Dr. James Walter Howatt MD

What is yawning?Usually, yawning is associated with boredom, fatigue, and tiredness. Yawning is also very common in animals, such as dogs, monkeys, snakes, and carnivores. Yawning is also associated with numerous superstitious beliefs.In humans, yawning is considered as a purposeful non-verbal...

What is bursitis?Bursitis is a condition that causes inflammation of the bursa. Once the bursa is inflamed, it starts swelling. It causes pain around the affected area. The condition affects any part of the body where there are bursae.What is a bursa?A bursa is a sac-like cavity filled with fluid....

Shingles is a contagious viral infection that is caused by the varicella zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. This virus affects a particular nerve section, causing painful rashes on the skin connected to that particular nerve. The rash normally appears in a form of a band on any...

The human respiratory tract starts at the nose and mouth and continues down to the lungs. The air that we breathe in through our nose and mouth passes down the trachea and into the lungs through a series of branched tubes called the bronchi. For a healthy breathing to happen effectively, these tubes...

Indigestion, also known as heartburn, is a common term used to describe the discomfort or pain felt in the upper abdomen just below the ribs. It is not a disease. It is merely a symptom and it can be just another symptom of many digestive problems. The main complaint of those who experience...

What is flatulence?Flatulence is commonly called as "passing gas", "passing wind", or "farting". Flatulence is the medical term for releasing gas through the anus. Flatulence or intestinal gas is the state of having excessive gas in the stomach or waste gas, which is produced during digestion and is...