Are online gambling and sports betting new to your area? Are gambling advertisements catching your eye? Have you noticed sports and news shows covering the spread? Recent changes in laws have made gambling widely accessible, and its popularity has soared. Occasional bets are rarely an issue. But uncontrolled gambling can lead to financial, psychological, physical, […]
Could imaging scans replace biopsies during prostate cancer screening?
Abnormal results on a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening test for cancer are typically followed by a systematic biopsy. During that procedure, doctors use a long needle to extract roughly a dozen samples from the prostate while looking at the gland on an ultrasound machine. Those samples can then be checked for cancer under a microscope. […]
Evoking calm: Practicing mindfulness in daily life helps
It’s easy to say you simply don’t have time to be mindful. With so much going on in daily life, who has time to stop and be present? But everyone has at least 10 minutes to spare to practice mindfulness. The point of these brief, daily reflections is to help you tap into calmness whenever […]
Which migraine medications are most helpful?
If you suffer from the throbbing, intense pain set off by migraine headaches, you may well wonder which medicines are most likely to offer relief. A recent study suggests a class of drugs called triptans are the most helpful option, with one particular drug rising to the top. The study drew on real-world data gleaned […]
Color-changing eye drops: Are they safe?
As the adage goes, the eyes are the windows to the soul. So what does it mean to wish yours were a different color? Apparently enough people share this desire to create a bustling market for color-changing eye drops, which are making the rounds through social media and online retailers. Personalizing eye color might sound […]
Harvard Health Ad Watch: Got side effects? There’s a medicine for that
It’s an unfortunate reality: all medicines can cause side effects. While there are a few tried-and-true ways to deal with drug side effects, here’s a less common option to consider: adding a second medication. That’s the approach taken with valbenazine (Ingrezza), a drug approved for a condition called tardive dyskinesia that’s caused by certain medicines, […]
Concussion in children: What to know and do
Concussion is one of the most common injuries to the brain, affecting about two million children and teens every year. It is a particular kind of injury that happens when a blow to the head or somewhere else on the body makes the brain move back and forth within the skull. It’s possible to get […]
Does your child need to bathe every day?
The daily bath or shower is a routine for many of us — and for our children, too. But is it really necessary? The short answer is no. Obviously, there are days when washing up makes good sense — like if your child is grimy from a day in the dirt; covered in sweat, paint, […]
How well do you worry about your health?
Don’t worry. It’s good advice if you can take it. Of course that’s not always easy, especially for health concerns. The truth is: it’s impossible (and ill-advised) to never worry about your health. But are you worrying about the right things? Let’s compare a sampling of common worries to the most common conditions that actually […]
Can probiotics help calm inflammatory bowel disease?
Approximately three million Americans have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD is an umbrella term for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, illnesses marked by chronic or repeated bouts of inflammation in the digestive tract. Both types of IBD represent a complex interplay of genes, environment, and immune factors. Current therapies for IBD suppress the immune system […]