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Military Health System

Ask The Doc

Welcome to "Ask the Doc", the Military Health System's own health care advice column. Here, you'll find answers to questions on an array of subjects and concerns from military doctors, nurses, specialists and personnel who know them best.

Explore our past health topics below and bookmark this page so you can follow our column each month! 

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If you have an idea for a future Ask the Doc column or have specific health care questions you want to ask our experts, send us an email message then check back to see when your topic is featured.

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Welcome to Ask the Doc

You also may be interested in...

What is a "healthy" weight-loss eating plan, anyway?

Article Around MHS
9/28/2021
A female soldier poses with an apple in her hand.

Weight loss sounds simple: take less “energy in” (fuel from food and drinks, measured in calories) and use more “energy out” (calories burned through daily physical activity and exercise).

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Nutritional Fitness | Total Force Fitness

Understanding Non-Suicidal Self-Injury, Support for Military Children

Article
9/21/2021
Non-suicidal self-injury by adolescents vary based on studies — from 1 in 6 to as high as 1 in 4 — rates have increased over the past 20 years. Given this prevalence and the associated health risks, it’s crucial for anyone treating adolescents to be aware of NSSI.

Non-suicidal self-injury by adolescents vary based on studies — from 1 in 6 to as high as 1 in 4 — rates have increased over the past 20 years.

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Total Force Fitness | Public Health

Ask the Doc: I've Got a Friend I'm Worried About – What Should I Do?

Article
9/15/2021
Soldiers conduct a ruck march on airfield.

Doc talks to Dr. Tim Hoyt, chief of Psychological Health Promotion and supervisor of the Combat and Operational Stress Control mission at the Psychological Health Center of Excellence, about some of the ways to go about addressing your concerns with a friend you may think is in danger of harming themself.

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Psychological Health Center of Excellence | Suicide Prevention | Ask The Doc

Ask the Doc: How Do I Fight the Long Deployment Blues?

Article
9/7/2021
Military personnel looking at a computer

Doc talks to Navy Lt. Chad Haan, staff chaplain at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Virginia, about ways to prevent a “downward spiral” while on deployment.

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Psychological Fitness | Social Fitness | Ask The Doc

As Fitness Tests Resume, Troops Seek Post-COVID Exercise Routines

Article
8/31/2021
Military personnel physically training

Keeping fit during pandemic proves hard for some.

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Total Force Fitness | Physical Fitness | Coronavirus & the MHS Response

MHS and MOS Town Hall To Your Health: Dental Health

Article
8/24/2021
MHS and Military OneSource Townhall graphic

MHS and Military OneSource presents a discussion about Dental Health.

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Total Body Preventive Health - Dental, Medical & Mental | Total Force Fitness | Medical and Dental Preventive Care Fitness | TRICARE Dental Care

Stay Hydrated for Optimal Performance

Article
8/10/2021
A soldier takes a drink from his canteen.

Proper hydration is key to optimal performance.

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Total Force Fitness | Nutritional Fitness

Ask the Doc: AO2 Energy

Article
7/26/2021
AO2

Dear Doc: Me and the guys in my shop drink A LOT of caffeine. I'm not much of a coffee guy, but I do drink two or three energy drinks a day. I drink a lot of water too, and I'm young and in good shape, but sometimes I feel like I'm a little too reliant on these drinks. I sometimes short myself on sleep only because I know I can have an energy drink or two and be fine for most of the day. Is that a problem? Should I cut back? What are the impacts on my health? Are some forms of caffeine (coffee or tea, for example) better or safer than others? I'd rather focus on this while I'm young and healthy instead of keeping it up for a decade before I realize it's caused a real health problem. -AO2 Energy

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Nutritional Fitness | Ask The Doc

AJ-Maste Yoga: Tips for a Healthy Deployment

Article
7/13/2021
Military personnel doing a yoga pose

Yoga comes in many forms and fashions, and has proven health benefits.

