Have you ever claimed you were sick at 99 degrees, or believed your tummy ache is the sign of something bigger? Sure, we’ve all exaggerated our aches and pains and claimed we are sicker than it seems, but these are also common signs of hypochondria. According to MayoClinic’s Web site, hypochondria is a chronic mental illness, in which people fear they have an undiagnosed serious or life-threatening disease. Experts have linked hypochondria to obsessive-compulsive disorder, because they both exhibit debilitating and overwhelming effects on the human body and mind. If you find yourself endlessly seeking medical care for a condition that doctors say you don’t have, you may be one of the many people who are suffering from hypochondria. Here are 10 signs you’re a hypochondriac:

• You’re fearful or anxious about having an undiagnosed disease or condition
  Those with hypochondria believe they have an underlying disease or life-threatening condition, based on normal bodily sensations, pains or symptoms. Whether you’ve had a previous health condition or are healthy as can be, the fear of your undiagnosed disease continues to eat at you. If you find yourself excessively fearful or anxious about your health and are convinced that you have a disease, you may be a hypochondriac.
• You worry that every sensation or symptom means you are sick
  No matter how minor the pain, twitch or sensation is, you think this means you may have a serious disease. For example, a headache means you have a brain tumor, or an upset stomach means you have a digestive condition or cancer. If you find yourself obsessing over certain feelings or sensations and worrying that you’re sick, you may be a hypochondriac.
• You go to the doctor and seek examinations repeatedly
  In an effort to find the underlying disease or life-threatening condition you think you have, you’ll visit the doctor repeatedly to have tests, examinations and analyses done. If you find yourself visiting the doctor more often than usual and leaving their office with a clean bill of health, but continue to believe you’re sick, you might be a hypochondriac.
• You switch doctors often
  When you’re convinced that you have a life-threatening disease and your current doctor tells you that you’re healthy and nothing is wrong, but you continue to switch doctors, hoping one will find something, you may be a hypochondriac. You may become frustrated with doctors and health care because you feel you aren’t receiving proper treatment, despite the doctor’s reassurance that you are well.
• You have social anxiety and strained relationships
  Thinking you’re always sick takes a toll on your social life and relationships. You may find yourself staying at home a lot, avoiding social interaction and ignoring friends, family and others for various health and anxiety reasons. If you’re unable to find happiness spending time with your loved ones and all you can think about is your life-threatening disease, then you may be a hypochondriac.
• You obsess over health research
  When doctors turn you away or refuse further examinations, you may do thorough health research of your own. You may go to the Internet, read health books or watch television shows that explain symptoms and diseases you think you have. After your research, you are convinced that you have an illness that you read or heard about.
• You obsessively check your body for signs
  Your heightened body awareness leads you to obsessively check your body for problem signs, such as lumps, bumps, sores, bruises to support your belief that you have a condition or deadly disease. Even when your doctor says the bump is nothing to worry about, you continue to seek examinations and further consultations.
• You frequently check your vital signs
  Whenever you’re not having a doctor or nurse do it, you have your heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature and other vital signs checked. Checking your vital signs allows you to take your health into your own hands and keep a close eye on these bodily functions. Whenever you spot any irregularities, you’ll have a reason to go to the doctor.
• You experience emotional distress
  Your excessive fear and anxiety that you may be seriously ill can cause major emotional distress, such as depression, anger and frustration, as well as obsessive/compulsive behaviors and stress. If you are experiencing similar signs of emotional distress, you might be a hypochondriac.
• You have substance abuse problems
  If you find yourself abusing any substance, including alcohol, illegal substances and over-the-counter medicine like painkillers, Tylenol or Advil, you may be exhibiting signs of a hypochondriac. The emotional distress, anxiety and pain that stems from this mental illness may push you towards abusing substances.

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We rely on our memories every day to accomplish daily tasks, tell stories and stay organized. Despite our memory dependency, those who don’t use it will lose it. Thankfully, there are several ways to keep your memory fresh and retain important information. Here are 10 ways to improve your memory:

