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While awareness of adult mental illness has increased over the last decade, many parents are in the dark about the dangers of psychiatric disorders among children. The statistics are sobering. [...]

America has a serious obesity problem. By the latest estimates, about 64 percent of adults, or 123 million people, are classified as either overweight or obese, and about 15 percent [...]

Lance Armstrong reached a remarkable milestone in his already distinguished athletic career by winning a fifth consecutive Tour de France on July 27. This achievement - in one of the [...]

Millions of Americans suffer from some form of tremor, which is defined as a rhythmic, involuntary muscular contraction. People suffering from tremors experience oscillations (to-and-from movements) of a part of [...]

The National Institutes of Health, which is overseen by the federal government, comprises numerous divisions, each with its own mission. One such division, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, [...]

As many as 70 million Americans are affected by some form of digestive disease. These afflictions range from gastroesophageal reflex disease and irritable bowel syndrome to lactose intolerance and severe [...]

A cerebral aneurysm involves the dilation, bulging, or ballooning out of part of the wall of a vein or artery in the brain. Most often, the disorder is a result [...]

With seemingly unending weeks of miserable weather this spring, it's not uncommon to hear people complaining how the gray days have had a deleterious effect on their mood. While it [...]

It's summertime again, and all the warriors are back on the tennis court, in the swimming pool, and on the baseball field. Whether you are a child or an adult, [...]

With new diseases being identified on a regular basis (we had never heard of SARS a year ago), it's helpful to stay on top of the latest medical terms. MedicineNet.com, [...]

As many as 86 million Americans live with some form of pain that continues a month or more beyond the usual recovery period for an illness or injury. In the [...]

If your e-mail inbox looks anything like mine, then you are inundated with dubious offers for prescriptions at drastically reduced prices through the Internet. My mailbox is full of messages [...]

'The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy,' published for 100 years by the pharmaceutical giant Merck, provides a wealth of reliable and easy-to-use medical information. Published in 14 languages, the [...]

In 1996, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, also known as HIPAA, was passed. For consumers, it is critical to understand the rules and regulations accompanying HIPAA, because they [...]

A poison exposure refers to the ingestion of or contact with a substance that can produce toxic effects. Nationwide, poison control centers report about 2 million poison exposures annually. The [...]

It's hard to pick up any newspaper or magazine these days without being bombarded with information about the latest cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS. A respiratory illness [...]

Now that winter is over, the flowers are blooming, and children are outside running. Running is a great form of exercise. However, parents and their children need to pursue this [...]

Each year Americans spend billions of dollars on prescription and over-the-counter medicines. While physicians and health-care professionals are responsible for explaining the potential side effects and reviewing the efficiency of [...]

Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a common disorder of the intestines leading to cramp pain, gas, bloating, and changes in bowel habits. While some people with IBS suffer from [...]

Acupuncture, which originated in China more than 2,000 years ago, has become better known in the United States over the past few decades. In a nutshell, traditional Chinese medicine theorizes [...]

Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle that affects as many as 50,000 Americans. The condition is also the leading reason for heart transplantation. In a person suffering from [...]

Who wouldn't benefit from a massage? Whether it's after a hard day of work, a long flight in a cramped airplane, or a particularly grueling exercise regimen, a massage offers [...]

As the elderly population mushrooms in the United States, more of us are in search of excellent nursing care, either for ourselves or our parents. Until now, it has been [...]

Few would argue that we are in a time of economic uncertainty. This has undoubtedly affected the financial health of many, including numerous non-profit organizations. Many charitable agencies are finding [...]

Have you ever been frustrated trying to track down hard statistics on a disease or medical condition? The National Center for Health Statistics is a wing of the Centers for [...]

Thousands of Americans run into problems involving numerous health care issues, whether they be insurance, access to adequate medical care, or debt. The Patient Advocate Foundation, www.patientadvocate.org, is a national [...]

Autism is a mental, emotional, and behavioral disorder that often appears in early childhood. The illness almost always manifests itself within the first three years of a child's life. Since [...]

