John Roberts

Now that schools are back in session, the incidence of “pink eye” will likely start to pick up. This is a very common condition that accounts for over 30 percent of patient visits for eye problems. Conjunctivitis is the medical term for “pink eye.” The conjunctiva is the continuous connective tissue membrane that covers the…

The comedian W.C. Fields once said, “I never drink water; that is the stuff that rusts pipes.” This referred to his penchant for drinking alcohol. So what do alcohol and W.C. Fields have to do with this week’s topic of rosacea? Read on. Rosacea is a common skin condition usually found on the face, which…

I see a number of patients each year who have suffered a concussion. Usually this is an athletic injury, but it is commonly seen in others as well. Concussions have always been a part of sports, particularly those involving high-energy impacts including football, wrestling, soccer, lacrosse, and basketball. Intensive research, along with lawsuits including the…

I ran into a college athlete recently who complained of shin pain. He had been upping his running mileage in preparation for the cross country season. His pain was due to a stress fracture. It is estimated that between 5 and 30 percent of athletes develop a stress fracture each year. Briefhaupt first described the…

I saw a patient with a rather large “cold sore” on his upper lip just before I retired and he asked me to write a column on this unsightly condition. People use the term “cold sore” to describe different types of lesions that occur on the lips or inside the mouth. I’m not sure of…

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) account for about eight million doctor visits each year in the United States. These infections are much more common in adults, particularly in women. Children account for one to two percent of all UTIs, but their infections are often more serious. About 40 percent of women and 12 percent of men…

We’re in the middle of swim season and I’ve been seeing patients complaining of “swimmer’s ear.” Doctors tend to see more of this malady in hot, humid weather, but it can also be the result of other conditions as well. The medical term for swimmer’s ear is otitis externa, indicating inflammation of the ear canal…

Since our temperatures are predicted to be near 100 early this week, it’s time to start thinking about the dog days of summer. Although I don’t see a significant number of heat-related emergencies in my office, many patients suffering from heat illness will start filling the beds in emergency departments. Heat illness accounts for tens…

Warmer weather means we have to start thinking about ticks and Lyme Disease. Most people are aware of the association between tick bites and Lyme disease, but few know exactly what Lyme disease is or what causes it. The number of cases in Indiana has varied over the years, but generally has increased since around…

Barbecue season is in full swing and it’s a good time to review food safety. Foodborne illness, commonly referred to as “food poisoning,” is something that almost all of us have experienced at some point in our lives. Foodborne illness is defined as more than two people having a similar illness with evidence of food…