• Pay Closer Attention
  If we all paid closer attention to the things we were told, our memories would be excellent. But, considering the amount of distractions that surround us, and the little amount of information that we retain everyday, it takes more effort to strengthen your memory. If you have a short attention span or weak listening skills, try adjusting some of your bad habits. For instance, when receiving important information in-person try to keep consistent eye contact, take notes, sit up straight and ask questions. Becoming more engaged in a conversation, lecture, interview and virtually all encounters will help you retain more information and improve your memory.
• Take Pictures
  If you want to remember the important events of your life, take pictures and label them. Pictures evoke emotions and trigger memories that you may otherwise forget. One way to make memories more clear is to label pictures, noting the place, date and who’s in the picture.
• Eat Right
  Most people underestimate the role of diet in intelligence and memory. Low blood glucose can cause fatigue, not just physically, but also mentally. A good strategy to avoid this type of fatigue is to eat several small meals throughout the day to maintain a steady blood glucose level and ensure your energy level does not dip between meals. This will help your brain to function at its best throughout the day and improve your memory and deductive skills.
• Get a Good Night’s Sleep
  Like diet, sleep is an often underestimated part of brain functionality. When we sleep, our brain waves shift and our mind enters a state of rest and recuperation. Deep sleep is particularly helpful because it allows the brain time to form new neuronal connections and organize memories for easy retrieval when awake. Dreaming is also an integral part of the stress-relief process, which will clear your mind and allow for quicker learning and retention. Don’t underestimate the role of a good night’s sleep. Getting an average of seven to eight hours of sleep each night can be crucial when trying to remember vast amounts of information.
• Organization
  If your desk is cluttered with meaningless junk, chances are your brain is dealing with the same problem. In order to avoid clutter that can interfere with normal cognitive processes, organize the important things around you. Sometimes, even separating things to remember by general subject (i.e. to do or bills) is enough to keep things straight in your mind. Also, organizing will not only help you eliminate clutter, but it can also provide an easy way to save your brain the trouble of remembering tedious and unimportant information.
• Repetition
  The brain is very efficient at recognizing and categorizing patterns. The best way to reinforce a pattern is through repetition. Repeating the same task or phrase over and over again is one of the most efficient ways to memorize. This happens because the brain registers this information as a top priority and stores it in an accessible part of the brain. Flash cards, questioning and good old-fashioned talking to yourself, remain some of the best methods of memorizing and improving memory.
• Sign Posting
  One way to improve your brain’s ability to recall information is to attach a sign post to that information, which is easy to recall. What is a sign post? It can be a pneumonic device (an easily remembered phrase which helps to recall information), or a simple image that is attached to a given set of information. When you need to recall that information, simply remember the sign post and your brain will link that sign post with the information you need. Sign posting is a very effective technique and with some practice anyone can use sign posting to recall information quickly and accurately.
• Talk and Ask Questions
  One of the best ways to improve your memory and keep it fresh is to talk and ask questions. Talking with friends and family about old memories and past events will keep your long-term memory in-check. If you’ve lived a long, full life, share it with children, grandchildren, friends and others through storytelling. Talking about historical events or emotional experiences is beneficial to your memory and state of awareness, as well as the memory and education of those listening.
• Brain Exercises
  In order to improve your memory, you’ve got to exercise your brain. Brain exercises can be in the form of reading, playing trivia games, crossword puzzles or writing.
• Keep Learning
  Whether you take a cooking, painting or world history class, learning is one of the best ways to exercise your memory and store new information. You don’t have to be enrolled in a class to keep learning either; you can take up a new hobby, attend lectures and read instead.

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It can mend a broken heart, lift your spirits and bring lovers together with its aphrodisiac qualities. Chocolate, as we know, is an emotional, feel-good snack, but what experts can’t seem to agree on is chocolate’s positive health benefits. As studies continue examining the effects of indulging in this sweet substance, we’ll continue to support the old and new-age theories of chocolate’s goodness. In moderation, chocolate has been thought to support a healthy heart, mood and prevent certain illnesses. Here are 10 illnesses you can cure or prevent with chocolate:

• High Blood Pressure
  Chocolate and cocoa contain flavanols, which have both antioxidant qualities and heart-healthy qualities. One of the vascular benefits of eating flavanols is lowering blood pressure.
• High Cholesterol
  When consuming chocolate, you’re ingesting flavanoids which have major antioxidant power known to lower the bad kind of cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol. Oxidized LDL-cholesterol damages the arteries and can increase your chances of heart disease or heart attack.
• Liver Disease
  Liver disease patients can snack on chocolate because its antioxidant-rich compounds have been found to reduce high blood pressure in the liver and reduce damage to liver blood vessels.
• Diabetes
  Eating dark chocolate in moderation has been found to improve processing of blood sugar, which may reduce the risk of diabetes.
• Stress
  Chocolate has mood enhancing qualities, as well as stress-busting benefits. Experts have found that chocolate may the ticket to reducing levels of unwanted stress hormones, resulting in happier, healthier people.
• Coughs
  Got a persistent cough? Experts have found that theobromine, a compound found in cocoa, can reduce a cough, by affecting the sensory nerve endings of the vagus nerve that run through the airways in the lungs.
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
  Instead of drinking a soda or coffee when you feel fatigued, eat a square of chocolate to boost your energy level. In small doses, the caffeine in chocolate will give you a healthy jolt of energy to prevent chronic fatigue.
• Blood Clots
  Those who eat chocolate have been found to have slower clumping of blood platelets, which aids in the prevention of blood clots that can cause a heart attack.
• Stroke
  The flavanol compound found in chocolate, called epicatechin, has been found to guard against the damage of a stroke.
• Cancer
  While chocolate isn’t going to cure cancer, it may have preventative benefits like reducing cell damage that can cause tumor growth.

