Medical Minute | Sandra Rose | Page 4

Friday, June 19, 2015

Dylann Roof

With the Charleston Church Shooting dominating headlines, many in the news media are tossing around the words 'sociopath' and 'psychopath' as if they are interchangeable. But there are distinct differences between the two personalities that sets them apart from each other.

To make it simple, a sociopath is someone with a personality disorder (like narcissism) who is less likely to kill you. A psychopath is an individual with a serious mental defect who is more likely to kill you and everyone in your family.

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Wanda Smith

Longtime V-103 Morning Show co-host Wanda Smith was recently hospitalized with diverticulitis, a painful inflammatory infection of the intestines.

If you are an Atlanta resident who listens to V-103 you may recall the days when Wanda and Frank Ski promoted colonic cleansing. This is when the colon is flushed with gallons of water to supposedly flush out the bad toxins.

Friday, March 13, 2015

Esophageal Cancer

This is an updated post of an earlier version that was originally posted in May 1, 2012.

Have you ever attempted to swallow food and it feels like it's stuck in your throat (or somewhere in your upper chest)? Panic slowly begins to rise as it seems like your throat is starting to close and you feel like you can't breathe. You feel like you're choking until you drink something to get the food moving again.

If you've ever had that choking experience with food -- and it occurs quite often -- you may have cancer of the esophagus.

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Chris Bosh and son

Miami Heat center Chris Bosh will miss the rest of the NBA season after he was diagnosed with Pulmonary Embolism (blood clots in his lungs). The 30-year-old Dallas native was diagnosed with the potentially fatal blood disorder last week after complaining of chest discomfort while vacationing in Haiti with his wife, Adrienne Bosh, and Heat teammate Dwyane Wade.

Someone uploaded this photo of Bosh and his son, Jackson on Bosh's Instagram page on Saturday. The caption reads: "Thank you for all the messages, love, and support. It has truly lifted my spirits through this tough process."

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Podiatrists have issued warnings about women wearing high heeled shoes for decades. The high fashion footwear are available in a variety of styles including stilleto's (or spikes), pumps and wedges. Originally designed to keep a horseback rider's feet from slipping out of the stirrups, high-heeled shoes have evolved into medieval torture devices.

Doctors say pointy pumps (such as those pictured above on a local celebrity) are the worst culprits. The pointy toes squeeze the entire front of your foot together, causing nerve pain, bunions, blisters, and hammertoes.

Sunday, January 4, 2015

Stuart Scott

Former ESPN Anchor Stuart Scott died Sunday morning following a long battle with cancer. He was 49.

Scott was diagnosed with appendiceal cancer (cancer of the appendix) after he underwent an emergency appendectomy in 2007. An appendectomy is a surgical procedure to remove an inflamed and painful appendix. This condition is called appendicitis.

Thursday, December 11, 2014

mom eats toilet paper

25-year-old Jade Sylvester, of England, has unusual eating habits. In addition to eating 3 square meals a day, Sylvester also consumes one roll of toilet paper per day.

“I started craving toilet roll. I still don’t know why,” Sylvester told UK's Liconshire Echo.

“I like the dryness. My family tell me it isn’t very good for me — but I can’t help it,” Sylvester said.

Saturday, December 6, 2014

Barack Obama

According to published reports, President Barack Obama was rushed to a military hospital near Washington D.C. on Saturday after complaining of a sore throat. Doctors there diagnosed Obama with GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) caused by acid reflux.

Comedian Joan Rivers also suffered from acid reflux (GERD). She was undergoing an endoscopy (a test to diagnose GERD acid reflux) when she died tragically in a Manhattan clinic on Sept. 4 at age 81.

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Todd Tucker mother passes away

Yesterday it was reported that reality TV producer Todd Tucker's mother, Miss Sharon, died from complications related to a stroke. Miss Sharon collapsed on Monday afternoon in Mew York City. She was rushed to a hospital where she died on Tuesday, Dec. 2. Tucker is married to former Xscape singer and reality TV star/entrepreneur Kandi Burruss. Miss Sharon appeared in episodes of Real Housewives of Atlanta.

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Chaga blood-sucking bug

A deadly blood-sucking parasite, introduced into America by Mexicans crossing the porous southern border, has infected up to 300,000 Americans -- and 300,000 more Americans are expected to be infected by year's end according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Doctors at the CDC compare the deadly "kissing bug" disease to the virus that causes HIV/AIDS.

Chaga blood-sucking bug

Monday, October 27, 2014

Tameka Harris

Last week, rumors spread wildly that former Xscape singer and reality TV star Tameka "Tiny" Harris flew to Tunisia to undergo a controversial cosmetic procedure to permanently change her eye color.

