Dr. James L Ruhlen MD

What is macerated skin?Maceration usually occurs when the skin comes in contact with moisture for a long period of time. Macerated skin appears white, wrinkly, and soggy. The skin also becomes soft, making it more susceptible to bacterial or fungal infections. In some cases, macerated skin can...

Introduction Chikungunya is a viral infection that is transmitted by mosquitoes. The chikungunya virus causes a sudden onset of fever along with severe joint pain. The illness is not considered as contagious, but in rare instances, the virus can get transmitted through contact with a person's...

Causes of Floating PoopOne day, all of a sudden, you notice that you have floating poop. The very next thing that comes to your mind is,  "Why?"Usually, poop sinks to the bottom of the toilet, so you might be wondering why your poop floats. Diet and other contributing factors can cause changes in...

What is a rib cage?A human rib cage consists of 12 pairs of ribs, which are symmetrically paired on both sides of the body. The rib cage shields the organs located in the chest region, which include the lungs and heart from any kind of damage or injury. The ribs are attached to the sternum...

“People often come to doctors because of chronic tiredness. It is one of the most common complaints that bring them to the doctor”, says J. Fred Ralston Jr., MD, an internist practicing in western Tennessee and past president of the American College of Physicians. Ralston adds that there are...

Over the course of our four million or so years of evolution, we humans have developed a highly-specialized immune system that is quite a warrior in combating infections. We are bombarded daily by bacterial and viral pathogens which have the potential to cause us serious illness, but, completely...