Doctor Joshua’s Physiology 101 lesson
Tonsils are not actually glands, it’s a common misconception. Tonsils are lymphatic tissue, like lymph nodes. Another very common misconception is that lymph nodes are glands (”swollen glands”) - when in fact they are not. The thyroid is a gland, the pancreas is a gland, even the skin is a gland […]

Good day Dr, Joshua, im a 46 year old male , who was recently dignosed with MRSA , this comes as a shock to me in Sept , I had a eye infection and at the end of the Eye infection hard a large boil on my left leg the Dr. at the […]

I received a tetanus vaccination in September 2006 in my left upper arm. I was told to expect soreness for 24 hours. I experienced severe pain in the first 24 hours and then since I have had moderate pain to movement and have actually been unable to regain full range of motion secondary […]

Dear Doctor,
I am a 34 yr old male who recently came back from the doctor with some not so good news. It turns our that my cholesterol is a very high 292 with an extremely high LDL count, a 219. I am relatively healthy and active; I am 6 ft tall and weigh […]

I have recently been diagnosed with shingles. They are not yet in an open blister state (merely contained red blisters) with no discharge. I have a couple of questions:
1. Can it (herpes zoster virus) be spread any other way other than direct contact with the discharge from the blisters?
2. Can my wife and children be […]

What insect causes a round or almond shaped bump then round bruise?
Dr. Joshua’s Answer
It’s not possible to say which insect has caused the reaction, especially as I don’t know which part of the world you are from. It could be any insect that bites.
The most important question is, could it be a serious insect-borne […]

I hope you’ve heard it all because here goes! 3 years ago I started to hear a popping sound in my head and one of my eyes became bloodshot. The sensation was similar to a bloop, bloop, bloop in my head. Around the same time I started to have shortness of breath and occasional […]

Hello Doctor,
I am so glad I found your web site and I can finally ask my question to a professional. Seven years ago I used to be the insertive top in an anal sexual relationship for four times in a week, now I just heard that my ex is HIV positive. And me, 7 years from […]

I have had a lump on the side of my head above my right ear for the past few months. I was having some pain, an itching sensation, and irritation in the area. I went to see a doctor who mentioned the possibility of a cyst. He referred me to a dermatologist and a skull […]

I’m an 18 year old female. I am quite concerned about a tender lump that I have found underneath my left ribcage. Its on the side, and continues the shape of my ribcage further down. I’m quite skinny so I can feel it. What is it? I know there is something there because I […]

Three years ago, I got a blood test and it showed a ggt score of 135, I just took another on and the score is 128. All of my other blook scores are in normal limits. I have never drunk alcohol. Can you tell me what is going on?
Dr. Joshua’s Answer:
Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (Gamma-GT, GGT) may […]

I work for the UN and am stationed in Sudan. I tested posted for malaria, and took coartem, then felt fine. I did not go back to the UN doctor for the follow-up test to see if it was gone, because I was in the field. About three weeks later, the malaria symptoms returned, but […]

can I get hepatitis c from drinking the water a syringe was cleaned in —the user had hep–c
Dr. Joshua’s Answer:
While I cannot guarantee it’s impossible, it is highly unlikely.
Read more: Should you get tested for hepatitis?
Also, please see the CDC Frequently Asked Questions - Hepatitis C

I have a pain under my left breast which goes all the way around to my back. My skin feels tight and itchy. I have an upset stomach also.
Dr. Joshua’s Answer:
Given only this information, shingles (Herpes Zoster) is a possibility, especially if a rash develops. Your primary care physician can diagnose it with […]

My 19 year old son has been running a fever for over 7 days now. Six days ago he went to the clinic with a fever of over 105. That evening he was admitted into ER when he passed out after having his blood drawn twice. He was very pale with very swollen […]

My 16 yr old son was diagnosed today with mono. Are my 5 month old twins at risk? What should I do to keep them from catching it if so?
Dr. Joshua’s Answer:
Your children will eventually catch mononucleosis in their lives, but if they do catch it from their older brother, they are not likely to […]

My question is regarding order of urine.  I have noticed that my urine at times smells like what i have just had to eat or drink. Example when i have a slim fast coffe shake my urine smells like coffie shake, i have also noticed when i have eaten a lot of peanut butter my […]

This morning my husband woke up with his right knee 3 times larger than his left. It looks like it is fluid build up. He says it is numb when he leans on it. What do you think it is?? What do you think he should do about it??
Dr. Joshua’s Answer:
Could […]

I am 53 years old and have been a smoker for 6 years. I just recently noticed a deep pain in my throat. It’s not like any sore throat I’ve ever had. It comes and goes and shoots down into my upper chest area a little. My Lymph glands are swollen and my throat is […]

I have a question that concerns me. When receiving the Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B will you show up positive from blood test?
 
Dr. Joshua’s Answer:
 
If you have been vaccinated against hepatitis A and hepatitis B, you will show positive for the antibody test, but you will not show positive for the antigen test. The antibody […]

I am 35 years old. recently I got a cold sore. I have NEVER had one before. My family (mother and siblings) have had them but i have not. I have had no skin to skin contact with anyone that has ever had a sore. Can you please help me understand where it came from?
 
Dr. […]

I have researched the STDs and yeast infections and I think that this is a yeast infection.
The only symptom that I have is a white discharge. It is not alot but it is there. There is no odor, no burning no itching. The symptoms for the STDs are not matching what I have. I have […]

HPV, Pap Smear Results and Pregnancy Plans
I am a 33 year old female, I have been married for 6 years and eventually after 6 years we had a baby daughter. During this time I had two miscarriages and the doctors could not tell me why. ( My menstrual cycle is everyother two to three months). […]

I am male 26 years of age - I was beaten by a dog twice since i was child and teenager, i was never been vaccinated since ever, i only took natural medication during those time such as garlic and detergent bar I am worried for my health since then. I never felt any difference […]

Recently my boyfriend has been diagnosed with mono. It was a big disappointment for both of us, because we rarely get to see eachother to begin with and we had just planned a trip for me to come down and see him (he lives out of state). I already purchased the tickets to travel down […]

Hi I am a gay male, with no prior medical condidtions whom is suffering from accute dierrea. A few week ago I went to a festival. They were serving beer out of plastic cups and serving alot of them.
The very next day I started having dierrea. I started taking some Immodium AD which seemed to […]

I have smoked for 15 years and drink quite alot of alcohol. I smoke canabis and that has been increasing in the last 4 years since travelling. I have recently returned from Asia where I smoked it constantly and heavily for the last 2 1/2 months. I also took ectasy quite alot in the last […]

I am a 21 year old female. My boyfriend and I recently seperated for about a month. After we got back together I found out that he had sex with another girl (only twice). About three weeks after we got back together I started breaking out in hives. So of course I was worried and […]

I am 18 years old. For awhile now I have been having a very weird white creamy (very creamy) vaginal
discharge.It has a strange odor to it to, but it is white and theres just alot of it. I am sexual active
and I don’t use condoms. I have had one sexual partner.I noticed that the outside […]

Here’s a headache question from M.

On Dec. 5th I became completely overwhelmed with fatigue. I had what felt like a sinus headache (over my eyes, on my forehead and temples). I was also congested (yellowish nasal discharge), nauseous with a sore throat, body aches and a low-grade fever. It was so awful that I could […]