Dr. Gerald William Smetana M.D.

Croup is a very common respiratory infection in children, but it can also occur in adults. It can occur at any point and is quite infectious since the virus is often being dispersed through the air, which causes the infection to spread to others. Although rare, croup can also be caused by bacterial...

What is pleurisy?Pleurisy is a condition, in which the lining that surrounds the lungs and the interior of the chest cavity is inflamed. Due to the inflammation of the pleura, this condition is also called as pleuritis. The pleural space is the space between the lungs and the chest cavity wall....

Workouts with hula hoops may help to burn as many calories as step aerobics, boot camp, or very brisk walking, according to a new study sponsored by the American Council on Exercise (ACE). In this study, 16 women between 16-years-old and 59-years-old were trained on a 30-minute aerobics session...

We all know that potassium is one of the essential nutrients our body needs to perform different functions. Along with other key macrominerals including magnesium, calcium, sodium, phosphorus, sulfur, and chloride, our body needs potassium to maintain a healthy metabolism.Our body does not naturally...

OverviewRed blood cells (RBCs), also called erythrocytes, are the cells that carry oxygen throughout the body. They are also one of the major components of blood. Having a high red blood cell (RBC) count means that the number of RBCs in the bloodstream is higher than normal. When you have signs and...

Strep throat is the infection of the throat and tonsils by the streptococcus bacteria. Bacterial infections are one of the causes of sore throats and are very common in children and adolescents. The severity of a sore throat depends on the type of streptococcus causing the infection. Moreover, sore...