Mitchell Hecht

Dr. Mitchell W. Hecht is the physician-author of "Ask Dr. H," a weekly Q&A medical column distributed by McClatchy-Tribune News Service. Dr. Hecht's goal is to present medical information that is clear and interesting to non-medical people. Send questions to him at: "Ask Dr. H," P.O. Box 767787, Atlanta, GA 30076. Due to the large volume of mail received, personal replies are not possible.

Ask Dr. H: Old way to flush sinuses is new again

By Mitchell Hecht, For The Inquirer

Posted 12/01/2008

Question: I appreciated your article several months ago about keeping nasal passages moist to reduce the chance of catching an infection. I wish you had mentioned use of a "neti pot." I used one last winter, and it was the first time I was without a seasonal cold.

Ask Dr. H: Debunking myths about pregnancy

By Mitchell Hecht, For The Inquirer

Posted 11/24/2008

Question: My girlfriend is five months pregnant and carrying her baby wide. She's keeping the sex of the baby a secret, but I suspect it's a girl by the way she's carrying the baby. Is there anything to that "old wives' tale"?

Ask Dr. H: Cholesterol fluctuates often - 11/17/2008: By Mitchell Hecht , For The Inquirer

Question: I am a thin, 55-year-old female in good health other than mild treated hypothyroidism. My cholesterol profile just two months ago showed an LDL ("bad") cholesterol level of 79. I just received results showing an LDL of 94 from the same lab. I have not changed anything in my diet. What on earth could cause such an increase and is it cause for alarm?
Ask Dr. H: Seeking an end to dry mouth - 11/10/2008: By Mitchell Hecht , For The Inquirer

Question: What can I do about a very dry mouth? For the last several years, I've suffered with a very dry mouth, at times so severe that my lips and tongue stick to my teeth.
Ask Dr. H: Hair loss among combat soldiers - 11/03/2008: Stress can cause it, but it doesn't cause male pattern baldness.

By Mitchell Hecht , For The Inquirer

Question: Is the early onset of male pattern baldness connected to the stress of military service? I ask this because many young men returning from active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan appear to be balding earlier than males of roughly the same age that are in the general civilian population.
Ask Dr. H: Treatment raises infertility concern - 10/27/2008: By Mitchell Hecht , For The Inquirer

Question: For the last 10 months, I've been using Androgel testosterone replacement therapy to correct a low testosterone level. While I now have a lot more energy and concentration, I'm concerned that it may be causing me to be infertile. We have been trying to have a child for some time now, and I'm in a quandary as to what I should do. Can you offer a few suggestions?
Ask Dr. H: Unwanted weight gain - 10/20/2008: By Mitchell Hecht , For The Inquirer

Question: I've been taking prednisone for severe asthma/emphysema for the last year and a half. I hate how much weight I've gained - nearly 35 pounds. Can you explain how prednisone works and why it causes so much weight gain?
Ask Dr. H: White matter in the brain is normal - 10/13/2008: By Mitchell Hecht , For The Inquirer

Question: My husband had an MRI of his head for ringing of the ears. The report was OK but said that he had "white matter" in his head. What does that mean?
Ask Dr. H: Why sugar-free food is so hard to digest - 09/29/2008: By Mitchell Hecht , For The Inquirer

Question: Every time I eat sugar-free angel food cake or sugar-free energy bars, my stomach rumbles like a volcano and I have horrible gas pains. What makes sugar-free food so hard to digest?
Ask Dr. H: Using honey to heal wounds - 09/15/2008: By Mitchell Hecht , For The Inquirer

Question: What can you tell me about using honey to heal hard-to-treat wounds? How well does it work? Answer: The practice of using honey to heal wounds goes back thousands of years to the ancient Egyptians - long before bacteria were known about. Honey has long had a reputation as a folk remedy for infection, but there was little formal study of its potential until recently.
Ask Dr. H: Why son's blood type can differ from parents' - 09/08/2008: By Mitchell Hecht , For The Inquirer

Question: Recently, our son needed an operation and had his blood type identified as Type O. The problem I'm having is that my wife and other son, as well as I, are Type B. How is it possible that both parents having the same blood type can result in a child having a completely different blood type?
Ask Dr. H | Stick with Norvasc - 01/29/2007: By Mitchell Hecht , McCLATCHY TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

Question: I have been taking Norvasc for high blood pressure for a number of years, but my dentist recently urged me to change to a different medicine because he said it can cause bone loss in my jaw. Do you agree?