Tag Archives: Family Doctor

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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. . . 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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Take care of your pearly whites

. . . I  know I’m not a dentist, but I do care for kids (and parents) who need dental advice.  Those pearly whites need some care to stay healthy. . . At physician visits, dental screening should start at … 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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Stop your kid from starting smoking

90% of tobacco users start before age 18 (read this: while they still live in your home).  I am a mother of three who feels passionately about my children not using any form of tobacco. As a physician I have … 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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Mammograms. No big deal. Just get one.

There is no controversy that women aged 50 to 69 need screening mammography.  The question is whether women older and younger benefit. Studies have estimated that mammography detects about 75% of breast cancers in women in their 40s, compared to … Continue reading

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