Ring vaccination might help curtail monkeypox outbreaks
By now, you’ve probably heard that there is a monkeypox outbreak traveling around the globe. Cases have spread far and wide, including in the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia. It’s the largest outbreak ever recorded outside of western and central Africa, where monkeypox is common. But controlling this outbreak demands preventive measures, such as avoiding […]
Considering pregnancy and have lupus? Plan ahead
Like many autoimmune disorders, lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE) disproportionately affects women during child-bearing years. Lupus is one of more than 80 autoimmune illnesses that affect an estimated 23 million people in the US — and nearly 350 million people worldwide. If you have lupus or another autoimmune illness and you’re planning to have […]
Younger adults with kidney disease struggle with health disparities
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects an estimated 37 million people in the United States. Often, it begins and progresses silently, causing no obvious symptoms until kidney function is severely impaired. During early stages, up to nine in 10 people aren’t aware that they have it. If kidney disease is caught early and treated properly, serious […]
Heart-healthy habits for children and teens lengthen lives
A new study shows something we’ve always figured was true: our health and habits as children and teens affect our health as adults. And not just our health, but how long we live. What did the study measure and find? The International Childhood Cardiovascular Cohorts Consortium Outcomes Study has been collecting data on almost 40,000 […]
Untangling grief: Living beyond a great loss
“The horse has left the barn.” Those six words, said by my husband’s oncologist, changed our lives forever, although the sense of impending loss had begun weeks earlier with a blood test. There would be more tests, exams, and visits to specialists. As George and I waited for a definitive diagnosis, we bargained with ourselves […]
Thunderstorm asthma: Bad weather, allergies, and asthma attacks
It’s an old line: everyone complains about the weather but no one is doing anything about it. But if you’re a person with bad allergies or asthma, stormy weather can be more than an annoyance; it can be a serious threat to your health. “Thunderstorm asthma” was first reported in the 1980s in England and […]
Cognitive effects in midlife of long-term cannabis use
As of June 2022, 37 US states have passed medical cannabis laws and 19 states have legalized recreational cannabis. Cannabis has proven beneficial for a range of conditions such as childhood seizure disorders, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite in people with HIV/AIDs. In the meantime, a new generation of cannabis products has exploded onto […]
Year three of the pandemic is underway: Now what?
Let’s not kid ourselves: the pandemic is still with us, despite how it may sometimes seem. Increasingly, people are going back to work in person. Schools reopened this spring. And mask mandates are history in most parts of the US. In many places, case rates are falling and deaths due to COVID-19 have become uncommon. […]
Struggling with migraine hangovers? Read this
When the trademark throbbing from a migraine finally lifts, the relief is profound. But for many people regularly stricken with these potentially debilitating headaches, their distress isn’t over just because the pain ends. Instead, a distinct phase of migraine called the postdrome leaves them feeling achy, weary, dazed, and confused — symptoms eerily similar to […]
Monkeypox: An unfamiliar virus spreading fast — sound familiar?
Here we are, well into year three of the COVID-19 pandemic, and now we’re having an outbreak of monkeypox? Is this a new virus? How worried should we be? While new information will continue to come in, here are answers to several common questions. What is monkeypox? Monkeypox is an infection caused by a virus […]