DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am 82. At this late stage, I am now being told that a PSA test (that I’ve always had and always passed well within limits) is no longer recommended. What is a guy to do? Early detection has always been encouraged, so how am I to know if I will need […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My sweetheart snores so loudly that it upsets both his and my sleep. How do you help someone with this terrible problem? — F.F.  ANSWER: Snoring results from the vibration of loose and redundant tissues at the back of the mouth and in the throat. It’s the same mechanism by which the […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Will you please explain what the C-reactive protein blood test indicates? My C-reactive protein was 3.5. The doctor said this was high but didn’t say why, and the subject was dismissed. I am 79. — B.M.  ANSWER: C-reactive protein is a blood test that detects inflammation. Infections and illnesses like rheumatoid arthritis […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am the grandmother of a 10-year-old boy diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. We did not know that this disease affects a child so young. Please fill us in with information on this illness. — J.G.  DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am a 32-year-old woman with Crohn’s disease. I don’t understand exactly what it […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My daughter runs track for her high school. She’s a junior and has been on the track team since her freshman year. This past week, she complained of thigh pain. For a couple of days we used a heating pad, but it didn’t work. I had her see an orthopedic doctor. He […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Help! Itching and scratching have driven me to the brink. For the past six months I have had crop after crop of hives. I have taken more antihistamines than you can name. No relief. Please provide some suggestions. These things are driving me crazy. — L.H. ANSWER: You’re in a crowded boat. […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: During the past three years, my husband, 79, has changed from being a very active man to one who does little. I take him with me to the grocery store, and he huffs and puffs as we walk the aisles. I worried about that and insisted he see a doctor. The doctor […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am a 35-year-old father with two young children. Two times in the past month, I had bad chest pain while sitting and watching TV. After the second time, my wife insisted I see a doctor. The doctor did an EKG, which was normal. He then arranged for me to have an […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: While watching TV with my grandson, I saw an ad featuring a grandmother and grandson in a store. The youngster read a sign about peripheral artery disease and asked his grandmother if she had it. My grandson looked at me and asked the same question. I told him I didn’t think so. […]

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Would you say something about laxatives? I suffer from constipation, and the only way I can deal with it is to take a laxative. I use three or four different ones, not all at the same time. I switch between them so I don’t get used to one. My wife says I’m […]