Marina Peric, M.D.

How do you imagine overall life satisfaction changes over years of life? You probably expect people to be most satisfied with life in their young and middle years, when they are healthy, with a stable career and income, and a rich family and social life.  But somewhat paradoxically, overall life satisfaction tends to follow an […]

What is a heel spur? Heel spurs are bony outgrowths of the calcaneus – the heel bone. They develop as a result of overuse and excessive straining on the foot muscles and ligaments, stretching of the plantar fascia, or continuous tearing of the membrane covering the heel bone. The constant microtrauma causes inflammation and damage […]

An interesting study was recently published by Todd and associates. They interviewed a small group of healthy, active, independently-living seniors to find out more about their physical activity habits, and compare them to the United Kingdom’s Chief Medical Officers’ Physical Activity Guidelines. It turned out that, although all of the participants claimed to be engaged […]

Prostate, an accessory gland of the male reproductive system The prostate is a small, chestnut-sized gland localized in the pelvis of men: in front of the rectum, and underneath the bladder. The urethra goes from the bladder through the prostate, and on the way, two ejaculatory ducts open into it. During ejaculation, sperm goes through […]

Have you noticed changes in the shape of your fingernails and tips of fingers? Have they become rounded and spongy? This is called clubbing and can be a sign of various diseases.   What exactly is fingernail clubbing? Simply put, fingernail, digital clubbing, or acropachy, is rounding of fingernails and enlargement of ends of fingers […]

Foot and leg pain is a common problem, especially in those whose jobs involve a lot of standing, or who enjoy a physical activity that involves running on hard surfaces and jumping. It is often temporary and not a cause for concern. However, it can also be a sign of a more serious condition or […]

Most people have felt anxiety in their lives, but those who suffer from anxiety disorders also suffer from chronic stress and worry that it can impede their daily lives. A mental health survey from the Centers for Disease Control Prevention found that older adults aged 65 and above have significantly lower percentages of anxiety disorders at 6.2%, […]

Does every sneeze mean wet underwear for you? Can’t make it to the toilet in time? Urinary incontinence, or involuntary urine leakage, is a problem that is estimated to affect around 30% of the population, while 50% of women will experience associated symptoms at least once during their lifetime. It is more frequently seen in […]

Joint and muscle pain are among the most common complaints in medical practice; there is hardly a doctor who has not at least once met a patient with these problems. They occur in patients of all ages, with varying intensity, and involve one or more limbs or joints. Usually, the cause of joint pain is […]

Have you recently been diagnosed with seronegative arthritis? If so, you’ve probably noticed how after trying to find more information online, rheumatoid arthritis keeps popping out. Rheumatoid arthritis is a common systemic autoimmune disease that affects 0.5-1% of people worldwide. It primarily affects joints, usually of hands, feet, and knees, but many other organs such […]

The knee is the largest joint in the body, one of the most complex, and one of the joints that suffer the greatest load. The risk of knee injuries and degenerative diseases is high, and few can say they have never experienced knee pain. In most chronic diseases, the pain is persistent and dull. On […]

If you’ve just received the diagnosis of peroneal tendon tear, you may be wondering whether this is a serious injury. ‘A tear’ sounds quite concerning, and you’re probably worried about treatment possibilities and potential consequences. Let this text help you learn more about what to expect during and after diagnostics and treatment.   Understanding the […]

Arthritis, or joint inflammation, is a health issue commonly seen in general practitioners’ and rheumatologists’ offices.  The severity of symptoms and prognosis vastly vary, and the potential causes are numerous: from injury and infections to metabolic and immunity disorders. Viral arthritis is an acute inflammation of the joints caused by a viral infection. It usually […]

Chronic low back pain is a pain in the lower back (between the lowest rib and gluteal area)that persists for more than three months. Many conditions can cause a painful back, yet, chronic back pain has no evident cause in most cases, and is therefore referred to as non-specific. Studies say that 80-90% of adults […]

Scoliosis affects 1% to 3% of adolescents in the United States - a significant number of young people with a deformity that impairs their physical appearance and brings a potential risk for complications. Precisely those, who are at risk from complications, usually need bracing, which may be equally aesthetically unacceptable for an adolescent as the […]