Open up just about anybody’s medicine cabinet and the one thing you’re almost sure to find is one or more medications for headache. We all get them and most are easily treated. But sometimes, headaches are serious and need professional attention. The U.T. Health Science Center’s Dr. Nicolle Ellison talks about headaches in this edition of Health Connection.

What is the clinical definition of a headache? (first question)

Is there such a thing as a “common” headache? (skip to 0:22)

Are there other types of headaches? (skip to 1:02)

What can be done to avoid a tension headache? (skip to 1:15)

What are the best over-the-counter medications to take for headache? (skip to 1:42)

What is a migraine headache? (skip to 2:18)

How do you treat a migraine headache? (skip to 3:08)

What is a cluster headache? (skip to 4:04)

When is a headache sufficiently severe so as to require seeking professional help? (skip to 4:40)

Those who can’t focus, do poorly in school, frequently act out or can’t sit still might suffer from a disease called Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It’s more commonly diagnosed in children but it affects adults as well. The U.T. Health Science Center’s Dr. Christine Powell answers questions regarding ADHD.

What is ADHD? (first question)

Why are so many children diagnosed with ADHD? Is it an epidemic? (skip to 0:48)

Is ADHD a new disease? (skip to 1:10)

Is there a genetic component to ADHD? (skip to 1:38)

How do you differentiate between the normal activeness of children and those that suffer ADHD? (skip to 1:45)

How do you treat ADHD? (skip to 2:08)

How do medications like Ritalin work in treating ADHD? (skip to 2:45)

Are there any long-term implications attendant to taking medications like Ritalin? (skip to 2:59)

Do children “grow out” of ADHD? (skip to 3:16)

Are there things other than medication that can make ADHD better or worse? (skip to 3:40)

How does diet affect ADHD? (skip to 4:13)

Is ADHD common among adults? (skip to 4:45)

What signs should and adult look for if he or she suspects having ADHD? (skip to 5:07)

How is ADHD treated in adults? (skip to 5:28)

Are there any new treatments for ADHD on the horizon? (skip to 5:51)

More than 23 million Americans, one out of every 12, now suffers with Type II Diabetes. Type II Diabetes is the number one cause of blindness and non-traumatic amputations. Untreated, it will dramatically shorten life while robbing it of quality. The U.T. Health Science Center’s Dr. David Shafer talks about diagnosing, treating and avoiding Type II Diabetes.

What is Type II diabetes and why is it so prevalent? (first question)

What is it about carrying extra weight that puts us at greater risk of developing diabetes? (skip to 1:17)

Who is at risk for developing Type II diabetes? (skip to 2:04)

What are the symptoms of diabetes and how is it diagnosed? (skip to 2:57)

What are some of the myths and misunderstandings regarding diabetes? (skip to 3:55)

Why are feet and eyes so adversely affected by diabetes? (skip to 5:13)

What is the A1C blood test and why is it so important? (skip to 7:55)

What happens to someone who is diagnosed with Type II diabetes and doesn’t take it seriously? (skip to 8:44)

Summer is the season for insect and bug bites, particularly in East Texas. Most bites are little more than a nuisance. But sometimes, an insect or spider bite, a wasp sting or a bee sting can be very serious. U.T. Health Science Center emergency room chief Dr. Greg Johnson talks about insect and bug bites in this installment of Health Connection.

When does a mosquito bite become something about which to be concerned? (first question)

What are the symptoms of and treatment for West Nile Virus? (skip to 0:35)

What is the best way to remove a tick? (skip to 1:30)

What is the likelihood of contracting Lyme’s Disease from a tick? (skip to 2:00)

How common are Brown Recluse and Black Widow spider bites in this part of the world? (skip to 3:11)

What are the symptoms of a dangerous spider bite? (skip to 3:44)

What if I don’t know what bit me but it just seems to be getting worse? (skip to 5:12)

What are some practical ways to avoid insect and spider bites? (skip to 6:14)

What repellents work best and do they work on all insects and bugs? (skip to 6:55)

How do you treat bee and wasp stings? (skip to 7:57)

What is the likelihood of a severe allergic reaction to a bee or wasp sting? (skip to 8:53)

For the past 25 years, the University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler has hosted the Texas Asthma Camp for Kids. Asthma Camp is an opportunity for children that have asthma to learn about their disease and to learn that outdoor activities and the fun things about being a kid are within their grasp irrespective of their disease. In an environment that is overseen by physicians and nurses, kids with asthma learn to manage the disease while getting to have outdoor summer fun. Kids who attend asthma come away from the experience with the knowledge and the skills that bring about fewer visits to the doctor, fewer missed days of school and an overall better quality of life.

To learn more about the Texas Asthma Camp for Kids, click here or call 903-877-7777.

What are the benefits for a child attending asthma camp? (first question)

Why is childhood asthma such a serious disease? (skip to 0:45)

Describe the child that will benefit the most from asthma camp. (skip to 1:19)

What is it about asthma camp that brings about improvement in children with asthma? (skip to 1:50)

What are the fact about asthma camp; when is it, where is it and how much does it cost? (skip to 2:30)

If someone has a child or grandchild with asthma, how do they go about learning more about or registering for asthma camp? (skip to 4:00)

It has been a generation since the massive spill from the oil tanker Exxon Valdez in Prince William Sound, Alaska. But now, another oil disaster is playing out closer to home as a result of the blowout of an offshore oil well in the Gulf of Mexico. Dr. Debra Cherry talks about the health and environmental concerns regarding the British Petroleum oil well disaster in the Gulf.

