Category Archives: General Medicine- Adults

Treatment of herpes isn’t quite like a walk on the beach

How can I treat herpes? (And. . .will effective therapy have me skipping down the beach with a companion like the TV ads show?) Treatment is antiviral medications taken orally. There are three on the market. Acyclovir (Zovirax®)–the oldest and least … Continue reading

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Are those lesions down there. . . herpes? Gulp!

I saw a patient this week.  Bright, engaging, and single. . . . she admits how dirty she feels since genital herpes was diagnosed.  “Good people get this!”  I tell her.  And, indeed it is true.  In a population-based cross-sectional … Continue reading

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Hooked on hookah?

Here in Wichita hookah bars are popping up (seemingly) everywhere!  Waterpipe tobacco or “hookahs” are becoming a popular way to smoke.  Studies have shown nearly 20% of college students have smoked hookah in the past 30 days. My little foray … Continue reading

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Did you just smoke your last cigarette?

Frequently my smoking patients ask “HOW can I stop?” My goal is to “stack the deck” so that you are more successful.  Surveys show 70 percent of smokers want to quit.  Over 40 percent have tried to quit in the past year … Continue reading

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. . . still counting sheep?

Insomnia or sleep disorders can affect every facet of your life.  Patients with insomnia have impaired daytime function due to many forms of insomnia: difficulty initiating sleep/ maintaining sleep, or poor quality sleep. By definition, insomnia occurs despite having adequate time and … Continue reading

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The low down on food poisoning

I have seen a “rash” of food poisoning patients this week in Wichita.  It’s time for some food safety education.  First off, the CDC defines a foodborne disease outbreak as any cluster of two or more people who develop similar … Continue reading

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How much is a spoonful of sugar?

The National Safety Council’s data shows that non-narcotic and non-hallucinogenic drugs killed over 9,000 Americans in 2003 (most recent data). The importance of the DOSE and the FREQUENCY of medication cannot be understated. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, research … Continue reading

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Good Riddance Day! Emotional baggage be gone!

Today NYC’s Times Square today hosts its fourth annual Good Riddance Day. This event allows individuals to bring paper (bills, love letters, photos, divorce decrees, notes of a least favorite memory) to ceremoniously shred. It is concrete, definitive and visual– … Continue reading

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Is the shingles vaccine right for me?

Do you want to avoid a painful rash and long-term nerve pain?  Are you older than 60? The Zostavax vaccine, which decreases the chance of shingles, has been in short supply (and is expected to be through 2011).  Our office … Continue reading

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Do you wheeze?

Do you cough without a cold?  Do you get winded easily?  Hmmm. . . asthma comes to mind. Frequently asthmatics are not adequately controlled.  Symptoms are frequently a wheeze, cough or feeling “tight.”  Some have a cough that they just … Continue reading

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