Aging

Dear Doctors: About a year ago, when I turned 44, I started using reading glasses that I purchased at the drug store and they seemed to work just fine. Now I need a stronger pair and I wonder whether using them has weakened my eyes. [...]

Dear Doctors: My dad has just been diagnosed with vascular dementia. What is it? Can it be prevented? Dementia is a general term used to categorize symptoms that relate to the decline or loss of cognitive function. [...]

Dear Doctor: I am a 60-year-old man who exercises regularly and takes no medicines. At my last physical exam, my doctor gave me an Advance Directive form. Do I really need to fill one of these out? Unequivocally, yes.  Advance Directives [...]

Dear Doctors: I’m 55 years old and a former marathon runner. Now my right hip hurts all the time, not only when I walk but also when I’m lying down. I can’t even sleep on my right side any more. I was told I need a hip replacement. What does [...]

Dear Doctor: A new study said that working out too much could ruin your sex life. I like to be in shape – but not at that high a price. What’s the deal? Exercise is unequivocally good for men's libido.  Compared [...]

Dear Doctors: I’m about to turn 60 and when I spend the afternoon playing with my 7- and 9-year-old grandsons, I’m wiped out. Is there anything that I can do to feel and be more energetic? I want to be an active grandmother and not just sit on the sidelines. [...]

Dear Doctor: Some studies suggest that long-term calorie restriction can shorten lifespan; others say it won’t. Which should we believe? This is a perplexing question.  We need energy to live, and the food we eat provides that energy.  Obviously, gluttony can [...]

Dear Doctors: I played a pretty rough game of tennis a few weeks ago and developed an ache in my right elbow that turns out to be bursitis. What can I do to ease the pain? Our [...]

Dear Doctors: I understand that Alzheimer’s disease causes memory loss and leads to dementia. But when someone has Alzheimer’s, what is the actual cause of death? Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disease of the brain in which [...]

Dear Doctors: Sometimes I get a sudden hissing sound in my right ear that lasts for a few minutes and then slowly goes away. What is it and is there anything I can do to make it stop? [...]