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Hiccups might be a cute or funny bodily reaction, but when you’re experiencing them, they’re nothing but annoying. These not-so-pleasant spasms that make you say, “hic,” are the involuntary contractions of the diaphragm and sudden closure of your vocal cords. According to MayoClinic.com, hiccups can occur after drinking alcohol, eating a large meal or getting suddenly excited. Hiccups are usually nothing to fret over, but you also don’t have to deal with them all day, because there are several tried-and-tested home remedies designed to quiet your hiccups. Here are 11 popular ways to get rid of hiccups:

1. Breathe Into a Paper Bag
   This is an age-old trick that many hiccup sufferers swear by. Take a brown paper bag and, while holding the opening around your mouth and sealing it tightly, begin blowing in and out about 10 times. Some say to breathe fast or really hard to get optimal results, but it’s important to do it at your own level of comfort.
2. Drink Water From Opposite Side of a Cup
   This might sound complicated, but it’s fairly simple. First, fill a cup halfway with water and hold the cup right side up. Stand and bend over, while placing your mouth on the opposite side of the cup so the opening is around your chin. Drink as much of the water as you can and repeat until hiccups subside.
3. Swallow a Teaspoon of Sugar
   Swallowing a teaspoon of sugar is another tried-and-tested trick to get rid of hiccups. There’s really not much to it, but it may be easier to swallow if you tilt your head back and use a sugar packet, or hold the sugar on your tongue to moisten or wash it down with a glass of water.
4. Hold Your Breath
   When you don’t have any sugar, ice water or paper bags on hand, try holding your breath for 10 seconds. Repeat this exercise, while taking time to catch your breath in between so you don’t overdo it.
5. Get Scared
   If sudden excitement is what caused you to get hiccups in the first place, it may require getting excited or scared again to get rid of them. If you happen to be around friends when you get hiccups, scaring you shouldn’t be hard to arrange, but if you’re alone, try scaring yourself or watching something scary. It’s said that getting scared causes you to constrict your diaphragm and throws off the hiccup pattern.
6. Gargle with Ice Water
   Gargling with ice water is recommended on several reputable health Web sites and may just do the trick to get rid of your pesky hiccups. Be careful not to swallow any ice cubes, but then again, this could trigger number five.
7. Massage the Roof of Your Mouth
   Don’t gag, but massaging the back of the roof of your mouth with a cotton swab will stimulate the vagus nerve and stop diaphragm spasms that cause hiccups.
8. Pull Out Your Tongue
   This is the only time when pulling out your tongue in public is not considered rude. The act of pulling out your tongue works the same way as number six, to stimulate the vagus nerve and ease diaphragm spasms, while avoiding any dreadful gag reflexes.
9. Drink a Teaspoon of Vinegar
   Drinking a teaspoon of vinegar or another sour juice has been found to cure some hiccup attacks. Some people even combine the sugar-vinegar remedy to make it taste better. Bottoms up!
10. Eat a Tablespoon of Peanut Butter
    Peanut butter, without the jelly, is said to keep hiccups at bay. Peanut butter and other sticky foods are said to work similarly to swallowing sugar because it stimulates the vagus nerve, causing your diaphragm to constrict.
11. Cough/Sneeze/Burp
    Any one of these reactions can help get rid of hiccups. The thinking is that coughing, sneezing or burping causes the diaphragm to constrict and breaks the pattern of hiccups.

