluid. This can take place just walking down the street or attending a high-level business meeting.
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Celery
Most of us are always searching for low calorie foods that will also curb our appetite. My low calorie food suggestion for today is celery. An eight-inch stalk of celery contains six calories. Not bad.
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Facial Transplant
Years ago I was a resident in the emergency room at the Mass General when a youngster was brought in with his arm severed. Medical history was made when, for the first time, his arm was reattached.
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Weight Regain
Study after study has shown that the majority of people who lose weight subsequently regain it. It appears that it is easier to lose weight that it is to maintain the weight loss.
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Coconut Juice
Have you ever thought about drinking coconut water or juice? You don’t have to be in the tropics to drink coconut juice because many health food stores are now selling it.
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Saline Nasal Spray
Sometimes the simplest things are the best. There are hundreds of over the counter medications used to relieve nasal symptoms associated with colds and upper respiratory infections. But according to a recent study, nasal irrigation with a saline solution may provide better results than these medications.
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Exercise
Most people are aware of the health benefits of exercise. Exercise has been associated with a lower risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, and other medical illnesses.
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Atopic Disease
It is not uncommon for a child to have an allergic runny nose, eczema, and asthma. This is called an atopic disease. An infant is considered to be at a high risk of developing an atopic disease if either a sib or parent also has this condition.
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Capital Punishment
I previously discussed the difficult position physicians find themselves in regarding their roll in executions. Because some inmates have suffered while being executed, many states have instituted laws stating that a physician must be present at allexecutions.
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Wii
Wii is a newer video game that has become very popular. You can play the game standing up and moving around, thus getting more exercise than just idly sitting in front of your computer.
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Antibiotics
Because it has been recommended for such a long time, many people are confused regarding their need to take antibiotics prior to surgery or a dental procedure.
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Worrying
Are you a worrier? If so, you are not alone. People worry about many things, some important, some not.
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Sardines
I recently read an article about sardines, a fish I can’t remember ever eating. However, it is a popular fish.
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Aspirin
In order to help prevent a heart attack or stroke, millions of people are taking 81 mg. aspirin tablets. A regular adult aspirin is 325 mgs.
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Healthy Meals
A study reported in the journal of consumer research came up with an interesting finding. Various restaurants are now advertising “healthy” meals.
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Diabetes
Hundreds of thousands of people are afflicted with diabetes. Type I diabetes usually has an earlier onset and was previously called juvenile diabetes. Type 2 was once called adult onset diabetes.
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Birth Control Pills
Controversy continues over the subject of hormonal birth control pills. 82% percent of sexually active women between the ages of 15 to 44 have at one time used this method of contraception.
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CT Scans
There have been recent reports concerning computed tomography or CT scans and excessive radiation exposure.
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Sodium Intake
Major health agencies in this country are very concerned that people are eating too much sodium and salt. They believe that excessive sodium intake is an important cause of high blood pressure.
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Foramen Ovale
Many people are unaware of a patent foramen ovale that is present in the heart. As the heart develops there is a small opening going from the hearts right upper chamber to the left upper chamber. This opening becomes the foramen ovale and blood flows through it by-passing the immature lungs.
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Transient Global Amnesia
Most people are unaware of transient global amnesia. The main symptom is a striking loss of memory for recent events and an impaired ability to retain new information.
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Computer Games
During the holiday season many youngsters received computer games as gifts. These games seem to dazzle, challenge, and mesmerize the child to the extent that they may spend hours playing them.
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Acute Lower Back Pain
Acute lower back pain is not uncommon. It generally lasts for a few days or weeks and is usually due to some time of back trauma. In some cases the trauma does not have to be severe. It can be as simple as just bending over. This is not back pain due to a disc problem.
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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
It has been shown that there is an association between the carpal tunnel syndrome and excessive motion of the wrists and forearms.
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Winter Survival Tips
Here are a few of my winter survival tips...
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Santa
It’s the time for my yearly discourse concerning Santa Claus. Are we being untruthful and disingenuous with our children with the way we discuss this jolly gentleman?
