Bone & Joint Problems
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    ACUTE ANKLE SPRAIN

    Acute ankle injuries are very common. It’s a rare athlete who hasn’t sprained one our both ankles at sometime during…
    A Day in the Life Scenarios
    1 day ago

    PHYSICIAN BURNOUT

    Today, the medical media, meaning medical journals and physician newsletters, have an incredible degree of concern about physician burnout. Under…
    Human Interest
    2 days ago

    CAN INDIANA WIN THE B1G AGAIN?

    That’s a really big question with an answer we’ll have to wait six months to find out. BUT if what…
    Drugs & Medications
    3 days ago

    VACCINE DENIERS A THORNY PROBLEM

    As I mentioned in my recent blogpost about vaccines being miracle drugs, vaccine deniers were few and far between when…
    Healthcare Policy
    4 days ago

    FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT

    In addition to examining and treating patients, doctors are responsible for an inordinately long list of administrative duties which they…
    Healthcare Policy
    1 week ago

    NEW AMERICAN MEDICAL SCHOOLS

    For decades, the Association of American Medical Colleges (now called the AAMC) has been concerned about the shortage of physicians…
    Human Interest
    1 week ago

    CAITLIN CLARK AND THE INDIANA FEVER

    This is the third season Caitlin Clark has been in the WNBA. The way it’s going so far, it could…
    Heart Disease
    1 week ago

    WHY I NEED A PACEMAKER

    Pacemakers are one type of implantable cardiac device. There are several (see below) such devices, but pacemakers are the type…
    Eye, Ear, Nose. Throat
    1 week ago

    WHAT CAN BE DONE TO TREAT TINNITUS?

    Tinnitus is that chronic, annoying humming, buzzing, ringing, roaring, or hissing you hear in your ears that IS NOT caused…
    Heart Disease
    2 weeks ago

    TREATING LEFT MAIN CORONARY DISEASE

    As I recently discussed in the coronary anatomy article, the left coronary artery begins as a large single vessel, the…
    Drugs & Medications
    2 weeks ago

    PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH A GLP-1, ZEPBOUND

    PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH A GLP-1, ZEPBOUND Over twenty years ago, I was diagnosed with a sleep disorder. I had an…
    Healthcare Policy
    2 weeks ago

    GETTING INTO A RESIDENCY

    I’ve written about residency “match day” on a few past occasions. That’s the big day in March when soon-to-graduate medical…
    Heart Disease
    2 weeks ago

    CORONARY ARTERY ANATOMY, EKG CHANGES FROM CORONARY DISEASE

    The Coronary Arteries are the arterial vessels that supply oxygen-rich blood to the myocardium, the heart muscle. Oxygen must be…
    Gastrointestinal Diseases
    2 weeks ago

    WHAT FOODS ARE “FIBER?”

    Patients are always encouraged to include more fiber in their diet and for good reason. Fiber is most often recommended…
    Healthcare Policy
    3 weeks ago

    SURVEY: TRUST IN HEALTH CARE AGENCIES HAS DECLINED

    In a recent blogpost, I alluded to the attitude of the American public toward vaccines, the CDC, and local and…
    Drugs & Medications
    3 weeks ago

    VACCINES USED TO BE MIRACLE DRUGS!

    Anyone my age vividly remembers when Dr. Jonas Salk developed his vaccine for infantile paralysis, ie. Poliomyelitis. It was 1954…
    Drugs & Medications
    3 weeks ago

    EFFECTS OF ORAL DECONGESTANTS

    Historically, doctors were concerned that oral decongestants may have an adverse effect on the user’s blood pressure and heart rate.…
    Dermatology
    3 weeks ago

    SEBORRHEIC DERMATITIS

    One of the most common skin conditions in adults is Seborrheic Dermatitis. It’s so common that patients tend to ignore…
    Heart Disease
    3 weeks ago

    POST MI BETA BLOCKERS? NO ONE CAN DECIDE

    The proverbial pendulum must be getting confused about which way to swing! At least that seems to be true in…
    Cancer
    4 weeks ago

    A BLOOD TEST FOR COLORECTAL CANCER

    I mentioned recently that I had been to my gastroenterologist’s office for a follow up appointment. Among other things, I…
    Medical Devices
    4 weeks ago

    ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: AI PUT TO GOOD USE!

