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Dr. David Houghton

Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Layton, UT
male

About

Bio

I am board certified in both adult internal medicine and in pediatrics. I finished my dual-specialty training in 2000 and have years of experience in primary care for adults and children, emergency medicine, critical care, and hospital medicine. My current focus is hospital medicine and urgent care. I have years of experience in telemedicine, providing direct patient care via video link. I spent 2 years practicing remote medicine in arctic Alaska, and have spent an additional 7 years serving the urban uninsured and Native Americans. I am an Air Force Reserve flight surgeon and a father of 4 grown children, and love outdoor activities like hiking and biking. My most passionate medical interests are education, tackling the obesity and prescription narcotic epidemics, and reducing wasteful, ineffective and excessively expensive health care.

Specialties
Doctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.

Internal Medicine & Pediatrics

Internal Medicine and Pediatrics

Licenses

United States: Utah

Doctor Q&A

621 Answers
69 Agrees
The number of answers this doctor has agreed with.
A 35-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Possible resistance: Strep germs causing sore throat are often resistant to Clarithromycin and other antibiotics of the same class. There are other less common germs that ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 37-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
You should seek care: There are other things near the thyroid that can get swollen and painful, but regardless of the source, painful swelling in the neck should be investi... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 23-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Clinic visit needed: There are many causes of abdominal pain, some of which can be simply annoying, like constipation, others can be deadly. The best way to make sure it's... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 50-year-old male asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Enlarged tissue: This refers to part of the nasal tissue being enlarged or swollen. Not dangerous. Talk to the doctor who ordered the CT, or an ENT physician if concer... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 32-year-old male asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Labs are not perfect: Minor lipase elevations aren't necessarily worrisome. Normal ranges for tests only cover 95% of a typical population. If there are no symptoms & a... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 36-year-old male asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Was it cleaned?: Any object that comes in contact with someone else's skin before your own could transmit MRSA if not disinfected with alcohol first.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 23-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Hard to say: It's hard to say without seeing them. The usual causes for shiny skin on the lower legs are swelling and poor arterial circulation. The skin changes f... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 23-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Talk to hematologist: If your neutrophils are that low, you probably need to talk to a hematologist. There are lots of things that can cause this, from medications to virus... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 32-year-old male asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
No: You should not be tested for cystic fibrosis if you don't have symptoms of the disease and have a negative family history. Sounds like you should be t... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Not normal: C-section shouldn't cause stinging urination. A UTI is certainly possible. Get a urinalysis, and if it suggests infection, make sure a culture is sent... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 40-year-old male asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
All exercise equal: For weight control, doesn't matter what exercise is done. The more intense, the more calories burned, but specific movements don't burn more fat. Runn... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 32-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
No: Except in extreme cases of hypothermia, etc, simply getting wet will not make anyone sick. It's an old but incorrect notion.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 36-year-old male asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
ER not likely needed: If she is otherwise healthy, no specific treatment is indicated unless she develops severe/alarming symptoms. Cold compress and elevation is all that ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 32-year-old member asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Way too complex: This question is way too complex for a short text Q&A. Individual patient information is needed to really discuss risks and benefits. This discuss... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 43-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Yes: Digestive enzymes are used to replace those that are normally produced by the body. So they will not interfere with birth control pills.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 55-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
See an ENT: Sounds like something is irritated in your nose/sinus that is producing fluid, and it is able to drain when you bend over. An ENT can look inside your... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 19-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Not enough info: You have not given enough information to know what might be causing the headache. Headaches can be simply bothersome or deadly, depending on the cause... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 42-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Infection: Liver cysts are very common and the vast majority cause no problems. Liver abscesses cause fever and pain and can be very serious. They require antibi... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 26-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Work with doctor: If you feel ill, you should keep working with your doctor to determine the cause. If initial blood tests are normal, you need to keep looking. Sometim... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 21-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Shouldn't interact: Nonprescription pain meds shouldn't interact with contraceptive medications, but many prescription drugs can.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 39-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Try topical therapy: To minimize side effects, topical therapy like heat, massage, capsaicin cream &lidocaine patches are often helpful. It's important to remember tha... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 33-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Calcium is good: Lots of water is important to prevent stones. But ironically, low dietary Ca actually increases risk of Ca stones. Probably because less Ca in food i... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 25-year-old male asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Not contagious: TB is not contagious if it's not in the lung. Good luck with your treatment!
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 32-year-old male asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Years: it generally takes years for a polyp to form and then later become cancerous. This is why screening colonoscopy is only needed every 10 years if norma... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 24-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Unlikely, but...: Pregnancy sounds like it would be unlikely, but there's only one way to really know, and that's with a home pregnancy test.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 24-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
I don't think so: The key to weight loss for men or women is reducing calories long-term. Men usually burn more calories per day than women, assuming similar levels of ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 27-year-old male asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Normal: That BP is normal. Fish oil doesn't lower BP, but atenolol does (that's its purpose).
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Not likely: If you were taking the pill for more than a week before sex, then unlikely you're pregnant.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 37-year-old male asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Not normal: Your persistent symptoms aren't normal for simple gastroenteritis. You should be re-evaluated.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 29-year-old male asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
GERD, IBS: Your symptoms are suggestive of acid reflux (GERD) and irritable bowel syndrome. Blood work is expected to be normal in both. Meds can be helpful in b... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 26-year-old male asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Many causes: There are many causes of abdominal pain, some are simply annoying, like constipation, others can be deadly. CT &lab tests find most of the dangero... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 22-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Commercial test only: Don't use anything but a commercially available pregnancy test. These detect small levels of hormone in the urine and are very accurate. Anything else... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 31-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Causes of sciatica: There are causes for sciatica besides disc problems. Hypertrophied muscle or spasm can push on the sciatic nerve causing pain to radiate down leg. The... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 38-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Medical exam needed: Many infants have mild heart murmurs that are of no concern. However, the firm swelling you describe is concerning. It's not likely related to the hea... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 34-year-old male asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Yes: Yes things can change in the lung in 4 months. Not cancer, etc but a respiratory infection, asthma, etc can come up anytime. See a doctor if concerned... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 33-year-old male asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Probably not serious: A neurologist would be the right place to go. Described symptoms not likely serious. Focal seizures would not be expected to affect both sides, and th... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 20-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Need exam: Could be a sinus infection or allergy, but could also be a growth in the nose. To find out, get a medical exam.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 26-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Safe but not helpful: Massage may help discomfort temporarily but won't help constipation. Whole bottle of Magnesium citrate safe &effective to clean out colon. Then st... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 32-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Radiologic findings: This is terminology a radiologist would use to describe changes on imaging that appear to spread throughout the sacrum (bone between waist and tailbo... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 32-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Your doc is right: It's not a question of legitimate pain or not. It's a question of best way to deal with it. Most current medical guidelines indicate that narcotics ar... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 19-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Tonsilitis hurts: If you don't have a sore throat, you don't have tonsilitis. A painless white spot is likely a tonsolith. This is a collection of debris trapped by the... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 20-year-old male asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Ultrasound needed: DVT unlikely, but ultrasound can tell for sure. A Baker's cyst is also possible and can be seen on ultrasound. A muscle tear can also do this. See a d... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 20-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Bladder dysfunction?: Some people have an irritable bladder that doesn't empty completely and so requires frequent urination. The bladder contractions can be painful. A uro... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 25-year-old male asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Allergy?: This is a NSAID drug, which commonly cause allergic reactions. Is there a rash? In any case, med should be stopped and if itching continues then medic... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Muscle or nerve: Eye muscle problems or problems with the nerves controlling them are usually to blame. Ophthalmologist can help determine cause.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 29-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Yes: This should not pose any risk for your pregnancy.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 35-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Probably not: Prolactin inhibits menstruation, amd Bromocriptine lowers prolactin, so having a longer menses than normal is not unexpected.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 66-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Depends: Depends on cause, but often it can be dramatically better within a month after starting high dose PPI.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 19-year-old female asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
Yes: The 'Adam's apple' is the larynx or voicebox. It is made of flexible cartilage and is mobile. It is normal for it move when pushed or when swallowing.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 94-year-old male asked:
Dr. David Houghton
Specializes in Internal Medicine & Pediatrics
More info needed: Most identifiable causes of itchy scalp are associated with rash, scale, or other visible skin abnormalities. A thorough description or a good look at... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.

