Dr. Douglas L Dunham D.O.

What is encephalitis?Encephalitis means inflammation of the brain. Fever, headache, and joint pain are often experienced in the early stages of encephalitis. Other severe symptoms may develop over some days or hours. They include personality changes, seizures, disorientation, confusion, or...

What is creatine phosphokinase (CPK)?Creatine phosphokinase (CPK) is an enzyme, which is predominantly present in the heart, brain, and skeletal muscles. Converting creatine into phosphate is the main task of this enzyme. The cells of the body then quickly consume or burn this phosphate and use it...

Uncontrollable shivering is characterized by the rapid shifting between muscle relaxation and contraction. It is through these contractions that the body warms itself up when exposed to cold. Shivering is not always accompanied by fever. In some cases, shivering may occur before the onset of...

Copperhead snake bites are one of the frequently reported snakebites annually. However, they are rarely fatal. Most of the time, snakebites happen when people accidentally step on or touch snakes, which are excellent at blending into their surroundings. When copperhead snakes are disturbed, they...

Leukocyte Esterase Urine TestLeukocyte esterase (LE) is an esterase produced by white blood cells (WBCs) or leukocytes. A leukocyte esterase test is a urine test used to detect the presence of white blood cells and other health conditions associated with infection.Normally, leukocyte esterase...

OverviewA transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a mini-stroke, which only lasts for a few minutes. It occurs when blood stops flowing to a part of the brain for a short time. The symptoms of TIA are similar to other symptoms of stroke, but they do not last long, so TIA does not lead to permanent...