More options for treating psoriasis

DEAR DR. GOTT: To the reader who wrote in to your column regarding her grandson's psoriasis: Try a naturopathic doctor who focuses on diet. I went to a dermatologist for years with a horrible case of psoriasis. I have used steroidal creams, took cortisone injections (one time directly to the soles of my feet, one of my more painful experiences), and gave myself weekly shots in the abdomen. I even had an infusion treatment and countless "trial medications" in trying to reclaim normal skin that would not crack and bleed. When my dermatologist suggested I save my sperm and go in for light chemo, I went looking for other opinions.

Negotiating in a strong market

Regular readers know that we consider ourselves in a strong market. Of course, as with all things real estate the market is very specific to your location and although North Idaho real estate is moving at a comfortable pace, not every nook and cranny of our market is booming.

Cure for common cold remains elusive

Ask Dr. K

Ear infections and chiropractic

Ear problems can be extremely painful, especially in children. Millions of children visit doctors for ear infections (otitis media) each year. It accounts for more than 35 percent of all pediatric visits. Ear infections also happen to be the most common reason why kids are prescribed antibiotics. Yet, new studies suggest these drugs do virtually nothing to help most kids recover faster.

Reader has cat-scratch fever

DEAR DR. GOTT: I have been diagnosed with cat-scratch fever. Could you explain the disease and its side effects? How long will it last, and what treatment is available?

Fulfilling the unique needs of donkeys

Owning any animal can be both challenging and rewarding. Although they have a reputation for being stubborn, donkeys can make great additions to an animal herd. But owners should first understand what it takes to keep them healthy before buying one.

Purchase controlled hunt tags by Saturday

Big game hunters who were successful in drawing controlled hunt tags for deer, elk, pronghorn and black bear have until 11 p.m. PDT, Saturday, Aug. 1 to buy their tags.

Taste, taste, taste

Mary and I affectionately refer to tasting wine many times as "homework." For us while it really isn't work at all it is a big part of the job, as we never feel comfortable or confident recommending a wine to a customer if we have not tried it first regardless of the price we pay and therefore charge our customers, it has to meet our standards. Allegorically, customers can and for their own protection should approach wine the same way.

At what cost?

Constantly changing online prices stump shoppers

NEW YORK - Online shopping has become as volatile as stock market trading. Wild, minute-by-minute price swings on everything from clothes to TVs have made it difficult for holiday shoppers to "buy low."

Shopping early - extreme version

Sales prices entice people to leave home on Thanksgiving

COEUR d'ALENE — Tammi Garrett and Don Downey of Post Falls left their dirty Thanksgiving dishes on the counter, grabbed a bottle of apple cider and rushed over to Target in Coeur d'Alene Thursday evening.

Painful urination can have multiple causes

Ask Dr. K

World/Nation Briefs June 2, 2011

Republicans press Obama on spending cuts, Medicare

Wallace B. Betz, Sr., 88

Wallace Benjamin Betz Sr. (Wally) 88 years old, passed away on July 25, 2022 at the Schneidmiller Hospice House in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

Backyard Chickens Part 1: Preparing to buy healthy birds

After egg prices hit record highs in late 2022 and early 2023, having a flock of backyard chickens to provide a personal supply of eggs can be tempting.

Amazon vs. everyone else

Battle for holiday shoppers heats up

NEW YORK - This holiday shopping season, it's Amazon vs. everyone else.

We're crawling with microbes

More than 10,000 germ species live in and on healthy people

WASHINGTON - They live on your skin, up your nose, in your gut - enough bacteria, fungi and other microbes that collected together could weigh, amazingly, a few pounds.

Hope for GERD

GERD — Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease is a growing problem effecting an estimated 100-150 million people in North America. The causes and treatments for this condition are becoming more and more controversial. Drugs which were designed for intake for only two to eight weeks at most are given out like candy, with consumers taking them for years on end. While there is definite benefit, short term, for these medications, the usage today is alarming.

Antibiotics: friend or foe? Part IV

In Part I we discussed the potential "catastrophic threat" of antibiotic resistant bacteria. We also discussed the misuse of antibiotics that is contributing to the problem. In Part II, we reviewed various disorders commonly treated by antibiotics that shouldn't be, and the cost of this misuse. In Part III, we covered what antibiotics can potentially do to your body. Now, in Part IV, we'll address the things you can do to avoid contributing to this potential worldwide fiasco.

Plague hits Boise squirrels

BOISE - Ground squirrels south of Boise have tested positive for plague, and humans and pets should avoid the area, Idaho health officials say.

The cart before the horse?

Movie studios' view-everywhere system has soft launch