John Roberts
Dr. Roberts Offers an Explanation of Colorectal Cancer Screening
This week I want to talk about screening for colorectal cancer (CRC). Fortunately, screening for this type of cancer has become more common due to increased public awareness aided by campaigns such as CDC’s Screen for Life Action Campaign cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/sfl/. There were approximately 148,000 cases of CRC in 2020 and 53,000 deaths, making it the…
Read MoreWhat is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? Dr. Roberts Explains How It Works and Treatment Options
I have seen many people who suffered from carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel is very common, often a result of repetitive injury at home or in the workplace. It is one of a number of repetitive strain injuries or “RSIs.” Carpal tunnel symptoms usually include numbness and/or pain in the hand and wrist that may…
Read MoreAnswering Questions About Ovarian Cancer
I’ve had some questions recently about cancer of the ovaries so I’ll try and tackle this complex subject. Ovarian cancer is frightening because it is often very advanced before a woman receives a diagnosis. Most women present with stage III disease meaning the cancer has spread outside the ovary into the abdominal cavity and/or lymph…
Read MoreLupus: What It Is and How to Manage It
Thanks to Jill who asked me to write about lupus. Lupus is the common name for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. It is an autoimmune disease first described by the physician Rogerius in the 12th Century. The origin of the name is uncertain, but one of the most popular is that many lupus sufferers have a rash…
Read MoreImproving Neuropathic Pain
I received a request from a reader to address sciatica. She has been suffering severe chronic pain from this condition. Rather than address just sciatica, I thought I would address the broader topic of neuropathic pain or “neuralgia.” Neuropathic pain is just that – pain that originates from the nerves themselves. This pain is usually…
Read MoreRestless Leg Syndrome
Someone told me the other day that they thought “restless leg syndrome” (RLS) was a condition cooked up by pharmaceutical companies to sell medications. You may have seen commercials for Requip and Mirapex, both drugs used to treat this condition. People have described symptoms suggestive of restless legs since the 17th Century. The Swedish neurologist…
Read MoreExercise is Not Just for the Young
“All parts of the body if used in moderation and exercised in labors to which each is accustomed, become thereby healthy and well developed, and age slowly; but if unused and left idle, they become liable to disease, defective in growth, and age quickly.” Hippocrates Few things benefit the body more than maintaining physical fitness…
Read MoreMy Finger is Stuck Again: Health Tips for Fingers from Dr. Roberts
I have often seen patients who presented with problems getting their fingers to move. They all described pain with “catching” or “popping” when trying to flex or extend a finger. They were suffering from trigger finger, a condition also known as trigger digit, or by the medical term stenosing tenovaginitis. The condition is very common.…
Read MoreWhat You Need to Know About Norovirus
Stomach flu has been making the rounds lately. I have to start by dispelling a common misconception people have that all types of “flu” are the same. “Stomach flu” is not caused by the same viruses that cause respiratory illnesses. Flu shots, given this time of year to help prevent respiratory influenza, will not protect…
Read MoreRoberts Asks: Antibiotics Are Good – Right?
There is no doubt that antibiotics have saved millions of lives. But, is it all good news? I suspect you have been noting the increasing number of news stories related to problems with overprescribing antibiotics that can result in antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Alexander Fleming, who discovered penicillin, warned of this inevitability in his Nobel Prize speech…
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