It’s futile to treat vaginal infection not knowing cause DEAR DR. DONOHUE: For three months I have been treating a vaginal yeast infection with just about every cream and ointment I can buy. Nothing has worked. What do you think the problem is? Are these medicines really effective? — D.D. ANSWER: The problem could well […]

Scabies spreads from person to person DEAR DR. DONOHUE: We have an outbreak of scabies in our area. Will you explain how one gets them? Is it by shaking hands or from pushing a grocery cart in the supermarket? How does one get rid of them? — D.S. ANSWER: Scabies fills people with dread and […]

COPD not curable, but treatable DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am inquiring for a friend about COPD. I would like to know what to look for in the last stages of COPD. We are in prison, and my friend is having a hard time with his COPD. He is 60. I want to help him in […]

Weightlifting without barbells or dumbbells DEAR DR. DONOHUE: You have written many times about the benefits that come from weightlifting regardless of a person’s age. Don’t you consider things like chin-ups and push-ups weightlifting? I have done these kinds of exercise all my life, and they have kept me trim and quite strong. The beauty […]

Generic drugs contain same ingredients as brand-name DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am concerned about your advice regarding generic drugs. My family’s experience with anticonvulsant generics was alarming. The mail-order pharmacy that we use switched our son’s Depakote to the generic medication valproic acid. He immediately began having seizures again and did not stop until we […]

Throat pouch is one cause of bad breath DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Through the years you have addressed the problem of bad breath more than once. Usually you do not mention the possibility of it being caused by a Zenker’s diverticulum. This was my husband’s problem. An emergency-room trip for a chunk of chicken stuck in […]

Shingles pain often lingers long after rash goes DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I have had shingles for five months now on the right side of my face. I am taking gabapentin for it. How long can I take this before becoming addicted to it? — M.H. DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I came down with shingles on my […]

Swine flu in not doomsday DEAR DR. DONOHUE: What’s the scoop on the devastating H1N1 virus? What can an elderly senior do to protect himself from the ravages of this debilitating disease? Is a vaccine available? What can I recommend to my grandchildren in their 20s or children in their 40s? Should a person wear […]

For a few, heartburn leads to cancer DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am writing concerning your article on heartburn. I am a long-term survivor of esophageal cancer — 10½ years. I was diagnosed early. For years I had suffered from heartburn and practically lived on antacids. My primary-care physician sent me to have an endoscopic exam […]

Rotator-cuff tear is common shoulder injury DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Twice a week I play doubles tennis, year-round. Last week, when serving, I got a terrific pain in my right shoulder and had to stop playing. My tennis partner thinks I tore my rotator cuff. I’ve heard of the rotator cuff, but don’t know what it […]