Dr. Joseph M Helms M.D.

What is rapid shallow breathing?Rapid, shallow breathing, also medically called as tachypnea, is a term used to describe a breathing that is too fast, particularly when people have it due to a lung disease or other health conditions. Sometimes, rapid, shallow breathing and hyperventilation...

What is cat scratch fever?Cat scratch fever is also known as "cat scratch disease", which is a type of bacterial infection. The disease got its name because humans contract the infection from cats that are infected with the bacterium called Bartonella henselae, which is one of the most common...

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...

How do I protect my baby from mumps?The virus of mumps is an airborne virus, which means that it spreads quickly between children and adults unless they have been vaccinated. Mumps is a common childhood illness. Your baby is protected from mumps when he/she has already has this infection or has been...

What is Lupus?Systemic lupus erythematosus, also known as lupus, is a disease of the immune system. The immune system protects the body from infection. In lupus, however, the immune system turns against the body, leading to tissue damage and illness. Thus, lupus is called an autoimmune disease.Men...

Hematuria is the phenomenon in which traces of blood appear in the urine. It presents a unique problem because it is not a disease in itself. It is not infectious, nor is it capable of threatening a life. It is merely a warning sign that something is wrong inside the body. Though frightening in...