More Than 200,000 Americans Have Lupus
THURSDAY, Jan. 21, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Just over 200,000 Americans have the autoimmune disorder lupus, and minority women are at highest risk, according to a new study. It’s the first estimate of how widespread the disease is in the United States. The number comes close to reclassifying lupus as a rare disease, defined […]
Two-Drug Combo May Help Fight Meth Addiction
In the first stage, patients (aged 18 to 65) were divided into two groups. One was given the combination therapy, which involved a shot of naltrexone every three weeks along with a daily dose of bupropion. The other group was given placebo shots and pills. Urine drug screening was conducted four times in each […]
COVID-19 Ups Complication Risks During Childbirth
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Women who have COVID-19 during childbirth are more likely to face complications than moms-to-be without the coronavirus, researchers say. Fortunately, the absolute risk for complications for any one woman is very low (less than 1%). But the relative risks for problems — such as clotting and […]
Music Therapy for Your Lungs
SOURCES: UpToDate: “Overview of pulmonary function testing in adults.” National Institutes of Health: “Usefulness of harmonica playing to improve outcomes in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.” Catawba Valley Health System: “Top 5 COPD Myths Debunked in Favor of Better Breathing.” COPD Foundation: “Breathing through Music: COPD360o Harmonicas for Health™.” Cleveland Clinic: “Pursed Lip Breathing.” […]
Nearly 45,000 Floridians Overdue for 2nd Second Vaccine
Jan. 20, 2021 — More than 1 million people in Florida have received a COVID-19 vaccine, but 44,500 are overdue for their second dose, according to the Florida Department of Health. The recommended timeframe to receive a second dose is 21 days for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and 28 days for the Moderna vaccine. Those […]
Breast Cancer and Chronic Inflammation: Is There a Link?
SOURCES: Journal of Clinical Oncology: “Elevated Biomarkers of Inflammation Are Associated With Reduced Survival Among Breast Cancer Patients.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health: “Inflammatory Biomarkers and Breast Cancer Risk: A Systematic Review of the Evidence and Future Potential for Intervention Research.” Current Pharmaceutical Design: “Inflammation Fuels Tumor Progress and […]
Pharmacy Chains Ready to Supply COVID-19 Vaccines
FRIDAY, Jan. 15, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Now that federal guidelines have expanded COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to include people over 65 and those of all ages with underlying health conditions, drug stores say they are ready, willing and able to start giving the shots. There’s just one slight glitch: supply. But with two […]
Mark Is Becoming More Flexible
This post appears as part of our Healthier 2021 series, in which we follow three WebMD team members as they strive to improve their health this year. You can follow their journeys here. By Mark Spoor Things got real this week, my friends. When I started my renewal of fitness vows, […]
Learn About Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbal Supplements
SOURCES: American Cancer Society: “Can I Lower My Risk of Breast Cancer Progressing or Coming Back?” “Study Finds Antioxidants Risky During Breast Cancer Chemotherapy.” Anita Johnson, MD, breast cancer program director, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Atlanta. Kelly Rashid, RD, Fort Lauderdale, FL. Breastcancer.org: “Dietary Supplements,” “Suggestions for Using Supplements,” “Vitamin D.” Tara Scott, […]
What Happens When You Stop Taking Your Meds?
SOURCES: Barbara Giesser, MD, neurologist, MS specialist, Pacific Neuroscience Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center, Santa Monica, CA. Gabriel Pardo, MD, director, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation’s Multiple Sclerosis Center of Excellence, Oklahoma City. National Multiple Sclerosis Society: “Adherence.” Multiple Sclerosis Trust (U.K.): “When Can You Safely Stop Taking Disease Modifying Drugs?” Journal of […]