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PSA Testing
A recent study showed that PSA testing for prostate cancer has increased significantly during the past nine years.
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Medical Studies
It’s not unusual to read a medical report stating that “xyz” can cause cancer. Then, a month later, you read another scientific article saying there is no association between “xyz” and cancer.
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Asthma
There has been a significant increase in the number of people who are affected with asthma. The rate is higher in the city than it is in rural areas.
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Hip Fractures
The majority of hip fractures take place in older individuals, mainly due to osteoporosis or falls.
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Hypertension
Hypertension or high blood pressure is common. Approximately 30% of people over age 20 have high blood pressure. Two-thirds of people over age 60 are affected.
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Driving
Sometimes it is difficult to determine when a person has lost the skills necessary to safely drive a car.
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General Surgeons
A recent article discussed “The impending disappearance of the general surgeon.” These are surgeons who care for patients who have surgical emergencies and who also perform general surgeries that do not require specialized training such as heart or brain surgery.
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Cough Suppressants
A cough is one of the most disturbing symptoms associated with a cold, especially in children. If a child is up all night with a cough, so are the parents.
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The Frontal Lobe
In 1848 Phinias Gage was working in Cavendish, Vermont laying down railroad tracks. He was using a 13 pound, three foot long metal bar called a tamping iron. Gunpowder was being used and a spark ignited the gunpowder causing the tamping iron to fly into the air, entering Mr. Gage’s head, going in under his left eye and exiting at the top of his skull.
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Post Partum Depression
Most people are aware of postpartum depression that affects women who have recently given birth. Symptoms usually appear during the first two weeks following delivery. Symptoms include depression, difficulty thinking properly, appears disorganized, and may even be suicidal.
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Cold Medicine
The cold season is now making its uninvited visit to many of us. That means there will be a lot of runny and stuffy noses. Although not deadly, these symptoms can certainly be annoying.
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Hair Loss
Hair loss in women takes place in over a third of all women.
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Anxiety in Children
Children who undergo various uncomfortable procedures such as a venipuncture for blood tests may become quite anxious. Prior to the procedure an ointment or salve can be applied to help relieve some of the discomfort.
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Flu Drugs
There has been a recent flurry of media attention given to two of the medications used to treat the flu or flu symptoms. The drugs are Tamiflu and Relenza.
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Pregnancy Weight Gain
What is the optimal weight gain for a woman during her pregnancy? This is an important question because today women of reproductive age are heavier now than they were in the past.
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Toys and Lead
There is a great deal of concern regarding toys made in China containing lead. This is a realistic concern.
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Crib Bumper Pads
At times is seems as if nothing is safe for children. For example, something apparently as benign as bumper pads in the babies crib are now considered to be a significant risk to infants younger than age 6 months.
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Routines
We all have certain routines in our lives. Some routines are very mundane.
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Pneumonia
Pneumonia is a common entity. The definitive diagnosis is made by x-ray examination of the chest. Once the diagnosis is made and treatment is started it is generally recommended that a follow-up x-ray be done to be certain that the pneumonia is resolving and that there are no complications.
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Migraine Headaches and Strokes
There is an association between migraine headaches and strokes. A new study provides specific information about this association.
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Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud is considered one of the most influential psychiatrists of the 20th century. His revolutionary concepts, including psychoanalysis and dream interpretation, changed the psychiatric landscape.
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Guilt
Guilt is a complex emotion. We all have experienced it, some more than others.
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Statins
Statin medications such as Lipitor and Zocor are taken by millions of Americans to lower their cholesterol levels. These medications are relatively new.
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Allergic Rhinitis
There are various reasons why people do poorly on school examinations. The most common reason is that they are ill prepared.
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Stretching
It is quite common to observe people, prior to exercising, going thru a series of stretching maneuvers. But are these stretching exercises helpful?
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Sibling Stress
Three-year-old Kathy needs to be hospitalized. This naturally becomes stressful for Mom and Dad.
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Intermittent Claudication
Intermittent claudication is a term you may not be aware of but it affects thousands of people.
