Prostate Cancer: Symptoms, Tests and Treatments

Here, an update from the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about an all-too-widespread cancer among men. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men and the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths among American men. African-American men are more likely to get prostate cancer and twice as likely to die from the… Continue reading Prostate Cancer: Symptoms, Tests and Treatments

Study: A New Way to Treat Multiple Chronic Conditions

When we have several chronic health conditions as we age, the symptoms of those disorders can reduce our quality of life. In fact, having multiple chronic conditions is linked to symptoms that can restrict our ability to perform our daily routines. Some 70 percent of adults over the age of 75 have more than two… Continue reading Study: A New Way to Treat Multiple Chronic Conditions

The ABCs of Avoiding Ticks

With the coming of warmer weather, you’ll want to be on the lookout for ticks – especially this year. According to Dr. Bobbi Pritt, a parasitic diseases expert from the Mayo Clinic, the relatively mild winter we’ve just had means that the ticks are going to be out early. “The ticks will just burrow under… Continue reading The ABCs of Avoiding Ticks

Lonely? Your Cold May Feel Even Worse

People who are lonely are likelier to feel that their cold symptoms are more severe, when compared with those who have a social network, according to Rice University researchers. The conclusion, published in the journal Health Psychology, comes from a study led by Rice psychologist Chris Fagundes and graduate student Angie LeRoy. “Loneliness puts people… Continue reading Lonely? Your Cold May Feel Even Worse

The Dementia that Isn’t Alzheimer’s

Non-medical people sometimes use the term Alzheimer’s to describe different types of dementia, but that isn’t accurate. In an article from the Mayo News Network, Dr. Neill Graff-Radford, Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, explains the difference between Alzheimer’s and another kind of dementia called Lewy body dementia: Doctors diagnose Lewy body dementia based on the… Continue reading The Dementia that Isn’t Alzheimer’s

Managing Balance Problems

Balance problems can be frightening because they often increase the risk of a fall, which can have serious consequences including breaking a hip. People are more likely to have problems with balance as they get older. But age is not the only reason these problems occur; there are other causes, too. In some cases, you… Continue reading Managing Balance Problems

What You Need to Know About Rosacea

Here, experts from the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) tell you what you need to know about the skin condition of rosacea and how to treat it. Rosacea, a common skin disease, usually begins with a tendency to blush more easily than other people. It often begins with a tendency to blush or flush more… Continue reading What You Need to Know About Rosacea

Caregiving and Atrial Fibrillation

Many people associate cardiovascular disease solely with blocked arteries and heart attacks. However, over five million people suffer with electrical problems of the heart—a complex condition called atrial fibrillation. Most common in the elderly, AFib, as it’s known, comes in various forms; some come and go while some are persistent and even permanent, but they… Continue reading Caregiving and Atrial Fibrillation

Gluten-Free Foods: Making the Right Choices

“Gluten-free” is one of the most popular food categories today. Mayo Clinic experts share what you should know about it, and what traps to avoid: Gluten-free diets are those that omit the protein gluten, which is found in wheat, barley, rye and a cross between wheat and rye known a triticale. A gluten-free diet is… Continue reading Gluten-Free Foods: Making the Right Choices

Study: Poor Skin-Cancer Survival Rates in People of Color

Because Caucasians have a higher skin cancer risk than the general population, people with skin of color may believe that they don’t need to be concerned about this disease — but new research reveals this to be a dangerous misconception. According to a study published online in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology,… Continue reading Study: Poor Skin-Cancer Survival Rates in People of Color

Managing Urinary Incontinence

Editor’s note: Bladder leakage, which can be caused by something as simple as a sneeze, is a common, annoying and even embarrassing condition for millions of women. But there are ways to manage and treat it. Here, the experts from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, one of the National Institutes… Continue reading Managing Urinary Incontinence

Can Fasting Improve your MS Symptoms?

Evidence is increasingly showing that a diet mimicking the effects of fasting has health benefits beyond weight loss, with a new study indicating that it may reduce symptoms of multiple sclerosis. The research was led by experts from the University of Southern California. Scientists discovered that the diet triggers a death-and-life process for cells that… Continue reading Can Fasting Improve your MS Symptoms?

What You Can Do to Treat Shingles

Shingles is a skin disease that causes pain, burning, itching, and a rash that erupts into blisters.  According to the federal Centers for Disease Control, almost 1 out of every 3 people in the United States will develop shingles, also known as zoster or herpes zoster, in their lifetime. The CDC says there are an… Continue reading What You Can Do to Treat Shingles

What You Must Know About Lead Poisoning

The stories about the high lead levels in the water supply of Flint, Michigan have brought the problem of lead poisoning front and center. According to experts from the Mayo Clinic, those at greatest risk of health problems, including serious brain and kidney damage, are children. But adults can be vulnerable as well. Lead poisoning… Continue reading What You Must Know About Lead Poisoning

How to Manage Nickel Allergy

One of the most common causes of allergic contact dermatitis is nickel. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), more than 18 percent of people in North America are allergic to nickel, including 11 million children in the U.S. Although one solution to a nickel allergy is obvious – avoid objects containing nickel –… Continue reading How to Manage Nickel Allergy

Arthritis: What You Need to Know

The word “arthritis” makes many people think of painful, stiff joints. But, there are many kinds of arthritis, each with different symptoms and treatments. Most types of arthritis are chronic. That means they can go on for a long period of time. Arthritis can attack joints in almost any part of the body. Some types… Continue reading Arthritis: What You Need to Know

Post-Concussion Symptoms More Serious in Older People

Older patients recover from concussion more slowly than younger ones, according to new research. Functional MR imaging (fMRI) showed different activation patterns during working memory (WM) performance tasks in younger and older patients, confirming the importance of age in the activation, modulation and allocation of WM processing resources after mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), according… Continue reading Post-Concussion Symptoms More Serious in Older People

Anxiety: Is It “All In Your Head?”

Everyone suffers from anxiety occasionally. And it’s not always a bad thing. Anxiety before a test, for example, can help us study harder. If we want to do well on a job interview, we’ll be spurred to do our homework on our prospective employer. But it’s a problem if anxiety becomes so exaggerated or severe… Continue reading Anxiety: Is It “All In Your Head?”