    This afternoon, I had an appointment with my gastroenterologist. He’s always been a “cutting edge” kind of guy so the…
    A Day in the Life Scenarios
    4 weeks ago

    PATIENTS LOSING TRUST IN DOCTORS

    The medical profession, and in particular family physicians, remain among the most respected professionals in the U.S. According to a…
    Human Interest
    June 10, 2026

    PHYSICIANS FILL TOP 20 IN PAY!

    American print media seems to have an obsession with the subject of physician compensation. Several times each year, some media…
    Physician Office Issues
    June 9, 2026

    PRIOR AUTHORIZATIONS DELAY CARE

    If you have ever had to delay a procedure because you’re waiting for a prior authorization, you probably have a…
    Neurology
    June 8, 2026

    AUTISM: IS IT MORE COMMON TODAY?

    Autism does seem to be present more often today than it was forty years ago. I can’t recall any of…

      COVID-19
      October 27, 2025

      MEDICAL “MISINFORMATION”

      I fear I may be “wading into shark-infested waters” when I approach the subject in the title of this article.…
      COVID-19
      September 23, 2025

      LONG COVID STILL AFFECTING DOCTORS, NURSES

      The serious, deadly phase of the COVID-19 pandemic has ended along with the frequency of acute cases. It’s been over…
      COVID-19
      September 3, 2025

      VACCINES PROTECT CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

      COVID-19 and the vaccines developed to combat it did more to erode trust in old, well-established, standard vaccines than any…
      Cancer
      July 27, 2025

      COVID-19, VITAMIN D, CANCER, GLP-1’S, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

      MEDICAL NEWS BRIEFS #29 COVID-19 has a greater effect on kidneys than pneumonia: Natural aging causes a gradual decline in…
      COVID-19
      September 16, 2023

      CDC RECOMMENDS ALL AMERICANS 6 MONTHS AND OLDER RECEIVE AT LEAST ONE DOSE OF UPDATED COVID-19 VACCINE

      The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved “reformulated” COVID vaccines by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. That prompted a CDC Advisory…
      COVID-19
      March 18, 2023

      MOST COVID-19 DEATHS WORLDWIDE WERE AMONG OLDER PEOPLE.

      The high mortality rate from COVID-19 among the elderly was a fact everyone knew, but a lot of people ignored.…
      Preventive Medicine
      January 18, 2023

      STROKE AND PFIZER VACCINE

      Have you heard the latest about the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 booster? There’s always something, you know! This time, there are serious…
      Healthcare Policy
      December 26, 2022

      LIFE EXPECTANCY LOWERED—AGAIN!

      The CDC just announced the life expectancy of Americans recently dropped to a 25-year low. People born in 2021 have…
      COVID-19
      May 27, 2022

      mRNA VACCINE EFFICACY

      Who really knows how effective mRNA vaccines are for COVID-19. All degrees of outrageous claims about them are made back…
      COVID-19
      February 4, 2022

      MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES: What are they? What do they do?

      This is a difficult subject to write about. Difficult because to understand it, you must possess basic knowledge of the…
      COVID-19
      January 23, 2022

      “COVID-19 VACCINE BOOSTERS SAVE LIVES”

      Yes, they really do! And The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) is proud to report that fact. Two…
      COVID-19
      January 5, 2022

      COVID-19 VACCINE-MYOCARDITIS LINK INSIGNIFICANT

      Last summer, there was a lot of fuss about a link between mRNA vaccines for COVID-19 and the occurrence of…
      COVID-19
      October 11, 2021

      NATURAL IMMUNITY TO COVID-19: IS IT A REALITY?

      Why can’t today’s viruses play fair? Why can’t viruses like SARS-CoV-2 behave like the viruses of old—the varicella-zoster virus or…
      COVID-19
      September 28, 2021

      PFIZER COVID-19 VACCINE AND MYOCARDITIS

      In July, I wrote a blog about the incidence of myocarditis in young males after vaccination with Pfizer/BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine.…
      COVID-19
      September 17, 2021

      COVID-19 VACCINATION AND CIVIL LIBERTIES

      I’m having a bit of trouble with the current attitude of a lot of people. I’m referring to the 80…
      COVID-19
      August 15, 2021

      VACCINE HESITANCY: WHY PEOPLE REFUSE COVID-19 VACCINE

      I’m old enough to remember what life was like before vaccines. As a child I had measles, mumps, and chicken…
      COVID-19
      July 12, 2021

