Doctor Column
Untangling the Mysteries of the Aging Voice
July 25, 2024
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
One of the things we take for granted is a good voice, one that is strong, easily understood and of good quality. We have a problem when a voice disorder interferes with our ability to communicate with family and friends, or to earn a living.
Choline and Pregnancy. How Does Choline Boost Fetal Brain Development?
July 15, 2024
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
“The risk of mental illness in a child is about one in 10. The risk of spinal bifida in a child is about one in 1000. Yet, every woman takes folic acid to avoid spina bifida risk. We ought to think about every woman taking choline to avoid that mental illness risk which is one in 10. If we could make sure that a baby builds a better brain before it was born perhaps we could prevent it from ever becoming mentally ill,” according to Robert Freeman, MD.
BOTOX: An Accidental Discovery .. From Deadly Poison to Smooth Wrinkles — Cosmetic and Medical Uses
July 5, 2024
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
At times, medical breakthroughs happen by sheer accident, and keen observation. Such accidental discoveries have changed the course of medicine. Consider the accidental discovery of penicillin. “In 1928 Dr. Alexander Fleming returned from a holiday to find mold growing on a Petri dish of Staphylococcus bacteria. He noticed the mold seemed to be preventing the bacteria around it from growing. He named the chemical that could kill bacteria, Penicillin. Before antibiotics, Science Museum continues, “Everything from paper cuts to childbirth had the potential to kill through bacterial infection.”
Exosomes — Extracellular Vesicles: What Are They? Could the “Cargo” Onboard Be Dangerous?
June 25, 2024
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
Exosomes are microscopic, round, or oval sac-like structures that contain proteins, lipids, RNA, and DNA. They’re produced inside the cell by almost all cell types, and are released into the extracellular space, the space outside the cell. They’re about one 100th the size of a human cell and are also known as Extracellular Vesicles (EVs). A vesicle is a small sac-like structure.
Green Tea: From Leaves to Teacup to Good Health? The Science of Green Tea
June 15, 2024
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
Aside from water, green tea ranks as the world’s second most popular beverage. People have been drinking green tea for thousands of years and in almost the same fashion. It all started, according to one legend, when the Chinese Emperor Shennong in 2737 BC was sitting under a tea tree.
Snapshot of Mouth Sores, and Mouth Cancer
June 5, 2024
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
Mouth sores are tender or painful lesions that appear on the inside of your mouth. They can appear on the tongue, gums, inner cheeks, roof of the mouth, or be found on the inside of the lip. The lesions damage the mucous membrane, a delicate tissue that lines the inside of the mouth making it difficult to swallow, eat, and talk.
Dialysis: Beyond Needles, Tubes, and Filtration
May 25, 2024
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
I was saddened when a close friend and colleague informed me that he was diagnosed with lung cancer. He was advised of the treatment choices, and opted for a combination of radiation treatment and chemotherapy. After four months of treatment, I received another call from Daniel letting me know that his kidneys completely shut down due to the chemotherapy drugs. What’s remarkable is how he dealt with these two crushing blows.
Chronic Kidney Disease Insights — Unraveling the Five Stages of CKD
May 15, 2024
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
Chronic kidney disease (CKD causes a gradual loss of kidney function over time. CKD happens when the kidneys are unable to remove waste products and excess fluid from the blood causing a buildup of toxic material in the bloodstream. You may have ongoing kidney damage for many months to years without symptoms until the kidneys are almost ninety percent non-functional. Besides kidney disease, this condition can lead to hypertension, coronary artery disease. stroke and other problems.
From Pollen to Panic: Demystifying How Allergic Reactions Happen
May 5, 2024
Springtime is “allergytime” for millions of Americans. But inhaling substances like pollens is not the only way to provoke an allergic reaction. Breathing in animal dander, dust, mold and mildew can cause an allergic response. The list of allergic “provocateurs” is a long one.
Glaucoma: “Thief of Sight”
April 25, 2024
Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
Glaucoma is a chronic eye disease that progresses slowly over time causing loss of eyesight. There is a buildup of pressure within the eye, because the eye’s drainage system is malfunctioning. A narrowing or complete blockage of the drainage system prevents fluid from flowing out of the eye in a normal fashion. This causes an excessive buildup of pressure within the eye that damages the optic nerve resulting in vision loss. It takes months to years before you notice eye problems, and the vision that has been lost cannot be restored.