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Doctors are very important people, who we admire, confide in and trust to keep us alive and well. While this may be true for many, there are tons of patients who repeatedly take doctors for granted and make it really difficult for them to administer the kind of care they are capable of. We sometimes forget that doctors are people too, but that doesn’t excuse inconsiderate, unprofessional behavior in their office. Here are 10 ways to irritate your doctor:

• Insist on a Prescription You Don’t Need
  Doctors are highly trained medical professionals with decades of schooling and experience under their belt. Just because you watched an all day marathon of House does not mean that you are capable of making a medical diagnosis, and it certainly does not mean that you know what medication, if any, you need. Let the expert make the decisions that could improve or even save your life.
• Be Late to Your Appointment
  Doctors are some of the busiest professionals on the planet. They do not have time for you to keep them waiting, but even if you do show up two hours late, they will do their best to fit you in to their hectic schedules. Try to be courteous and arrive to your appointment on time. The more punctual you are, the less time you’ll have to wait and the more time a doctor will have to answer your questions.
• Ask to See Your Doctor’s Notes
  Not only do doctors have notoriously bad handwriting, likely making the notes illegible, but such a request indicates a lack of trust in your doctor and is a slightly paranoid approach to trying to understand what your doctor is telling you. If you aren’t clear on a diagnosis or explanation, don’t ask for the doctor’s notes just ask some careful questions to clarify what he or she is trying to tell you.
• Request Multiple Doctors’ Notes
  Different from the doctor’s notes described above, doctors’ notes or excuse slips are used to verify that you were in fact at the doctor when you missed school or work. This official document tells whomever it may concern that you were at the doctor’s office because of an illness or condition that needed professional care. Patients who request multiple doctors’ notes irk physicians, because they may be trying to weasel their way out of work and hope the doctor will cover them with a note that says so. Don’t be a dishonest patient and don’t expect more than one note per visit.
• Ask Too Many Questions
  Asking the right questions is an important part of medical treatment. Asking your doctor about the molecular mechanism causing your sore throat is probably a huge waste of time for both you and your doctor. Your doctor is there to answer your questions and encourage you to ask them, but in order to get the most out of your time with a physician, you should focus on asking the right questions rather than as many questions as you can think of.
• Bring the Whole Family Into the Room
  The waiting room at your doctor’s office is not meant to be a family gathering. Doctors are usually patient with circumstances like your inability to find a babysitter or other family needs, but that doesn’t mean you can invite Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa and your six cousins to your annual checkup. Doctors try to maintain a pleasant and professional waiting room, so try to respect their facilities, as you would expect guests to do in your home.
• Complain Non-stop
  Doctors know you aren’t feeling well and that you’re likely grumpy. But guess what? You aren’t the only patient they will see that day that feels the same or worse. Complaining rather than discussing symptoms will likely get you nowhere. Doctors want to help, but they are also human beings and deserve courtesy and respect just like everyone else. Complaining about services, waiting time and the doctor’s colleagues will usually only make things worse for you. If you have a concern about wait time, try to courteously ask why you haven’t been seen and if you aren’t satisfied with your appointment, ask to see the doctor again. Doctors know they are running a business and they want to satisfy their patients, but prefer to handle issues in a calm, civil way.
• Vaguely Describe Symptoms
  “I’ve been feeling a little off lately” will not get you a diagnosis, because it doesn’t really tell the doctor anything. Try to be specific and detailed about your symptoms. If you aren’t, doctors won’t be able to help treat you accordingly. If you’re in pain, tell him or her where it hurts, when it hurts and if it’s constant or random spurts of pain. In other words, be specific. It will make your visit more efficient and help your doctor help you.
• Not Knowing Your Meds
  Whether you are visiting a doctor for the first time or the 100th time, you should always know which medications you are prescribed to. If you can’t remember, bring your medicine with you or make a list of your meds, as well as vitamins, supplements and other nonprescription drugs you’re taking. Don’t expect the doctor to know each and every pill you take on a daily basis, but DO come prepared with the names of your current medication, so they can provide safe and effective treatments.
• Lying to Them
  Not only is lying to your doctor a shameful thing to do, but it’s also a risky measure to take if your well-being could be at risk. Doctors aren’t mind readers, nor are they going to probe someone who they think is telling the truth. Tell them about everything that hurts or looks weird, and don’t hold back if you drink or smoke. You’re paying for their service, so get your money’s worth and be true to yourself.