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Physical Fitness | Total Force Fitness

Ask the Doc: Eye Need Answers

Article
7/8/2021
Senior Airman Mitchel Delfosse, 22nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron electrical environmental system journeyman, attends an eye exam appointment Jan. 30, 2020, at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. Maj. (Dr.) Gerardo Robles-Morales, 22nd Operational Medical Readiness Squadron optometry flight commander, recommends an eye exam a minimum of every two years to ensure overall eye health and correct vision. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Alexi Bosarge)

Dear Doc: I consider myself pretty lucky. I'm in my late 20s and I've never had any eye problems to speak of. I have 20/20 vision and I've never worn glasses. But...the Air Force tells me to protect my eyes and I'm not exactly sure what that means. Do you know anyone who can give me some solid advice on the best options for eye protection? What should I be wearing at work or on the flight line? What should I be wearing out in the sun? I know I have a lot of questions, but I just want to protect myself as best as possible. Thanks in advance, Doc! -Eye Need Answers

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Vision and Hearing Loss Prevention | Ask The Doc

CHAMP uses more predictive analytics to improve beneficiary healthcare

Article
7/8/2021
A game of tug-of-war

Military health innovation and Total Force Fitness go hand-in-hand.

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Total Force Fitness | MHS Research Symposium

Turn Post-traumatic Stress Into Post-traumatic Growth

Article
6/30/2021
PTSD Infographic

Myths and facts about post-traumatic stress (PTS) and post-traumatic growth (PTG).

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Posttraumatic Stress Disorder | Total Force Fitness

Aphasia, Caused by Stroke or TBI, is Frustrating and Little Known

Article
6/29/2021
A doctor looking at brain scans

Aphasia is an incurable disease usually caused by stroke that affects all forms of communication.

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Total Force Fitness | Heart Health | Centers of Excellence | Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence

Ask the Doc: Senior NCO in the Know

Article
6/15/2021
Lt. Cmdr. David Griffin, a urologist at Naval Hospital Pensacola, discusses a treatment plan with a patient in the Urology Clinic. Some of the common conditions seen at the clinic include male infertility, sexual health, kidney stones, urinary tract infections, urologic cancers, blood in the urine, urinary problems, vasectomies and more.

Dear Doc: As I progress through my 40s, I'd like to think I've lived a pretty healthy life to this point. As a service member, I've kept myself in shape, ate well and always listened to my body throughout my career. Unfortunately, I can't say as much for some other members of my peer group. I know we are trained to be "warriors," and a lot of us feel that if we aren't self-sufficient, it may somehow make us less efficient as soldiers, sailors, airmen or Marines. I can't help but feel like there's a stigma associated with monitoring yourself or furthermore, getting help, especially among men and issues related specifically to men's health. My question is, how can I convince these guys that there is nothing wrong or "weak" about getting help with health issues, male-specific or otherwise? - Senior NCO in the Know

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Men's Health | Ask The Doc

Ask the Doc: Fitness Freaking Out

Article
5/26/2021
Integrating healthy snacks like fruit into kid’s diets will teach them healthy eating habits. September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness month. (U.S. Air Force photo by Sabrina Fine)

Dear Doc: It seems like every time I go to the commissary, my daughter, 6, and son, 7, tend to gravitate toward the sugary cereals and frozen pizzas, and always want candy bars and sodas at the checkout. As far as I know, and as has been proven by their regularly scheduled check-ups, they are both in great health. The mother in me wants to give them what they want, but the former college athlete and current fitness freak in me is afraid that this might become a problem. For me, eating healthy has become a normal part of my life, and I've come to enjoy things that are healthy and taste good. Aside from tricking them, what can I do to get my kids to eat (and enjoy) more healthy foods? — Fitness Freaking Out

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Physical Fitness | Nutritional Fitness | Ask The Doc
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Showing results 61 - 75 Page 5 of 8
Last Updated: August 17, 2021
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