Dr. Laura F Whitten M.D.

The potential legalization of marijuana has been a "hot topic" for some years now, as certain states make moves for legalization and even more have approved the use of medical marijuana. However, not all employers necessarily condone those who work for them using the drug, even for medical purposes....

What is HIV?HIV is a virus that was discovered in the 1980s. It attacks a person's immune system, causing it to be too weak to fight outside infections. The HIV virus works by destroying white blood cells, called CD4 cells, in the immune system, and progresses through three stages, the last of which...

What is leukopenia?White blood cells (WBCs) are an important part of the immune system, which is why they are called as "fighter cells". There are five different types of white blood cells (WBCs) in our body. They are neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes. Each type of WBC...

Caused by bacteria and viruses, meningitis is an inflammation (swelling) of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord known as the meninges. The inflammation is usually caused by an infection of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It can develop as a result of injury,...

The severity of meningitis varies from one person to another. In common cases, medications can help solve the problem and the person may recover within 1 to 3 weeks. But in cases where there is a risk of the infection spreading to the meninges, hospitalization and other confirmation tests might be...

Clinical intuition is difficult to describe. Personally, it is the art of integrating nonverbal information that a patient presents in order to reach a diagnosis, reducing the need for diagnostic testing. This is especially important in children who often react differently to procedures, tests and...