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Graduating from medical school with an M.D. degree is a huge feat, and one to be proud of, but that’s only half of the journey to becoming a doctor. After you walk across that stage, you have another three to seven years of graduate medical education, also known as your residency. During this time, you’ll work in a hospital under the supervision of physicians, gaining invaluable experience in patient care and independent practice in the medical specialty or subspecialty of your choice. Choosing a prestigious, accredited residency or fellowship program is just as important as attending a prestigious medical school. Competition is keen and space is limited in these elite graduate medical programs, but they’re definitely worth applying to. Here are 10 exceptional places to do your residency program:

1. College of Medicine Mayo Clinic
   Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, is one of the most prestigious medical facilities in the United States, and a phenomenal hospital to do your medical residency program. For over a decade,
   Mayo Clinic has received high marks in its level of medical care, specifically in diabetes and endocrinology, gynecology, cardiology, neurology and other major specialties. Mayo Clinic offers 248 medical residency and fellowship programs in nearly all medical specialties.
2. Johns Hopkins University Program
   Located in Baltimore, Maryland, The Johns Hopkins Hospital has maintained its ranking as the best hospital in America, and a top performer in ear, nose and throat, urology, rheumatology and second best in psychiatry, ophthalmology, gynecology and geriatrics, according to the 2009-2010 U.S. News and World Report. With this level of prestige, it’s no surprise why Johns Hopkins’ residency and fellowship programs are so elite. This teaching hospital has dozens of residency and fellowship programs for students to choose from and determine their area of specialty.
3. Cleveland Clinic Foundation Program
   The Cleveland Clinic is another highly-ranked hospital, and a top performer in gastroenterology, rheumatology and urology specialties. This teaching hospital also has one of the largest graduate medical education programs in the nation, with approximately 57 accredited residency programs and more than 70 advanced fellowship programs in a variety of specialties.
4. Brigham and Women’s Hospital Program
   Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, is a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School and a highly-ranked hospital for nephrology and gynecology. BWH has about 220 accredited residency and fellowship programs in virtually all medical specialties.
5. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
   MD Anderson in Houston, Texas, is the number one hospital in the nation for cancer treatment, as well as a leader in ear, nose and throat and urology care. MD Anderson has a variety of excellent residencies and fellowships for students who are interested in anesthesiology and critical care, pediatrics, pathology and other divisions of cancer medicine.
6. Massachusetts General Hospital/McLean Hospital Program
   Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, is the leading hospital in psychiatry treatment, and a top performer in diabetes and endocrinology, orthopedics, ophthalmology, geriatrics and other specialties. It is also a great hospital to complete a residency or fellowship program in one of their many specialties, such as adult and child psychiatry, emergency medicine, radiation oncology or oral and maxillofacial surgery. Many of the specialized residencies and fellowships are affiliated with Harvard Medical School and share resources with other Boston-based medical facilities.
7. Univeristy of Pennsylvania Health System
   
   Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania is another highly-ranked medical facility that excels in pulmonology, ear, nose and throat, cardiology and other specialty care. The University of Pennsylvania Program has superb graduate medical training in more than 50 accredited specialties and subspecialties.
8. Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
   University of California Los Angeles Medical Center is a prestigious hospital and leader in a number of specialties, such as geriatrics, urology, rheumatology, gastroenterology, psychiatry and more. There are several prestigious residency training programs to choose from, including anesthesiology, dentistry, pediatrics, nuclear medicine and much more.
9. New York-Presbyterian Hospital (Columbia Campus) Program
   New York-Presbyterian Hospital is a leader in nephrology, as well as psychiatry, diabetes and endocrinology, neurology and neurosurgery. It’s also a prestigious teaching hospital to complete a residency and fellowship program in one of the many medical specialties available to students, such as otolaryngology, child and adolescent psychiatry or general surgery.
10. Duke University Hospital Program
    The Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, is a leader in several medical specialties, including gynecology, orthopedics, urology, ophthalmology and geriatrics. The Duke University Hospital Program also has an array of approved residencies and fellowships for students in community and family medicine, dermatology, pathology, pediatrics, radiology and other varied medical specialties.

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Prescription drugs have done wonders for the field of medicine. They’ve healed suffering patients and relieved chronic pain, in addition to causing serious health risks and side effects that inevitably caused them to be pulled from the market. Many of the so-called “miracle drugs” of our lifetime proved to be more dangerous than the original condition itself. Here are 10 prescription drugs pulled from the shelves and why:

