Mary Laird Stemkowski MSW, LCSWA

Recommended Articles

• Is Lactose Intolerance Preventable?

  The impaired ability to digest lactose is called lactose intolerance. Lactose is a sugar found in milk and dairy products. Digestion breaks lactose down into two simple sugars called lactase, which is an enzyme found in the small intestine. If there is an insufficient production of this enzyme,...

• What Should I Know About Bruises?

  A bruise is a skin injury in which the color of the skin changes due to the breakage of blood vessels under the skin. The affected skin becomes blue or black in color, as blood accumulates just under the surface of the skin, resulting in a raised area or bump. These bumps are painful and may take a...

• How Contagious Are Cold Sores?

  A cold sore is an infection caused by the herpes simplex virus or HSV. The type of HSV that causes cold sores is the HSV-1. It is a very common condition that affects people before their twenties. Many Americans are infected by the HSV-1 by the time they are 20 years old. Cold sores can be painful...

• What are the Causes and Symptoms of Diabetic Ketoacidosis?

  An OverviewDiabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is considered to be one of the most severe metabolic imbalance associated with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Type 1 diabetes mellitus is also known as insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, wherein a patient depends upon external sources of insulin as its body is...

• How Are Imaging Tests Used For Bloody Urine?

  The external physical examination is over, and a detailed medical history has been discussed with the doctor. The next step - urinalysis of the latest urine sample - indicates more than three red blood cells occupying the microscopic viewing arena. The dipstick test shows the presence of blood in...

• What Is Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy? Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

  Muscular dystrophies are a group of diseases that make the muscles of the body weaker over a period of time. The muscles become less flexible in this condition. Out of the nine types of muscular dystrophy, Duchenne muscular dystrophy is one of the most common.The main characteristics of this medical...