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

intimacy

For centuries, women have fretted about their inability to achieve internal orgasms through sexual penetration. Millions of women sought treatment under the mistaken assumption that their inability to climax internally was mental or physical. Now new research suggests the vaginal orgasm does not exist.

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

PCOS means Polycystic Ovary Syndrome or many ovarian cysts. PCOS can cause health problems such as Type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity and high cholesterol levels. The cause is unknown and the condition is thought to be genetic (runs in the family).

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

We've all seen the TV commercials for male and female incontinence. Incontinence can be an embarrassing and humiliating experience, as evidenced by rapper Slim Thug who wet himself while rushing to the restroom.

Urinary urgency is the urgent need to empty the bladder immediately. Wetting yourself before you can make it to the restroom is called incontinence.

Monday, June 23, 2014

Medical Minute: Marfan Syndrome

Baylor men's basketball standout Isaiah Austin will not realize his dream of playing for the NBA.

Austin has been diagnosed with Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder that causes connective tissue problems due to fibrin weakness. People with Marfan's tend to be tall, with lanky arms and legs. They may also suffer heart defects and serious problems with their lungs and eyes.

Friday, June 13, 2014

Breast cancer

Chances are 1 in 5 of you has cancer, will have cancer, or knows someone who has cancer. According to the American Cancer Society: there will be an estimated 1,665,540 new cancer cases diagnosed and 585,720 cancer deaths in the US in 2014. I personally know 3 young people under the age of 35 who have been diagnosed with cancer in the past year alone.

Thursday, April 10, 2014

A medical expert is cautioning social media users about the potential mental health risks associated with having an addiction to taking Selfies.

The Guardian Liberty Voice reports that Danny Bowman was diagnosed with body dysmorphic disorder after he became suicidal due to his addiction taking hundreds of selfies a day.

Monday, March 31, 2014

Ebola outbreak in Guinea

The deadly Ebola virus outbreak has spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone from neighboring Guinea, health officials say.

The Ebola outbreak has killed 78 victims so far and the death toll is growing daily. So far four deaths in Liberia and Sierra Leone have been attributed to the deadly Ebola hemorrhagic fever. 2 health care workers are among the 118 new cases of Ebola, ABC News reports. The Ebola outbreak in Guinea is making headlines all over the world, primarily because there is no known cure or treatment for Ebola.

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Medical Minute: Anorexia Nervosa

New photos posted on social media by Whitney Houston's daughter, Bobbi Kristina, suggests she may be suffering from Anorexia Nervosa, an eating disorder characterized by a starvation diet and low self-esteem.

Bobbi Kristina's attention-seeking behavior is indicative of youngsters who didn't develop strong bonds with their parents or primary caregivers. Bobbi's mom, Whitney, and her dad, singer Bobby Brown, had busy careers that kept them on the road for long periods of time.

People who suffer from Anorexia have an irrational fear that they are gaining too much weight. They obsess about staying thin due to an altered body image disturbance or the perception that they are too fat.

Anorexia Nervosa usually begins in adolescence and affects more girls than boys.

Monday, February 17, 2014

7 Heart Attack Warning Signs Women Shouldn't Ignore

According to a report on Foxnews.com, an estimated 38,000 women under age 50 suffer heart attacks each year in the United States.

Studies show that most women can't differentiate between a heart attack and indigestion.

Most women who are having a heart attack put off going to the emergency room because the symptoms are so vague. Knowing the warning signs of a heart attack can mean the difference between life and death.

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Tongues were wagging when rapper Lil' Kim showed up at a NY Fashion Week event on Wednesday night with a distended abdomen. Kim's appearance sparked rumors that she was pregnant. The 39-year-old rapper's abdomen was so distended she had difficulty walking and had to be carried by a member of her entourage.

Abdominal distention means swelling or bloating of the abdominal cavity but not of the stomach itself. The swelling can be caused by overeating or swallowing large amounts of air, such as when chewing gum.

Abdominal distention in a female is often mistaken for pregnancy.

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Nasal boils

Rapper T.I.'s niece, Kamaya Harris, posted the following photos on her Instagram page today. In the caption she wrote:

I wasn't going to post this but I wanted to share my flow for the past 3 days... They have been very miserable, very sleepless, & very painful but thru it all God is good almost over & I'll be back to myself soon

The "boil" is real

Based on the information in her caption, I'm guessing she is suffering from a painful boil (Furunculosis, Folliculitis) inside her nose that can be caused by Streptococcus pyogenes or Staphylococcus aureus bacteria.