1. Vioxx
   In 1999, Vioxx was the most heavily marketed pharmaceutical in the world. A potent arthritis pain killer, Vioxx, promised to improve the lives of millions of aging baby boomers suffering from the terrible pain of arthritis and an aggressive marketing campaign made Vioxx an overnight sensation. However, this success soon turned into a nightmare for manufacturer Merck when reports of increased risk of heart attack and stroke began to pour in. The drug was retired in 2004, and has since been linked to over 27,000 deaths.
2. Thalidomide
   Thalidomide was a popular morning sickness medication prescribed worldwide under several different brand names throughout the 1960s and 1950s. The FDA, however, refused to approve the drug due to possible safety concerns. The drug was soon linked to catastrophic birth defects around the world. This regulatory success by the FDA was instrumental in shaping the drug approval process in the United States. The rest of the world, including 13 highly developed nations, was not so lucky.
3. Rezulin
   From its inception, Rezulin, intended to treat diabetes, was clouded by controversy. A leading FDA physician, Dr. John Gueriguian, cautioned that Rezulin could be dangerous and urged the FDA not to approve the drug. The FDA responded to his warnings by firing him and discarding his report. Soon after its approval, Rezulin was linked to sudden liver failure and over 390 deaths.
4. Duract
   The FDA had a plan for Duract, a pain killer that had already been shown to have potentially fatal side effects if taken longer than prescribed. The plan was simple: add a warning label that urged patients to take Duract only as prescribed. The problem was that patients did not follow this warning. After 68 deaths were linked to Duract it was pulled from the shelves.
5. Redux
   In the 1980s, Redux, commonly known as “Fen-Phen,” was a revolutionary diet treatment that helped users drop pounds and keep them off. The drug would later be linked to over 100 deaths due to heart valve disease brought on by continued use. The drug was removed by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals in 1997, but not before extensive litigation cost the company billions of dollars in settlements and damages.
6. Zelnorm
   This treatment for irritable bowel syndrome was perhaps best known for its strange marketing campaign showing women with symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome written on their stomachs. The drug was widely prescribed and eventually approved for men before it was linked to increased risk of heart attack and stroke and pulled from the shelves.
7. Seldane
   In 1985, Seldane was introduced as the first non-drowsy antihistamine. However, not long after its initial release, Seldane was shown to be highly cross reactive with other prescription drugs, over the counter medications and even foods such as grapefruit juice. Seldane was retired as other less reactive drugs entered the market, but the problems associated with its cross reactivity led the FDA to mandate extensive initial testing of chemical interactions before a drug could win approval.
8. Propulsid
   Propulsid was a successful heartburn medication used in the treatment of severe gastric reflux. In 2000, however, it was linked to severe heart rhythm abnormalities and over 80 deaths. It was pulled from the market shortly thereafter.
9. Posicor
   Posicor’s approval as a treatment for cardiovascular disorders came with a list of three other medications that could cause deadly drug interactions if taken simultaneously. Needless to say, this list grew immediately, and Posicor’s benefits were soon outweighed by its list of over 25 potentially fatal drug interactions. It was replaced by safer alternatives and voluntarily removed from the market in 1998.
10. Reglan
    Reglan is widely prescribed acid reflux treatment that only recently has been linked to a terrible disorder called tardive dyskenisia, which can lead to uncontrolled movement and permanent disfigurement. The FDA has applied its “black box” warning to Reglan, and numerous lawsuits have been filed in connection with Reglan’s devastating side effects.

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During bad economic times, the medical field has always been a secure place to be. However, the current recession has led to some major employment changes that have given some healthcare positions an upper hand. Here are 10 recession-proof healthcare careers:

• Medical and Health Services Manager
  Medical and health services managers, also known as healthcare administrators or healthcare executives, plan, direct and oversee the delivery of healthcare in entire facilities or specific clinical departments. Medical and health services managers have withstood the recession because all healthcare settings need management and direction.
• Registered Nurse
  Despite the recession, registered nurses are still in high demand. People will continue to get sick, if not sicker, during bad economic times, causing a growing need for generalized and specialized registered nurses to treat the ill. Registered nurses are also needed to balance the expanding population and increasing life expectancy of the elderly. RNs have great job security, favorable pay and plenty of room for advancement opportunities.
• Physicians and Surgeon
  Despite the health care reform and changes to the health care system, physicians and surgeons have maintained their spot as a recession-proof career. Physicians and surgeons are the most direct leaders in health care, and will continue to be needed because of their expertise, knowledge and training in treating the ill.
• Physical Therapist
  Physical therapists have withstood the recession because of their specific training and specialized area of care. People have continued to seek physical therapists’ services because of chronic pain, injuries and rehabilitation needs.
• Dental Hygienist
  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, dental hygienist is one of the fastest growing occupations today. Even in bad economic times, people will still need teeth cleanings, oral exams and dental services, in which the dental hygienist is a big part of.
• Pharmacist
  Pharmacy is another area of health care that has survived the recession. Along with treating the ill, pharmacists are needed to administer medications to those who are sick. Their specialized training and knowledge in pharmacology makes them an important, irreplaceable aspect of the health care system.
• Physician Assistant
  Physician assistants have a less obvious, but extremely important role in the health care system. They are responsible for providing diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive healthcare services under the direction of a physician, as well as recordkeeping, interpreting laboratory tests and taking patients’ medical histories. Physician assistants have survived the recession because of their importance to physicians and delivery of effective health care.
• Occupational Therapist
  Like other specialized therapy services, occupational therapists have withstood the recession because of their specific training in treating patients with mentally, physically, developmentally or emotionally disabling conditions and helping them perform tasks in living and working settings. With the growing understanding of disabilities and physical conditions, more people are seeking the care of occupational therapists who can help them learn or regain everyday living and working skills.
• Health Educator
  The field of health education continues to be an important factor of the health care system. From educating the community on health care topics to teaching medical students, health educators play a direct role in health care awareness and preparing future health care professionals.
• Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselor
  Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors have survived the recession because of their specialized area of care. As people become more aware about addiction and behavioral disorders, they have begun seeking professional treatment to help cope with their condition, therefore, increasing the need for substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors.

