Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) due to smartphone use

The number of questions our free medical Q & A website AskTheDoctor.com gets related to Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) is growing largely over the last few years, especially with more people getting smartphones and texting more. The number of patients we physically see at our family practice due to RSI has also become a very large number as well. Remember to practice stretching exercises on your wrist and thumbs at least a couple times per week in order to prevent RSI. Try and avoid over texting if you can.

Sincerely,

AskTheDoctor.com Team

Cell phone doctor?

80% of the population has cell phones and the nearest doctor to many of these people is many many miles away. What if we had as many doctors as we did cell phones? What if the doctor was your cell phone? Impossible? Stay tuned….

AskTheDoctor.com's Pink Eye Prevention Tips

Pink eye is more common in children but the advice is equally applicable for adults and children. Groups exposed to cigarette smoke and contact lens wearers are at higher risk.

In terms of pink eye, we have to discuss primary prevention (protecting yourself from getting it) and secondary prevention (preventing it from spreading in the house once someone has it). The rules are the same in both cases


1/ wash hands regularly with soap and running water
2/ Avoid sharing personal items such as hand towels and face cloths
3/ Discourage eye rubbing and touching - especially when kids have colds or other respiratory infections.

Glaucoma Awarness Month

January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month.

Glaucoma is the leading cause of preventable blindness. Moreover, among African American and Latino populations, glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness, and it is more prevalent. Glaucoma is 6 to 8 times more common in African Americans than Caucasians.

Over 2.2 million Americans, and over 60 million people worldwide, have glaucoma. Experts estimate that half of them don't know they have it. Combined with our aging population, we can see an epidemic of blindness looming if we don't raise awareness about the importance of regular eye examinations to preserve vision.

Since there are no symptoms and once vision is lost, it's permanent. As much as 40% of vision can be lost without a person noticing.

Click here to read our article on glaucoma prevention

When is the best time to do a breast exam?

According to a majority of the doctors at AskTheDoctor.com,

The best time to do a self-breast exam is 10-14 days after the last menstrual period (Day 1 of previous period). It is during this time the hormones are at its lowest levels so real masses (not lumpy lobules) can be detected. When doing a self breast exam, raise your hand above your head then using the other hand, feel for masses on the breasts. Do the same for the other breast. Breast cancer in your age group is very rare but it does happen. However, benign (non-cancerous) breast masses are common in women from all age groups. To be sure, have it checked by a doctor so a proper breast exam can be done and from there, a decision whether or not to do an imaging procedure (mammogram or ultrasound) can be made.

click here to see the question

Stretching Everyday good for your body

Did you know that spending at least fifteen minutes everyday stretching, helps keep your joints from deteriorating. Muscles stay flexible and you are helping your body by preventing injuries. If stretching is not part of your daily routine, our doctors highly recommend stretching even for a few minutes right before bed every night.

Cardiovascular activity really important first thing in the morning

Our doctors have found that people who exercise every morning for at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular activity have less health problems than people who don't. Keeping your heart rate at about 65% max for 30 minutes keeps your heart strong, improves blood circulation and helps burn fat. If a morning jog, walk, bike or swim is not part of your daily morning routine, we strongly recommend considering it.