link stringlengths 72 143 | answers list | question_id int64 2 32.4k | license stringclasses 3 values | question_title stringlengths 15 167 | tags list | question_body stringlengths 47 7.49k | score int64 -5 112 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/52/how-can-i-protect-my-eyesight-when-using-computers | [
{
"answer_id": 85,
"body": "<h3>20-20-20 Rule</h3>\n<p>Every 20 minutes of looking at the screen, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Also, try to blink a lot.</p>\n<h3>Adjusting settings</h3>\n<p>Using a larger font to read helps to reduce eye strain. Adjusting your brightness helps, usually bri... | 52 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | How can I protect my eyesight when using computers? | [
"eye",
"computers",
"lifestyle"
] | <p>My job requires long periods of computer screen use. I have good eyesight (20/15) and don't wear glasses, but I definitely notice my eyes feeling fatigued at the end of the day. Sometimes when I'm short on sleep, I have trouble focusing or see slightly blurred vision.</p>
<p>I want to protect my eyesight as much as possible. What are the best practices for doing so if you spend a lot of time staring at screens?</p>
| 112 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/463/whats-the-best-long-term-sitting-posture | [
{
"answer_id": 495,
"body": "<p>The best long-term perfect posture is subjective due to the variety of body types, incorrect posture differs from person to person and person's proper posture can be incorrect posture for someone else and vice versa.</p>\n\n<p>Usually the good sitting posture can be determine... | 463 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | What's the best long-term sitting posture? | [
"research",
"lifestyle",
"back",
"posture",
"sitting"
] | <p>The received wisdom seems to be that bending forward for prolonged periods of time is bad for the back. Fine. However, the "received wisdom" has been, for a long time now, that sitting bolt upright is the best posture for the back. However, <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/6187080.stm">a study</a> actually concluded that much more of a reclined posture was actually better for the back:</p>
<p><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/oTrmy.gif" alt="Back posture image"></p>
<p>So, what is the scientific consensus on this, or is it still under debate?</p>
| 67 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/26/is-there-any-health-risk-in-cellular-phones | [
{
"answer_id": 39,
"body": "<p>The IARC has concluded that <a href=\"http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/causes-prevention/risk/radiation/cell-phones-fact-sheet\">cell phones are a \"possible carcinogen\"</a> due to the amount of evidence going both directions.</p>\n\n<p>The gist of it is summarised on the w... | 26 | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Is there any health risk in cellular phones? | [
"cancer",
"brain",
"cellular-phone",
"bioelectromagnetics",
"health-outcomes"
] | <p>Cellular phones are taking ever increasing part in our lives, and I keep hearing people saying they are harmful to our health.</p>
<p>Are there any scientific researches so far proving or disproving those claims?</p>
<p>I found couple of semi-scientific articles:</p>
<ol>
<li><p><a href="http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/cell-phones-and-cancer/faq-20057798">Is there any link between cellphones and cancer?</a> which says: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>The possible connection between cellphones and cancer is controversial. Many years' worth of studies on cellphones and cancer have yielded conflicting results<br>
...<br>
In one study that followed more than 420,000 cellphone users over a 20-year period, researchers found no evidence of a link between cellphones and brain tumors<br>
...<br>
Another recent study suggested a possible increased risk of glioma — a specific type of brain tumor — for the heaviest cellphone users, but no increase in brain tumor risk overall.</p>
</blockquote></li>
<li><p><a href="http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/834888">Long-term Cell Phone Use Linked to Brain Tumor Risk</a> which says: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>Long-term use of both mobile and cordless phones is associated with an increased risk for glioma, the most common type of brain tumor, the latest research on the subject concludes.<br>
The new study shows that the risk for glioma was tripled among those using a wireless phone for more than 25 years and that the risk was also greater for those who had started using mobile or cordless phones before age 20 years.</p>
</blockquote></li>
</ol>
<p>Though the second appears to conclude direct health risk, I'm pretty sure it's not yet any hard proof otherwise we would have seen huge lawsuits being filed all over the place.</p>
<p>If really harmful, what factors are in place e.g. cellular phone model, signal strength, etc?</p>
| 51 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/529/how-many-eggs-can-one-eat-per-day | [
{
"answer_id": 681,
"body": "<p>Metabolic rate, individual genetics, cholesterol-absorption controversies, nutrients of the egg, size of the egg, and definition of \"maximum\" all contribute to ambiguity.\n<a href=\"http://www.eggnutritioncenter.org/egg-facts/nutrition-facts-panels/\">This list of egg sizes... | 529 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | How many eggs can one eat per day? | [
"nutrition"
] | <p>I've read conflicting information on how many eggs one can eat per day:</p>
<p><a href="http://dailyhealthpost.com/how-many-eggs-a-day-can-you-safely-eat/2/">Daily Health Post - How Many Eggs a Day Can You Safely Eat?</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>How many eggs a day can you safely eat? Apparently, as many as you want, if you pay attention to your total calorie intake and are careful about carbohydrate intake. If you have diabetes, you can safely eat eggs too, but will need to be particularly attentive to carbohydrates and blood sugar control.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/what-to-eat/eating-too-many-eggs">Men's Fitness - Am I Eating Too Many Eggs?</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>A 2008 report from the Physicians Health Study backs up Smith’s suggestion, finding that eating one egg per day is generally safe—but that more than that can increase your heart disease risk later in life. (Note that we’re talking about yolks here. You can have unlimited whites.)</p>
</blockquote>
<hr>
<p>More details:</p>
<ul>
<li>The individual is healthy, BMI of 20, has no major medical condition, and regarding sports activities walks 30 minutes per day.</li>
<li>Eggs are large chicken eggs (50 grams)</li>
<li>I am looking for an approximate upper bound on the number of eggs one can eat per day on average while staying healthy in the long run</li>
</ul>
| 48 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/456/is-food-prepared-in-a-microwave-oven-less-healthy | [
{
"answer_id": 477,
"body": "<p><strong>TL;DR</strong>: No, food cooked via a microwave oven is generally not less healthy than food cooked by other methods. </p>\n\n<hr>\n\n<p>In general, cooking by any method destroys or reduces nutrient value<sup><a href=\"http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/cooking-food-red... | 456 | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Is food prepared in a microwave oven less healthy? | [
"nutrition",
"bioelectromagnetics",
"microwaves"
] | <p>There are people who avoid preparing their food in microwave ovens for various health-related reasons. The claims most often stated are:</p>
<ul>
<li>Microwave radiation is harmful.</li>
<li>Microwaving destroys vitamins and other nutrients.</li>
</ul>
<p>Is there any scientific evidence to suggest that microwaved food is less healthy compared to food prepared in more conventional ways?</p>
| 47 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/21/can-mri-scans-be-dangerous-for-ones-health | [
{
"answer_id": 37,
"body": "<p>One of the greatest benefits of MRI scans is their safety. Unlike PET, X-ray, CT and most other scans, MRIs use the properties of body tissues in magnetic fields to produce an image. The MRI machine produces a powerful magnetic field which interacts with body tissues to produc... | 21 | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Can MRI scans be dangerous for one's health? | [
"side-effects",
"mri",
"medical-imaging",
"bioelectromagnetics"
] | <p>Can MRIs have any deleterious effect on one's health? Or would it be safe to have say 5 MRIs per year?</p>
| 46 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/2/what-are-these-lines-in-teeth | [
{
"answer_id": 14,
"body": "<p>I believe that those lines are craze lines. <strong>\"Craze lines are merely cracks in the enamel that do not extend into the dentin.\"</strong> They occur because of stress in your teeth, ie: grinding your teeth, biting your nails, and even routine use of your teeth. What you... | 2 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | What are these lines in teeth? | [
"dentistry"
] | <p>The following tooth cracks are noticeable when a torch is shining on them (without the torch, they aren't visible). Are they serious? How viable are the teeth, and might they need to be replaced with false teeth in the near future? There is no pain experienced, but they seem to look quite bad:</p>
<p><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/2sgis.jpg" alt="Teeth 1">
<img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/k3R8j.jpg" alt="Teeth 2"></p>
| 43 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/178/is-eating-spicy-hot-pungent-food-hot-chilli-peppers-etc-healthy-or-harmfu | [
{
"answer_id": 180,
"body": "<p>Obviously some spicy foods are better for you than others, but I am assuming you want an answer about spicy foods in general. </p>\n\n<p>One of the biggest benefits of eating spicy foods, especially chili peppers, is that it helps you lose weight. Spicy foods help to raise yo... | 178 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Is eating spicy hot (pungent) food (hot chilli & peppers etc.) healthy or harmful? | [
"nutrition",
"risks",
"benefits",
"healthy-cooking"
] | <p>I love all kinds of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pungency" rel="noreferrer">pungent</a> food such as chili peppers etc., the hotter the better.</p>
<p>I'd like to know, are there any significant dangers or benefits related to consuming them?</p>
<p><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/CGzbbt.jpg" alt="enter image description here">
<img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/kexPZt.jpg" alt="enter image description here">
<img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/vuQFHt.jpg" alt="enter image description here">
<img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/6ygs7t.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></p>
| 42 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/13/are-there-any-health-benefits-to-male-circumcision | [
{
"answer_id": 18,
"body": "<p>There is evidence that neonatal circumcision saying that the benefits of circumcision outweigh the risks.</p>\n\n<p>According to a study done on neonatal circumcision<sup>[1]</sup>, the lifetime benefits of being circumcised outweighed the risks 100 to 1. Some of the risks peo... | 13 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Are there any health benefits to male circumcision? | [
"urology"
] | <p>It's been argued by various medical organizations that male circumcision has various medical benefits, such as reducing the risk of catching HIV, or reducing the risk of urinary tract infections, for instance. Are there any respectable scientific studies to back these assertions up?</p>
| 41 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/343/are-organic-foods-healthier-than-conventional-foods | [
{
"answer_id": 385,
"body": "<p><strong>TL;DR</strong> - Organic foods don't seem to have a significant difference as of what studies can prove, which is why conventional or organic, people should make sure they're getting the proper nutrients that their bodies need.</p>\n\n<hr>\n\n<p><strong>Brief History ... | 343 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Are organic foods healthier than conventional foods? | [
"diet",
"nutrition"
] | <p>There is a popular perception, and many marketing claims, that organic produce (and food in general) is <strong>healthier</strong> than food grown with conventional methods.</p>
<p>Most commonly, the reasons given are: less or no pesticide use, lack of synthetic/chemical pesticides and herbicides, no artificial growth hormones, genetic modification, or other "interference" with nature, and higher nutritional content due to better soil conditions and better/natural fertilizers.</p>
<p>Are there any studies that back up these claims?</p>
| 41 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/357/do-vaccines-cause-autism | [
{
"answer_id": 361,
"body": "<p>This has been a controversial dispute for a long time and it can involve a lot of personal opinion, but I will try to answer this as scientifically as possible.</p>\n<p>There hasn't been any viable evidence that vaccines do cause autism. Several different theories have been p... | 357 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Do vaccines cause autism? | [
"vaccination",
"autism"
] | <p>It seems the question of vaccine harm has been around at least as long as vaccines<sup><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccine_controversies">1</a></sup>. Specifically, the claim that vaccines can cause or contribute to autism has been hotly debated in the last decade. Many claim that there is a dangerous (possibly hidden) link.</p>
<p>What is the current state of medical research on this topic? Could there be a conspiracy in the pharmaceutical industry to cover up a link?</p>
| 41 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/735/is-it-helpful-to-a-dentist-to-report-pain-during-a-procedure | [
{
"answer_id": 736,
"body": "<p>Most dentists - for <em>most</em> procedures - aim for a <em>painless</em> experience. If there is reason to keep some pain sensation intact, the dentist will inform you, and ask at appropriate intervals if you can feel pain.</p>\n\n<p>The efficacy of lidocaine and other loca... | 735 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Is it helpful to a dentist to report pain during a procedure? | [
"pain",
"dentistry"
] | <p>Suppose that a dentist is doing a standard dental procedure, e.g. drilling out decay, on me, and I start feeling pain as he does it. Assuming that I can handle the pain silently, so I don't <em>need</em> to report it for my own sake, is it at all helpful to the dentist's work for me to report it? Is this feedback that the dentist can use to detect issues with the actual work as he goes along, or would the only purpose of reporting it be to try to get him to do something to mitigate it, for the sake of my immediate experience?</p>
<p>(Note: I'm using "me" as a stand-in for a typical patient.) </p>
| 40 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/1276/what-is-excess-blood-from-blood-donations-used-for-and-do-we-ever-run-out | [
{
"answer_id": 1278,
"body": "<p>Great question! I think it's answerable as an overview, but please know this is only the tip of the iceberg.*</p>\n\n<p><strong>Summary</strong>: Yes, we have deficits of certain blood products in certain locations at certain times that affect patient care. However, a small ... | 1,276 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | What is excess blood from blood donations used for, and do we ever run out? | [
"blood"
] | <p>I regularly donate blood, however, I am curious as to what happens to my blood after I donate. Obviously some of it will go to people in emergency medical situations, as I intend. However, I have never heard of situations where someone died because we didn't have blood to donate to them; which makes it sound as if we don't have a blood deficit. That in turn makes me wonder what the excess blood is used for.</p>
<p>So I have two related questions. First, do we ever <em>have</em> a blood deficit, situations where someone who could have been saved in a hospital dies because there wasn't blood to treat them? Or specifically situations like that caused by a lack of donors, not some logistical issue getting it where it needs to be. I have had the red cross call me and tell me that they have a 'deficit' many times, but frankly I hear it so often it leaves me questioning their definition of deficit. How often do we really run out?</p>
<p>Related, if we don't run a deficit then what happens to my excess blood? I assume that some blood is regularly thrown out, but they figure it's better to have extra and risk it expiring then to run out during an emergency. However, if we have a high enough surplus do they do something else with it? For instance is it used for medical research? If we had say 5% fewer donors would it be our medical research which suffered, but not patients in the hospital?</p>
<p>I will continue donating blood regardless of the answer here. I'm simply curious as to the result. Well that and it informs this discussion: <a href="https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/28118/is-the-red-cross-policy-of-refusing-donation-from-homosexual-men-justified-by-in">https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/28118/is-the-red-cross-policy-of-refusing-donation-from-homosexual-men-justified-by-in</a></p>
| 39 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/122/does-the-lack-of-sleep-affect-my-health | [
{
"answer_id": 138,
"body": "<p>In short, and according to <a href=\"http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/about\">the WGBH Educational Foundation and the Harvard Medical School Division of Sleep Medicine</a>:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><p>Lack of sleep can, in the short term, \"affect judgment, mood, ability t... | 122 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Does the lack of sleep affect my health? | [
"sleep"
] | <p>In the past month, I've been really busy with the university and stuff, and I don't sleep as much as I used to. I usually sleep 4-5 hours a night.</p>
<p>I haven't been doing that extensively ( I always kept a good sleeping routine), but can the lack of sleep affect my health on the long term ?</p>
| 38 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/20970/does-covid-19-have-a-case-fatality-rate-of-41-is-this-formula-correct | [
{
"answer_id": 20980,
"body": "<p>The definition of mortality rate that you've given does not match any practical definition I'm familiar with.*</p>\n\n<p>When people talk about the mortality rate of a disease, what they <em>usually</em> mean is the <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Case_fatality_rate... | 20,970 | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Does COVID-19 have a case fatality rate of 41%? Is this formula correct? | [
"virus",
"infectious-diseases",
"death",
"covid-19"
] | <p>According to the data on the <a href="https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Tracker</a>, as of 3rd February 2020 there were 17491 confirmed cases of COVID-19 globally, 536 total recoveries and 362 deaths.
