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Yearly Archives: 2003
Breast Lump Evaluation
A breast lump in a woman or a man is an important clinical finding never to be ignored. It is also a source of anxiety for the patient and his or her family. The usual questions are: What is … Continue reading
Rectal Pain (Proctalgia Fugax)
A patient asks: I have pain in my rectal area and I have been told that I have proctalgia fugax. What is this condition and how can I get some relief? There are at least six common causes for rectal … Continue reading
Constipation and Laxatives
Constipation continues to be a problem for up to 30 percent of the population. This is not something new. Even during the time of Hippocrates, people were worried about their bowel movements. It was recognized then that eating unrefined foods … Continue reading
Docs for Cancer – CMAJ News
Excerpt from: CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) September 2, 2003; 169 (5): “Doctors for Cancer? In a gesture of support for his patients, Alberta general surgeon Noorali Bharwani had his head shaved to raise $2200 for the Canadian Cancer … Continue reading
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Thyroid Nodule
Recently, I saw a young lady with a lump in the neck. . The lump moves with swallowing. That means it is in the thyroid gland The young lady wants to know: Is it cancer? Why did she get it? … Continue reading
Captivating Venezia (Venice)
I first read about Venice (Venezia), Italy when I was in high school in Tanzania. We were reading William Shakespeares Merchant of Venice. I never thought that one day I would get a chance to visit Venice, described by some … Continue reading
Ten reasons for Klein to butt out!
Ten reasons for Klein to butt out! An open letter was sent to Mr. Klein and it was published in the Medicine Hat News on Monday, August 25th, 2003, Page B4. From: Dr. Noorali Bharwani [mailto:bharwani@monarch.net] Sent: Friday August 22,2003 … Continue reading
Celebrating 5th Anniversary
My purpose in writing a column is to stimulate people to think about what I consider fairly important issues. It does not matter to me if people agree or disagree. I dont pretend to be omniscient, and, in fact, I am … Continue reading
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Headshave for Docs for Cancer
Missed a spot. For some it�s a fashion statement, for others a genetic inevitability. But when Dr. Noorali Bharwani went bald recently, it was all for a good cause. The general surgeon from Medicine Hat, Alberta, volunteered to have his … Continue reading
Screening Mammography
Screening mammography is it harmful or helpful? Hard to think that it could be harmful when so many women go through the procedure. In Medicine Hat, 1989 was the first full year of mammography when 1046 mammograms were done … Continue reading
Vitamin Poisoning
Are you taking too many vitamins? Do you know the harmful effects of consuming excessive vitamin and mineral supplements? Vitamin deficiency syndromes are uncommon in Western countries. Overeating is more prevalent than starvation. Then why 30 per cent of the … Continue reading
Skin Cancer in Children
Do children get skin cancer? Yes. Approximately two per cent of melanomas (the worst of the skin cancers) occur in patients under the age of 20 years, and about 0.4 per cent of melanomas occur in prepubertal children, says an … Continue reading
Me, Mosquitoes and West Nile Virus
I have been fighting mosquitoes all my life. I was born and raised on the shores of Lake Victoria. A small town called Musoma, in Tanzania, East Africa. There was no electricity and no telephone. The radio worked on an … Continue reading
Male Breast Enlargement
Enlargement of a male breast (gynecomastia) is not uncommon. Normally, I receive my share of referrals for this condition – approximately two to three cases a year. Recently, in one month, I saw three patients with gynecomastia. One in early … Continue reading