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Financial Decisions
When it comes to making financial decisions, does the brain of a people in their twenties function differently than the brain of people in their 60's and 70's.
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Sports Related Emotions
Have you noticed that people are friendlier, kinder, and are even smiling? When was the last time you noticed such a phenomenon–that is, people being nice?
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Viagra
The introduction of Viagra opened the door for men to admit that they had erectile dysfunction or ED. When the door opened it is estimated that about 10 million men came walking out.
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Flying with Children
Flying with children presents numerous potential problems. One concern is keeping the child busy and happy hoping that he or she will not have a melt down, start crying, and disturb the equanimity of the other passengers.
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Chronic Disease
As a person grows older the chances of developing some type of chronic disease such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, increases significantly.
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Alzheimer Disease
I usually don’t discuss articles about research in mice but occasionally I do make exceptions. This research is about proposed treatment of Alzheimer disease.
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Drug Advertising
It’s been 10 years since the Food and Drug Administration has allowed drug companies to advertise directly to consumers.
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Pollutants
It has been estimated that each year 800,000 people die secondary to exposure to pollutants in the air.
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Back Pain
Back pain can be very painful. Arthritis is the most common cause.
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Drugstores
The old corner drug store where the pharmacist addressed you by your first name is long gone. So are the ice cream sodas that were served there.
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Shingles
Shingles or herpes zoster is a common malady that affects people of all ages but occurs more frequently in people over 60.
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Fallen Heroes
It can be devastating to young children when their role models, such as sports celebrities and hometown teams, take a tumble from the lofty pedestal they once sat?
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Transferring Care
Since resident physicians don’t work the long hours they previously did, they more frequently transfer the care of their patient’s to other doctors. A recent study was done to determine how organized this transfer process was.
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ADHD
It has been estimated that about 9% of the children in this country have ADHD or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
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Lasers
The use of lasers to remove unwanted body hair has been approved since 1996. Since then there have been many improvements in laser technology and the success rate has improved.
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Stalking
An article in the Journal of Preventative Medicine concludes that stalking is a public health and criminal justice issue.
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Physicians in Training
In a recent medical journal the issue of how physicians in training can gain experience in doing various procedures was discussed. Would you, as a patient, want to have an inexperienced physician perform his or her first spinal tap on you?
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Bottled Water
Drinking bottled water is in fashion. Some people don’t go anywhere without their precious water by their side. A commentary in the university of California Wellness Letter takes issue with the health value of bottled water.
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Sleep Deprivation and Medical Errors
During my medical training residents frequently worked every other night. On a weekend we would work two days and nights in a row. Sometimes we got sleep, other times we did not.
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End of Summer Blues
If you are feeling depressed you may have the “End of the summer blues.”
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New Treatments
With time, various forms of treatment I learned in my medical training have gone by the wayside.
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Obese Pregnancies
It has been known for some time that obese pregnant women are at a greater risk of having complications during their pregnancy, such as toxemia which is associated with high blood pressure and edema or swelling.
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Stats on Death
The latest statistics on death in the United States have recently been published.
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Internet Drugs
For a variety of reasons an increasing number of Americans are getting their medications from foreign countries via the Internet.
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Inmate Care
A recent article discussed the type of care dying prisoners receive.
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Tea
Did you ever think that drinking tea might help prevent basal cell and squamous cell cancers?
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Grandparents
There are two groups of people. Those who are grandparents, and those who are not.
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Bunk Beds
Against my better judgment we recently bought bunk beds for when our grandchildren stayed overnight. Now comes a study that shows that each year 27,500 children up to the age of nine, are treated in emergency rooms for injuries that involve bunk beds.
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Children's Hazards
Parents must always be on the alert for unsuspecting hazards that may cause physical problems to their child.
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Constipation
Constipation is not discussed in polite circles but we can talk about it medically.
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Celiac Disease
Celiac disease is a common entity. It is an autoimmune intestinal disease. The body’s immune system reacts to the protein gluten that is present in a variety of grains such as wheat, rye, and barley.
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Restless Leg Syndrome
The diagnosis of the Restless Leg syndrome is well established in adults. But are children also affected?
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