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Most of us are fortunate enough to live healthy lives without having to worry about the perpetual symptoms of a debilitating disease. Even if you happen to suffer from a common disease, chances are you’ve encountered opportunities for treatment and peers that are enduring the same journey. But have you considered what it would be like to have overgrown fingers, or undeveloped facial nerves that hinder you from making facial expressions? How would you react to being just one of hundreds of people in the world with the same disease? Below are 10 diseases you didn’t know existed, but you’re lucky not to have.

• Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome (Ondine’s Curse)
  People who suffer from CCHS are unable to involuntarily breathe sufficiently during sleep. It’s acquired at birth or during severe trauma to the brain stem. In the most serious cases of the disease, people are unable to sleep because they would die. Typically, this occurs among newborns, but there have been cases where the disease progressed from minor to life-threatening – those people are required to use ventilators.



• Fields’ disease
  Just two people in the world suffer from Fields’ disease, making it the rarest in the world. It was discovered in four-year-old Welsh twins – Catherine and Kirstie Fields – who exhibited signs of progressive muscular deterioration. At the age of nine, they were unable to walk on their own and perform simple tasks like writing. During the process, their brains and personalities have remained normal. Because such a disease has never before been treated, doctors are unsure of what to expect in the future.



• Microcephaly
  Microcephaly sufferers have smaller-than-normal head circumferences because their brains either failed to develop properly or stopped growing. Typically, the condition starts in the womb during early fetal development and it’s caused by genetic abnormalities, foreign substances like radiation, or excessive exposure to drugs and alcohol. The disorder can result in severe mental retardation, or just minor disability.



• Kuru
  Kuru appeared in New Guinea during the 1950s, affecting the Fore people in the highlands. The cause of the disease was cannibalism; it was a tribal ritual to devour the tissues of dead relatives. Symptoms included tremors and slurred speech because the cerebellum was primarily affected. In its most severe stages, sufferers lost the ability to stand and eat on their own, became comatose, and died six month to a year after they were initially infected.



• Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria
  Roughly one in four million newborns suffer from Progeria, which is a genetic condition that causes rapid aging. As babies, they maintain a normal appearance, but as they grow older, they develop bulging eyes, protruding ears, small chins, thin noses and poor skin. Their arteries harden, increasing their chances of enduring a heart attack or stroke. People with Progeria typically live until their early-teens, though some can live until the age of 30.



• Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva
  Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva is the ossification of connective and muscle tissue, resulting in the loss of mobility. People with FOP often become unable to open their mouths, which hinders their ability to speak and eat independently. Further injuries to areas affected by FOP can cause more rapid ossification. FOP sufferers typically have deformed big toes, and sometimes uncharacteristically short thumbs. First signs of the condition occur during early childhood when it affects the shoulders and neck.



• Moebius Syndrome
  Nobody knows the exact cause of Moebius Syndrome; a disorder that inhibits movement of the facial muscles. Sufferers are unable to make facial expressions or control their eye movement and blinking. First symptoms are apparent after birth when the baby isn’t able to suck. Eventually, they experience problems feeding and swallowing. It’s estimated that roughly 30 to 40 percent of people with Moebius Syndrome have Autism.



