by Max Hammonds, MD “Yeah, I snore a lot. Champion snorer in my family. So what’s the big deal?” Apnea means “without breath.” If apnea continues for four minutes, you will die. It’s a big deal. If apnea occurs while you are sleeping, you will not know it. Fortunately, yourContinue Reading
by Max Hammonds, MD Clarice, good to see you again. Welcome back.” Dr. Wilson pulled up his roll-around stool to the edge of the exam table and patted Clarice’s hand. “What can I do for you today?” [How long since I saw this patient?] “Actually, I just needed a refillContinue Reading
by Max Hammonds, MD Tom and Alice had a backyard barbecue on the 4th of July. They invited their neighbors, Bob and Nadine and George and Beth to join them. “Kids these days don’t know anything about what happens on the 4th of July,” Bob said around a mouthful ofContinue Reading
by Max Hammonds, MD A recent online health service noted: “40% of cancers are due to avoidable life choices… Tobacco causes 23% of [cancer] cases in men and 15.6% of cases in women. The next largest cause of cancer in men was lack of fruits and vegetables in their diets…”Continue Reading
by Max Hammonds, MD Dr. Ron Atchison, internist, waited outside his patient’s room while the current group of medical students and residents filed out behind him. He motioned them to follow him down the hall to a small conference room. When they had all crowded in, he spoke. “This isContinue Reading
by Max Hammonds, MD Doc, don’t I need antibiotics?” is a frequent question heard by many physicians. Some of the most common problems – like colds, sinus infections, urinary tract infections, bronchitis – cause many patients to miss work and feel miserable. The patients assume that they should be takingContinue Reading
by Max Hammonds, MD What disease condition is your greatest risk for disability or death? Is it heart disease? Cancer? Stroke? Pneumonia? Not surprisingly, it isn’t the same for everyone. People in third world countries are most at risk from infectious disease (think – malaria or AIDS) or violence andContinue Reading
by Max Hammonds, MD New Year’s Eve has come and gone. So have many of the New Year’s resolutions that many people have made, like not texting while driving, taking better care of your health, being nicer to the dog, spending more time with the kids (grandkids). New Year’s resolutionsContinue Reading
by Max Hammonds, MD News Flash! The largest report on lifestyle and colon-rectal cancer ever published concludes that Americans can largely prevent the disease by maintaining a healthy weight, being physically active, drinking less alcohol, consuming only moderate amounts of red meat and avoiding processed meats. Really!?!? The American InstituteContinue Reading
