My father, who is 72, was diagnosed with CML. From what I understand, this is a blood cancer. They are telling him that he can live with this for many years with agressive treatment. He does not want to take medicine. What would happen if he does not want to take any medication at all?
CML is Chronic Myeloid Leukemia. This disease is usually different that an acute leukemia, and it is commonly very responsive to medical therapy. A few cases will progress to a more acute form of leukemia, and have to be treated with more aggressive chemotherapy. For
The Cold that Won’t Go Away
by R. Carnavale June 28th, 2012 | Common Conditions
Sometimes, when people have a cold, they just don’t get better, or their health actually worsens after 5 to 7 days. One possible cause: sinusitis. Sinuses are mucus-lined membranes surrounding air-filled spaces in the skull located behind the nasal bones, cheeks, eyes, and forehead. Healthy sinuses are germ-free, and mucus is able to drain, and air is able to circulate freely. When a person gets sinusitis, however, their sinuses become inflamed, and their sinus openings become blocked, too much mucus builds up, and germ growth flourishes.
Sinusitis comes in two flavors, chronic and acute. Here are the key symptoms of
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Sinusitis comes in two flavors, chronic and acute. Here are the key symptoms of
Hand Washing Increases Happiness
by Lori Sciame June 25th, 2012 | Prevention
You've seen it before, I'm sure. Â You're in a public restroom, maybe at a busy airport, or at an amusement park, and a person steps out of the stall and leaves without so much as looking at the sink. Â I don't know about you, but each time I see that happen, my heart sinks. Â This is because one of the simplest ways to prevent the spread of illness wasn't taken advantage of once again.
Yes, folks, simply washing your hands with soap and warm water was heralded as one of the biggest steps in preventing sickness in the field of
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Yes, folks, simply washing your hands with soap and warm water was heralded as one of the biggest steps in preventing sickness in the field of
Age and Fertility
by Dean Heller MD June 22nd, 2012 | Ask the Doctor
I am 39, and I just finished my PhD. I have spent so much time in school and on my career that I have not had time to think about having a family. At my age, what is a reasonable time frame to start having kids? I would like to have two. Should I rush it now, and just try and get pregnant immediately?
Well, that obviously depends on your personal circumstances. From a medical standpoint, it is certainly preferable that you start as soon as possible. The eggs that your ovaries have are a fixed number from birth, so
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Well, that obviously depends on your personal circumstances. From a medical standpoint, it is certainly preferable that you start as soon as possible. The eggs that your ovaries have are a fixed number from birth, so
Warts and Children
by Tom Seman MD FAAP June 21st, 2012 | Pediatrician on Call
My four year-old has warts on his fingers. First he had one; now there are three. Should I be concerned?
Warts are an infection of the skin by the wart virus also known as the Human Papilloma Virus. It occurs when the virus comes in contact with a break in the skin. This infection can occur when some of the wart infected skin gets into a break in some other skin. They are spread when some of the skin from the wart is scratched off and adjacent healthy skin is also scratched. This allows the wart virus to infect the adjacent
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Warts are an infection of the skin by the wart virus also known as the Human Papilloma Virus. It occurs when the virus comes in contact with a break in the skin. This infection can occur when some of the wart infected skin gets into a break in some other skin. They are spread when some of the skin from the wart is scratched off and adjacent healthy skin is also scratched. This allows the wart virus to infect the adjacent