What will be the long-term effect of the oil spill resulting from the oil well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico? (first question)

How does the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico compare to the spill from the Exxon Valdez in Alaska in 1989? (skip to 0:38)

What are the potential effects on humans arising from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill? (skip to 1:07)

What did we learn from the Exxon Valdez oil spill regarding the effects of oil on the food chain? (skip to 1:35)

Are there certain groups of people that are at greater risk from the effects of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill? (skip to 2:05)

How long did it take for a semblance of environmental normalcy to return to the area surrounding the Exxon Valdez oil spill? (skip to 2:39)

Given the differences between Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico, how long will it take to recover from the spill in the gulf? (skip to 3:05)

Is there any potential benefit to the fact that this spill took place in the Gulf of Mexico instead of the rocky coast of Alaska? (skip to 3:52)

Of all the health problems that most of us are likely to face, the most common and the most persistent are high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. The good news is that all three of these chronic conditions can be prevented or dramatically improved through a regimen of low cost, moderate exercise five days a week. The U.T Health Science Center’s Dr. David Di Paolo talks about ways you can get off the couch and on the way to better long-term health.

What is the least amount of exercise I can do and still gain benefit? (first question)

Are there benefits to be gained from just a brisk walk? (skip to 2:04)

If I haven’t exercised regularly in a while, what is the best way to get started? (skip to 2:45)

What are the most common mistakes that people make with respect to an exercise program? (skip to 3:33)

What are the benefits to an exercise program besides looking better in the mirror? (skip to 4:47)

Which is more important, strength training or aerobic exercise? (skip to 5:15)

If you could only suggest two or three exercises, what would they be? (skip to 6:05)

Is any of the exercise equipment we see advertised on TV worth the price? (skip to 7:15)

We tend to associate high blood pressure with getting older. But the fact is, high blood pressure, or hypertension, is a growing problem among children and adolescents. Dr. Monique Mills, a pediatrician at the U.T. Health Science Center at Tyler, talks about high blood pressure in children.

What is hypertension? (first question)

How common is hypertension among children? (skip to 0:35)

Is high blood pressure among children on the increase? (skip to 0:48)

What is normal blood pressure for a child? (skip to 1:26)

What do the two numbers in blood pressure readings mean? (skip to 2:18)

How do I know if my child has high blood pressure? (skip to 2:46)

What causes high blood pressure in children? (skip to 3:25)

How does high blood pressure affect the health of children? (skip to 4:05)

What is the long-term impact of high blood pressure on children? (skip to 5:03)

How is high blood pressure in children treated? (skip to 5:48)

How much will weight loss affect blood pressure? (skip to 6:58)

When you feel pressure or pain around your eyes, when you run a low-grade fever, when your nasal discharge is colored or when you have a headache, chances are it goes beyond our typical East Texas allergies. Chances are, you are suffering with sinusitis. Pulmonary specialist Dr. Leslie Couch of the U.T. Health Science Center at Tyler talks about diagnosing and treating sinusitis before it becomes a more serious health problem.

1. What is sinusitis? (first question)

2. How common is sinusitis? (skip to 0:35)

3. Can thing such as allergies be confused with sinusitis? (skip to 1:36)

4. How is sinusitis treated? (skip to 2:07)

5. What are some comfort measures that can be taken when suffering with sinusitis? (skip to 2:50)

6. When should I see a doctor for sinusitis? (skip to 3:28)

7. What is the difference between chronic and acute sinusitis? (skip to 4:17)

8. Are there any new treatments or medications in the pipeline for sinusitis? (skip to 4:41)

9. What other health problems can sinusitis cause? (skip to 05:52)

Everyone gets in a funk from time to time. It’s a natural part of being human. But for millions of Americans every year, it goes beyond being in a bad mood. It’s a debilitating disease called depression. For many sufferers, the first challenge is to recognize the problem. In this post, we’re joined by the U.T. Health Science Center’s Dr. Wyn Andrews as he discusses diagnosing and treating depression.

What exactly is depression? (first question)

Why can’t I just “get over it?” (skip to 1:17)

How big a problem is depression in the United States? (skip to1:44)

Are some people more prone to depression than others? (skip to 2:15)

How do I know if I truly am clinically depressed? (skip to 2:57)

How long does depression typically last? (skip to 3:42)

What are the common treatments for depression? (skip to 3:58)

How effective are medications in treating depression? (skip to 4:11)

What is “major depression?” (skip to 4:33)

When is it time to seek help from a physician that specializes in the treatment of depression? (skip to 4:53)

Generally speaking, is there hope for people who suffer with depression? (skip to 5:34)

Are there any new and more effective drugs in the pipeline waiting for approval? (skip to 6:00)

Are there serious side effects to the drugs currently being used to treat depression? (skip to 6:48)