Testimonials
Recommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.

9
Recommendations
489
Thank you notes
Dr. Philip Miller
Oct 21, 2014
I highly endorse Dr. David Carl Houghton as an expert on both HealthTap and HealthTap Prime. His comments are asture and educational for both patients and physicians alike. Dr. Houghton is an asset to...Read More
HealthTap member
Dec 22, 2014
Dear Sir, Thanks for your valuable reply.Please note my babies all development is perfectly ok. She doing too much noisy but not clear word.Last 2 months ago she also called mum,pup but now just noisy
HealthTap member
Jun 15, 2015
my app froze during the consult so I had to end it. wasn't able to read his advice.
HealthTap member
I quest. this yes bc I don't stand to eat,I sit down.So of course when you stand the stomach will empty better.I've been told I have ideopathic gastroparesis. Eat 1cup & full.Veg & meat cause bad pai...Read More
HealthTap member
This made me feel good. Thanks! Thanks for clearing up this question for me, as there is so much misinformation on the internet, it was had to know what was true and what was false :) cheers!!
HealthTap member
This made me feel good. Thanks! Its true ive been havin irritation from the enemas. Tomorrow I'm plannin on tryin a home enema kit instead of fleet. If its there after, its to the Dr

Awards

Commendation Medal, United States Public Health Service
Isolated Hardship Award, United States Public Health Service
Top Doctor, First Place, Ogden Region - Summer
2014

Affiliations

Fellow of the American College of Physicians
Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics
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