From my non-expert calculation this implies a mortality rate of:</p>
<p><code>(Nd / (Nd + Nr)) * 100 = 41%</code></p>
<p>where:</p>
<p>Nd is the total number of deaths,
Nr is the total number of full recoveries.</p>
<p>This leaves 16593 people still suffering from the disease who have neither recovered or died.</p>
<p>This is in stark contrast to the publicly disseminated value of ~2% mortality, so have I made a mistake in my calculation or assumptions, or is COVID-19 much more dangerous than commonly claimed? </p>
<p><strong>[After a helpful discussion in the comments, 'mortality rate' is not the correct term to use here, instead I should say '<a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/case-fatality-rate" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Case Fatality Ratio</a>'.]</strong></p>
| 35 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/355/what-effects-does-alcohol-have-on-underage-children | [
{
"answer_id": 447,
"body": "<p>Alcohol is a psychoactive drug that acts as a central nervous system depressant.</p>\n\n<p>Drinking under-age increases alcohol risks in later life. Research shows the brain keeps developing well into the twenties, during which time it continues to establish important communi... | 355 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | What effects does alcohol have on underage children? | [
"side-effects",
"alcohol",
"pediatrics"
] | <p>In most countries, there is a legal drinking age: 21 in the U.S., 18 in most European countries. I've always been told that legal drinking age is in place because alcohol has harmful effects on underage people. I've never been told what these harmful effects are, though. I've also questioned sometimes if this is true or not.</p>
<p><strong>Does alcohol have harmful effects on underage (say under 18) children? If so, what are the effects?</strong></p>
| 34 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/51/is-there-evidence-that-eating-too-much-sugar-can-increase-the-risk-of-diabetes | [
{
"answer_id": 60,
"body": "<p>High consumption of sugar can up the risk of diabetes, but it is not the only contributing factor. There have been studies that have shown that sugar-sweetened drinks (mainly soda) have increased the probability of type 2 diabetes.<a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2... | 51 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Is there evidence that eating too much sugar can increase the risk of diabetes? | [
"diabetes",
"sugar"
] | <p>I'm sure this question is asked a lot. I asked it of two different doctors myself recently, one of them a diabetes specialist. They both said that causing too much sugar did increase the risk. Neither offered any actual evidence. The specialist gave a rather strange reason, which now escapes me.</p>
<p>This idea has inherent plausibility, because eating a lot of sugar could be assumed to stress the body mechanisms that keep sugar level in the blood under control. Too much stress could cause these mechanisms to break down. This is, however, not the reason the specialist gave.</p>
<p>A confounding factor could be that eating too much sugar might cause weight gain, which might increase the risk of diabetes for different reasons.</p>
<p>There are (at least) two kinds of answers that would be useful here.</p>
<ol>
<li>Actual clinical trials/studies attempting to address this question.</li>
<li>Descriptions of medical research which suggest mechanisms by which
excessive sugar consumption could increase the likelihood of
diabetes.</li>
</ol>
<p>The term "too much", of course, is ill-defined. An answer could attempt to quantify this.</p>
| 33 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/4/if-human-life-is-so-long-largely-due-to-modern-medicine-does-every-illness-shor | [
{
"answer_id": 10,
"body": "<p>Both. Human cells largely exhibit a phenomenon called <em>senescence</em> - they just give up and die after they reach a certain age via a biochemical mechanism called <em><a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK26873/\">apoptosis</a></em>. The outer limit of survivabil... | 4 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | If human life is so long largely due to modern medicine, does every illness shorten lifespan? | [
"life-expectancy",
"disease",
"statistics"
] | <p>One of the most often-cited facts about human life, compared to those of other animals, is that the main reason we live so much longer is modern medicine. Because we can treat illnesses that would previously affect lifespan, we are far more likely to live greatly extended lifespans. However, this leads to two possible (conflicting) logical conclusions:</p>
<ol>
<li>People who by chance didn't get deadly diseases before modern medicine would live as long as people today, meaning the ability for any <em>individual</em> to survive ninety or more years, far longer than nearly all animals, is unrelated to modern medicine.</li>
<li>Every illness one experiences weakens the body in some way, robbing it of future years. This would mean the role of modern medicine in extending lifespan is treating these illnesses to prevent the gradual reduction in lifespan.</li>
</ol>
<p>If the first is true, then lifespan itself isn't influenced by modern medicine unless it prevents death as the direct result of a disease, and only <em>average</em> lifespan is affected. In other words, if nine in ten dies at age thirty due to a deadly disease, and one in ten dies at age eighty by avoiding disease, the average life expectancy is thirty five, even though an individual could by living an extremely careful life survive to reach eighty.</p>
<p>If the second is true, then short periods of non-deadly illnesses experienced by everyone each shorten life expectancy by a tiny amount, together decreasing <em>everyone's</em> lifespan to the same thirty five, rather than the effect being a result of averages.</p>
<p><strong>So does each illness shorten lifespan, or is it only a result of averages that lifespan was so low pre-modern medicine, and humans always had the capacity for exceptionally-long lives?</strong></p>
| 32 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/365/how-can-i-prevent-a-cold-from-spreading-to-the-people-around-me | [
{
"answer_id": 366,
"body": "<p>There are lots of things you can do to be a responsible and considerate individual. Props for even asking this question!</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li><p>Cover your cough to prevent air-borne transmission with the inner part of your arm or your shoulder- whichever come into contact with o... | 365 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | How can I prevent a cold from spreading to the people around me? | [
"common-cold"
] | <p>I have to attend classes at the university, band rehearsals, I live with my family, so I come close with many people during the day. I have to meet most of these people on a daily basis, even when I have the (common) cold.</p>
<p>How can I prevent it from spreading to the people around me? </p>
| 31 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/5044/is-it-better-to-sleep-without-a-pillow | [
{
"answer_id": 7673,
"body": "<p>For most people, it is better to sleep <em>with</em> a pillow according to the latest research.</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Sleeping without a pillow <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24248001\" rel=\"noreferrer\">increases interocular pressure</a> which is considered a risk... | 5,044 | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Is it better to sleep without a pillow? | [
"sleep",
"spine",
"position"
] | <p>I have read several web pages that mention the potential benefits of sleeping without a pillow.</p>
<p>Examples:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.newhealthadvisor.com/Sleeping-Without-a-Pillow.html" rel="noreferrer">http://www.newhealthadvisor.com/Sleeping-Without-a-Pillow.html</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Is Sleeping Without a Pillow a Good Choice? Yes, it is. Not only will sleeping with no pillow save your money, but it will also lead to less neck, back, and shoulder pain, higher quality sleep, and even fewer wrinkles! When you were a child, you could fall asleep anywhere without a pillow. The body is resilient and adaptable when we're young. Even as we age, our body, including heads and necks, is able to rest comfortably without the support of a pillow.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.snoringmouthpiece-reviews.com/sleep-without-pillow/" rel="noreferrer">http://www.snoringmouthpiece-reviews.com/sleep-without-pillow/</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>While sleeping with or without a pillow is a personal preference, there are some medical experts that believe there are real benefits of sleeping without a pillow.</p>
<ul>
<li>Spinal benefits: Some argue that sleeping without a pillow is the healthiest method of sleeping as it greatly benefits the spine. Sleeping on your back without a pillow allows the spine to rest fully with the natural curves of the body. When you sleep with a thick pillow it can displace the spine.</li>
<li>Facial benefits: Others argue that sleeping without pillows can help reduce wrinkles and other often considered unappealing facial features. This can be attributed to the fact that the face is not being squished against a pillow.</li>
<li>Sleep benefits: Some argue that pillows interfere with quality sleep, especially when people use the wrong pillow. Sleeping without a pillow helps ensure quality sleep because the body is allowed to be at a normal level and not elevated like with a pillow.</li>
<li>Neck benefits: The people that believe sleeping without a pillow is best for you, argue that sleeping with a pillow can be the main source of shoulder and neck pain. It is still good to do stretches and use heat packs, but they say that the best way to alleviate neck pain is to sleep without a pillow.</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p>Is there any scientific study confirming or infirming the claim?</p>
| 31 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/65/why-do-i-feel-shaky-after-only-a-small-amount-of-caffeine | [
{
"answer_id": 76,
"body": "<p>Caffeine metabolism has to do with your genetic makeup. The slower you metabolize caffeine, the more effect it will have on you. The cause for the differences that people have in how fast they metabolize caffeine has to depend on the CYP1A2 gene. Variants of this gene can caus... | 65 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Why do I feel shaky after only a small amount of caffeine? | [
"caffeine",
"drug-metabolism",
"energy",
"shake-tremble-fidget"
] | <p>I like coffee, but caffeine seems to 'wire' me much more extremely than most other people. I feel energized or even shaky after less than half a normal cup, and a whole 8 ounces will usually cause me to sweat or make my heart race uncomfortably. </p>
<p>Even decaffeinated coffee seems to have this effect, which seems strange to me (although I am aware that it still contains a small amount of caffeine). I typically drink green tea instead of coffee, since the effect is more mild.</p>
<p>Is this an indication that my body metabolizes caffeine faster (or slower?) than normal? What else can cause caffeine sensitivity?</p>
| 29 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/120/why-do-doctors-prescribe-steroid-tablets-even-though-they-know-the-side-effects | [
{
"answer_id": 307,
"body": "<p>I think a missing bit of information that might help you get a better sense of this practice is: <strong>steroids are miracle drugs.</strong> </p>\n\n<p>OK, that was in jest - no miracles here. Truth be told, though, if there is a single class of drugs that has added more <a ... | 120 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Why do doctors prescribe steroid tablets even though they know the side effects? | [
"medications",
"steroids",
"side-effects"
] | <p>Sometimes doctors prescribe steroid tablets to suppress pain for diseases, such as <a href="http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/arthritis-information/drugs/steroid-tablets.aspx">arthritis</a>. Why do they prescribe it even though they know the side effects? </p>
| 29 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/13713/what-are-known-health-effects-of-smoking-e-cigarettes | [
{
"answer_id": 13714,
"body": "<h2>We do not know</h2>\n\n<p>That's a bit unsatisfying as an answer, but it's the truth. Vaping is around for somewhat 13 years (<a href=\"http://articles.latimes.com/2009/apr/25/world/fg-china-cigarettes25\" rel=\"noreferrer\">invented in 2003</a>), but the international bre... | 13,713 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | What are known health effects of smoking e-cigarettes | [
"smoking",
"e-cigarette-vape"
] | <p>E-Cigarettes have been recommended by a fair share of physicians as a substitute for cigarettes because they are supposedly healthier.</p>
<p>What is the scientific consensus on the health effects of e-cigarettes?</p>
| 29 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/22937/would-the-human-seasonal-coronaviruses-be-just-as-deadly-as-covid-19-in-a-popula | [
{
"answer_id": 22938,
"body": "<p>The seasonal coronaviruses attach exclusively to cells with a ciliated epithelium.</p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Coronaviruses invade the respiratory tract via the nose. After an incubation period of about 3 days, they cause the symptoms of a common cold, including nasal obstructio... | 22,937 | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Would the human seasonal coronaviruses be just as deadly as COVID-19 in a population with no prior immunity? | [
"covid-19",
"infection",
"common-cold",
"coronavirus",
"sars-cov-2"
] | <p>Presuming that we were able to find a person who was never exposed to any of the human seasonal coronaviruses (part of the viruses that cause the common cold), would the virus be just as deadly for that person as the SARS-CoV-2 currently circulating around the world? Or is SARS-CoV-2 uniquely dangerous?</p>
| 29 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/29276/why-do-doctors-ask-for-your-race | [
{
"answer_id": 29280,
"body": "<p>Race and ethnicity are risk factors in many diseases. Examples include, but are not limited to, cystic fibrosis and spinal muscular atrophy.</p>\n<p>There is also an epidemiological purpose of collecting this information. It is important to know if some disease is affecting... | 29,276 | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Why do doctors ask for your race? | [
"epidemiology",
"research",
"genetic-predisposition",
"race",
"ethnicity"
] | <p>Things like gender and age and height and weight make perfect sense to me, but I don't really see why most doctors ask for your race. Is there a medical reason behind this or is it just for identification purposes?</p>
| 28 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/1060/is-drinking-water-during-or-after-a-meal-better | [
{
"answer_id": 5259,
"body": "<blockquote>\n<p>Remember not to drink too soon before or after a meal as the water will dilute the digestive juices</p>\n</blockquote>\n<p>While that claim might <em>sound</em> reasonable at first, I doubt this has any effect you need to consider for your health. There's seve... | 1,060 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Is drinking water during or after a meal better? | [
"water",
"time-of-day",
"meal",
"drinks",
"diluting"
] | <p>Is it better to drink water during or after a meal?</p>
<p>Clearly, there are different opinions about this topic. </p>
<p>In this <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/digestion/faq-20058348">Mayo Clinic article</a>, it is mentioned that drinking water immediately after or during a meal should not make much difference, and in fact doing so actually aids digestion in general.</p>
<p>On the other side, this <a href="http://www.healthxchange.com.sg/healthyliving/DietandNutrition/Pages/Drinking-Water-at-the-Right-Time.aspx">link</a> says exactly the opposite:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Remember not to drink too soon before or after a meal as the water will dilute the digestive juices. Drink water an hour after the meal to allow the body to absorb the nutrients.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Which approach is better for health?</p>
| 27 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/6/what-should-i-consider-when-deciding-to-remove-a-blister-or-not | [
{
"answer_id": 478,
"body": "<p>In the blister shown, the likelihood of rupture is decreased because of the thickness of the epidermis on the palm of the hand, so you can leave it alone until the underlying area re-epithelializes. You'll know this is happening because of the decreased pain and the slow reab... | 6 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | What should I consider when deciding to remove a blister or not? | [
"wound",
"removal"
] | <p>While playing indoor soccer a couple days ago, I was fouled and fell forwards so that my hand skidded across the court a bit. It left the blister as you see in the image here:</p>
<p><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/PDHo5m.jpg" alt="the blister"></p>
<p>What should I consider when deciding to remove this blister? I could open and drain this blister, removing the excess skin afterwards, or leave it as is.</p>
<p>I figure since it's in a place that is likely to be touched/disrupted I should remove it since it's likely to open anyways.</p>
