Latest Articles
Know How: To Fill Awkward Silences with Your Doctor
A little awkward silence is a small price to potentially postpone the most awkward silence of them all.
Doctors Are Not Gods
Most of us guys have been conditioned to think of doctors as super-human. And why not? It takes considerable brainpower and physical endurance to get through all those years of med school. And it takes courage to face life-and-death decisions on a daily basis.
The War Against Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria
One of the world's most serious health concerns, and a top priority of the Center for Disease Control, is a problem you may not have heard much about: antibiotic resistance. According to the CDC, "almost every type of bacteria has become stronger and less responsive to antibiotic treatment" in recent years. While we don't have ribbons and 5K races to raise awareness of the problem, it is one that we ignore at our peril. While the specter of "superbugs" is often the stuff of alarmist books and articles, the problem is all too real.
Can Antibacterial Soap Actually Harm You?
Not long ago I was in a friend’s house and noticed a hand-pump dispenser of antibacterial soap next to the bathroom sink. I jumped back in alarm and became so flustered that I neglected to wash my hands at all. When I came out of the bathroom, my friend asked me if I had used the antibacterial soap. I cleverly avoided the question by pointing out that the antibiotic soap was the only soap available in her bathroom. She proudly explained that since flu and cold season was almost upon us, she was encouraging her family and friends to use this stuff. She had a bottle of it in the kitchen, too.
My Night In the Emergency Room
One moment, I was riding my motorcycle down a quiet—and wet—residential street trying to beat the rainstorm home. Then, suddenly, I was staring up at the ceiling of an ambulance with an EMT asking if I remembered my name (yes), where I was coming from (no) and the day of the week (I guessed and was wrong).
