Any respiratory virus has the potential to become a pandemic. We have had influenza pandemics in the past, and we are always worrying about an influenza pandemic, but this is the first pandemic since 1918. The 2018-2019 influenza season was really bad with hospitals packed to capacity, but it did not reach pandemic level proportions. … Read more
Is “manopause” real, and do the benefits of testosterone replacement outweigh the risks? Testosterone levels decrease by 1-3% per year starting at age 30 in men. When testosterone falls, men experience fatigue, loss of bone and muscle mass with an increase in fat, inflammation, joint pain, depression, irritability and loss of libido (interest in sex). … Read more
Many women (and their doctors) are afraid of hormone replacement therapy. The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study followed over 160,000 postmenopausal women taking premarin (horse estrogen) and medroxyprogesterone (synthetic progestin) for fifteen years, and this combination resulted in a slight increase in the rates of heart disease and breast cancer. Premarin alone showed a decrease … Read more
It’s allergy season again (does allergy season ever end in Hampton Roads?) If you suffer from allergies, you may be miserable with itchy watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, cough, sinus headaches, earaches, dizziness, and fatigue. You may also get frequent colds, ear infections, and sinus infections. If you have asthma, allergies can cause … Read more
I know that many people do not get an annual flu shot. Some people hate to get it because they feel sick afterwards. Others are just frustrated that even after getting a flu shot, they still get the flu. Let me share some information about the flu shot and why I get one every year … Read more
Hampton Roads, Virginia is one of the top two regions of the country for Allergic Rhinitis. Tucked between the ocean and the mountains with a temperate climate, allergens swirl through the area all year long. Many people experience a flare of their allergy symptoms during one or more seasons, but some people have symptoms year-round. … Read more
In a typical insurance-based primary care office, patients are scheduled months in advance, and there are no appointments available if you get sick or injured. When patients call for an appointment, they are told to visit an urgent care, where they often wait for hours in a waiting room filled with patients with highly infectious … Read more
This morning, my six-year-old son hopped into bed with me, and I asked him how he had slept. “Not good,” he replied, “I was trying to sleep, but my brain was like ‘Oh, I want to talk to you! Oh, I want to talk to you!’” Amused, I asked, “What did your brain want to … Read more
In honor of Valentine’s Day, let’s talk about self-love and self-care. Some feel this is an indulgent waste of time, but it’s not all spa-days and bubble baths. In reality, self-care is about taking care of yourself, investing in your physical and mental health, so that you can show up as your best self. It … Read more