| 26 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/312/when-does-the-use-of-headphones-become-harmful | [
{
"answer_id": 490,
"body": "<p>Using headphones at a sufficiently high volume level may cause cause trauma to cochlear structure in the inner ear which gives rise to temporary or permanent hearing impairment or <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hearing_loss\" rel=\"noreferrer\">deafness</a>.</p>\n\n<p... | 312 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | When does the use of headphones become harmful? | [
"hearing"
] | <p>Generally, it is known if you listen to music through headphones a lot of time, you damage your ears.</p>
<p>But how long should I use the headphones? And how loud can they be so as not to affect my hearing?</p>
| 26 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/500/does-hot-water-kill-germs-better-than-cold-water | [
{
"answer_id": 503,
"body": "<p><strong>Surprisingly, no</strong>. Hot water does kill bacteria, but what's comfortable for your hands is also pretty comfortable for bacteria. Most pathogens start to die off around 60°C to 70°C (140°F to 158°F)<sup><a href=\"http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2014/chapt... | 500 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Does hot water kill germs better than cold water? | [
"water"
] | <p>I was recently told that I should use hot water to wash my hands rather than using cold water because the hot water will kill germs better. The person who told me this isn't a very reliable source, so I'm not sure if I should believe them or not. It does seem like it makes sense, though.</p>
<p><strong>Does washing your hands with hot water kill germs better than washing them with cold water?</strong></p>
| 26 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/682/are-alternative-sleep-pattern-viable | [
{
"answer_id": 3095,
"body": "<p>Steve Pavlina did an experiment on himself for testing the Polyphasic Sleep. On his blog there is a lot of information about the experiment.\n<a href=\"http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/10/polyphasic-sleep/\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/10/poly... | 682 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Are alternative sleep pattern viable? | [
"sleep"
] | <p>I'm curious about possible health consequences of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyphasic_sleep">polyphasic sleep patterns</a>, which involves sleeping multiple times in a 24-hour period — usually more than two, in contrast to getting all sleep in one block (monophasic). I'm interested in cases of more than just an afternoon nap.</p>
<p>Are there any studies that suggest possible risks or benefits to health regarding polyphasic sleep?</p>
| 26 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/747/what-should-i-do-if-someone-has-a-seizure-in-front-of-me | [
{
"answer_id": 751,
"body": "<p>The typical scenario of a seizure is:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li>loss of consciousness</li>\n<li>uncontrolled movements</li>\n<li>recovery</li>\n</ol>\n\n<p>The conduct to adopt during each of these phases follows:</p>\n\n<h2>During 1. and 2.</h2>\n\n<p>The person will fall on the grou... | 747 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | What should I do if someone has a seizure in front of me? | [
"first-aid",
"neurology",
"seizure"
] | <p>What first-aid measures should be taken when someone is having a seizure?</p>
| 26 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/1401/should-we-rinse-with-water-after-brushing-our-teeth | [
{
"answer_id": 18234,
"body": "<p>The previous answer does not refer to clinical studies so I thought I would have a look.</p>\n\n<p>TLDR; the clinical studies I've seen suggest not to rinse with water after brushing.\n<hr>\nAccording to <a href=\"https://doi.org/10.1007/s41894-018-0025-5\" rel=\"noreferrer... | 1,401 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Should we rinse with water after brushing our teeth? | [
"toothbrush",
"toothpaste",
"fluoride",
"gargling-gargle",
"rinsing-mouth"
] | <p>I've heard that rinsing with water after teeth brushing lowers or negates the benefits that fluoride provides to our teeth, but I've also heard everything in between; from there's no problem with it, to rinse with as little water as possible, to mix water with toothpaste and rinse with it.</p>
<p>Example from <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/feb/08/how-to-brush-your-teeth">http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/feb/08/how-to-brush-your-teeth</a>: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>So, should you rinse your mouth out with water when you have finished brushing or leave some toothpaste in your mouth? "For children, I would say wash out, because if they still have adult teeth that have yet to come through, they may end up with too much fluoride in their body, which can damage their teeth. For adults, it's good to leave a film, but in moderation – you don't want a mouthful of toothpaste. I have a semi-rinse: I put a tiny bit of water in my mouth to brush away the toothpaste on my tongue."</p>
</blockquote>
<p>and from <a href="http://lifehacker.com/5978107/dont-rinse-your-mouth-out-after-brushing-your-teeth">http://lifehacker.com/5978107/dont-rinse-your-mouth-out-after-brushing-your-teeth</a>: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>I know this this is not common practice, but it is actually quite important! Fluoride, one of the active ingredients in toothpaste, doesn't spend much time in contact when your teeth when you are brushing. Thus, it is crucial to let it work after you have already brushed your teeth. According to dentist Dr. Phil Stemmer, from The Fresh Breath Centre in London, "Rinsing washes away the protective flouride coating left by the toothpaste, which would otherwise add hours of protection." If you are thirsty drink a glass of water before brushing your teeth!</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In contrast, this article quotes <a href="http://www.oralanswers.com/rinse-after-brushing">http://www.oralanswers.com/rinse-after-brushing</a>: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>Previous studies have indicated that rinsing the mouth with a beaker of water after toothbrushing may compromise the caries reducing effect of fluoride toothpaste. It is concluded that post-brushing rinsing with water, under the conditions of this study, does not significantly affect the caries reducing effect of a fluoride toothpaste.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>and</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I think the reason that there is some disagreement on this subject is because not rinsing after brushing appears to be only beneficial if you are at a high risk of getting cavities.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>And as two commenters said below, not rinsing feels kind of counter intuitive, but seems to be the way to go. Is it? </p>
<p>Assuming normal and healthy teeth, what's actually better? Which one carries the most benefits? Should we rinse with water or not? Are there studies about this? Is there a consensus yet?</p>
| 26 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/13735/why-should-i-avoid-milk-when-on-antibiotics | [
{
"answer_id": 13739,
"body": "<p>Products high in calcium and magnesium should not be taken at the same time as antibiotics of the tetracycline (tetracycline, doxicycline, etc.) class, and milk should also be avoided with the quinolone class. They have the ability to bind the antibiotic in the gut, decreas... | 13,735 | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Why should I avoid milk when on antibiotics? | [
"medications",
"gastroenterology",
"antibiotics",
"milk",
"gut-microbiota-flora"
] | <p>I'm taking antibiotics (specifically, <a href="https://www.drugs.com/amoxicillin_clavulanate.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">amoxicillin clavulanate</a>) to fight off an ear infection. As she prescribed my antibiotics, my doctor told me not to eat milk products for a few days, then only eat yogurt until I was off the antibiotics altogether.</p>
<p>To be honest, I'm thinking about ignoring this advice and just reducing the milk products I eat. On a typical day, I drink multiple glasses of milk, eat of bowl of oatmeal with milk, eat meals with lots of cheese, and eat ice cream at night. Cutting all of this out for a few days leaves me without much to eat!</p>
<p>What are the downsides to eating milk products while on antibiotics? Is it just that, since my gut bacteria will be weakened, I risk digestional problems? Or can the consequences be more severe?</p>
| 26 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/410/do-zinc-lozenges-really-help-the-common-cold | [
{
"answer_id": 413,
"body": "<p>Overall, there has been inconsistent data on the effects of using zinc lozenges to treat the common cold. Most studies have also been done on children, which may lead to more uncertainty about its effects on adults, but some of the studies I will mention have been tested on a... | 410 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Do zinc lozenges really help the common cold? | [
"treatment",
"common-cold"
] | <p>For years I've been seeing advertisements for zinc supplements for the common cold, and I've heard recommendations from people who swear that they work, either wiping out a cold completely or shortening its duration. </p>
<p>The studies I have seen were for zinc gluconate specifically. Apparently, once they had a nasal spray that was even more effective, but was pulled off the market for causing permanent anosmia.</p>
<p>Is it a placebo effect, or is there actually evidence that zinc helps? If so, does it depend on the formulation (zinc gluconate, zinc acetate or zinc citrate?) Are there any risks?</p>
| 25 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/452/effect-of-the-common-cold-on-the-immune-system | [
{
"answer_id": 5048,
"body": "<p>I've written on this subject a few times, but the most <a href=\"https://health.stackexchange.com/questions/4456/in-a-viral-infection-which-symptoms-are-caused-by-the-virus-itself-and-which-s/4528#4528\">relevant question</a> ended up being closed, and the other is on <a hre... | 452 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Effect of the common cold on the immune system | [
"immune-system",
"common-cold",
"infection"
] | <p>I've heard that once a person catches a cold, his whole immune system becomes weak and is affected. In what way does having a cold influence the immune system?</p>
<p>If it does weaken it, how can one keep the immune system strong while the person is infected with a cold?</p>
| 25 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/875/how-often-should-i-use-mouthwash | [
{
"answer_id": 1845,
"body": "<p>I think the comment made by Carpetsmoker is important in this context.</p>\n\n<p>Some may find surprising (at least I did) that actually fluoride toothpaste is not clearly superior to fluoride containing mouth rinses according to a <a href=\"http://www.cochrane.org/CD002780/... | 875 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | How often should I use mouthwash? | [
"dentistry"
] | <p>I recently started using a mouthwash recently (<a href="https://health.stackexchange.com/questions/874/how-do-i-know-if-im-flossing-correctly">Yes, I recently started taking care of my teeth more</a>)</p>
<p>However, I've read that (I'll link when I find the article again) mouthwashing everyday doesn't really help as much as doing it everyday for 2 weeks, taking a break, then using it for another 2 weeks.</p>
<p>How often should I use mouthwash, and are there any consequences to doing it everyday?</p>
| 25 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/15061/is-it-advisable-for-a-healthy-male-in-his-early-40s-to-take-the-influenza-vaccin | [
{
"answer_id": 15065,
"body": "<p>In general, the benefit of flu shots is to the general population. Taking the cited value of 40%-60% from the CDC, we can say that it might be a coin toss for you <em>personally</em> to be protected from influenza by the shot. However, if many thousands of people take the f... | 15,061 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Is it advisable for a healthy male in his early 40s to take the influenza vaccine? | [
"vaccination",
"influenza",
"mercury"
] | <p>Influenza vaccines do not have satisfactory effective rates of preventing flu. Flu vaccination reduces the risk of flu illness by between 40% and 60% among the overall population during seasons when most circulating flu viruses are well-matched to the flu vaccine, <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/vaccineeffect.htm" rel="noreferrer">according to the CDC</a>. This is not considered highly effective for a vaccine.</p>
<p>Furthermore, there is the risk of mercury that is harmful to the body, <a href="https://www.naturalnews.com/2017-09-16-proof-flu-shuts-are-the-greatest-medical-fraud-in-the-history-of-the-world.html" rel="noreferrer">according to <em>Natural News</em></a>.</p>
<p>Does it make sense for a healthy male in his early 40s to take the influenza vaccine, particularly when flu is an irritant but nowhere near deadly? Flu jabs come with mercury danger and does not sound effective. I am a lay man, so I may have miss out something important. Please correct me if I am wrong.</p>
| 25 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/46/are-artificial-sweeteners-safe | [
{
"answer_id": 77,
"body": "<h3>Introduction</h3>\n<p>There have been numerous studies on this topic, and there are a number of artificial sweeteners, so the following is a discussion of three of the most important, saccharin, cyclamate and aspartame, as well as three more which are currently approved for u... | 46 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Are artificial sweeteners safe? | [
"nutrition"
] | <p>There seems to be a lot of noise about health risks of consuming artificial sweeteners, especially aspartame and saccharin. Many sources argue that these chemicals carry huge risks of developing cancer and neurological problems.</p>
<p>Should I be concerned? Is moderate consumption (say, a few diet sodas a week) of artificial sweeteners considered safe by the currently available research?</p>
| 24 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/309/how-much-coffee-can-a-healthy-adult-drink | [
{
"answer_id": 311,
"body": "<p>There are many factors in determining how much coffee one can drink in a day. Caffeine metabolism<sup>1</sup> is a big one. People who metabolize caffeine slow, probably shouldn't have more than 100mg of caffeine (about a cup) a day. Fast metabolizers of caffeine can usually ... | 309 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | How much coffee can a healthy adult drink? | [
"nutrition"
] | <p>How much coffee can a healthy adult drink before it starts to affect them in a bad way?</p>
<p>For example, some friends of mine get headaches if they drink more than 2 cups in a single day.</p>
| 24 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/506/how-to-avoid-fatigue-if-i-foresee-irregular-sleeping-time | [
{
"answer_id": 562,
"body": "<p>Although the <a href=\"https://health.stackexchange.com/a/510/165\">other answer</a> provided some general tips about sleep hygiene and noted that melatonin might be helpful, your question actually touches on an aspect of circadian biology that has been very well worked out, ... | 506 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | How to avoid fatigue if I foresee irregular sleeping time? | [
"sleep"
] | <p>Let's say normally, I go to sleep at 00:00 and wake up at 08:00. I know that 3 days from now, I will have to work in another city for just that day and wake up at 05:00 to account for the travel time.</p>
<p>How should I plan my activities and rest, so that I will not feel sleepless the night before, or feel tired when I wake up at 05:00?</p>
<ul>
<li>Should I exercise in the afternoon, so my body feels tired and I can go to sleep early?</li>
<li>Should I eat more or eat less?</li>
<li>Should I gradually adjust my sleeping time starting from 3 days before, then adjust it back? (3 days before + 3 days after = my sleeping is irregular for 7 days)</li>
</ul>
<p>I am not interested in medicines like a sleeping pill, as I believe some can be harmful to health in the long term.</p>
| 24 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/124/why-is-sitting-for-long-periods-unhealthy | [
{
"answer_id": 152,
"body": "<p>Your body uses motion in several ways to maintain function.\nOne of them is called muscle milking\nMuscle Milking is the process where blood is pushed back up to your heart by your muscles compressing on the veins. Since the veins have valves to ensure one-way direction, comp... | 124 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Why is sitting for long periods unhealthy? | [
"posture"
] | <p>Discovery called sitting "<a href="http://news.discovery.com/human/is-sitting-the-new-smoking-120301.htm">the new smoking</a>", and while this is somewhat hyperbolic, there seems to be hard data that indicates sitting (e.g., at a desk) for long periods of time is unhealthy (<a href="http://www.aafp.org/news/health-of-the-public/20150127sitting.html">1</a>, <a href="http://revdesportiva.pt/files/form_cont/Sitting_Time_and_Mortality_from_All_Causes.pdf">2</a>).</p>
<p>Why is this the case, and what can be done to mitigate the risks if your job requires sitting at a desk?</p>