      MYOCARDITIS AFTER COVID-19 VACCINE

      Much ado has been made on cable news programs about the adverse effects attributed to COVID-19 vaccines. In particular, there…
      COVID-19
      March 6, 2021

      SIX COVID-19 VACCINES IN PHASE III TRIALS

      We’ve heard repeatedly about the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines for COVID-19. Those are the two vaccines in use locally; if…
      COVID-19
      March 5, 2021

      ALLERGIC REACTIONS TO PFIZER-BIONTECH VACCINE

      Today’s media seems to have difficulty reporting the good news that comes from developments in the COVID-19 pandemic. Such is…
      COVID-19
      January 12, 2021

      COVID-19 VACCINE: MY EXPERIENCE

      The Maricopa County (Arizona) Health Department began administering COVID-19 vaccine in late December. Maricopa County has the bulk of the…
      COVID-19
      December 5, 2020

      AT-HOME COVID-19 TESTING

      These days news travels fast so you may already know the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the…
      COVID-19
      November 21, 2020

      PFIZER COVID-19 VACCINE 90% (95%) EFFECTIVE!

      By now you’ve surely heard the good news about the COVID-19 vaccine being developed by Pfizer Pharmaceutical Company in collaboration…
      COVID-19
      July 5, 2020

      HERD IMMUNITY? What’s That?

      Lately, there have been many references to the term HERD IMMUNITY. Public health officials use it in their communications about…

      CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES

        Heart Disease
        July 5, 2023

        AN AD WORTH WATCHING!

        I never thought I would say this, but there’s an ad on TV I think everyone over age 50 should…
        Heart Disease
        March 9, 2026

        STABLE CHEST PAIN? CCTA IS YOUR ANSWER

        The information that follows may be as important as any previously reported here! I’m referring to a 2021 recommendation from…
        Heart Disease
        March 18, 2024

        WHAT IS AN ANEURYSM?

        Surely you’ve heard someone talk about having an aneurysm or you knew someone who did. When you heard that word,…
        Heart Disease
        May 6, 2019

        CHOLESTEROL TREATMENT GUIDELINES: Latest Info

        AHA vs. USPSTF Both the American Heart Association (AHA) and the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) issue guidelines…
        Heart Disease
        February 19, 2024

        SCREENING FOR ATRIAL FIBRILLATION

        Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, and is a major risk factor for ischemic stroke. An ischemic stroke…
        Preventive Medicine
        July 27, 2021

        GUIDELINES FOR DIAGNOSING HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

        Americans are constantly being encouraged to control their blood pressure. Hypertension is a serious health hazard that leads to many…
        Heart Disease
        April 15, 2020

        CHOLESTEROL

        What is it and how does it cause harm? Everyone has heard of cholesterol. Everyone has cholesterol. Everyone should worry…
        Heart Disease
        October 19, 2020

        PREVENTION OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE: Decades of Learning and Progress!

        For decades, Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), and heart disease, in particular, has been the number one killer of American adults. Heart…
        Preventive Medicine
        September 5, 2022

        DIABETES, MUSCLE PAIN, ANTIBIOTICS, HEART & INTESTINAL DISEASE

        AMERICAN ACADEMY OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS RESEARCH ARTICLES 2021 Many practicing physicians and family medicine residents in training are interested in…
        Blood Diseases
        July 28, 2020

        BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS ARE MORE THAN JUST BLOOD!

        Donating blood is a good-hearted thing to do. In medical school, I did it 2 or 3 times a year,…
        Preventive Medicine
        April 30, 2022

        QUICK NOTES FROM DR G OPINES DrGOpines.com

        DrGOpines.com ONYCHOMYCOSIS: Do your grandkids tease you about your ugly toenails? Do you avoid going barefoot because you’re embarrassed by…
        Heart Disease
        March 26, 2026

        MANAGEMENT OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION

        The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association, the two largest organizations dedicated to the prevention and treatment…
        Heart Disease
        May 5, 2024

        CARDIAC EJECTION FRACTION

        Do you understand what is meant by heart failure? As the name implies, people with heart failure have a heart…
        Heart Disease
        August 3, 2022

        HEART TRANSPLANT: FINDING DONORS IS DAUNTING!

        A heart transplant is unquestionably the most serious operation a human can have. Removing a person’s heart is a terminal…
        Drugs & Medications
        August 7, 2025

        ARE YOU AT RISK FOR ATRIAL FIBRILLATION?

