Diabetes Drug Linked to Lower Risk of Dementia, Study Finds

Diabetes Drug Linked to Lower Risk of Dementia, Study Finds

Photo: Shutterstock (Shutterstock) New research this week is the latest to suggest that some drugs meant to treat type 2 diabetes might also help prevent dementia in high-risk groups. The study found that older people who used a relatively older class of antidiabetic medication were less likely to develop dementia than those who used other … Read more

The Overlooked (but Serious) Symptoms of Menopause

The Overlooked (but Serious) Symptoms of Menopause

Photo: Stramp (Shutterstock) Generally speaking, menopause, which is defined as going a full 12 months without a period, can happen anytime ranging between the late 30s to late 50s, with the average age being 52. In the time period leading up to menopause, which is known as perimenopause, the body can go through a number … Read more

A Common Stomach Bug May Help Cause Crohn’s Disease, Study Suggests

A Common Stomach Bug May Help Cause Crohn’s Disease, Study Suggests

An illustration of norovirus particles. Illustration: Shutterstock (Shutterstock) A nasty but short-lasting stomach bug may have lingering consequences for an unlucky few. Researchers have found evidence in mice and human cells that norovirus infection can trigger Crohn’s disease in people already genetically predisposed to it. The findings may also help scientists one day find better … Read more

New York Woman Receives $80,000 Medical Bill After Treatment for Ectopic Pregnancy

New York Woman Receives ,000 Medical Bill After Treatment for Ectopic Pregnancy

hospital Getty Woman in hospital A New York City woman was sent a huge medical bill after receiving care for her ectopic pregnancy, an instance that shows that cost could be a barrier to care for some women, even in states where abortion is protected. Sara Laub told Kaiser Health News [KHN] that she did … Read more

Medical Gaslighting Is Real—Don’t Let Your Doctor Tell You Otherwise

Medical Gaslighting Is Real—Don’t Let Your Doctor Tell You Otherwise

In the 1944 thriller Gaslight, newlywed Paula moves into an old townhouse owned by her late aunt who was murdered years ago. While Paula settles in with a man she met two weeks ago, she soon realizes something is off. Items slowly start disappearing and the gaslights in the attic dim on and off at … Read more

CDC Says We Probably Can’t Get Rid of Monkeypox Now

CDC Says We Probably Can’t Get Rid of Monkeypox Now

Image: Shutterstock (Shutterstock) A new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers some good and bad news about the country’s ongoing monkeypox outbreak. New cases are slowing down, likely thanks to a combination of vaccination and education efforts. But it’s also likely that the virus won’t be eradicated here and will … Read more

I’m transgender and started my medical transition when my child was 11 months old. I’m a better parent because of it.

I’m transgender and started my medical transition when my child was 11 months old. I’m a better parent because of it.

I knew I wanted to medically transition but was putting it off, in part because I was chestfeeding. But after complications from my IUD placement, I stopped chestfeeding and started my transition. Here’s everything I’ve learned about parenting — and myself — since then. Loading Something is loading. When I got pregnant in March 2020, … Read more

Our Cancers Are Filled With Fungi

Our Cancers Are Filled With Fungi

Image: Shutterstock (Shutterstock) People’s cancers are apparently playing host to their very own fungi. A pair of studies this week have documented the unique neighborhoods of fungal species that can live inside our tumors. It’s possible that these microbes may even influence how cancers grow or manage to fend off certain treatments. 01:38 Andor Episode … Read more

Are Your Headaches Actually Migraines?

Are Your Headaches Actually Migraines?