| 23 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/18672/father-gets-chickenpox-but-doesnt-infect-his-two-children-how-is-this-possibl | [
{
"answer_id": 18673,
"body": "<p>If there was close contact, if the 90% rate is accurate, and if occurrence is independent in related individuals, then you would expect 0.10 * 0.10 = 1% of contacts with 2 potentially vulnerable people to result in neither person infected.</p>\n\n<p>1% sounds rare, but <em>... | 18,672 | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Father gets chickenpox, but doesn't infect his two children. How is this possible? | [
"infection",
"vaccination",
"virus",
"infectious-diseases",
"chickenpox"
] | <p>My brother in law got chickenpox, yet somehow he didn't infect my two nephews, even though they are living together. According to wikipedia, varicella has an infection rate of 90%:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Varicella is highly communicable, with an infection rate of 90% in close contacts.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chickenpox" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chickenpox</a></p>
<p>He got varicella over a week ago and the children are completely healthy, even though they have not had the disease yet nor are they vaccinated against it.</p>
<p>How is this possible? Is the infection rate actually lower, than 90%? Is an outcome like this usual or plausible?</p>
<p>edit: they did end up getting sick after all.</p>
| 23 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/29345/why-arent-leg-amputations-done-at-the-knee-joint | [
{
"answer_id": 29347,
"body": "<p>If you think about prosthetic devices, the answer will soon become clear. You would not wish to have your thigh bone extended by an extra six or eight inches (about the minimum distance that one could practically strap it to) and have the new joint that much lower than the... | 29,345 | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Why aren't leg amputations done at the knee joint? | [
"surgery",
"bones",
"knee",
"amputation"
] | <p>I've noticed that leg amputations aren't usually done right at the knee joint. Instead, the amputation is done further up the leg -- up on the thigh bone.</p>
<p>Why cut midway up a good bone like the thigh bone instead of amputating at the knee?</p>
<p><em>In other words, why don't we see more amputations that have the thigh's knee socket-ball intact? (kind of like what we'd see with a turkey leg at Thanksgiving :)</em></p>
| 23 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/30853/why-is-the-rate-of-circulating-vaccine-derived-poliovirus-disease-booming | [
{
"answer_id": 30854,
"body": "<p>The short version is that in 2016 the polio vaccine changed.</p>\n<p>A more thorough explanation requires some background on the immunology of polio and its vaccines, which is not straightforward. Polio virus is usually harmless, it reproduces in the gut and spreads through... | 30,853 | Why is the rate of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus disease booming? | [
"vaccination",
"infectious-diseases"
] | <p>The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polio_vaccine" rel="noreferrer">wikipedia entry on polio vaccines</a> has the 1st graph below, showing that the rate of vaccine derived polio has increased massively over the last few years, with the rate of 1089 cases in 2020 compared to 56 - 71 per year from 2010 to 2014. <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/11/polio-eradication-vaccines-world-health-organization/" rel="noreferrer">The WEF page on the vaccine</a> has the second graph below, show a fairly modest increase in the rate of immunisation coverage over this time.</p>
<p>What is the reason for a roughly 20 fold increase in vaccine derived polio in such a short period of time, when vaccination rate has increased by only a fraction?</p>
<p><img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4b/Number_of_cVDPV_cases_since_2000.png" alt="Number of cVDPV cases since 2000" /></p>
<p><img src="https://www.who.int/immunization/monitoring_surveillance/burden/vpd/surveillance_type/active/polio_coverage_2018.jpg" alt="Poliomyelitis reported cases and Pol3 coverage" /></p>
| 23 | |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/55/is-there-any-evidence-for-health-benefits-from-cannabis | [
{
"answer_id": 229,
"body": "<h3>Marijuana as medicine</h3>\n<p>Its usage in modern times is controversial, however studies of chemicals in the plant (<a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabinoid\" rel=\"noreferrer\">cannabinoids</a> such as <a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetrahydrocannabino... | 55 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Is there any evidence for health benefits from cannabis? | [
"medications",
"recreational-drugs"
] | <p>From the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_cannabis">Wikipedia article</a> on medical cannabis:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The Cannabis plant has a history of medicinal use dating back
thousands of years across many cultures. Its usage in modern times
is controversial, and in recent years the American Medical
Association, the MMA, the American Society of Addiction Medicine, and
other medical organizations have issued statements opposing its usage
for medicinal purposes.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I hear a lot about how cannabis <em>may</em> have anti-cancer properties, or <em>may</em> help reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. A lot of the findings seem (to me, as a layperson) to be very early, or speculative, and the reporting seems to be frequently caught up in the political issues surrounding legalization of cannabis.</p>
<p>What is the current state of hard research into the health and medicinal effects of cannabis?</p>
| 22 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/56/how-cautious-do-i-need-to-be-with-unvaccinated-students-around-newborns | [
{
"answer_id": 63,
"body": "<p>There seems to be a link (as one would expect) between areas with a higher concentration of unvaccinated individuals and disease outbreaks (see <a href=\"http://www.theverge.com/2014/1/21/5329478/vaccine-preventable-disease-outbreaks-show-anti-vaccine-movement-influence\">this... | 56 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | How cautious do I need to be with unvaccinated students around newborns? | [
"vaccination",
"infant"
] | <p>I teach martial arts, and my wife teaches dance. I know of one student for sure (And I would presume that there are at least a few others) that have not received the normal United States progression of childhood inoculations.</p>
<p>I also have a <6 month old newborn that occasionally gets taken to the classes with us as we have somewhat conflicting schedules.</p>
<p>How much (if any) do I need to limit the exposure of the newborn to children that are not vaccinated?</p>
| 22 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/406/is-rapid-weight-loss-unhealthy | [
{
"answer_id": 409,
"body": "<p>The quoted \"1-2\" pounds per week (or approximately 0.5 - 1 kilo) is based on the traditional 3500 calories burned = 1 pound of fat. Now, while the exact figure of 3500 calories is somewhat open to debate, that is the rationale. 500 calories a day = 1 pound of loss per week.... | 406 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Is rapid weight loss unhealthy? | [
"nutrition",
"diet",
"weight"
] | <p>A commonly quoted figure is that 1-2 pounds (0.5-1 kg) a week is a healthy rate at which to lose weight, and that 'crash diets' are bad for you. What is this figure based on, and in what way is losing weight faster than this unhealthy?</p>
| 22 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/815/can-being-cold-or-wet-be-a-significant-influence-in-getting-the-common-cold | [
{
"answer_id": 830,
"body": "<p>This is a pretty old old-wives tale, taking many forms: don't go out into the cold while it's raining, or without a hat, with wet hair, without a warm coat or scarf, without boots, etc., \"or you'll catch your death of cold.\"</p>\n\n<p>The old wive's tale was immortalized by... | 815 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Can being cold or wet be a significant influence in getting the common cold? | [
"immune-system",
"infection",
"common-cold"
] | <p>As most people know, it's a common thing to say something like "better wear a sweater, otherwise I'll get the cold tomorrow."</p>
<p>In my limited understanding, the common cold is caused by a virus. How does being cold affect this?</p>
<p>Can being cold and/or wet be a significant influence in your chances of 'catching' the common cold?</p>
| 22 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/874/how-do-i-know-if-im-flossing-correctly | [
{
"answer_id": 3576,
"body": "<p>Dental flossing, essentially is done to <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22161438\">maintain periodontal health</a>, in hard to reach areas. Areas which are not used to any \"friction\" so, they will react in a rather singular manner in comparison to our exposed ... | 874 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | How do I know if I'm flossing correctly? | [
"dentistry"
] | <p>I recently started flossing regularly. </p>
<p>However, I'm not sure if I'm doing it right because sometimes my gums bleed. If I floss the right way, should it never bleed?</p>
<p>Aside from bleeding, how can I know if flossing makes a positive effect? What should I notice in 2 weeks time? How about 4 weeks? 3 months? 1 year?</p>
| 22 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/1377/is-low-blue-light-helpful-for-preserving-eyesight | [
{
"answer_id": 1431,
"body": "<p>There are two mechanisms of action how light affect humans discussed here:</p>\n\n<ol>\n<li>Amount of energy: shorter (blue) wavelengths are more energetic than lower (red), so it can be assumed that they damage photoreceptors more.</li>\n<li>Psychological: bluish light is a... | 1,377 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Is Low Blue Light helpful for preserving eyesight? | [
"eye",
"computers",
"vision",
"benefits",
"technology"
] | <p>I'm a coder and interested in save my eyesight. I've met the term named low blue light. Monitors decrease the level of blue color and theoretically protect my eyes. Here's a quote from monitor manufacturer <a href="http://www.benq.com/microsite/eye-care-monitors/lbl.html">Benq site</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>BenQ takes the eye health of users to heart and computer eye strain is
no exception, offering a series of BenQ monitors designed to help
everyone. Studies show that blue light from the sunlight, computer
monitors and fluorescent lamps may be very harmful to the eyes causing
macular degeneration or sleep disorders. These concerns are very
serious and BenQ has developed a series of Eye-care monitors with
features including Flicker-free and Low Blue Light technologies, so
users can combat the possible side effects associated with blue light
to keep eyes healthy and happy.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>What do you think about low blue light technology? Is it helpful?</p>
| 22 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/29252/how-many-people-end-up-needing-medical-attention-during-the-15-minute-window-aft | [
{
"answer_id": 29256,
"body": "<p>The most noteworthy complication, and most heard about in the news, is anaphylaxis.</p>\n<p>This article breaks down cases of anaphylaxis nicely: <a href=\"https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2776557\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">Reports of Anaphylaxis After R... | 29,252 | CC BY-SA 4.0 | How many people end up needing medical attention during the 15 minute window after receiving the Pfizer vaccine? | [
"vaccination",
"covid"
] | <p>Everyone receiving the COVID vaccines is asked to wait for 15 minutes in case they have a bad reaction to the shot. Given that we've now had hundreds of millions of Pfizer vaccine shots injected around the world, is there any data showing how many of those people end up needing medical attention during those 15 minutes (possibly 20 minutes in some areas, as reported in comments)?</p>
<p>If such data is available, do we know how many of those people ended up needing attention <em>because of the vaccine itself</em>? I.e. if you take any random 15 minute period, around 23 Americans will <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">get a heart attack</a> during that time, so logically speaking not all cases of medical problems during the 15 minute period will be caused by the vaccine itself.</p>
<p>Note that I'm <strong>only</strong> interested in that exact 15-minute waiting period, not any other side effects from the vaccine that are detected later on. I.e. myocarditis is suspected to be linked to the COVID shot for some people, but that's usually detected later on, not during the 15 minute observation period.</p>
| 22 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/283/how-do-you-read-a-us-nutrition-label | [
{
"answer_id": 288,
"body": "<p>You're going to want to read the label from top to bottom.</p>\n<h3>Serving Size and Calories</h3>\n<p>The first thing you will see at the top tells you the serving size and the amount of calories. It will say "Serving Size {x} " where x is the amount of whatever me... | 283 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | How do you read a US nutrition label? | [
"nutrition",
"labeling"
] | <p>I want to clean up my diet, and be more aware of what I'm eating and how much, but I'm not sure how to read a nutrition label. </p>
<p>I see the breakdowns of various vitamins, the calories and the breakdown of various elements (fats, protein, etc), but I want to be able to relate that to my daily needs. When I look at the ingredient list, I also don't know how much of each is in the food.</p>
<p>Can someone explain how a US based food label should be read?</p>
| 21 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/1099/is-it-better-to-eat-fruit-as-they-are-than-to-have-them-in-liquid-form | [
{
"answer_id": 1142,
"body": "<p>The simpler story is that it is better to eat whole fruit. </p>\n\n<p>The problem with eating smoothies or even drinking fruit juice is that you are increasing the fruit's glycaemic index. For example, an orange has a glycaemic index of 40, while orange juice has a glycaemic... | 1,099 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Is it better to eat fruit as they are, than to have them in liquid form? | [
"nutrition",
"fruits"
] | <p>For example, I have 4 oranges. I can either eat them whole (assume I consume every last bit of the flesh) or blend them into a juice and drink it (assume I consume every last bit of it). Which is better?</p>
<p>One thing I've heard is that you get less fibre if you have fruit in liquid form.</p>
| 21 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/1415/can-long-term-sleeping-at-day-damage-your-health | [
{
"answer_id": 1479,
"body": "<p>Well regular sleeping during the day might damage health. Try avoiding it if possible as research has been conducted which suggests that there is a linkage between irregular sleep and hormone production.</p>\n\n<p>Evidence also suggests that lack of sleep won't do you as muc... | 1,415 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Can long term sleeping at day damage your health? | [
"sleep",
"endocrinology"
] | <p>I've passed half or more of my life, sleeping in very late and often after the sun rises. Now I believe that I'm already feeling its effect. Some of my hormones are under the ideal levels and I have a deficiency in vitamin D.</p>
<p>What are the effects of sleeping during the day and not at night for work reasons or just habit? Is there any effect that can't be reversed simply by sleeping at night? (Assuming that you are sleeping enough time per day like 7-8 hours)</p>
<p>Could this sleep pattern be related to endocrine ills and other ills? </p>
| 21 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/3043/is-smokers-lungs-a-lie | [
{
"answer_id": 3154,
"body": "<blockquote>\n <p>So my question is: Are smokers' lungs visibly and routinely blackened and/or discolored in the absence of lung disease?</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>That last phrase is tricky, because smokers who have heavy pigmentation are likely to have lung disease.</p>\n\n<p... | 3,043 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Is "smokers lungs" a lie? | [
"smoking",
"lungs",
"disease"
] | <p>We've probably all seen photos of smokers' lungs compared to non-smokers lungs. For example:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/M3HtZ.jpg" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/M3HtZ.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>
<p>These images are commonly used in anti-smoking materials, at least in the US, and I've never had cause to question them. However, <a href="https://cfrankdavis.wordpress.com/2012/08/06/the-black-lung-lie/" rel="noreferrer">this guy</a> claims the images are a lie. He cites seemingly credible sources for his claim, such as these:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Dr. Duane Carr – Professor of Surgery at the University of Tennessee
College of Medicine, said this: “Smoking does not discolor the lung.”</p>
<p>Dr. Victor Buhler, Pathologist at St. Joseph Hospital in Kansas City:
“I have examined thousands of lungs both grossly and microscopically.
