Dr. David Torrance Barber MD

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...

Hypothyroidism refers to the medical condition in which the thyroid gland is unable to produce an adequate amount of hormones. These hormones are extremely important in various body functions. Low levels of thyroid hormone may result in the characteristic symptoms of hypothyroidism. This condition...

What is tonsillitis?Tonsils are two glands located at the back of the throat and can be seen through the mouth. These glands help prevent infections from developing in the body. Tonsillitis happens when the tonsils become inflamed or infected by viruses or bacteria. Tonsillitis is a common...

What is paronychia?Paronychia is a form of skin infection that occurs around the fingernails and toenails. Bacteria, Candida (yeast), or a combination of both microorganisms usually cause this infection. Paronychia may gradually or suddenly develop depending on the root cause of the infection. Its...

IntroductionMucus is a moist film, which helps keep your nose from drying out and protect your lungs from foreign substances, such as bacteria, viruses, dust, and other harmful intruders. It keeps you healthy but you may only notice it whenever you are sick. Mucus becomes thicker when you are sick,...

Diarrhea is the frequent flow of loose, watery stool through the intestines causing muscle contraction and abdominal pain. Stool follows its path through the anus and gets watery when the digestive system consumes too much fluid or gets infected with viruses, bacteria, or parasites. A loose stool...