Author Archives: Aaron Rogers

No antibiotics for sinusitis? -JAMA

A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association disputes benefit provided by antibiotics for sinus infections.  In this study patients were randomly given a placebo pill or amoxicillin (a basic first-line antibiotic for sinus infections) for 10 days.  They found that there was no difference in symptom improvement at day 3 […]

Head and Neck Cancer: When to Chemo?

The latest Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG 9501/Phase III) seems to be a step closer to sorting out just when and who chemo really helps in the treatment of squamous cell cancer of the head and neck. There are several tumor characteristics that we consider “high risk” for recurrence in head and neck cancer.  To […]

Brain-Eating Amoeba Kills Second Neti Pot User -MedPage Today

via Medical News: Brain-Eating Amoeba Kills Second Neti Pot User – in Infectious Disease, Infection Control from MedPage Today. Wow!  Louisiana State officials are announcing they have linked a second death from amoebic meningitis to the use of the Neti Pot.  This is a terrible 100% fatal form of meningitis that happens when a particular amoeba, […]

Q&A: Does my kid need ear tubes?

Q&A: My three year-old son gets ear infections every fall and spring.  Does he need to get ear tubes? -T. in Georgia Thanks, T.  Constantly battling with ear infections can take a toll on you as well as your child.  We place tubes usually for two separate reasons: #1 fluid behind the eardrum that does […]

The Body Odd – Why fingernails-on-a-chalkboard is the worst sound in the world

Why fingernails-on-a-chalkboard is the worst sound in the world By Melissa Dahl Screeeeeeeech. Even imagining the sound of a person’s fingernails scraping down a chalkboard is tortuous. Now, new research helps suggest why the noise is such a special kind of awful. The frequency of the screechy, scratchy sound ranges between 2000 Hz and 4000 — […]