I cannot tell you from exmining a lung whether or not its former host
had smoked.”
<a href="http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/jfa99d00/pdf" rel="noreferrer">source</a></p>
<p>Dr. Sheldon Sommers, Pathologist and Director of Laboratories at Lenox
Hill Hospital, in New York: “…it is not possible grossly or
microscopically, or in any other way known to me, to distinguish
between the lung of a smoker or a nonsmoker. Blackening of lungs is
from carbon particles, and smoking tobacco does not introduce carbon
particles into the lung.”
<a href="http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/moh18c00/pdf" rel="noreferrer">source</a></p>
</blockquote>
<p>The author militantly believes that smokers are treated unfairly and so clearly has an agenda, which lowers his credibility. I also find it difficult to believe that thousands of pathologists and thoracic surgeons would quietly allow such blatant distortions to go unchallenged even if they do feel that the "scare factor" makes the lie justifiable.</p>
<p>However, I find it surprising that I can't find compelling evidence to prove the blogger is wrong. I can find no credible sources confirming the black appearance of smokers' lungs, and all the photos I can find are the same small set of images recycled so many times it's impossible to know where they came from originally. I've also confirmed that it's true that smokers are accepted as lung donors, and it seems difficult to believe that would be the case if they were routinely as grossly damaged as they appear to be in these images. </p>
<p>So my question is: Are smokers' lungs visibly and routinely blackened and/or discolored in the absence of lung disease?</p>
| 21 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/3585/is-eating-a-meal-with-2000-calories-at-once-any-different-from-eating-4-times-at | [
{
"answer_id": 4010,
"body": "<p>There have been quite a few studies on the influence of meal frequency, but usually they focus on weight loss.</p>\n\n<p>I could find one pilot study comparing people receiving either one or three meals a day, for a total of 8 weeks, while receiving the same amount of calori... | 3,585 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Is eating a meal with 2000 Calories at once any different from eating 4 times at 500 Calories? | [
"nutrition",
"calories"
] | <p>I wonder if there any difference in how many times I eat per day?</p>
<p>Let's say I eat one big meal in the morning at 2000 kcal (at 9am). Is that any different than having 4 meals at 500 kcal throughout the day (at 9am, 1pm, 5pm, 9pm)?</p>
<p>I think I will be hungry by the end of the day if I eat just once in the morning. But I won't be hungry if I eat 4 times a day at smaller portions? How is that possible?</p>
<p>Which way is it better to eat? Maybe twice a day at 1000 kcal? (9am and like 4pm?)</p>
| 21 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/22796/what-is-the-main-way-covid-19-spreads | [
{
"answer_id": 22799,
"body": "<p>The confusion exists because there are conflicting pronouncements from various authoritative sources but also conflicting pronouncements from the same authority.</p>\n\n<p>Covid-19 is a respiratory infection spread by droplets that can be aerosolized (nuclear droplets) in c... | 22,796 | CC BY-SA 4.0 | What is the main way COVID-19 spreads? | [
"covid-19",
"infection",
"virus",
"epidemiology",
"coronavirus"
] | <p>Reading numerous news articles about COVID-19, I got confused as to what is its main transmission route. In particular, I am confused as to whether it is</p>
<ul>
<li>direct landing of respiratory droplets in mouths and noses,</li>
<li>contaminated surfaces,</li>
<li>aerosols (i.e., suspensions of the virus in the air rather than respiratory droplets quickly landing in mouths or noses or on surfaces), or</li>
<li>something else.</li>
</ul>
<p>On the one hand, the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that contaminated surfaces are not thought to be the main transmission route:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads. (<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/transmission.html" rel="noreferrer">Link</a>)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The same website appears to suggest that the main transmission route is direct landing of respiratory droplets in mouths and noses:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).</p>
</li>
<li><p>Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>On the other hand, the World Health Organization (WHO), like many other agencies, puts the main emphasis on washing hands. Here is the WHO's first and foremost piece of advice on how to prevent getting infected with the virus:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water. Why? Washing your hands with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand rub kills viruses that may be on your hands. (<a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public" rel="noreferrer">Link</a>)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Social distancing is mentioned on that webpage only as a second piece of advice, and, furthermore, the webpage implies that it is safe to approach coughing people as close as 1 meter away:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Maintain at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Furthermore, I found an article saying that the virus wasn't detected in the air of hospital rooms with COVID-19 patients, but was detected on surfaces:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>When researchers in Singapore tested the air in the rooms of three Covid-19 patients, they found no virus particles on cleaned surfaces or in the air even when they took samples on days the patients were symptomatic and presumably shedding virus into the air, they reported this month in the Journal of the American Medical Association. In the room of the third patient, who shed more virus, virus particles were present on ventilation fans and numerous surfaces — but all air samples were negative. (<a href="https://www.statnews.com/2020/03/16/coronavirus-can-become-aerosol-doesnt-mean-doomed" rel="noreferrer">Link</a>)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>But the same article also says that Chinese researchers found COVID-19 aerosols near patients' toilets.</p>
<p>My question: Actually what is the main way COVID-19 spreads?</p>
| 21 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/88/how-should-ovo-lacto-vegetarians-compensate-the-lack-of-meat-in-their-diets | [
{
"answer_id": 94,
"body": "<p>There are a few considerations when looking at a healthy lacto-ovo vegetarian diet.</p>\n\n<p><strong>Complete Proteins</strong></p>\n\n<p>This is fairly easy in this type of diet, as eggs contain complete proteins. There are also a few plant sources (such as quinoa, buckwheat... | 88 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | How should ovo-lacto vegetarians compensate the lack of meat in their diets? | [
"nutrition",
"diet",
"vegetarianism"
] | <p>An ovo-lacto vegetarian includes both eggs and dairy products in his diet, but meat is completely excluded. In a regular non-vegetarian diet, meat is very important and provides many benefits if properly consumed.</p>
<p>I've heard of many problems that can be induced by vegetarianism, because the body stops receiving important nutrients and it's common that the diet is not changed to compensate for the lack of meat.</p>
<p>How should an ovo-lacto vegetarian compensate? The meat benefits are lost, and the body still needs them. Which changes in diet should a vegetarian perform to keep receiving the nutrients that the meat stopped providing?</p>
<p>In other words, what diet should a ovo-lacto vegetarian have to be healthy without meat?</p>
| 20 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/489/is-there-any-proof-that-acupuncture-is-an-effective-pain-remedy | [
{
"answer_id": 526,
"body": "<p><strong>tl;dr</strong></p>\n\n<p>Current research seems to indicate that the brain is responding to anticipation or visual stimulus of needles being inserted, not that any of the theories supporting acupuncture are correct.</p>\n\n<hr>\n\n<p>Steven Novella <a href=\"http://th... | 489 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Is there any proof that acupuncture is an effective pain remedy? | [
"pain",
"treatment-options",
"effectiveness",
"placebo",
"acupuncture"
] | <p>I have heard of acupuncture being used for pain management. Are there clear scientific proofs that indicate it is more effective than a placebo treatment for pain? If so what types of pain has it been shown to effective for? </p>
| 20 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/502/is-hiv-the-cause-of-aids | [
{
"answer_id": 504,
"body": "<p>With respect to your peer-reviewed journal article, <em>Frontiers</em> isn't a particularly well-regarded journal series.</p>\n\n<p>AIDS denialism is alive and well, but there's a massive body of evidence pointing to HIV infection as the cause of AIDS. Just as a starting poin... | 502 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Is HIV the cause of AIDS? | [
"virus",
"pathophysiology"
] | <p>That HIV causes AIDS always seemed like an obvious fact to me, this seemed to be the widely accepted opinion. But just now I found the article <a href="http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpubh.2014.00154/full">"Questioning the HIV-AIDS hypothesis: 30 years of dissent"</a> in a peer-reviewed journal.</p>
<p>According to that article there are some serious doubts about the connection between HIV and AIDS. Is HIV actually the cause of AIDS, or is this widely accepted theory really wrong?</p>
| 20 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/920/do-we-produce-vitamin-d-in-the-shade | [
{
"answer_id": 4284,
"body": "<p>The exact value depends on a lot of things - skin tone, the time of day, latitude, how deep the shade is,... </p>\n\n<p>The study <a href=\"http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960076005002220\">Vitamin D effective ultraviolet wavelengths due to scattering in ... | 920 | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Do we produce Vitamin D in the shade? | [
"dermatology",
"micronutrients",
"vitamin-d",
"uv-rays"
] | <p>Do our bodies produce Vitamin D in the shade?</p>
<p>If so, what is the percentage decrease in the amount of Vitamin D produced compared to full exposure to sunlight?</p>
<p>For example, sitting outside in the sun will result in the production of x units of Vitamin D. If the same person then sits under an umbrella, what percentage of x (if any) will they produce?</p>
| 20 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/929/are-there-any-proven-benefits-of-electric-toothbrushes-over-manual-toothbrushing | [
{
"answer_id": 969,
"body": "<p>There is some very good evidence that replacing a manual toothbrush with an electric toothbrush can help in reducing plaque and the risk of gingivitis. </p>\n\n<p>The Cochrane Oral Health Group published a review<sup><a href=\"http://www.cochrane.org/CD002281/ORAL_poweredelec... | 929 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Are there any proven benefits of electric toothbrushes over manual toothbrushing? | [
"benefits",
"brushing-teeth",
"toothbrush",
"gingivitis",
"brands"
] | <p>Advertising has extolled the benefits of electric-powered toothbrushes for decades now, and dentists seem to prefer certain brands over others, some even selling them in their offices. In almost every home I know of (including mine), someone uses an electric toothbrush.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.dentistryiq.com/articles/gr/print/volume-2/issue-1/original-article/chronic-inflammation-an-important-factor-in-the-pathogenesis-of-oral-cancer.html">Chronic inflammation</a> has been shown to be an important factor in the risk of oral cancer, and gingivitis is a source of chronic inflammation. But, is the incidence of gingivitis decidedly decreased with electric toothbrushes?</p>
<p>Are there really any long-term benefits associated with electric toothbrushes? </p>
<p>Please, no "my dentist told me my oral health was much better" anecdotes. :)</p>
| 20 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/4389/what-are-the-long-term-side-effects-of-melatonin | [
{
"answer_id": 5558,
"body": "<p>In long term studies, the effects have been mixed but mild. </p>\n\n<p>In hemodialysis patients, after about six months - melatonin no longer seemed to have physiologic <a href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23432361\" rel=\"noreferrer\">effects</a> but could still be... | 4,389 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | What are the long-term side effects of melatonin? | [
"sleep",
"side-effects",
"endocrinology",
"lasting-effects-duration",
"melatonin"
] | <p>What are the long-term side effects of taking melatonin as an oral supplement?</p>
<p>The couple of articles I have read are inconclusive:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/11/what-is-melatonin-sleep_n_6795220.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/11/what-is-melatonin-sleep_n_6795220.html</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Although you can't overdose on melatonin, doctors aren't sure whether relying on it can affect you negatively.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/jet-lag-and-melatonin-topic-overview">http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/jet-lag-and-melatonin-topic-overview</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>The long-term side effects of melatonin have not been well studied. If you have epilepsy or are taking blood thinners such as coumadin (Warfarin), talk to your doctor before using melatonin.</p>
</blockquote>
| 20 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/14306/what-to-do-if-someone-breaks-a-bone | [
{
"answer_id": 14311,
"body": "<h2>You as an untrained bystander can do little to nothing.</h2>\n\n<p>Professionally trained paramedics could (as an example) pull the leg and thus remove tension between two bone membranes (<em><a href=\"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2826636/\" rel=\"noreferre... | 14,306 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | What to do if someone breaks a bone? | [
"first-aid",
"emergency",
"bone-fractures"
] | <p>I was wondering today about what someone should do immediately after either they or someone else had a fractured / broken bone.</p>
<p>What first aid / steps should be taken after this happens?</p>
<p>Is this something you'd call 911 for immediately and need an ambulance for? </p>
<p>Or could you get someone with a broken leg or arm to hobble over into a car and take them to an emergency room?</p>
<p>On that note - When someone has a broken bone, do you take them to an urgent care or an emergency room? How do you decide?</p>
| 20 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/14355/why-do-drugs-expire | [
{
"answer_id": 14356,
"body": "<p>Drug molecules, even when stored safely inside a tablet\\capsule, inside a closed container, upon a high shelf (hopefully), are still exposed to the environment, and are thus exposed to all of the chemical processes and reactions that go about all around us (to name just a ... | 14,355 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Why do drugs expire? | [
"expiration-dates"
] | <p>I've googled through internet, and all I found was "what expiration dates mean". I found nothing about the underlying mechanism of expiration. </p>
<p>As drugs are chemicals, why do they expire? Are there chemical reactions that produce other chemicals?</p>
| 20 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/26258/is-sm-102-a-safe-ingredient-in-the-moderna-vaccine-despite-these-safety-warning | [
{
"answer_id": 26259,
"body": "<p>The MSDS linked to is for a product sold as a solution of 10% SM-102 in 90% chloroform. It's listed as "SM-102" because that's the interesting/useful thing that the company is selling. It's common for chemicals to be sold packaged with solvents to make a solution.... | 26,258 | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Is SM-102 a safe ingredient in the Moderna vaccine, despite these safety warnings? | [
"covid-19",
"vaccination",
"safety",
"lipids"
] | <p>I recently saw a post online which called into question the safety of the Moderna vaccine through an interesting argument. One of the ingredients in the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is the ionizable amino lipid SM-102. <a href="https://www.hackensackmeridianhealth.org/HealthU/2021/01/11/a-simple-breakdown-of-the-ingredients-in-the-covid-vaccines/" rel="noreferrer"> [Source]</a></p>
<p>Information about this chemical can be found on <a href="https://www.caymanchem.com/product/33474/sm-102" rel="noreferrer">this website</a>. As expected, the description of this chemical is the following:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>SM-102 is an ionizable amino lipid that has been used in combination
with other lipids in the formation of lipid nanoparticles.1
Administration of luciferase mRNA in SM-102-containing lipid
nanoparticles induces hepatic luciferase expression in mice.
