The Healthy Geezer
From the Mailbag… Q. What percentage of older men have erectile dysfunction? A. The following are some leading causes of erectile dysfunction: diabetes, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), prostate surgery, hormone imbalance, alcohol and drug abuse. And, of course, there are your emotions. It should be no surprise that, if you’re having [...]
Helpful Insight on Stuttering – The Healthy Geezer with Fred Cietti
Q. My four-year-old grandson has begun to stutter. It upsets me and I don’t know how to handle it. A. Meanwhile, knowing how to talk to your grandson will help both of you. People who stutter are aware of their problem and usually don’t want special treatment. Give them time to speak and don’t try [...]
Sunny Side Up! The Healthy Geezer with Fred Cicetti
Q. All I ever hear about the sun is how dangerous it is. But, when I was a kid, my mother used to tell me to get out in the sun and play. Did my mother give me bad advice? I’ve devoted a lot of space to the dangers of sun exposure. I believe I [...]
What? Excuse me? Pardon me?
Q. I think I need a hearing aid. Any recommendations? A. About one in three Americans over 60 suffers from loss of hearing, which can range from the inability to hear certain voices to deafness. However, only about one out of five people who would benefit from a hearing aid uses one. It’s important to [...]
Pass on the steroids!
By Fred Cicetti Q. I’ve been reading about athletes using steroids to build themselves up. Do these drugs work for older men? A. First some background on steroids. There are two types of steroids: corticosteroids and anabolic steroids. Corticosteroids, such as cortisone and prednisone, are drugs that help control inflammation. Anabolic steroids, such as androstenedione [...]
Frequency, Urgency and Oops
By Fred Cicetti Q. Are there different forms of urinary incontinence? A. There are several types of urinary incontinence: * If urine leaks when you sneeze, cough, laugh or put pressure on the bladder in other ways, you have stress incontinence. * When you can’t hold urine, you have urge incontinence. * [...]
Aging and the immune system – by Fred Cicetti
By Fred Cicetti Q. I seem to be getting sick a lot lately and I’m worried that my immune system isn’t working right. Could that be a reason? A. A diminished immune system could be the cause of your problems. Go to your doctor for a check-up and diagnosis. The immune system is a network [...]
SPF 8, SPF 15, SPF 30… The Healthy Geezer By Fred Cicetti
Q. There are lots of sunblocks out there with SPF numbers on them. What exactly do these numbers mean? A. Sunblocks—or sunscreens—work to prevent the damage of ultraviolet (UV) rays, an invisible component of sunlight. There are three types of UV rays: UVA, UVB and UVC. UVA is the most abundant of [...]
The Healthy Geezer – Enlarged Thyroid Gland – By Fred Cicetti
Q. I saw a woman with what looked like a small tire around her neck. Do you know what that could be? A. It could be a goiter, which is a benign enlargement of the thyroid gland. The thyroid is a small gland made up of two halves that lie along the windpipe just [...]
Temporal Arteritis
The Healthy Geezer By Fred Cicetti Temporal Arteritis Q. A doctor told my cousin that she had arthritis in her head. I never heard of such a thing. Have you? A. I’ve never heard of head arthritis, but I don’t think that’s what the doctor said to your cousin. I’m pretty sure the doctor was [...]
The Healthy Geezer (second in a two-part series about statins)
By Fred Cicetti [Today’s column is the second in a two-part series about statins.] Statins, which are also known as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, are drugs that lower cholesterol by blocking the liver substance responsible for making cholesterol. Statins may also help your body reabsorb cholesterol that has accumulated on your artery walls. Some of the [...]
The Healthy Geezer By Fred Cicetti
By Fred Cicetti Q. I’ve heard statins referred to as wonder drugs that we should put in our drinking water. Do they deserve this reputation? A. Statins are worth two columns because so many seniors take them. This is the first installment. We’ll begin with background on cholesterol. Cholesterol is a fat-like substance in blood. [...]
It’s time for a flu shot!
You can get the flu vaccine from your doctor, and at public health facilities, senior centers, pharmacies and supermarkets. The vaccine can be administered anytime during flu season. Adults over 50 are prime candidates for the vaccine because the flu can be fatal for older people. There are two types of vaccines: the injection and [...]
