Diseases & Conditions Archive

The tongue's appearance gives doctors an idea about certain aspects of your health, and its color is an important clue. Some changes in the tongue's color or appearance are signs of health issues and should be seen by a doctor.

Dyspepsia is a frequent or persistent upset stomach. Sometimes no underlying cause is found. It can help to avoid foods that trigger the dyspepsia, such as fatty foods, and to eat smaller but more frequent meals.

Fatigue is a relative term, meaning each of us evaluate our current energy level based upon how we feel most of the time. For example, people who are very energetic and go nonstop from early morning to late at night might say they have fatigue if they felt like most of us do every day.

Despite that variation, most people do have a sense when their level of fatigue feels like something more than just being tired. If that's case, even if it lasted only seven to 10 days, it's time to call your doctor's office. Signs that your fatigue might be related to an underlying illness or infection include low grade fever, night sweats, shortness of breath or loss of appetite. Other triggers for calling your doctor might be waking up exhausted despite a good night's sleep, not feeling motivated to begin the day, or struggling to do activities that are usually easy for you. 

Is 98.6˚ F still the norm for body temperature? Data collected over almost 160 years show that the normal body temperature has been declining and is now roughly one degree lower.

Kidney function declines with age in some people. A heart-healthy diet and lifestyle will protect your kidneys. Once kidney function reaches a certain low level, medication and other steps to protect the kidneys may be necessary.