American Morning
Men's health, Cold sores
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/06/20/sanjay.gupta.cnn.jpg caption="CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta answers your questions."]
How can men stay healthy as they get older?
Asked by Bill, Dawsonville, Georgia:
“I am a pretty healthy 50-year-old guy, but I notice a lot of my friends and colleagues in the same age group are starting to get heart disease and prostate cancer. What is your advice for men wanting to stay a step ahead of potential health concerns?”
Answer:
Thanks for the question. I’m happy to hear you’re interested in health prevention during the prime years of your life. You might be surprised to know that many men don’t get regular health check-ups. It’s interesting when you think about it: Many men tend to focus on their outer appearance around age 50 — get new clothes, new haircut maybe. But when it comes to regular health screenings, they often skip them! The problem is, age 50 is when potential health issues develop. Keep reading
Is a cold sore always permanent?
Asked by Kaley, Tucson, Arizona:
“Dr. Gupta,My roommate has been getting cold sores around her mouth since she was a little girl. I have never had one until very recently. Is it true that once you get a cold sore, you’ll get them for the rest of your life? What can I do to avoid getting another one? Thanks.”
Answer:
Hi Kaley. Thanks for writing in. Cold sores – also known as fever blisters – are highly contagious. The virus can live on towels, razors, cooking utensils, cups among other everyday household places. So you can imagine how easy it is to pass to a roommate, as in your situation, or to a family member. Keep reading
Email your questions for Dr. Gupta here or send them to him on Twitter @sanjayguptaCNN
Calculating the risks of skiing in Quebec
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/04/09/gupta.mont.tremblant.jpg caption="Dr. Sanjay Gupta on assignment in Mont Tremblant, Canada."]
By Dr. Sanjay Gupta
CNN Chief Medical Correspondent
Watch Dr. Gupta's full report Thursday on AC360 at 10pm ET.
I just returned from Mont Tremblant, Canada. It is one of the more beautiful ski resorts in eastern, Canada, and it is also the place where actress Natasha Richardson fell and suffered a fatal brain injury. What caused her death is now well known, but there were some other details that struck me while I was there. Let me try and work through this with you.
What no one knew at the time was that she had hit her head hard enough to cause a fracture in her skull. Just underneath that fracture is a small blood vessel that runs just on top of the brain, and it was that blood vessel that started to bleed. By many reports, Richardson got up after her fall and felt well enough to go back to her room and wave off paramedics who had been called. In neurosurgery, we refer to this as a lucid interval. She may have lost consciousness briefly, but now felt fine. The problem for Natasha or anyone with an epidural hematoma is that the pressure continues to build up in the brain.
What’s on Tap – Thursday, April 9, 2009
Breaking now… a standoff with pirates developing minute-by-minute. An American captain is being held hostage on a lifeboat by four armed attackers. He’s their last bargaining chip. A Navy destroyer has it in its sights. AM has an angle on the story you will not see anywhere else.
We were actually working on a story with a crew member's father when this all went down. Joe Murphy was teaching a first-of-its-kind course in fending off pirates at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy when he got the call that his son’s ship was hit. He spoke to his son, Shane Murphy – who’s now in charge of the crew's safety – with the captain in danger.
Will the Navy act? Will the pirates flinch first? Answers could come over the next three hours… Don’t miss
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