DEAR DOCTOR K: I brush and floss regularly. Do I need to use mouthwash too?
DEAR READER: Judging from the ads, you need mouthwash to prevent plaque (the yellowish film of bacteria that attaches to your teeth and leads to cavities) and gingivitis (inflammation of the gums). But mouthwash actually plays a fairly minor role in the prevention of plaque and gum disease. Brushing and flossing are much more important.
DEAR DOCTOR K: It's obvious that there are some health problems that affect only women, and others that affect only men. But for the health problems that affect both women and men, are there differences in symptoms, or in reactions to treatments?
DEAR READER: That's an interesting question. Perhaps surprisingly, the answer is yes. Heart disease is a good example.
DEAR DOCTOR K: I have unsightly varicose veins and would like to get them treated. But could that lead to venous insufficiency?
DEAR READER: To answer your question I consulted with my colleague Dr. Celeste Robb-Nicholson, editor-in-chief of the Harvard Women's Health Watch. In a nutshell, varicose veins are both a cause and a result of venous insufficiency, and treating them can improve venous insufficiency.
DEAR DOCTOR K: I've been diagnosed with a peptic ulcer. What does that mean? And what's the treatment?
DEAR READER: A peptic ulcer is a sore or hole that forms in the lining of the stomach or upper part of the small intestine (called the duodenum). If your ulcer is small, you may have few symptoms. But if the ulcer is deep, it can cause bleeding or serious pain.
DEAR DOCTOR K: I suffer from chronic tension headaches. Do you think acupuncture might help?
DEAR READER: Acupuncture has long been used to treat headaches. But until recently, there hadn't been strong evidence to support its use for headache pain. Two large scientific reviews have changed that. One review found that acupuncture may help people with episodic or chronic tension headaches. The other review found that acupuncture may prevent migraine headaches as well as or better than medications.
DEAR DOCTOR K: I've been diagnosed with essential tremor. Can this condition improve, or will it only get worse from here?
DEAR READER: This condition definitely can improve with treatment. If you've been diagnosed with this disorder, I assume you have shaking movements of your hands, limbs, head or voice that you can't control. If you're like most people with this condition, it may come and go for reasons of its own. Essential tremor is a permanent condition. Without treatment, the degree of tremor typically worsens with age. It also can expand from one part of the body to other parts over time.
DEAR DOCTOR K: I was pretty sick recently, and my doctor said I had gastroenteritis. I've never had it before. How did I get it? And what can I do about it?
DEAR READER: I'll bet you've had gastroenteritis before, but your doctor didn't use that term. Nearly everyone gets gastroenteritis at some time in their lives, often more than once. Gastroenteritis is an inflammation of the intestines. It causes diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, loss of appetite and vomiting.
DEAR DOCTOR K: I tore my ACL. Is surgery inevitable?
DEAR READER: The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a band of tissue that runs through the middle of the knee joint and keeps the shinbone from sliding forward past the thighbone. The ACL can tear during a sudden or awkward twist, turn or stop. More often than not, it's these non-contact injuries that injure an ACL. Between 100,000 and 200,000 ACL injuries occur each year in the United States.
DEAR DOCTOR K: My doctor suspects I have heart disease and wants me to have an angiogram. What will happen during this procedure?
DEAR READER: Coronary angiography is the gold standard for diagnosing coronary artery disease, a narrowing of the coronary arteries that reduces blood flow to the heart.
A groundbreaking book by Harvard researchers has identified ways that diet can affect fertility. Their book, The Fertility Diet, includes several recipes designed to follow the principles outlined in the book, including recipes for Creamy Parsnip-Carrot Soup and Fresh Corn and Cheddar Souffle.
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Dr. Anthony Komaroff is a practicing physician, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and Editor in Chief of Harvard Health Publications. Learn more »
Harvard Health Publications is the publishing division of Harvard Medical School, providing the general public with authoritative, trustworthy, and accessible health information. Learn more »
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