John Roberts
Montgomery Medicine No. 788
Colorectal Cancer Screening Screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) has become increasingly common thanks to growing public awareness and campaigns like the CDC’s Screen for Life Action Campaign. Each year, over 150,000 new cases of CRC are diagnosed, and about 53,000 people die from the disease. This makes CRC the third deadliest cancer in men, after…
Read MoreMontgomery Medicine No. 787
Ovarian Cancer Ovarian cancer is a particularly concerning illness because it is often diagnosed at an advanced stage, making it more difficult to treat effectively. By the time most women are diagnosed, the cancer has already spread beyond the ovaries into the abdominal cavity or nearby lymph nodes, which is considered stage 3. This delay…
Read MoreExercise Is Not Just For The Young
By: John Roberts “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…
Read MoreMy Finger Is Stuck!
By: John Roberts I have seen many patients over the years 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 suffered from trigger finger, a condition also known as trigger digit, or by the medical term stenosing tenovaginitis.…
Read MoreRestless Leg Syndrome
By: John Roberts 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.…
Read MoreNorovirus; Gut-Wrenching Details
By: John Roberts 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,…
Read MoreEverything You Need To Know About Head Lice
By: John Roberts I’ve heard about a few cases of head lice now that kids are back in school and the weather is cooling down. Head lice are white, and about the size of a sesame seed. They are known as obligate ectoparasites. Obligate means they require a placental mammal like a human host to…
Read MoreAntibiotics Are Good – Right?
By: John Roberts There is no doubt that antibiotics have saved millions of lives, but is it all good news? I suspect you have been seeing more 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 acceptance…
Read MoreWhat Causes Shingles And What To Do About It
By: John Roberts I’ve had a number of requests to re-run my column on shingles. This may be due to the successful marketing campaign for Shingrix® vaccine, developed to reduce the incidence of this often painful malady. The ads are quite accurate and compelling. Shingles is a condition caused by the Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV). The…
Read MoreLet’s Try And Get Some Sleep, A Deeper Look Into Insomnia
By: John Roberts This week I want to focus on basic prevention and treatments for insomnia. If the cause of insomnia is not readily identifiable it’s helpful to keep a sleep diary for 2-4 weeks to share with your doctor. It should include sleep and wake times, naps, and actual time spent sleeping. You can…
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