Dr. Eric J Gertner MD

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...

What is prolactin?Prolactin or luteotropic hormone (LTH) is a peptide hormone, which promotes milk secretion in female mammals. This hormone also plays a significant role in pancreatic development, immune system regulation, and metabolism. When women become pregnant, their prolactin levels increase...

What is a vaccine?Vaccines are products that enable a person to develop immunity against certain diseases. A vaccine can be given through needle injections, by aerosol, or by mouth. The polio vaccine is given in the form of mouth drops that contain live but weakened organisms. The vaccine gets into...

What are inverted nipples?Inverted nipples, also called as nipple retraction, nipple inversion, or invaginated nipple, is a condition in which the nipples point inward instead of out. In some women, nipple retraction can be present at birth. In some cases, the condition may develop due to trauma or...

Want a youthful appearance? Then just smile, or so says a new study. In one recent study, people guessed that people who were smiling in photos were younger than those who had neutral or angry expressions. This is another study which adds to the evidence that facial expression has an impact on the...

Swollen feet can be easily linked to pregnancy, standing for long hours, or injury by most people. These cases are often temporary and not a cause for concern. However, swollen feet can also be experienced by people without these factors and can be a sign of an underlying medical condition,...