Toni J. Brayer, M.D.

Many women experience joint and muscle pain and stiffness around the time of menopause that they hadn't experienced before. Because there are estrogen receptors all over the body, including the joints, declinin... continue reading  about  How does menopause affect the joints and muscles in your body?

Hopefully you will not need to give up your regular Jazzercise class since it has worked for you this past year. Most likely you have "tweaked" a ligament or muscle that attaches to the knee. Even seasoned athl... continue reading  about  I am 62 and have been doing Jazzercise aerobic exercise regularly for over a year. I started doing Jazzercise in the morning and began having knee pain. Should I quit this type of exercise? If so, what else should I do to stay in shape?

Menarche (the start of a girl's menstrual period) is not dependent upon weight alone but the amount of body fat, height and weight all play a role in determining the start of puberty. A woman's genes and the ag... continue reading  about  Does a girl have to reach a certain weight before her periods begin?

There is truly an epidemic of soft drink consumption in our country, and your husband needs to cut down or cut out his substitution of soft drinks for healthy beverages. The fact that your husband is drinking s... continue reading  about  What are the health risks from not drinking water? My husband is terribly addicted to soda and any other drink that is not plain water. He drinks about a 1/2 cup of plain water a day.

A bruise occurs when small capillaries under the skin rupture and blood leaks out. It is usually due to trauma but it is common for some people to "bruise easily" or find bruises and not even remember any traum... continue reading  about  I bruise very easily - and have since I was a child. Why am I like a banana?

Herpes simplex is a very common virus and can break out on any moist surface of the body. A person is contagious when there is an active herpetic lesion, and close contact must be avoided during these times. Th... continue reading  about  When should you tell a potential sex partner about herpes?

Almost 2/3 of women complain of memory impairment during menopause and after childbirth when hormones are in flux. This "brain fog" is common and likely is influenced by estrogen. We do have estrogen receptors ... continue reading  about  Could the hormonal changes I'm experiencing during perimenopause be affecting my memory? I've heard a lot of references to "meno-fog."

Immediately after surgery you will learn to climb stairs safely using crutches. As recovery continues and you work on flexion and extension of the new knee, you will be able to climb without crutches. With the ... continue reading  about  Are there certain exercises I can do after knee replacement to strengthen my knees to allow for climbing stairs easily?

About 10 million Americans suffer from hemorrhoids, which are veins in the rectum and anus that swell and can itch and bleed. Some hemorrhoids get small blood clots (thromboses) and these are exquisitely painfu... continue reading  about  I have hemorrhoids and banding has been recommended. What is it, what are the benefits, and what is the downside?