        At my age, most of my friends and acquaintances have, or have had, Atrial Fibrillation! It is the most common…
        Heart Disease
        February 6, 2026

        hsCRP: BETTER THAN CHOLESTEROL

        C-Reactive Protein, or CRP, is a substance produced by the liver in response to the presence of a serious infection…
        Heart Disease
        August 15, 2023

        SHORTNESS OF BREATH

        Doctors call shortness of breath a single, much shorter name—Dyspnea. The Greek and Latin derivatives of dyspnea are “dys” which…
        Diabetes
        October 21, 2024

        MEDICAL NEWS BRIEFS #22

        There are three (3) categories of Blood Pressure: New European guidelines for high blood pressure (HBP), hypertension define three categories.…
        Drugs & Medications
        April 3, 2025

        ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES FOR CHOLESTEROL MANAGEMENT

        If you are unfortunate enough to be on the maximum dose of a statin drug and still not have your…
        Drugs & Medications
        August 6, 2025

        POST MI BETA BLOCKERS QUESTIONED

        For many years, doctors have been told that patients who suffered an acute myocardial infarction, a heart attack, were all…
        Heart Disease
        May 4, 2026

        CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE AND STENTS

        I just read an article on medscape.com that referred to changes that may be coming in the long-term prevention and…
        Preventive Medicine
        May 27, 2021

        COMMON SENSE TREATMENT OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

        Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a very common problem. I treated patients with high blood pressure every day, and many…
        Drugs & Medications
        March 28, 2022

        TYLENOL AND BLOOD PRESSURE: THERE’S MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE!

        Most people think of Tylenol (acetaminophen) as a safe drug. They substitute if for aspirin because they are continually reminded…
        Heart Disease
        January 28, 2025

        SALT SUBSTITUTE REDUCES CHANCES FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

        Substituting regular table salt (100% sodium chloride) with salt substitute (62% sodium chloride, 25% potassium chloride, 12.5% flavorings) reduced the…
        Preventive Medicine
        January 11, 2022

        ALCOHOL AND ATRIAL FIBRILLATION

        We hear conflicting messages about alcohol all the time. Some people praise it’s medicinal virtues while others continually point out…

        DAY-IN-THE-LIFE SCENARIOS

          A Day in the Life Scenarios
          1 day ago

          PHYSICIAN BURNOUT

          Today, the medical media, meaning medical journals and physician newsletters, have an incredible degree of concern about physician burnout. Under…
          A Day in the Life Scenarios
          4 weeks ago

          PATIENTS LOSING TRUST IN DOCTORS

          The medical profession, and in particular family physicians, remain among the most respected professionals in the U.S. According to a…
          A Day in the Life Scenarios
          May 15, 2026

          ABNORMAL LAB RESULTS

          Every day, family physicians have patients with abnormal lab test results. Most of the time, the abnormal results can be…
          A Day in the Life Scenarios
          March 27, 2026

          PHYSICIANS ARE NOT “PROVIDERS”

          Finally, someone besides me has taken offense at physicians being called providers. Since today’s world contains all levels of folks…
          A Day in the Life Scenarios
          March 23, 2026

          REST

          REST is not a state physicians find themselves in very often. In fact, the medical profession has a thing for…
          A Day in the Life Scenarios
          March 19, 2026

          OLDER PHYSICIANS: IMPAIRED?

          Many healthcare institutions and medical practices are seeing the age of practicing physicians increase as more continue to practice beyond…

          YOUR WELLNESS MATTERS

            August 8, 2025

            FASTING FOR BLOODWORK IS OUTDATED

            Here’s something that might brighten your day. “It really doesn’t matter if you’re stomach is empty” [when you have blood…
            July 5, 2024

            PRIORITIES IN GERIATRIC CARE

            In spite of statistics that show the average life expectancy of Americans has been declining over the past 5-10 years,…
            January 9, 2024

            WHITE TEETH

            Many people today have a significant focus on personal appearance. You might not think so from the way segments of…
            September 1, 2023

            MEDICAL NEWS BRIEFS NO. 5

            Cancer Among Younger Americans is Increasing    A study published on JAMA Network Open using data from the National Cancer…
            August 25, 2023

            WATER FLUORIDATION, CREST TOOTHPASTE

            There’s little or no disagreement with the statement that fluoridation of community drinking water supplies has been one of public…
            August 5, 2023

            MORE ABOUT SUGAR IN OUR DIET

            Recently, I reported information that certain amounts of sugar in our diet were tied directly to increased risk of a…
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