Dr. John C Backe MD

What is a charley horse?A charley horse is a term used when referring to a muscle cramp or spasm. Although muscle cramps can occur in any muscle in the body, they are commonly experienced in the leg. In a muscle spasm, the muscle uncontrollably contracts and does not relax. When the contracting...

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease, wherein the immune system turns against the body's healthy cells. In people with Hashimoto’s disease, their immune system attacks the thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is a small gland located at the base of the neck just below the Adam's apple....

Ginseng supplements have been used for improving health for centuries in Asia and North America. Although this herbal medicine has been used for several medical conditions, it is not studied completely. Ginseng is of two basic types – Korean ginseng and American ginseng – and each have specific...

What is prolactin?Prolactin or luteotropic hormone (LTH) is a peptide hormone, which promotes milk secretion in female mammals. This hormone also plays a significant role in pancreatic development, immune system regulation, and metabolism. When women become pregnant, their prolactin levels increase...

All of us have faced it at some time or the other, but what is it? Why and how does our body respond to it? Why is it not good for us? How can we control it?Stress is the word that refers to the overload of things that we find it difficult to manage in our life. This is a real challenge for our mind...

According to a study published in the journal, Pediatrics, car seats, which are supposed to protect babies from injuries in a car, have increased risk of injuries when they are used outside of the car. In this study, led by Shital N. Parikh, MD, an orthopaedic surgeon at Cincinnati Children’s...