<strong>Formulations containing SM-102 have been used in the development of</strong>
<strong>lipid nanoparticles for delivery of mRNA-based vaccines.</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<p>However, as a standalone chemical it seems to have many safety warnings and hazards. This information is available on <a href="https://www.caymanchem.com/msdss/33474m.pdf" rel="noreferrer">the accompanying safety data sheet for SM-102</a>. Here are some of the listed hazards:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>WARNING</strong> This product is <strong>not</strong> for human or veterinary use.</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>H310 Fatal in contact with skin.</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>H351 Suspected of causing cancer</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>H372 Causes damage to the central nervous system, the kidneys, the
liver and the respiratory system through prolonged or repeated
exposure.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Now, my presumption is that these hazards are supposed to be overly cautionary, and also only apply to the direct handling of the raw chemical. But many people do not see it this way, and thus are reasonably skeptical about the safety of the Moderna vaccine. So, I have a couple questions:</p>
<h2>Questions.</h2>
<ol>
<li>Are all these hazards relevant to the chemical's pharmacological use as part of an mRNA vaccine? Why?</li>
<li>How are these hazards determined in the first place?</li>
<li>Are there examples of other chemicals with similar hazards/warnings, which are ingredients in common medical drugs?</li>
<li>Opposite to the previous question, are there chemicals with little to no hazards/warnings, which nevertheless form key components to actually dangerous drugs?</li>
</ol>
| 20 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/11/are-calcium-supplements-harmful-even-if-you-stay-short-of-the-maximum-dose | [
{
"answer_id": 424,
"body": "<p><strong>Background</strong><br>\nIn the past 10-15 years, thinking on calcium supplementation has shifted significantly. In 2001, a <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11176917/\">National Institutes of Health (NIH) Consensus Development Panel on Osteoporosis</a> mad... | 11 | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Are calcium supplements harmful, even if you stay short of the maximum dose? | [
"nutrition",
"micronutrients",
"cardiovascular-disease",
"musculoskeletal-system",
"calcium"
] | <blockquote>
<p><a href="http://blogs.webmd.com/womens-health/2014/10/do-you-really-need-calcium-supplements.html" rel="noreferrer">Source:</a> <em>Do You Really Need Calcium Supplements?</em>, Margaret Polaneczky MD, 2014 Oct 2</p>
<p>You may also have heard that taking calcium supplements can lead to heart disease. It’s still an open question. Some studies suggest up to a 20% increase in heart disease in men and women who take calcium supplements, but other studies do not find this risk, or find it only in men and not women.</p>
<p><strong>My Recommendation</strong></p>
<p>Unless you're at increased risk for a fracture (you can calculate your <a href="http://www.webmd.com/click?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shef.ac.uk%2FFRAX%2F" rel="noreferrer">fracture risk here</a>), forgo the supplements and get your calcium from food and drinks. If you don't eat dairy, look to non-dairy calcium sources. If you can't get your entire recommended daily allowance (RDA) of it from food, <strong>only take as much calcium supplementation as you need to make up the difference between dietary sources and the RDA for your age group</strong>.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>My teenage cousin doesn't suffer from any problems due to Calcium deficiency or that need Calcium supplementation. He's lactose-intolerant.
<a href="http://www.osteoporosis.ca/osteoporosis-and-you/nutrition/calcium-requirements/" rel="noreferrer">This article</a> states that he needs 1000 mg of Calcium daily but it fails to address the impracticality of satisfying RDA from eating only natural foods.</p>
<p>Given his fear, he'll keep any consumption of Calcium supplements far below the maximum dosage. Then are Calcium supplements safe to consume? Conflicting answers from different doctors (whom he consulted) worsen his confusion. Some recommend Calcium supplements, but others reject them.</p>
<p>Footnote: I read the following which I list chronologically, but they sound uncertain:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health-navigator/two-new-studies-add-fuel-to-the-calcium-supplement-debate/article8626924/" rel="noreferrer">Globe and Mail article</a><br />
Science Based Medicine, <a href="https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/calcium-supplements-and-heart-attacks-more-data-more-questions/" rel="noreferrer">this article</a> and <a href="https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/do-calcium-supplements-cause-heart-attacks/" rel="noreferrer">this one</a>.</p>
| 19 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/346/can-you-sleep-less-permanently-but-stay-at-least-as-healthy | [
{
"answer_id": 358,
"body": "<h2>Modern Science</h2>\n<p>According to the <a href=\"http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/sdd/why\" rel=\"noreferrer\">National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute</a>, sleep is certainly needed, that too quality sleep for certain hours. 4-5 hours seems less to me.... | 346 | Can you sleep less permanently, but stay at least as healthy? | [
"sleep"
] | <p>Can you train yourself to sleep fewer number of hours forever, nightly, while remaining at least as fit and healthful (without harming or impairing yourself in any way) ?</p>
<p>This question was inspired by <a href="http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2007/07/sachs200707">this article</a> on Columbia Professor Jeffrey Sachs:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>As far as I can tell, the only time Sachs slows down is when he sleeps, <strong>never more than four or five hours a night</strong>. His wife, Sonia Ehrlich, a pediatrician and the mother of his three children, has been quoted saying (more than once), "I'm a happily married single parent."</p>
</blockquote>
| 19 | |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/466/does-intake-of-processed-sugar-lower-the-immune-system | [
{
"answer_id": 471,
"body": "<p>There is some evidence that sugar does suppress the immune system. The <a href=\"http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/26/11/1180.abstract\">study that everyone seems to point to</a> was conducted in 1973, where they fed sugar in 100g doses to people and measured the effect on ph... | 466 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Does intake of processed sugar lower the immune system? | [
"nutrition",
"diet",
"immune-system"
] | <p>Growing up, my parents were very strict about sugar intake, because they had heard "somewhere" that eating refined sugar lowered your immune system function for 12-24 hours.</p>
<p>At the time, this seemed to be <strong>anecdotally</strong> true to me, because as a kid if I did actually eat something with a lot of sugar (candy, dessert) I would often have a sore throat or stuffy nose the next day.</p>
<p>This article from <a href="http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/10-immune-system-busters-boosters">WebMD</a> seems to support this, but doesn't cite any references:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Eating or drinking too much sugar curbs immune system cells that attack bacteria. This effect lasts for at least a few hours after downing a couple of sugary drinks.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Are there any large studies that show this link? What is the current medical consensus on whether sugar intake makes you more susceptible to infection?</p>
| 19 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/556/in-what-ways-do-studies-indicate-that-smoking-marijuana-is-detrimental-to-long-t | [
{
"answer_id": 557,
"body": "<p>This seems like a difficult question as there <a href=\"http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/34110/title/Is-Cannabis-Really-That-Bad-/\">continues</a> to be a <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22927402\">large</a> <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.... | 556 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | In what ways do studies indicate that smoking marijuana is detrimental to long-term health, if any? | [
"smoking",
"marijuana",
"recreational-drugs"
] | <p>I've heard a lot of conflicting information about the long-term effects. Could someone please clarify at least the proven risks?</p>
<p>Note: I've decided to answer my own question, but I'd prefer to hear from others too. Following the guidelines of this site, any academic studies related to this question are welcome and encouraged, NOT pure opinion or anecdotal evidence.</p>
| 19 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/1258/do-you-bleed-to-death-after-your-penis-is-cut-off | [
{
"answer_id": 1281,
"body": "<p>Assuming the person is not taking anticoagulants, it's actually quite difficult to bleed to death from dismemberment of small members (hands, feet, penis, ears, nose, etc). Even large members such as arms and legs are often survivable because the body is very good at protect... | 1,258 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Do you bleed to death after your penis is cut off? | [
"removal",
"urinary-system",
"penis",
"death"
] | <p>I wonder If a person without knowledge and tools cuts off somebody's penis and then doesn't call an ambulance immediately, is there a chance a person may not bleed to death within a short time?</p>
<p>I would also like to know if you can still urinate, while the cutting is done without some tool you put into urethra?</p>
<p>I haven't found much related to this topic.