You may recall my discussion on Staphylococcus Aureus in my Medical Minute post on MRSA. I told you that Staph lives on our skin and inside our noses. When the bacteria colonizes our noses it becomes necessary to decolonize the nose with antibiotics to prevent recurrent infections.

Monday, November 18, 2013

Last night a friend sent this photo of blogger Necole Bitchie with the caption "She is getting bleach happy."

Because the friend didn't identify the females in the photo, I had no idea the female on the left was Necole.

The last time we explored the issue of Necole's low self-esteem was in this post dated January 2009. As you can see, Necole's bleaching has gotten progressively worse. She is lighter than the LSLH chick pictured on the right.

How sad it must be to feel like a stranger in your own skin?

Friday, November 15, 2013

Drilling for dollars

Inside Edition recently aired an investigative report on pediatric dentists who perform unnecessary, excessive, and expensive dental procedures on small children.

Alicea White took her four-year-old daughter, Savannah, to Happy Valley Pediatric Dentistry in Phoenix, AZ, for a routine dental appointment. The dentist, Dr. Karan Nett, diagnosed the girl with tooth decay (probably due to bottle rot) and four cavities.

But Alicea says instead of just filling the four cavities on Savannah, Dr. Nett filled the girl's mouth with expensive silver caps.

“I was completely shocked,” said Alicea. “All that silver in her mouth. I was like, ‘Oh my God, what happened?’”

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Nicole Murphy mercury poisoning

Eddie Murphy's ex-wife Nicole Murphy posted the above photo to her Instagram page, along with a message to raise awareness of mercury poisoning.

Nicole Murphy mercury poisoning

Mercury can be found in many common household items including glass thermometers, batteries, fluorescent lightbulbs, etc.

Causes

The main cause of mercury Poisoning is consuming a diet of fish or foods that contains high levels of selenium and mercury. Exposure to mercury can also come from breathing contaminated air (fumes from burning charcoal) or from direct exposure to mercury when working in laboratories, dentist's offices, clinics, hospitals, etc.

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Poop pills cure serious gut infections

Patients diagnosed with serious intestinal infections now have a new weapon to combat the bacteria: pills filled with poop.

Canadian researchers tested the new pills on 27 patients and cured them of their intestinal infections after powerful antibiotics failed.

Recent studies have shown that feces transplants -- giving patients good bacteria from the feces of healthy people -- can restore the proper balance of good bacteria in their intestines.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Kat Stacks and son

Former video vixen and book author Kat Stacks posted an Instagram video of her adorable son drinking milk from a bottle (watch the video after the break). The first question that springs to mind is, how old is her son? The second question is, how old is too old to be drinking milk from a bottle?

According to WebMD, allowing older children to drink from a bottle can lead to Baby Bottle Tooth Decay.

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

George Bush clogged arteries

Former President George Bush underwent a procedure earlier today to place a coronary stent in a blocked coronary artery in his heart. The coronary stent will keep the artery open to allow adequate blood flow in his heart.

The blockage was discovered during Bush's annual physical exam at the Cooper Clinic in Texas, reports Fox News. The procedure was performed at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital," according to a statement.

Patients who undergo stent placements must take oral anticoagulants (blood thinners) for life to keep blood clots from forming around the stents. Patients are at risk of stroke from blood clots and a buildup of white blood cells around the stent. Coronary stents are typically used to prevent heart attacks in people who are diagnosed with Coronary Artery Disease caused by Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries or clogged arteries).

Friday, May 31, 2013

According to Page Six, pop superstar Janet Jackson, 47, was observed obsessively wiping down her first class seat, window, tray and walls on a recent flight.

Witnesses say Janet was being more than just a clean freak. “This wasn’t a normal rubdown; this was 40 minutes of meticulously wiping everything," a witness told Page Six.

“Janet had anti-bacterial spray, and was pulling one tissue out of a bag after another,” said the spy. Janet obsessively wiped down everything, including the phone, the TV monitor and her chair.

Janet's obsessive-compulsive behavior shocked onlookers, including Victoria Beckham, who was seated near her in the first class section of a British Airways flight from London to LA on Friday.

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Medical Minute: Bipolar Disorder

Actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, 43, returned home to her New York City apartment today after dropping her daughter off at school this morning. This is the first photo of Zeta-Jones since her much-publicized admission to a facility for treatment of bipolar disorder.

Her husband, Michael Douglas, described Zeta-Jones's admission to the facility as "a 10,000 mile check-up."

Zeta-Jones revealed her diagnosis exclusively to People magazine in July 2011. "This is a disorder that affects millions of people and I am one of them," she told the magazine.

So what is bipolar disorder, you ask?