Diagnosis of chronic bronchitis is based on the criteria of coughing and sputum production for more than three months in a year for two consecutive years. Smokers who frequently have phlegm are included in these criteria. Smoking is the most common cause of chronic bronchitis, but environmental pollution is another important cause, particularly due to worsening pollution. The increasing number of chronic bronchitis patients each year is thought to be also related to stress. Other contributing fa

New director Lee outlines vision for major expansion combining technology, personalized care, international service

When there are insufficient tears to moisten the eyes for comfort, symptoms such as stinging pain, foreign body sensation, burning and production of mucus can occur. Some patients say that they feel as though they do not have enough tears. The discomfort can vary from person to person. Such discomfort worsens with prolonged reading or exposure to wind or cigarette smoke. These symptoms associated with tears, namely with the insufficiency of tears or its components, signify a condition called sch

Angelina Jolie’s choice to undergo a double mastectomy has sparked a rise in women wanting to have the same surgical procedure, believing that it can reduce the risk of breast cancer. The breast removal surgery, however, is not a key solution to prevent the disease even for those who carry the same genes as the Hollywood star, a doctor here said.Moon Byeong-in, head of the Cancer Center for Women at Ewha Womans University Medical Center, said the chances of getting breast cancer for women who ar

The number of endometriosis patients in Korea is growing fast, probably because of frequent intake of fast food and irregular life patterns, doctors said.The disease involves the presence and growth of functioning endometrial tissue in places other than the uterus, often resulting in severe pain and infertility. According to the Health Insurance and Assessment Service, the number of patients diagnosed with the disease and receiving treatment surged more than 50 percent from 53,000 in 2008 to 80,

Although the feet are only a small part of your body, they consist of 26 bones, including the phalanges, calcaneus and scaphoid. More than a hundred small muscles and ligaments form a complex network between these bones. The feet are responsible for the load of your body weight. Your feet are also responsible for making you move forward. The average 60-year- old has walked 160,000 kilometers during his or her lifetime, a distance equal to four times the circumference of the earth. Your feet also

Ministry studying options for increased coverage from next year

With early diagnosis and effective chemotherapy, the life expectancy of cancer patients is increasing. Therefore, it is also important to take measures to improve their general health, as well as treating cancer effectively. Cancer patients have decreased immunity due to surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which leads to an increased susceptibility to infectious diseases. For example, whereas the incidence of invasive infection caused by streptococcal pneumonia is 11 per 100,000 people, the

Like falling leaves, hair loss in autumn is a natural phenomenon that most people experience. But experts say it could become serious for some if not treated at an early stage. Regular hair loss is assumed to be influenced by a number of factors including genetics and stress. Some experts believe seasonal loss is believed to be exacerbated by the cold, dry weather extracting moisture from the scalp. “Everyone experiences hair loss during aging, but it is more noticeable when there is a huge temp

Malignant tumors that arise in tissues such as the bones, cartilage and muscle are called sarcoma. Osteosarcomas are the most common sarcomas that arise in the bone, but only account for 5 percent of all pediatric cancers. The only known external risk factor so far is “radiation.” It takes approximately 10-20 years after receiving radiotherapy to develop osteosarcoma, so radiation-related instances are more common in adults. Diseases that are most closely related to pediatric osteosarcoma includ