Category: Conditions

Let’s address the needs of millions of students with sensory processing disorders

As public and private schools around the country gear up for opening their doors to in-person learning later this month, it is important to acknowledge and accommodate the millions of children who deal with sensory processing disorders. An estimated 5 …

Not a cheater? Let’s count the ways.

Sexual infidelity is the headline grabber when most people think about betrayals in love relationships. But, everyday breaches of trust slide under the radar and can erode even the strongest of relationships. A small lie about a purchase, a slight exag…

Computers and your hands: Dispelling common myths

Have you heard that computer use causes carpal tunnel syndrome? In fact, there is a near-universal belief that technology gadgets can cause all sorts of hand problems. Both the lay public and most healthcare providers believe that entities such as &#82…

When the cardiac arrest algorithm comes into focus

An excerpt from South Eight. There is little similarity between the stillness of the archer, or of Arkin’s former self on the rifle range, with the organized chaos of a dozen nurses and respiratory therapists and lab technicians pouring into Room…

How every doctor should address a patient’s pain

From medical school to residency, I’ve worked with colleagues who don’t prescribe pain medications for their patients who truly need them. Or they are just very hesitant about doing so. Some simply don’t believe in them. Others fear t…

A pervasive culture of time constraints in health care

Picture this. A patient in a hospital or rehab facility has just finished exercising with therapy. He is thirsty, and he thinks he might as well ask for a snack now because he will be hungry in 30 minutes. His therapist sets him up in his wheelchair (b…

Our Shakespearean love affair with BMI

I’m standing outside the exam room, reviewing Marcus, my 16-year-old patient’s growth chart, specifically his BMI. It’s up again, and my heart sinks. I feel that all too common rush of frustration and disappointment and, “Why am…

When a hospital unexpectedly closes

An excerpt from The Evening Hero. This was apparently not to be a Yungman-only meeting. It was in their conference room, same one where had their monthly morbidity and mortality conferences, and it was packed with doctors. In fact, there was just one c…

5 things I would never do as an allergy and immune system expert

Jumping on the recent TikTok trend of medical professionals sharing the things they would never do given their knowledge and expertise, I am sharing the five things I would never do as a board-certified allergist-immunologist. 1. I would never rely on …

Why you should add advance directives to your college freshman’s college checklist

Suppose you’re getting ready to send your young adult off to college for the first time. In that case, you’ve likely been spending the summer getting college dorm and apartment essentials lined up: bedding, storage cubes, first aid kit, ext…