Millions of Americans suffer from gastrointestinal disorders: celiac disease, hernias, gallstones, and a wide range of other maladies. Only recently have researchers begun to understand the many and often complex [...]

Guillain-Barre syndrome is a disorder in which the body's immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system. Generally, the first symptoms are a weakness or tingling sensation in the [...]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, an estimated 14 percent of the U.S. population was without health insurance coverage during 2000. While this estimate represents a slight decline over the [...]

If you have children, there is a good chance that one of them competes in sports. Chances are, also, that you have run into a coach who is set to [...]

Arthritis encompasses more than 100 rheumatic diseases that may affect the joints but also can cause pain, swelling, and stiffness in other supporting structures of the body. While children can [...]

Millions of women were affected by the announcement two weeks ago that a clinical trial studying postmenopausal hormone therapy had been abruptly stopped. The trial, originally scheduled to run through [...]

Trichotillomania is compulsive pulling or tugging of the hair until it breaks. Often, this unexplainable compulsion results in numerous bare spots and, in the worst cases, baldness. Up to 4 [...]

The purpose of our immune system is to protect our bodies from invading microorganisms, including viruses, bacteria, cancer cells, or foreign blood or tissues. Under normal conditions, these foreign invaders [...]

President Bush has declared 2000-10 as National Bone and Joint Decade, underscoring the tremendous toll that musculoskeletal disorders place on our society. This declaration is designed to jump-start U.S. efforts [...]

Infectious diseases in the United States are on the rise. While extensive use of antibiotics and vaccines has, for all intents and purposes, eradicated such devastating diseases as polio and [...]

Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in males 15 to 35. In general, it appears that men who have an undescended testicle (one that has never moved down into [...]

So you've finally decided to eat better, but you're not sure where to start. Why not begin by analyzing the nutritional components of the basic foods you eat now and [...]

Americans make 5 billion purchases of over-the-counter medications each year to treat such routine problems as coughs and colds, fever, heartburn, and general aches and pains, the U.S. Food and [...]

We are a nation that likes to drink. While a large number of people consider alcohol a pleasant accompaniment to social activities, many others get into serious trouble with their [...]

By SUSAN COBURN, SPECIAL TO THE STAMFORD ADVOCATE The folks who bring you the Physicians' Desk Reference, one of the most venerable sources of health and drug information used by [...]

By SUSAN COBURN, SPECIAL FROM THE STAMFORD ADVOCATE Cystic fibrosis is a chronic, progressive, and often fatal genetic disorder that affects the body's mucus glands. Usually diagnosed at an early [...]

By SUSAN COBURN, THE STAMFORD ADVOCATE Today, most kids play one sport or another, whether seriously or for fun. Regardless of a child's level of intensity in any sport, however, [...]

By SUSAN COBURN, SPECIAL FROM THE STAMFORD ADVOCATE Most Americans think tuberculosis was vanquished long ago, but the deadly infectious disease remains the second-leading killer in the world. More than [...]

By SUSAN COBURN, THE STAMFORD ADVOCATE Most of us take our eyes for granted. For those individuals with visual impairment or blindness, however, the inability of the eyes to work [...]

By SUSAN COBURN, SPECIAL FROM THE STAMFORD ADVOCATE A recent study completed by the U.S. Senate Committee on Education and Labor revealed that as much as 85 percent of the [...]

By SUSAN COBURN, SPECIAL FROM THE STAMFORD ADVOCATE Can't quite shake those winter doldrums and get to the gym for a good workout? For a jump-start, head to eDiets.com (www.ediets.com). [...]

By SUSAN COBURN, SPECIAL TO THE STAMFORD ADVOCATE Nearly 3 million Americans are afflicted with open-angle glaucoma, the most common form of glaucoma, according to the National Eye Institute. Worse [...]

By SUSAN COBURN, SPECIAL FROM THE STAMFORD ADVOCATE Sjogren's syndrome is an autoimmune disorder in which immune cells attack and destroy the glands that produce tears and saliva. The hallmarks [...]