Research published in March 2021 in Multiple Sclerosis Journal confirms this finding: In a Norwegian study of nearly 1600 people with MS, researchers found that 81 percent of respondents experienced fatigue. “Other MS symptoms may come and go, but fatigue seems to be a constant, no matter what stage of MS they’re in,” says neurologist Jeffrey Cohen, MD, director of the Cleveland Clinic’s Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis Treatment and Research in Ohio....
This year’s NEDAwareness Week will center around the theme, “See the Change, Be the Change.” This means that the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) will spend the week acknowledging the evolution of the eating disorders field (#SeeTheChange), as well as encouraging people to engage in advocacy and raise awareness of eating disorders in their communities (#BeTheChange). In the United States, eating disorders are the second most fatal mental illness, surpassed only by opioid use disorder, according to NEDA....
A new survey from Everyday Health and Castle Connolly suggests many patients are willing to make the effort. Nearly half said that they’re considering a switch this year. Twenty percent of people said looking for a new doctor is something that’s always on their to-do list or something they consider every year, while another 25 percent of respondents said it’s now on their mind more than ever. The survey involved close to 1,300 consumers and 287 healthcare professionals....
If your doctor assesses you for neuropathy, you’ll likely receive blood and urine tests for related conditions, such as type 2 diabetes and celiac disease, and be screened for nutrient deficiencies, excesses, and toxicities. (1,2) Depending on the results, your doctor will guide you on how to adjust what you eat and may refer you to a registered dietitian (RD) or a registered dietitian-nutritionist (RDN). Here are six general nutritional tips to keep in mind to help protect the health of your nerves....
Currently the agencies have okayed the new booster from Pfizer-BioNTech for people ages 5 and up, and the new booster from Moderna for individuals 6 and up. “The updated COVID-19 boosters are formulated to better protect against the most recently circulating COVID-19 variant,” said Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in a statement. “They can help restore protection that has waned since previous vaccination and were designed to provide broader protection against newer variants....
“I heard the term scanxiety from one of my cancer buddies,” recalls Lila Margulies, a Brooklyn, New York–based mother of two, who was undergoing treatment for lung cancer. “I was just getting really anxious about an upcoming scan and she said something like, ‘Oh, that’s scanxiety.’” It was nice, Margulies thought, that there was a name for that fear, but at the same time, the word struck her as slightly odd....
Regular exercise helps keep the joints functioning properly, but it’s important to exercise safely and use correct form. That’s where physical therapy comes in, according to Maura Daly Iversen, doctor of physical therapy, dean of the College of Health Professions at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut. The goal of physical therapy is to reduce pain, restore or improve mobility, make it easier to perform everyday tasks, and prevent disability....
Biden’s physician, Kevin O’Connor, DO, submitted a letter to the White House press office detailing that Biden first tested positive on a rapid antigen test and the result was confirmed with a PCR test. Dr. O’Connor wrote that Biden has a runny nose, fatigue, and a dry cough. At age 79, Biden is deemed high-risk by the CDC and therefore eligible to take the antiviral drug regimen Paxlovid, which he began this morning....
Unfortunately, the snowman had been standing for some time, and unbeknownst to the family, it had hardened into ice in the previous few days. When the sled struck the snowman, Levi hit his head on the base and sustained a concussion. At first Levi appeared stable and comfortable, but soon his condition deteriorated. “Initially, he was hurt but consolable,” Dr. Stepanovich told Everyday Health. “We took him into the house, and then he became lethargic and not as responsive....
After getting fully vaccinated against COVID-19 I was hoping I could throw myself into patient-advocacy projects for Psoriasis Action Month. But with the extra infectious delta variant dominating the news and COVID-19 rates ticking up in my area, nothing feels normal quite yet. In fact, the emotional impact of the pandemic is hitting me harder now than ever before. So I’m taking a different approach for Psoriasis Action Month. Instead of getting busier, I’m planning to rest and de-stress....
Diagnosing psoriatic arthritis can be challenging because there’s no single test, says Magdalena Cadet, MD, a clinical rheumatologist and adjunct assistant professor in the department of medicine at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine in New York City. Along with a physical exam, you’ll likely need a series of both imaging procedures and blood tests in order to make a psoriatic arthritis diagnosis, as well as rule out other forms of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis or gout....
These findings add to the growing body of evidence about pulse oximetry inaccuracies in people of color, says the study’s co-lead author Ashraf Fawzy, MD, MPH, an assistant professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. “Our research is the first to show that the overestimation of oxygen saturation among Black and Hispanic patients led to a delayed recognition of the need for COVID-19 therapy compared with white patients,” says Dr....
But how does psychological stress actually cause physical problems, especially in those with RA? Scientists have been studying stress for years and are coming to a richer understanding of how it wreaks havoc on our bodies, especially in people with autoimmune conditions like RA. But there’s still a lot to learn. RELATED: 5 Warning Signs That Rheumatoid Arthritis Is Getting Worse Where Exactly in Our Bodies Do We Respond to Stress?...
Being in remission from RA is now something many people can realistically strive for, experts agree. In an article providing remission criteria jointly published by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) in Arthritis & Rheumatology in October 2022, the groups note that “remission has become a key target for the management of patients with RA.” The consensus criteria from the two expert groups provides guidance for rheumatologists....
People with schizoaffective disorder experience symptoms that resemble both schizophrenia (such as hallucinations or delusions) and mood episodes (such as mania episode or depression). Schizoaffective disorder hasn’t been as well studied as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, so the treatments for schizoaffective disorder have been borrowed from these related conditions and major depressive disorder, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). (1) Prevalence of Schizoaffective Disorder Schizoaffective disorder is a rare condition....
Sesame joins eight other major food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans. The original list dates back to 2004 as a response to the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act. This update is “a game changer” for people with a sesame allergy, says Ruchi S. Gupta, MD, MPH, a professor of pediatrics and director of the Institute for Public Health and Medicine at the Center for Food Allergy and Asthma at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago....
It usually appears as a single stripe of blisters that wraps around one side of your torso, or in some cases on one side of your face, neck, or around one eye. There is a vaccine available for people ages 50 and older as well as for people ages 18 and older who are immunocompromised that works to prevent shingles. RELATED: Does Medicare Cover the Shingles Vaccine? Shingles blisters most often appear on one side of the torso, notes the CDC....
Though these genetic mutations have most notably been associated with breast cancer, research has shown that they increase the risk for other cancers, too — including pancreatic cancer. According to PanCAN, BRCA genes help repair DNA damage; when these genes are mutated, “the accumulation of unrepaired DNA damage can ultimately lead to unregulated cell growth, or cancer,” says Allison Rosenzweig, PhD. These mutations are not common in people with pancreatic cancer....
In fact, melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, commonly affects women during the time of life when they’re likely to get pregnant. The good news is that spotting the cancer early and receiving prompt treatment can improve your outlook. RELATED: Can Genetics Determine Risk for Melanoma Progression? How Common Is Skin Cancer During Pregnancy? Cancer of any kind is relatively rare during pregnancy. Only about 1 in 1,000 pregnancies are affected by cancer, and fewer by skin cancer, according to the National Foundation for Cancer Research....
Actinic keratosis (AK) The most common type of precancerous skin lesion. It looks like crusty or scaly skin patches and appears on areas that are frequently exposed to the sun or artificial light. Asymmetry When a mole or lesion has two sides or halves that aren’t the same. Basal cell carcinoma A type of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma is highly curable and accounts for about 80 percent of all cases....
