General Condition Help

The first thing you need to know about tinnitus, that ringing in your ears, is that it is not a disease—it is only a symptom. The next thing you need to know is that even though it's a very common symptom, in many ways it remains a medical mystery.

A recent review of the causes, symptoms and treatments of tinnitus in the Journal of Clinical Neurology states that in about 40 percent of cases no cause can be found, and that of all the medications used for tinnitus, only a tranquilizer works better than a sugar pill (a placebo).

Some changes in a person's voice are a normal part of aging. As we get older our voices loose strength, range and some quality, but did you know that voice disorders in seniors are quite common and can significantly impact a senior's quality of life?

All of us will at some point have to deal with our own hospitalization or the hospitalization of a loved one—a parent, spouse, relative or good friend, and cope with the realities of what is happening in hospitals today. In a nutshell, there is a nationwide, drastic nursing shortage. Insurance companies require physicians to see too many patients in too little time. Many hospitals are under financial duress because of uninsured patients, patients who don't pay their bills and demands for new, expensive technology. Because of the baby boomer generation, there are more older patients with multiple medical issues that require hospitalization. Every physician and nurse I interviewed said this: "Hospital care is in crisis. You must have someone with a patient at all times. Loved ones are patients' best advocates.

Just about everyone experiences some degree of vision loss as we age. But severe vision loss is a significant problem affecting millions of elderly Americans. In fact, according to the most recent Longitudinal Prevalence of Major Eye Diseases research, almost 7 million Americans over the age of 65 have severe visual impairment. Perhaps more stunning is that these same experts predict that given the current growth in the aging population that number is likely to double by 2030.

Bette Davis said it well: "Getting old is not for sissies." No matter who we are — man, woman, rich or poor — we all grow old. But the pace and precise way it happens varies from person to person, depending on genetic and environmental factors. While someone's genetic makeup plays a huge part in determining his life expectancy, the quality of health care received and a healthy lifestyle are significant contributors to longevity.

As men get older, understanding the symptoms and treatment options for BPH, or benign prostatic hyperplasia, is crucial.

The Buteyko Method shows you how to adopt lifestyle modifications that support healthy breathing and quell asthma attacks. 

Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) is the second most common form of degenerative dementia in the elderly, affecting an estimated 1.3 million people in the United States, yet it is most often misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's disease.

By the time men reach the age of 80, most of them will have experienced a chronic painful condition that rarely gets diagnosed or treated properly.

Stroke is the third leading cause of death behind only heart disease and cancer. A stroke occurs when the blood supply to your brain is interrupted by a blocked artery, a clot or a broken blood vessel.