This is partly true, partly myth. The poison ivy rash itself is not contagious, according to the Dermatology Clinic at UAMS. Neither will fluid from the blisters of a poison ivy rash spread poison ivy. A poison ivy rash is caused by contact with urushiol, the oil from the leaves of the poison ivy plant. […]

According to Robert Bradsher, M.D., Director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at UAMS, colds are really upper respiratory infections and can result from more than 200 different viruses. These include the rhinoviruses, the group most often associated with the common cold, which primarily affects the nose and throat.  Cold weather usually makes people stay indoors, […]

According to the Dermatology Clinic at UAMS, it is very important to immediately cool the skin after receiving a burn. This helps stop the damage from the burning process. Putting butter or other greasy ointments on a burn may actually make things worse, since the grease will slow the release of heat from the skin. This […]

As a rule, you cannot damage your eyes by using them, according to Nicola Kim, M.D., an assistant professor of ophthalmology at UAMS’ Jones Eye Institute. “There are a few specific exceptions, like looking directly into sunlight and laser light, but other than this, reading in dim or bright light will not change the health […]

People wonder, will eating too many carrots change the color of your skin? The surprising fact is eating too many carrots, or other foods high in beta-carotene, can cause a yellowish discoloration of the skin, according to the Dermatology Clinic at UAMS. This discoloration, a condition called carotenemia, is most noticeable on the palms and soles. […]

The Department of Orthopedics noted there is no evidence that knuckle cracking causes arthritis. However, repeatedly cracking your knuckles may cause temporary soreness of the joint. Knuckles are the joints between your fingers and your hands. These joints are surrounded and lubricated by synovial fluid, a thick, clear liquid. When you crack your knuckles, you’re causing […]

Hair and fingernails may appear longer after death, but not because they are still growing.  Instead, a persons fingernails and hair may appear longer because the skin around them has retracted, according to the Dermatology Clinic at UAMS. After death, dehydration causes the skin and other soft tissues to shrink. This occurs while the hair and […]

Of course we know the sex of the child is determined at the time of conception. Conventional wisdom says, if a woman carries her baby high in the uterus and her stomach has a round appearance, she is expecting a girl. Likewise, most individuals say a boy is carried low and relatively more sideways. UAMS’ […]

To “bee” honest, eating any kind of honey, raw or in any other form, may make you sweeter but it won’t prevent problems with seasonal allergies. The theory that eating so-called “natural” honey is beneficial is purely anecdotal and mostly found in homeopathic, or non-scientific, publications, according to Dr. Samuel Welch of the UAMS Department of […]

According to Doctor Robert Bradsher from the Infectious Diseases Clinic at UAMS, “Venereal diseases, or more recently called sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), are transmitted by direct contact with the bacteria or virus that is the specific cause of specific diseases. “We tend to say in medicine, ‘Never say never,’ when asked about the possibility of something, […]