Photo: catinsyrup (Shutterstock) If you are prone to getting headaches, you may be wondering about the difference between a regular headache and a migraine. Both suck, but a migraine is definitely worse. So how can you tell which kind you’re suffering from? A regular headache feels like “a dull, cap-like pressure,” said Julia Jones, a … Read more

What Parents Need to Know About Enterovirus D68

What Parents Need to Know About Enterovirus D68

Photo: L Julia (Shutterstock) The CDC recently issued an alert to healthcare providers about enterovirus D68, which has turned up in children who were hospitalized with severe respiratory illnesses. This virus can also cause a form of paralysis known as acute flaccid myelitis. Most illnesses with this virus do not cause the paralysis, but it’s … Read more

How Many Cups of Coffee You Should Drink Per Day, According to ‘Science’

How Many Cups of Coffee You Should Drink Per Day, According to ‘Science’

Photo: sebra (Shutterstock) A study that’s in the news right now claims that people who drink two to three cups of coffee per day live longer than people who avoid coffee. So should we all be drinking two to three cups? Not necessarily. Let’s take a look at where these numbers come from. Two to … Read more

Medical experts concerned about increased cases of COVID and the seasonal flu this fall

Medical experts concerned about increased cases of COVID and the seasonal flu this fall

Health officials say the flu and COVID-19 could be making a comeback in the U.S, creating what’s called a twindemic. It’s already been seen in the Southern Hemisphere, which is an indication of what we can expect in the fall and winter months. Doctors say for the last two years flu cases decreased because of … Read more

A Cancer-Fighting Version of Herpes Shows Promise in Early Human Trial

A Cancer-Fighting Version of Herpes Shows Promise in Early Human Trial

A illustration of a herpes simplex virus. Illustration: Shutterstock (Shutterstock) Scientists may be able to turn a long-time germ foe into a cancer-fighting ally, new research this week suggests. In preliminary data from a Phase I trial, a genetically modified version of the herpes virus has shown promise in treating difficult-to-eradicate tumors, with one patient … Read more

Why Basically Everyone Should Be Screened for Anxiety Disorder

Why Basically Everyone Should Be Screened for Anxiety Disorder

Photo: fizkes (Shutterstock) The lingering pandemic, rising crime, an uncertain economy: All good reasons to visit your doctor to get screened for anxiety, or so says the federal government. The advice isn’t just aimed at people already experiencing mental health issues—this week, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an advisory group empaneled by the Department … Read more

A Common Heart Drug May Help People Struggling with Alcohol Use Disorder

A Common Heart Drug May Help People Struggling with Alcohol Use Disorder

Image: Shutterstock (Shutterstock) A common heart and blood pressure drug could see a second act as a treatment for alcohol use disorder, new government-led research this week suggests. The study has found evidence in both rodents and humans that the medication spironolactone can reduce people’s craving for and consumption of alcohol. Spironolactone has been in … Read more

Can You Get Your Flu Shot and COVID Booster in the Same Arm?

Can You Get Your Flu Shot and COVID Booster in the Same Arm?

Photo: uniqueton (Shutterstock) When the COVID shots first came out, the CDC wanted to be cautious. It was a new vaccine, after all, so they recommended waiting two weeks before or after getting any other vaccine, including a flue shot. That guidance has changed. You can now get your flu and COVID shots at the … Read more

America’s Sexually Transmitted Disease Problem Is ‘Out of Control’

America’s Sexually Transmitted Disease Problem Is ‘Out of Control’

Photo: Shutterstock (Shutterstock) Sexually transmitted diseases in the U.S. are at a crisis point. On Monday, prominent public health experts and government officials raised an alarm over the ongoing annual rise in STDs. Preliminary data recently released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that cases of syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia all went … Read more

Five People With Lupus Went Into Complete Remission After Immunotherapy

Five People With Lupus Went Into Complete Remission After Immunotherapy

Joint pain is a common lupus symptom, but the chronic condition can affect nearly every organ in the body. Image: Shutterstock (Shutterstock) Scientists in Germany may have demonstrated a new way to treat and possibly even cure the chronic condition lupus. In a study out Thursday, the team describes how patients given a form of … Read more

A Virus That Can Cause Polio-Like Paralysis in Children Has Returned

A Virus That Can Cause Polio-Like Paralysis in Children Has Returned

Image: Shutterstock (Shutterstock) A virus that can rarely cause a polio-like paralysis in children has resurfaced in the U.S. after mostly disappearing during the covid-19 pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that it has spotted a surge of cases linked to enterovirus D-68. Based on recent past outbreaks, officials expect that a … Read more