A viewer asks:
"I am a 26 year old straight male doing research for a college paper. I learned about a simple screeing test that men are getting that some say helps identify cellular changes in rectal tissue. These changes could be anal cancer. Now I'm wondering should I get an anal pap? I'm straight and "nothing" goes in that area. I'm not in pain or bleeding but I'm worried because I felt around that area and found a little bump just inside my rectum. It felt like a vein but it was raised. So, should I get an anal pap?"

You see men can benefit from a pap test too...an anal pap test.

Related Information

• Anal Pap Results...What Do They Mean?

• Rectal Pain - What Does It Mean?

• The Facts About Genital Warts

~This Entry Courtesy of Mark Cichocki - About.com HIV Guide

Once a man reaches the age of 40 or so, the risk of heart disease increases. Chest pain and tightness that could be written off as muscular when you were in your 20s now has to be investigated as a possible sign of heart disease. One of the first tests you will get if you have chest pain is an EKG. What is an EKG and what is involved with getting the test?

Related Information

• A Collection of Diagnostic Testing Fact Sheets

• The Problem of Male Menopause

• The Problem of Male Incontinence

Heartburn is a common problem for most people. In fact, medications to treat heartburn are some of the most widely prescribed medications on the market. Certain foods or medications can cause heartburn or can make the problem worse. Here are a collection of tips that will help you manage your heartburn.

Related Information

• What is GERD?

• Heartburn - How to Manage the Symptoms

• Heartburn Resources

Most of us have had the tetanus diphtheria (Td) vaccine, given to protect us from those two serious diseases. There is another vaccine being given to HIV-infected people that protects from more than just tetanus and diphtheria, known as the Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Acellular Pertussis) vaccine, which protects from three serious diseases. Let's look at the Tdap and learn why it is important part of a vaccine regimen.

Related Information

• Vaccination Schedule for HIV Positive People

• Health Screenings and Vaccines if your Test is Positive

• What Exactly is Pertussis?

The Illinois Senate has taken the first step in backing the use of marijuana to treat the symptoms of some diseases or illnesses. By a 30-28 vote the Senate passed the Bill and has sent it to the Illinois House for their approval. If passed and put into law, the measure would allow people suffering from unrelenting pain or nausea due to certain conditions, including cancer, HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis or Crohn's disease to use marijuana if prescribed by a doctor. The doctor must have a standing relationship with the patient.

Related Information

• Are the Legitimate Medical Uses for Marijuana?

• What Does Michigan's Marijuana Law Say?

• Marijuana Use Increases Risk of Testicular Cancer

What Do You Think?

The great debate...is medical marijuana legitimate of just an excuse to get high? I would love to hear your comments.

When symptoms of illness and disease strike they can be serious. These symptoms can range from mild to very severe. When do these symptoms and require a trip to the emergency room? The answer to that question is not always an easy one. This guide will help you figure it out but remember, if in doubt go to the ER or dial 911.

Related Information

• Tips for Managing Heartburn

• Evaluating the Cause of Chest Pain

• The Effects of Smoking Cigarettes

~This blog entry made possible by Mark Cichocki, About.com HIV/AIDS Guide.

After two years of writing, and countless hours of editing, my new HIV patient guide entitled "Living with HIV: A Patient's Guide" has been published. The book brings together 13 years of HIV experience and puts it in an easy-to-read format. Knowledge is power as they say and my book is a stop shop for HIV information; all the information you can use in one volume. The book takes a look at all aspects of HIV from testing and prevention, to diagnosis, to living a long healthy life with HIV. Get your copy here at HIV at About.com

What Do You Need From My HIV Site?

My job here at About.com is to provide you, my viewers, with the HIV information you need to live a long healthy life. After looking around my site, let me know what you need from my site that you have found. I want to hear from you.

Methamphetamine or Crystal Meth has its roots in some unexpected places. Military pilots used amphetamines to stay awake during the long flights to their bombing targets during the wartime. College students used them to stay awake all night to study for exams. In the 1960's people used amphetamines for entertainment. Then, in the 1970's as laws made getting amphetamines more difficult, their use all but disappeared. But now the use of amphetamines has returned in full force, primarily in the form of the supercharged version called methamphetamine. Manufactured in makeshift "meth labs" in apartment complexes. houses, and garages, Crystal Meth use is booming, and in its wake people are dying. What is Crystal Meth? What does it do and what is being done to halt its march across our cities?

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• Do You Have a Drinking Problem?

• The Physical Effects of Alcoholism

• Steroid Abuse - A Real Problem

After two years of writing, and countless hours of editing, my new HIV patient guide entitled "Living with HIV: A Patient's Guide" has been published. The book brings together 13 years of HIV experience and puts it in an easy-to-read format. Knowledge is power as they say and my book is a stop shop for HIV information; all the information you can use in one volume. The book takes a look at all aspects of HIV from testing and prevention, to diagnosis, to living a long healthy life with HIV. Get your copy here at HIV at About.com

What Do You Need From My HIV Site?

My job here at About.com is to provide you, my viewers, with the HIV information you need to live a long healthy life. After looking around my site, let me know what you need from my site that you have found. I want to hear from you.

Today's US Stats as of 5/1 10am

• New York City - 50 cases
• Texas - 26
• California - 14
• South Carolina - 10
• Kansas - 2
• Massachusetts - 2
• Michigan - 1
• Ohio - 1
• Arizona - 1
• Indiana - 1
• Nevada -1
• Total Cases - 109 (1 death)

By now we have all heard the stories on television, the radio, and in the newspaper; the Swine Flu is out there and it has everyone concerned for their health. While there isn't a whole lot we can do right now, there are a few steps we can all take to protect ourselves and others from this potential pandemic.

• Cover your nose and mouth with a disposable tissue when coughing or sneezing then throw the tissue away.
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or alcohol sanitizer.
• Limit your contact with people who are sick, are coughing, or sneezing.
• If you are sick, stay home from work or keep the kids home from school. Contact your doctor for instructions.

Related Information

• What's the Difference Between Seasonal Flu and Pandemic Flu

• What can You Do to Prepare for a Flu Pandemic?

• Washing Your Hands the Right Way

What's Your Opinion?

They say a pandemic flu is on the way. The media throws around words like fatal, crisis, death and rapid spreading killer. What do you believe? Is there media hype? I would love to hear your opinion.