• Proteus Syndrome
  The rare condition – just 50 cases worldwide – was named after the Greek god Proteus, who could change himself into any shape he desired. It’s characterized by atypical growth of bones and skin, resulting in an asymmetrical body. Gigantism of certain limbs and overgrown fingers are typically observed in sufferers. There are just more than 50 cases reported worldwide, and all of them have been isolated occurrences within different families.



• Porphyria
  Porphyria occurs when there’s an excess buildup of porphyrins in a person’s body caused by an inherited mutation. During attacks, sufferers endure cramping and abdominal pain, problems with the nervous system like seizures and personality changes, and blisters, swelling, and itching when their skin is exposed to sunlight. Visible scarring is common after the slow healing process of the skin. Another peculiar result of Porphyria is red or brown urine.



• Morgellons
  People who are diagnosed with Morgellons disease experience crawling and biting sensations under their skin, rashes and sores, severe itching, lesions and the presence of black, blue or red fibers on their skin. Additionally, they may suffer from short-term memory loss, severe fatigue and behavioral changes. Specifics about the disease are unknown. In fact, it isn’t widely recognized within the medical community, and research is just now being undertaken.

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“I’m not a doctor, but I play on one TV.” Those words from soap actor Peter Bergman in a 1986 ad for Vicks cough syrup are still some of the most memorable in commercial history, but they also emphasize just how big a role these fake doctors have played in our lives over the years. Medical shows, whether drama or comedy, have always been popular, and the doctors at their core have become some of the most-loved and recognized TV characters of all time.

1. Cliff Huxtable (Bill Cosby, “The Cosby Show”)
Cliff Huxtable was the amiable and bemused center of his household, always ready to deliver advice when he wasn’t at the hospital delivering babies. Bill Cosby’s most indelible character helped the show run for eight seasons from 1984-1992, and it was one of the biggest shows of the 1980s.

2. Doogie Howser (Neil Patrick Harris, “Doogie Howser, M.D.”)
The preternaturally gifted Doogie Howser breezed through school to become a doctor at 16, which meant he had to grapple with the trials of being a teen while also dealing with the adult pressures of the medical world. The show made Neil Patrick Harris a household name, and he’s been in the spotlight ever since.

3. Philip Chandler (Denzel Washington, “St. Elsewhere”)
This NBC drama had its share of young stars on the rise, including Mark Harmon and Howie Mandel, but it was Denzel Washington’s turn as Dr. Chandler that brought an interesting depth to the show and helped catapult Washington to fame.

4. Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce (Alan Alda, “M*A*S*H”)
Adapted from Robert Altman’s 1970 film MASH, the long-running TV series was a slightly softened version of the black comedy about doctors in the Korean War (an obvious allegory for the then-current war in Vietnam). Alan Alda’s Hawkeye Pierce acted as the show’s anchor, using humor to deflect the tragedy around him. The series finale was the most-watched program in American history until the 2010 Super Bowl.

5. Doug Ross (George Clooney, “ER”)
“ER” ran for 15 seasons and rotated a huge number of actors through its cast, but initial star George Clooney was the show’s definining presence early on. Doug Ross was a caring pediatrician willing to break the rules to help people. He left the show during its fifth season.

6. Marcus Welby (Robert Young, “Marcus Welby, M.D.”)
Robert Young’s friendly family doctor first appeared in a movie-of-the-week in 1969 before returning as a series later that year and running through 1976. The themes are dated now, but his character remains one of the most indelible TV doctors of the era.

7. Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson, “Grey’s Anatomy”)
“Grey’s Anatomy” has been popular since its 2005 debut, and a big part of that is the supporting work of Chandra Wilson as Dr. Miranda Bailey, whose tough persona helps shape the younger doctors.

8. Julius Hibbert (Harry Shearer, “The Simpsons”)
Always chuckling and seemingly indifferent to the ups and downs of life in Springfield, Dr. Hibbert, a spoof of Cosby’s Huxtable, is one of the most enduring and hilarious characters on “The Simpsons,” and a fan favorite. (Plus he’s the long-lost brother of Bleeding Gums Murphy, and how cool is that?)

9. Leonard “Bones” McCoy (DeForrest Kelley, “Star Trek”)
“He’s dead, Jim.” Leonard McCoy was a staple of the original “Star Trek” TV series and later film franchise, known for his dry humor and comic pessimism. He even put in an appearance in the pilot episode of “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”

10. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie, “House”)
Hugh Laurie was a well-known comic actor in his native England before his performance as the grizzled Dr. House brought him stateside recognition. House is a tough man, but not without compassion for his fellow doctors and for the sick and suffering. The series has remained popular even after six years on the air.

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