The Mechanics of a Hiccup We don’t all agree yet on why we hiccup, but there are two good answers to this question: the simple mechanical one, and the complex theoretical one. A hiccup occurs when we have a spasm of the diaphragm, the sheet of muscle below the lungs that partially controls breathing. When…
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Heat or Cold? Although both are good self-care options that can help you deal with pain without having to go to the doctor, or as part of home care after seeing the doctor, heat is better for muscle pain. Cold also has its role to play in home care. In many cases, this is a…
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What Is Tennis Elbow? Tennis elbow is a painful but often manageable, condition. Working with your primary care physician, it’s often possible to relieve the pain of tennis elbow and prevent future recurrence without surgery. Tennis elbow is a condition caused by overworking of certain muscles in the arm. The affected muscles are the extensor muscles,…
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Prostate-Specific Antigen Screening PSA screening utility continues to be controversial. The latest guidelines from the US preventive services task force, a nonbiased body with no interest in testing or not testing, recommends against routine PSA testing for prostate cancer. This is because of the risks of overtreating with chemo, radiation, and surgery out-weigh the benefits…
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