Barb's Daily Dose

Sexual Health: Contraceptives and Condom Use

Please check out this great article that was featured on HealthDayNews.  To view the video- click here.

Condom-Use Errors Common

Improper use Could Contribute to Unwanted Pregnancies or STIs

MONDAY, Feb. 27, 2012 (HealthDay News) — An analysis of data from 50 studies across 14 countries finds that errors in using condoms are common and could contribute to unwanted pregnancies or sexually transmitted infections.

Stephanie Sanders and colleagues at The Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction at Indiana University looked at 16 years of data on the issue, mainly from the United States and Britain.

Antibiotics No Help for Sinus Infections - Health News

Cold, Flu, and Sinus

News & Headlines from Health.com

Antibiotics No Help for Sinus Infections - Health News - Health.com.

Avoiding Food Poisoning

How often have you or someone you know had a little tummy upset after a meal or in the middle of the night?  If you said 1 or 2 times a year, then it's not unlike 15% of Americans who have food poisoning every year.

Thankfully most of us just have a bit of mild diarrhea or vomiting, but over 4,000 people were hospitalized last year for serious food poisoning. 

HPV Vaccine Prevents Cervical Abnormalities

Now that many of my patients have been vaccinated against HPV, we are seeing fewer and fewer abnormal pap smears and more serious abnormalities in the cervix. Indeed, this has also been seen in a large study in Australia.

The HPV vaccines that are available are Gardisil and Cervarix.  Gardisil has the benefit of also decreasing the likelihood of developing external genital warts in both males and females. In my practice we are also seeing fewer patients with genital warts, which I've heard is also the case with many of my colleagues.

A Deadly New Reason to Avoid Deer Ticks

Today's Article was Featured on Caring.com by Staywell Communications.

WEDNESDAY, July 6 (HealthDay News) -- Move over, Lyme disease: Another tick-borne illness is on the rise in various parts of the country, and this one can kill.

Known as babesiosis, the disease is caused by a microscopic parasite that attacks blood cells, causing flu-like symptoms that can make it difficult to accurately diagnose. Like Lyme disease, which is caused by bacteria, babesia microti parasites are carried by deer ticks.

Working in a Pediatric ICU - Part 2 of a 3 Part Video Series

If you stopped by last week, you may have watched the 1st in a series of video interviews I did with Jan Dineen, a pediatric ICU nurse at the Lucile Salter Packard Hospital at Stanford.

Jan represents the thousands of nurses, the quiet hidden hero's that work in real life and death situations, they save lives and comfort family members every day, without any recognition or fan fare.

Please share this video.  Here is th (2nd) in the 3 Part Series.

Recurrent Shingles More Common Than Previously Thought

I've heard from lots of patients who have had a 2nd bout of shingles. This was always puzzling to me since the common wisdom held that shingles almost never came back. How could it be that so many of my patients had experienced another episode. In the past, we thought that shingles rarely recurs, and now new data is busting that myth.

Treat the Ear Infection

If your child has an ear infection and you're debating whether to use the antibiotics, a recent study may help you make the decision.  In children 6 -23 months with an ear infection, the use of antibiotics was more likely to resolve the infection faster than using a placebo.  35% of the children who received Augmentin showed marked improvement by day 2, compared to 28% on placebo.  80% had resolution by 1 week on medication versus 74% on placebo.

Whooping Cough

Whooping cough is on the rise again. Also known as Pertussis, this is particularly dangerous for newborns and children under the age of 7.  Many people think that this is one of those infections that isn't around anymore, but it's making a comeback.

Herpes 101

To Read the First Part, Click Here

There are several different herpes viruses, including chicken pox also known as varicella, Herpes Type 1 - Oral herpes, which is typically, though not always, found around the mouth and Herpes Type 2 - which is typically found around the genitals.