I have wanted to work in medicine ever since my eleven-year-old cousin passed out during my uncle’s birthday party. He suddenly fainted when we were supposed to cut the cake. We rushed to the emergency room. Doctors diagnosed him with blood cance…
Category: Conditions
The Spandex dilemma: Does size still matter?
In today’s fashion landscape, one may wonder if size truly matters anymore. With the prevalence of spandex in clothing, determining one’s actual size has become a challenging feat. The question arises: what role does spandex play in the ong…
When a breast lump is as scary as Halloween
October is an important month for many, but I’m not actually talking about Halloween. However, for many, it can be a reminder of something very scary that happened in their lifetime. For me, it isn’t October, a month dedicated to breast can…
When mandates fail to protect, science can help
On October 28, 1918, a San Francisco horseshoer named James Wisser urged a street corner crowd to throw away their masks in defiance of a local mask mandate issued a few days before. He was shot twice after resisting a local health inspector’s at…
The lifesaving power of CPR: a 30-year journey
A woman who asked us to call her Strawberry taught me cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for the first time, more than thirty years ago. I was getting my Girl Scout badge in babysitting, and it was a requirement. The class involved an overview of the …
Alcohol’s impact: hangovers and health risks
In July, we all got at least one day off to celebrate a very American holiday, Independence Day. If I were a betting man, I would say that many, if not most of you, participated in at least one of those grand old American pastimes: eating hotdogs or ap…
Why health care professionals must back full care continuum for autism and intellectual disabilities
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that health care entities provide full and equal access for people with disabilities. Physicians must diagnose and treat such individuals, even though they receive little or no training in medical scho…
A breakthrough in chronic pain detection?
Recently, a group of researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, reported that they may have found the holy grail of pain management. They accomplished this by performing “the first-in-human, long-term direct brain measurement of …
Challenges faced by patients with mast cell disorders
As an allergist/immunologist, the spectrum of mast cell disorders, including mastocytosis, idiopathic anaphylaxis, chronic hives, and angioedema, is not a new concept. That said, in recent years, we have seen an uptick in patients presenting with a spe…
Dealing with medical abandonment, neglect, and errors
How should a patient deal with medical patient abandonment? A Japanese saying is, “It is better to fix the problem than to blame.” This invites a learning and growth opportunity for those with less knowledge and experience. Based on this, l…