</p>
| 19 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/1452/what-effect-does-long-term-caffeine-use-have-on-memory | [
{
"answer_id": 3900,
"body": "<p>There are actually quite a lot of studies pointing in all directions when it comes to memory and caffeine use. I wouldn't call it a closed case by any standard, although many sites hawk caffeine as a great improver of memory, especially long-term memory.</p>\n<p><strong>Some... | 1,452 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | What effect does long-term caffeine use have on memory? | [
"caffeine",
"drug-metabolism",
"memory"
] | <p>I've seen plenty of references to the same study of how caffeine benefits memory after one day of use <a href="http://hub.jhu.edu/2014/01/12/caffeine-enhances-memory">(1)</a> <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20182035">(2)</a> <a href="http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/caffeine-healthy-diet-may-boost-memory-thinking-skills-alcohols-effect-uncertain-201406187219">(3)</a>, but what about long-term use?</p>
<p>There are all sort of factors to long-term use such as sleep and adapting to dosage, and I'm extremely surprised that I haven't found any such study given the wide pervasiveness of caffeine in the modern world.</p>
| 19 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/1652/are-computers-bad-for-health | [
{
"answer_id": 3814,
"body": "<p>Like all things too much of anything is bad for you. As a designer working in the tech industry for over a decade, here's a few things I experienced and that might (I hope not) impact you. </p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>wrists from over use of keyboard and mouse</li>\n<li>circulation pro... | 1,652 | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Are computers bad for health? | [
"sleep",
"eye",
"computers",
"lifestyle"
] | <p>I am a CS student, so my career requires sitting for long periods of time (8~9) hours infront of a laptop daily. I've been hearing for quite a long time that computers are harmful for health. I'm really concerned with my health but I'm comfortable with this lifestyle.</p>
<p>Is there any proof that computers are harmful and/or they cause serious health problems ? Are there any health problems that are specific to some types of computers that no more exist with modern hardware ?</p>
<h3>Clarification</h3>
<p>I'm interested in physical and cognitive/brain problems alike.<br>
Cognitive problems are more important in this case.</p>
<p>Examples of physical problems likely for long-time computer users:</p>
<ul>
<li>Back bending.</li>
<li>Eye-sight damage.</li>
<li>Less energy consumption problems (because of sitting all day) like sleeping problems.</li>
</ul>
<p>Examples of cognitive problems likely for long-term for computer users:</p>
<ul>
<li>Loss of attention.</li>
<li><a href="http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.359.8341&rep=rep1&type=pdf" rel="noreferrer">Cognitive effects of learning computer programming</a></li>
</ul>
| 19 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/10771/medical-professionals-referring-to-left-and-right-are-they-referring-to-my | [
{
"answer_id": 10772,
"body": "<p>In medical documentation, being an X-ray, MRI, description of physical examination or other, the sides \"right\" and \"left\" should be always used as they appear in your body. So, the \"left neural foramen\" is on your left-hand side.</p>\n\n<p>Below is an X-ray image of t... | 10,771 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Medical professionals referring to 'left' and 'right': are they referring to my relative directions or theirs? | [
"practice-of-medicine",
"position"
] | <p>Given that they're facing me and I'm facing them.</p>
<p>Excerpt from radiologist report:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>... there is narrowing of the <strong>left</strong> neural foramen in comparison to the <strong>right</strong> ...</p>
</blockquote>
<p>but whose?</p>
<p>Additionally:</p>
<ul>
<li>Is there an international standard for this?</li>
<li>Does this convention differ in other fields of medicine?</li>
</ul>
| 19 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/21337/how-accurate-are-coronavirus-tests | [
{
"answer_id": 21379,
"body": "<p>Short answer: Sophie Trudeau's positive test <em>may</em> still mean 3 : 1 odds of <em>not</em> having contracted Covid-19, but the odds could also be far more towards having Covid-19.<br>\nJustin Trudeau's negative test almost certainly means he was negative when tested. O... | 21,337 | CC BY-SA 4.0 | How accurate are coronavirus tests? | [
"covid-19"
] | <p>As of time of writing it's quite common to see headlines about so-and-so who have tested positive for Covid-19, e.g. <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/world/canadian-pm-justin-trudeaus-wife-sophie-tests-positive-for-coronavirus-officials-say" rel="noreferrer">Canadian PM Justin Trudeau's wife, Sophie, tests positive for coronavirus, officials say</a></p>
<p>However, these articles don't usually say how reliable the testing is. I couldn't find any recent information on it via Google, either (there are some results, e.g. <a href="https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=228250" rel="noreferrer">this</a>, but they are old).</p>
<p>How accurate are the tests? What are the odds that Sophie Trudeau's results are a false positive, or that Justin Trudeau's negative result is a false negative?</p>
| 19 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/15/will-eye-floaters-ever-disappear | [
{
"answer_id": 240,
"body": "<p>In general any cellular material within the vitreous may cause eye floaters, for example red blood cells as a result of hemorrhage and white blood cells as a result of infection or inflammation. So cause of it should be always determine by a doctor (ophthalmologist). Abnormal... | 15 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Will eye floaters ever disappear? | [
"eye",
"ophthalmology",
"aging"
] | <p>According to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floater#Diagnosis">wikipedia</a> on eye floaters:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Floaters are often caused by the normal aging process and will usually disappear as the brain learns to ignore them.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Even if this might be the case for very small floaters, what about larger ones that cannot be "hidden" from our vision (but that might be moved away from the point we're looking at)?</p>
<p>Will they remain visible or could they disappear with time? I couldn't find credible sources or agreement on their fate.</p>
| 18 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/224/why-am-i-advised-not-to-eat-immediately-before-exercise | [
{
"answer_id": 249,
"body": "<p>You have two main nervous systems when it comes to energy usage / conservation.</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><p><strong>Sympathetic</strong></p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Increased Heart Rate </li>\n<li>Dilation of bronchioles [increased intake /\nexhalation of air] </li>\n<li>Dilation of Pupils </li... | 224 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Why am I advised not to eat immediately before exercise? | [
"nutrition",
"exercise"
] | <p>It is <a href="http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/Sport.aspx">commonly said</a> that, after eating, you should wait 2-3 hours before exercising. It isn't recommended to eat and right afterwards to exercise (or swim).</p>
<p>But I haven't really understood why that is. Does this bad behavior affect me immediately (if I'm in robust health) or does it affect me in the long term? Αnd how?</p>
| 18 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/461/does-sugar-cause-children-to-become-hyperactive | [
{
"answer_id": 465,
"body": "<p>This is a hot topic, and I don’t think there is a firm consensus in the child psychiatry world about the answer. I think a good summary of the literature would leave you with: </p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>X, Y, and Z studies showed an association; Χ, Ψ, and Ω studies showed no ... | 461 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Does sugar cause children to become hyperactive? | [
"sugar",
"pediatrics",
"hyperactivity-hyperactive"
] | <p>When I was younger, I was told not to have too much sugar (candy, soda, ice cream - anything sweet really) because I would get too hyper and I wouldn't be able to sleep at night. I never really felt very affected by sugar, but I have seen people that I do think get affected by sugar.</p>
<p><strong>Does sugar cause <a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003256.htm">hyperactivity</a> in children? If so, how much is too much?</strong></p>
| 18 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/474/how-can-i-boost-my-immune-system | [
{
"answer_id": 525,
"body": "<p>As far as I am aware, the immune system does not have a \"boosted\" state. There is a medical doctor, Mark Crislip, who wrote a post about this on <a href=\"https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/boost-your-immune-system/\">Science-based medicine</a>, and I'll cite here the mos... | 474 | How can I boost my immune system? | [
"nutrition",
"immune-system"
] | <p>There are a lot of products, foods, and activities that claim they "boost" the immune system.</p>
<p>I've heard good things about yogurt, probiotics, superfoods, herbs, oils, supplements, acupuncture, yoga... </p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.everydayhealth.com/pictures/boost-your-immune-system-cold-flu-season/">7 Ways to Boost Your Immune System for Cold and Flu Session</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.doctoroz.com/slideshow/boost-your-immunity-naturally">Dr. Oz's 14 Natural Immunity Boosters</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.naturalhealthmag.com/health/your-best-health">15 Ways to Boost Your Immune System</a></li>
</ul>
<p>Is this marketing, or is there hard science to back some of these up? How does one measure the relative "strength" of the immune system?</p>
| 18 | |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/520/does-blood-donation-reduce-the-risk-of-cardiovascular-disease | [
{
"answer_id": 741,
"body": "<p>In premenopausal women, the risk of developing atherosclerosis is <a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10364080\">half that of men</a>. In 1991, Sullivan proposed the iron hypothesis which attributed this decreased risk to premenopausal women's lower blood iron leve... | 520 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Does blood donation reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease? | [
"cardiovascular-disease",
"blood-donation",
"medical-myths",
"hematology"
] | <p>While answering <a href="https://health.stackexchange.com/q/516/165">this question</a> about the possible detrimental effects of iron deficiency caused by frequent blood donation, I was reminded of a theory I heard long ago about a possible <em>benefit</em> of mild iron deficiency for reducing cardiovascular disease. The theory goes that the lower incidence of cardiovascular disease in pre-menopausal women (vs men of a similar age) is due to mild, chronic iron deficiency induced by menstruation.</p>
<p>I found some <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9326996" rel="nofollow noreferrer">old observational literature</a> suggesting that there might be an association between blood donation and decreased incidence of cardiovascular disease. Somewhat more recently, a <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12430669" rel="nofollow noreferrer">large retrospective study</a> seemed to support this. However, neither is a controlled study, and I’ve not heard this possible benefit promulgated by the Red Cross or anyone else collecting blood. </p>
<p>Are there strong randomized data in support of the idea that regular blood donation reduces cardiovascular risk? Has the “optimal” hemoglobin concentration been determined?</p>
| 18 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/1159/what-is-the-likelihood-of-contracting-genital-hsv1-through-oral-sex | [
{
"answer_id": 4056,
"body": "<p>It seems to me that you are looking for solid risk numbers, which I am afraid might not be available. This is just a summary of the basic facts that play into this likelihood. </p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>For example, what is the likelihood when the partner is asymptomatic vs ... | 1,159 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | What is the likelihood of contracting genital HSV1 through oral sex? | [
"disease-transmission",
"herpes",
"sti"
] | <p>I know genital HSV1 can be contracted from unprotected oral sex, but what is the actual likelihood? For example, what is the likelihood when the partner is asymptomatic vs symptomatic, and what is the likelihood if the person contracting it has already been exposed to oral HSV1 as a child? If genital HSV1 is contracted, how long does it usually take to find out? (when would symptoms start to appear)</p>
| 18 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/23505/why-will-there-be-vaccines-first-before-a-cure-for-covid-19 | [
{
"answer_id": 23508,
"body": "<p>Your question contains a lot of misconceptions.</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>A cure is definitely possible</li>\n<li>A cure could be found, proved, and proved safe, more quickly than a vaccine</li>\n<li>People and firms that could be working on cures are choosing to work on vaccines</l... | 23,505 | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Why will there be vaccines first before a cure for COVID-19? | [
"covid-19",
"vaccination",
"coronavirus"
] | <p>I found this link on the internet:</p>
<p><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-13/who-says-70-vaccines-in-the-works-with-three-leading-candidates" rel="noreferrer">70 vaccines are getting ready for coronavirus: 3 very promising</a></p>
<p>Why is it that there will be vaccines before a cure? Shouldn't it be the other way around? What is the reason for the vaccine first then the cure?</p>
| 18 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/45/is-exceeding-the-us-rda-for-vitamin-c-dangerous | [
{
"answer_id": 82,
"body": "<p>Overloading on vitamin C won't cause death. At around 1000 mg, you will probably have nausea, diarrhea, and stomach aches. 2000 mg is the daily limit, and if you get that high, you will experience more severe side-affects such as severe headaches, vomiting, heartburn, insomnia... | 45 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Is exceeding the US RDA for vitamin C dangerous? | [
"nutrition",
"micronutrients"
] | <p>When I travel I take vitamin C supplements. The product I use has 1000 mg of vitamin C. When traveling I take multiple doses every day. This way exceeds the US RDA of 90 mg for adult males. Is it bad to take too much vitamin C?</p>
| 17 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/99/why-does-my-antibiotic-make-my-urine-yellow | [
{
"answer_id": 145,
"body": "<p>The color, odor and consistency of urine can be differ and can reveal what you've been eating, how much drinking and what diseases you have, so change of the color is usually something completely normal. All substances circulating in your body (including bacteria, yeast, exce... | 99 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Why does my antibiotic make my urine yellow? | [
"side-effects",
"coloration-discoloration",
"antibiotics",
"urine",
"urinary-system"
] | <p>When I was given antibiotics for fever by my doctor, I noticed that my urine is unusually yellow. Why is that?</p>
| 17 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/241/which-are-the-effects-of-removing-sugars-from-a-balanced-diet-for-an-otherwise-h | [
{
"answer_id": 267,
"body": "<p>Firstly, removing all <strong>added</strong> sugars from you diet certainly will improve your general health in the long term due to the decreased risk of diabetes: your blood glucose level will be more stable with less variability and your diet will include less \"empty calo... | 241 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Which are the effects of removing sugars from a balanced diet for an otherwise healthy person | [
"nutrition",
"diet",
"sugar"
] | <p>What effects would removing sugars from a balanced diet have on an otherwise healthy person have? I've heard that both refined and natural sugars can have a negative impact in the body. Is it safe to stop consuming sugars all together?</p>
| 17 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/281/whats-the-rush-in-the-case-of-sudden-hearing-loss | [
{
"answer_id": 284,
"body": "<p>The reason why you should see a doctor right away is because some causes of sudden hearing loss need to be treated right away. Common causes of sudden hearing loss are <a href=\"http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/pages/sudden.aspx\">[1]</a></p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>infectious di... | 281 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | What's the rush in the case of sudden hearing loss? | [
"emergency",
"hearing"
] | <p>I've heard from both an ENT (ear, nose, and throat doctor) and an audiologist (hearing specialist) that in the case of sudden hearing loss, time is of the essence, and the patient should be seen as soon as possible. The audiologist I was speaking with related that her audiology teacher experienced sudden hearing loss herself, and missed class to drive as fast as possible to the doctor to be seen.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, neither of these professionals explained <em>why</em> this was the case. <strong>Why the urgency to take care of sudden hearing loss?</strong> Is it due to a concern that it will worsen to the point that it will not be curable? Is there a particular treatment that won't work (as well?) after an amount of time? Or is it just due to the discomfort of being unable to hear for an amount of time?</p>
| 17 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/436/side-effects-of-genetically-modified-food-products | [
{
"answer_id": 453,
"body": "<p><a href=\"http://www.who.int/foodsafety/areas_work/food-technology/faq-genetically-modified-food/en/\">The WHO considers the genetically modified food currently on the market to be safe</a></p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p><strong>8. Are GM foods safe?</strong></p>\n \n <p>Differe... | 436 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Side effects of genetically modified food products | [
"nutrition",
"resistance",
"artificial",
"genetic-engineering",
"gmo"
] | <p>We are genetically modifying crops to change the way they look, to produce more out of less, or to make them resistant to certain diseases; they are subsequently being consumed by humans and animals.</p>
<p>What, if any, are the side effects or harmful effects on the human body caused by consuming these products? Does this include any long term health effects?</p>
| 17 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/484/does-frequent-showering-change-the-amount-of-oils-our-skin-produces | [
{
"answer_id": 540,
"body": "<h1>Shampooing</h1>\n<p>The first synthetic shampoos were introduced in the 1930's and by '70s and '80s, daily shampooing became norm in the US. So shampooing in the modern sense (water to produce a soapy lather) is only about 100 years old.</p>\n<p>Our modern shampoos are a com... | 484 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Does frequent showering change the amount of oils our skin produces? | [
"dermatology",
"oil-of-skin"
] | <p>The skin produces natural oils, but when we shower, we remove those with water and wiping down. I'm wondering if our bodies adjust to the constant showering by producing oils faster. Sometimes, if I shower every day for a week, and then stop for a day, my head feels like it gets oily faster.</p>
| 17 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/501/oxygen-saturation-value-of-smokers | [
{
"answer_id": 512,
"body": "<p>The OP observes:</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>When I was a smoker, my own SpO2 was usually 100%.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n<p>Although <em>long-term</em> smoking often does lead to changes in the lungs that cause hypoxemia (low peripheral O<sub>2</sub> Saturation, a.k.a. SpO<sub>2</... | 501 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Oxygen saturation value of smokers | [
"smoking",
"oxygenation",
"biological-parameter"
] | <p>A person's O2 saturation, when measured in ambiant air at sea level with a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulse_oximetry">pulse oxymeter</a> (SpO2), is considered as normal between 95 and 100%. </p>
<p>I've read (<a href="http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxym%C3%A9trie_colorim%C3%A9trique">non-sourced Wikipedia FR fragment</a>, no mention of this in Wikipedia EN) and heard (informal discussions with medical and rescue staff) that this value decreases significantly if the subject is a smoker.</p>
<p>This raises the following questions:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Is this true, and why? </p></li>
<li><p>What are usual SpO2 values for smokers? </p></li>
</ul>
<p>When I was a smoker, my own SpO2 was usually 100%. The saturation of my smoker colleagues who tried is also normal. This doesn't prove anything as this does not constitute a study - just a bunch of measure without methodolology -, this is just to say I never observed this phenomenon.</p>
| 17 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/797/does-3500-calories-really-equal-a-pound | [
{
"answer_id": 805,
"body": "<p>The original 3500 calorie theory comes from a correspondence <a href=\"http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=328550\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">published in 1959, by a Dr. Max Wishnofsky</a>, where he equates it to pounds lost in observed obese patients.</p>\n\... | 797 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Does 3500 calories really equal a pound? | [
"nutrition",
"diet",
"weight"
] | <p>If you are attempting to lose weight via dieting and/or exercise, you will see this number EVERYWHERE on the internet.</p>
<p>If you create a deficit of 3500 calories you will lose one pound, as simple as that.</p>
<p>But is that really true?</p>
<p>Surely there are many factors which will affect how true this is?.
