Articles filed under Komaroff, Anthony

• All of us yawn, and no one knows why May 13, 2013 12:00 AM
  Most of us yawn more often in the early morning and late evening. Does it mean you're tired? Bored? Not getting enough oxygen? It turns out that we actually know very little about why we yawn.
  

   

• Low back pain can have many causes, treatments May 6, 2013 12:00 AM
  There are many different causes of low back pain, and therefore many different treatments. So the first step is to diagnose the cause. A primary care doctor probably will be able to do that, just based on symptoms and the physical examination.
  

   

• Eliminate excess fluids to bring incontinenece under control Apr 29, 2013 12:00 AM
  I have mild urinary incontinence. I've heard that something called "fluid management" can help.
  

   

• Effective weight-loss program combines exercise and diet Apr 22, 2013 12:00 AM
  Please settle a long-running argument between me and my sister. What's more effective for weight loss, diet or exercise?
  

   

• Stress management, night guard help relieve bruxism Apr 15, 2013 12:00 AM
  My wife tells me I grind my teeth at night. Could this explain why I often wake up with a headache?
  

   

• Adults with ADHD need structure and accountability Apr 8, 2013 12:00 AM
  I am a man in my 20s and was just diagnosed with ADHD. Is it possible to be successful with this condition?
  

   

• Product claims of boosting immunity are marketing ploys Apr 1, 2013 12:00 AM
  Even if it were a good thing, attempting to boost the immune system is especially complicated. That's because the immune system is precisely that — a system, not a single entity.
  

   

• Chronic fatigue is often a sign of depression Mar 25, 2013 12:00 AM
  Everybody experiences fatigue now and then. Yet some people suffer from constant fatigue. There are literally hundreds of different diseases that cause a chronic state of fatigue. According to published studies, as many as 20 percent to 40 percent of people who seek a doctor's help for fatigue are suffering from depression. Unfortunately, there is also a lot of evidence that doctors don't always recognize depression — particularly when a patient does not express sadness, just fatigue.
  

   

• Painful urination can have multiple causes Mar 18, 2013 12:00 AM
  I'm a 45-year-old woman. Now and then, I suddenly feel pain every time I urinate. It lasts for a week or so and then goes away. My doctor said I don't have a urinary infection and didn't prescribe any treatment. What else might be causing my symptoms?
  

   

• PET scans allow doctors clearer view of body organs Mar 11, 2013 12:00 AM
  I'm in treatment for colorectal cancer. My doctor has scheduled a PET scan to see how well my treatment is working. What will happen during this test?
  

   

• Medications offer multiple ways to treat asthma Mar 4, 2013 12:00 AM
  Some people with asthma have only occasional, mild symptoms. Others have nearly constant symptoms with severe, life-threatening flare-ups. Asthma medicines fall into two general categories: controllers and relievers. Controllers are medicines taken regularly (usually every day) to reduce the likelihood of asthma attacks.
  

   

• Exercise, stretching prevent recurrence of low back pain Feb 25, 2013 12:00 AM
  Until about a century ago, most human beings were physically active most of the day. Our muscles were built to support a life of frequent physical activity, but that's a life few of us have today, so our muscles tend to get weak and stiff. Weak muscles cause or worsen many cases of low back pain. Stretching and strengthening both your back and abdominal muscles can help prevent a recurrence of the problem.
  

   

• Undescended testicle usually drops on its own Feb 18, 2013 12:00 AM
  In about one-third of premature and approximately 3 percent of full-term male infants, one or both of the testicles have not completely descended into the scrotum by the time the child is born. The scrotum appears visibly underdeveloped or smaller on the affected side. This is known as an undescended testicle.
  

   

• Establish safety rules for child home alone Feb 11, 2013 12:00 AM
  By the age of 11, some children can stay home alone safely for up to a few hours. Every child matures at a different rate, so it's not just age that matters in making your decision. To stay alone safely at home, your child must be mature enough to handle any potential emergency or stressful situation that may arise.
  

   

• Rely on your body’s natural detox system over a fad diet Feb 4, 2013 12:00 AM
  The word "detoxification" describes any type of therapy that removes potentially damaging toxins from the body. Pesticides are an example. The idea behind detox diets is that the buildup of toxins in our bodies decreases immunity, leads to chronic disease, decreases energy and slows metabolism. Detox diets claim to cleanse the body of this toxic waste. As toxins are flushed out, so the theory goes, the body functions better and metabolism returns to normal.
  

   

• What to do when your boss is the bully Jan 28, 2013 12:00 AM
  A reader asks what to do about a boss who is constantly leveling insults at work. Dr. Anthony Komaroff says when the insulting happens occasionally, it's easy to dismiss him or her as obnoxious, brush off the incident and move on. But when this kind of treatment is ongoing, moving on isn't as easy. Stopping these insults may not be within your power, especially when the perpetrator is your boss. But you can control how you react.
  

   

• Sorting through the options for glasses Jan 21, 2013 12:00 AM
  It’s finally happened — I need reading glasses! Can you help me sort through the different types of corrective lenses?
  

   

• Picky young eaters can grow up to like variety Jan 14, 2013 12:00 AM
  When I trained in pediatrics in medical school, I was amazed by how many parents brought their kids to the doctor because the kids were picky eaters. The good news? By the time most children reach the age of 10, they’re digging into a wide spectrum of foods.
  

   

• Annoying tics may be controlled with behavior training Jan 7, 2013 12:00 AM
  Tics are upsetting — both to the person who has them and to the people who see them. We like to feel in control of our world. A sudden, uncontrollable, rapid repetitive movement (called a motor tic) says we're not in control. Since your neck moves only when you want it to, it's disturbing to see your son doing something you know you could control. You can, but he can't.
  

   

• Glasses can correct blurred vision caused by astigmatism Dec 31, 2012 12:00 AM
  Astigmatism means that the cornea of the eye has an irregular shape. The cornea is the clear covering over the lens and the iris. The cornea is normally round, but in people with astigmatism, it may be an oval. As a result, light scatters as it passes through the cornea; the light rays do not focus on a single point on the retina. The result of uncorrected astigmatism is blurred vision.