That different energy sources have different energy densities, such as muscle and fat, for one.</p>
<p>And where does this number even come from, how is it derived?</p>
| 17 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/994/sex-as-a-generic-medical-treatment-modality | [
{
"answer_id": 10338,
"body": "<p><strong>Unquestionably, sexual activity has several benefits for the body and mind.</strong> </p>\n\n<p>People who have a satisfactory sexual life tend to be happier, friendlier, calmer and sleep better. People who are happier, friendlier, calmer and sleep better, tend to ... | 994 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Sex as a generic medical treatment modality? | [
"treatment-options",
"benefits",
"endorphins"
] | <p>Sex therapy (including <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_surrogate">clinical, licensed sex itself</a>) is a treatment option for <em>sexual health</em> issues - when there are problems and goals pertaining to sex itself.</p>
<p>Sexual health tends to be studied from the angle of being on the 'receiving' end of health, merely being 'improved' as a benefit of good health, or hampered as a result of bad health.</p>
<p>But I wonder whether there have been examples of, any research on, or plausible basis for, sex (whether just orgasm as the common denominator, specific sexual techniques similar to Tantra, and whether solo or with a partner) being a 'medical treatment' mechanism for anything <em>non</em>-sexual in nature also.</p>
<p>In other words, considering the opposite - sex helping to not only improve health itself - but actually be a legitimate and studied <em>field</em> of (alternative) medical treatment for a whole range of scenarios whose goals have nothing to do with sex.</p>
<p>I have no collated research to offer up-front in the question, but only one particular angle of inquiry of my own, which is that sexual activity is part of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parasympathetic_nervous_system">parasympathetic nervous system</a> and that, given the involuntary and powerful nature of sexual function, perhaps it might assist in nervous system balance/repair/damage/even issues with PTSD/fight-or-flight sympathetic nervous system issues (e.g. maybe it is the strongest way to activate and train the parasympathetic system where a patient has issues relating to it), if studied.</p>
<p>There are many studies that show sex (and especially intimate sexual activity with a partner) has many direct health benefits, proven mechanisms to relieve mental stress and certainly regulate hormones of the endocrine system which then has further beneficial domino effects itself.</p>
<p>But is there basis to suspect it could do more? (Similar to well-understood exercise and body movement therapies having massive positive and thus often healing effects on the body?) Has this been studied at all?</p>
<p>Obviously in our current society the principal reason for a lack of such study would be the cultural and 'moral' taboos associated with this idea - sex always being an end, but hardly ever a means.</p>
| 17 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/1143/is-brushing-teeth-without-toothpaste-actually-harmful | [
{
"answer_id": 1366,
"body": "<p>My short answer is : <strong>Brushing your tooth without toothpaste will not cause a greater amount of micro-scratches than if you were to use toothpaste</strong>. </p>\n\n<p>To begin, <strong>tooth paste</strong>, is a product most often made of <strong>abrasive substances<... | 1,143 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Is brushing teeth without toothpaste actually harmful? | [
"brushing-teeth",
"toothbrush",
"toothpaste",
"enamel",
"rinsing-mouth"
] | <p>Another user mentioned that brushing teeth without toothpaste is dangerous because it's <a href="https://lifehacks.stackexchange.com/a/6440/2713">"likely to cause micro-scratches in the enamel of one's teeth"</a>. How true is the claim?</p>
<p>To be exact, let's assume that the mouth is "<strong>fully rinsed</strong>" with clean tap-water and the bristles of the toothbrush are "<strong>fully wet</strong>" with clean tap-water.</p>
<p>Is brushing teeth without toothpaste actually bad for the gums (and teeth / general oral health)?</p>
| 17 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/1164/advantages-of-transition-from-non-vegetarian-to-vegetarian | [
{
"answer_id": 1317,
"body": "<p>This subject is very broad and a detailed answer would require to be a whole book. Shortly I can say that vegetarians and vegans have lower rates of <strong>mortality</strong> (both by ischemic heart disease and total) (1-3) and lower incidence rates of <strong>diabetes</str... | 1,164 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Advantages of transition from non-vegetarian to vegetarian | [
"vegetarianism",
"non-vegetarianism"
] | <p>Influenced by PETA, a lot of people have already changed to vegan status. I would like to know how well the transition may work? It can be either in a physical or mental way.</p>
<p>Some have changed for religious views, some for humanitarian reasons. But I would like to know the health beneficial aspects.</p>
| 17 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/3991/how-much-risk-am-i-taking-by-joining-my-coworkers-for-smoke-breaks | [
{
"answer_id": 11130,
"body": "<p>Your question has no correct answer. It is up to take the pain for a gain. What I would do is look for other times when I can build rapports.</p>\n<p>However, studies show that non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke are at risk for many of the health problems associated w... | 3,991 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | How much risk am I taking by joining my coworkers for smoke breaks? | [
"smoking",
"second-hand-smoke",
"social"
] | <p>Several of my coworkers take regular smoke breaks outside the office a few times per day. I don't smoke, but I join them once or twice a day. There are a few reasons why I find it valuable to do this:</p>
<ol>
<li>I enjoy the break, and the conversation</li>
<li>Spending time with these coworkers builds my rapport with them</li>
<li>Most importantly, valuable business-related information is often discussed</li>
</ol>
<p>I'm aware of some of the research around secondhand smoke. In particular, I'm aware that it's <a href="https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/10026/is-there-no-risk-free-level-of-second-hand-smoke">considered a no-threshold toxicant</a>, which means that the risk increases with exposure, and that even a small amount of exposure can be harmful. Furthermore, the effects of secondhand smoke are <a href="https://health.stackexchange.com/questions/416/effect-of-cigarettes-on-passive-smokers">well-known to be harmful</a>.</p>
<p>So why the question? I'm trying to weigh the costs and benefits. Essentially everything we do risks some harm for some reward. (E.g., I gather that bonfires are also a no-threshold toxicant.) Presumably the many people in my situation would like a more nuanced answer as to <strong>how much risk am I taking by standing outside next to smokers for 15-30 minutes per day?</strong></p>
| 17 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/4058/are-there-any-side-effects-to-cracking-knuckles | [
{
"answer_id": 4090,
"body": "<p>A common medical myth is that cracking your knuckles causes arthritis, but is has been shown that cracking your knuckles, and popping your joints in general, will not raise your risk for developing arthritis.<sup><a href=\"http://www.jabfm.org/content/24/2/169\" rel=\"norefe... | 4,058 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Are there any side effects to cracking knuckles? | [
"musculoskeletal-system"
] | <p>I constantly crack (or pop) my knuckles. Are there any negative (or positive) side effects to it? I like to crack my knuckles, but I want to stop if it can have negative effects. What have scientific studies said about this subject?</p>
| 17 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/13545/why-is-thalidomide-a-current-drug-on-the-market | [
{
"answer_id": 13547,
"body": "<p><strong>Because leprosy and multiple myeloma are conditions for which other treatment options are limited.</strong></p>\n\n<p>All treatments have side effects, some more debilitating than others. The trick with pharmacology is to balance the benefit of treatment with the ha... | 13,545 | Why is thalidomide a current drug on the market? | [
"medications",
"drug-metabolism"
] | <p>Given the thalidomide birth defect disaster of the 1960s, why was it later approved by the U.S. FDA for treatment of leprosy (1996) and of multiple myeloma (2006)? Presumably, the teratogenic issues and problems with permanent nerve damage didn't go away, as the liver can convert the "good" enantiomer to the "bad." Thalidomide affects even non-pregnant women, so why approve a drug with known severe complications?</p>
| 17 | |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/116/why-is-natural-sugar-healthier-than-refined-sugar | [
{
"answer_id": 131,
"body": "<p>These are some reasons:</p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Free sugars contribute to the overall energy density of diets. [<a href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12768890\">1</a>]</li>\n<li>Free sugars promote a positive energy balance. (= excess of energy intake) [<a href=\"http://ww... | 116 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Why is natural sugar healthier than refined sugar? | [
"nutrition",
"diet",
"sugar"
] | <p>The WHO recently published <a href="http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2015/sugar-guideline/en/">this recommendation regarding sugar consumption</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Keeping intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake reduces the risk of overweight, obesity and tooth decay.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>They define <em>free sugars</em> as …</p>
<blockquote>
<p>… monosaccharides (such as glucose, fructose) and disaccharides (such as sucrose or table sugar) added to foods and drinks by the manufacturer, cook or consumer, and sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>On the other hand, they state that:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The WHO guideline does not refer to the sugars in fresh fruits and vegetables, and sugars naturally present in milk, because there is no reported evidence of adverse effects of consuming these sugars.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Why is <em>natural sugar</em> healthier than <em>refined sugar</em>? Also, how is sugar in fresh fruits healthier than sugar naturally present in fruit juices?</p>
| 16 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/315/how-are-ratios-for-one-person-cpr-arrived-at | [
{
"answer_id": 563,
"body": "<p>Note: The following is excerpted from an article written in 2005. For lay (Non trained) people, there are more updated recommendations. The following is an example of the process, not the current recommendations.</p>\n\n<blockquote>\n <p>To be effective, CPR must restore ade... | 315 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | How are ratios for one person CPR arrived at? | [
"first-aid",
"cpr",
"research"
] | <p>I have not had a CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation) class in 10 or more years, but I used to take them all the time (<em>like yearly</em>). For one person CPR the ratio of compression to breaths was always changing. In the US there were two major providers of approved CPR training, It was not unusual for both to have different ratios as "the correct value" at the same time, and the following year, one or both would be different. </p>
<p>How are the ratios determined? What impact if any do minor changes in the ratio have? </p>
| 16 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/496/does-the-frequency-of-loud-sounds-one-is-exposed-to-affect-tinnitus-risk | [
{
"answer_id": 537,
"body": "<p>Different hairs cells in inner ear (<a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochlea\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer\">cochlea</a>) vibrate in various ways in respond to different sound frequencies.</p>\n\n<p><img src=\"https://i.stack.imgur.com/9yNj7.gif\" alt=\"The hairs vibrate... | 496 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Does the *frequency* of loud sounds one is exposed to affect Tinnitus risk? | [
"hearing"
] | <p>I currently am trying to understand <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2686891/">Tinnitus</a> and am having issues with it, because I can't find an official source to see exactly what sort of sound frequency, if heard too often would cause the damage.</p>
<p>Does one type of frequency, if heard too often at too high volume trigger it?</p>
<p>EDIT: I know from <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tinnitus/basics/causes/con-20021487">sources that loud noise is a potential cause</a> but can't find the reference that stated a certain frequency might be to blame. This is upsetting, Internets. As far as I know, though low frequency (bass) causes Tinnitus more often than high pitched sounds.</p>
| 16 |
https://medicalsciences.stackexchange.com/questions/806/how-do-antihistamines-work | [
{
"answer_id": 818,
"body": "<p>A <em>very brief</em> review of an allergic response is in order so that the answer makes sense. Think of a linked chain of events here.</p>\n\n<p>An \"allergen\" is something a person is allergic to, e.g., cat dander or pollen. When someone is exposed to an allergen, they ei... | 806 | CC BY-SA 3.0 | How do antihistamines work? | [
"allergy"
] | <p>We recently got some new kittens and my step son is allergic to them. He mostly suffers from a runny nose, but also had itchy eye last night after he </p>
<ol>
<li>Left a robe in the kitten room all day </li>
<li>Put it on after getting home from school </li>
<li>Kept scratching his eye after playing with the kittens etc.</li>
</ol>
<p>Anyway, so he's trying an antihistamine to see if this will combat the allergies. From sites like WebMD I've read that the cat allergy is an overreaction of his immune system.</p>
<p>Is the antihistamine doing something regarding his immune's system reaction or is it doing something about the symptoms? How does it work?</p>
<p>Will his immune system learn how to behave whilst taking antihistamines? Would the process of learning be better or worse for taking them?</p>
| 16 |
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