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PSA Score Continues To Rise Amid Negative Biopsy Results
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 74-year-old male in relatively good health. The only prescribed medication I take is 5 mg of amlodipine daily. My issue is my PSA score. In 2004, I had a UTI, and the urologist told me that my prostate was enlarged. At the time, my score was somewhere between 1.5 and 2 ng/mL. He then did a procedure with a laser that ...Read more
How junk food can damage teens' brains
In the 1932 film "Taxi!" when James Cagney shouted, "You yellow-bellied dirty rat," he summed up the suspicion and disgust many folks feel about those rodents. But sometimes rats can tell us important information.
Take data from the latest lab study on the impact of junk food on teenage brains. Researchers from USC fed the young animals fat-...Read more
Drownings rose among young children after decades of decline. It's 'highly concerning,' CDC says
LOS ANGELES — During the pandemic years of shuttered pools and difficult-to-find swim lessons, the drowning rate of very young children increased significantly in the U.S., following decades of declines, according to a new federal report.
Drowning rates among children 1 to 4 were about 28% higher in 2021 and 2022, compared to 2019, according ...Read more
$3.3 billion available for mental health beds as California Gov. Gavin Newsom kick-starts Prop. 1 spending
LOS ANGELES — Gov. Gavin Newsom is set to announce Tuesday that the state will make $3.3 billion in funding available by July to begin building inpatient and outpatient mental health treatment centers as part of a massive effort to transform California's mental health system and address the homelessness crisis.
The money is the first tranche ...Read more
Medical residents are increasingly avoiding states with abortion restrictions
Isabella Rosario Blum was wrapping up medical school and considering residency programs to become a family practice physician when she got some frank advice: If she wanted to be trained to provide abortions, she shouldn’t stay in Arizona.
Blum turned to programs mostly in states where abortion access — and, by extension, abortion training �...Read more
Operating rooms are major sources of greenhouse gasses. Penn is eliminating a form of anesthesia that hangs in the air for more than a decade after use.
Philadelphia-area health systems are phasing out a common anesthesia gas that hangs in the atmosphere for 14 years.
Desflurane is the most potent greenhouse gas found in hospitals, which are increasingly engaged in efforts to reduce their carbon footprint.
Desflurane was once favored by doctors because it leaves the body quickly, enabling ...Read more
Exercise, stress reduction and heart health
Almost half of folks in the U.S. have cardiovascular disease, such as coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke and high blood pressure. About 40% of those folks also contend with major depression, while another 20% to 30% have mild symptoms of depression.
If only there was something simple to do that would reduce that double whammy of ...Read more
Can Sciatica Be Relieved Through Steriod Shots?
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am wondering what the best treatment is for sciatic pain. Would a steroid shot help? The pain is behind my knee, down the outside of my leg and now on my foot. -- J.F.
ANSWER: "Sciatica" is a general term for a process that compresses the nerve roots, causing symptoms such as pain, numbness, tingling and loss of reflexes. ...Read more
Could being online actually be good for you? New study reveals a surprising finding
Spending time online may boost your well-being, the results of a large international study revealed Monday.
Researchers at the University of Oxford examined 16 years of data from 2.4 million people, tracking things like life satisfaction and sense of purpose. They found that people with access to the web scored 8% higher in measures of well-...Read more
Kids living near Colorado airports have slightly elevated levels of lead in their blood, new study finds
DENVER — Children living near small airports in Colorado had slightly higher levels of lead in their blood than the statewide average, according to a new study — though experts had diverging opinions on how significant that difference was.
The study, by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, found levels to be within the ...Read more
Binge drinking is a growing public health crisis − a neurobiologist explains how research on alcohol use disorder has shifted
With the new Amy Winehouse biopic “Back to Black” in U.S. theaters as of May 17, 2024, the late singer’s relationship with alcohol and drugs is under scrutiny again. In July 2011, Winehouse was found dead in her flat in north London from “death by misadventure” at the age of 27. That’s the official British term used for accidental...Read more
Mayo Clinic Q & A: Supporting weight-loss medications with adequate, tailored nutrition
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I have a family member taking a prescription weight-loss drug. She has been successful thus far, which I know is improving her health. She admitted, though, that she often eats less than 1,000 calories per day. How can I encourage her weight-loss journey, but also ensure she is getting adequate nutrition?
ANSWER: While weight-...Read more
Ask the Pediatrician: How to support healthy mental and emotional development in your child
Children, teens and their families are facing a lot of stress and challenges to mental wellness. Is it possible to prevent mental health problems and help kids be resilient during tough times?
The answer is yes. Parents and caregivers have powerful tools to help their children thrive, no matter what life throws their way. Positive experiences ...Read more
Forget ringing the button for the nurse. Patients now stay connected by wearing one
Patients admitted to Houston Methodist Hospital get a monitoring device about the size of a half-dollar affixed to their chest — and an unwitting role in the expanding use of artificial intelligence in health care.
The slender, battery-powered gadget, called a BioButton, records vital signs including heart and breathing rates, then wirelessly...Read more
Mayo Clinic Minute: Melanoma misconception: Dark skin tones at risk, too
The myth that people with dark skin are immune to melanoma, a type of skin cancer, has persisted for many years. It's a dangerous misconception that has caused some people not to be diligent about protecting themselves against dangerous ultraviolet (UV) rays.
Dr. Dawn Davis , a Mayo Clinic dermatologist, says people with darker skin tones need ...Read more
Mayo Clinic Minute: Preventing stroke
May is National Stroke Awareness Month, and as part of everyday awareness, Mayo Clinic healthcare professionals suggest reducing stroke risk and knowing the signs. A stroke happens every 40 seconds in the U.S., and the likelihood of stroke increases with age, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Preventing a stroke is a crucial ...Read more
Diabetes Quick Fix: Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Linguine and Green Beans
Fresh rosemary and garlic coat this pork tenderloin as it roasts in the oven. The oven does the work while you make the linguine and green beans.
Frozen green beans are used in the linguine dish. Frozen vegetables can be a good choice when they are picked at their peak and immediately frozen. Keep some on hand for other meals.
Helpful Hints:
...Read more
Avoiding early-onset dementia
According to the Health and Retirement Survey, around half a million Americans may be contending with early-onset dementia. Now, a new study reveals that some of the risk factors that can lead to the devastating diagnosis are modifiable -- and you can slash your risk. They include the following:
Alcohol use disorder. If you have a drinking ...Read more
Patient With Paradoxical Vocal Cord Motion Seeks New Treatment
DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm a 71-year-old man, and seven or eight years ago, I was diagnosed with asthma using the challenge test. I was prescribed Symbicort, which helped me exercise a little better. (Exercising is the only time I can tell I have asthma.)
A couple years later, I was diagnosed with paradoxical vocal cord motion disorder (PCVM) by the...Read more
Breakthrough therapies are saving lives. Can we afford them?
Harnessing the body’s own cells to fight disease, long a medical dream, is finally a reality.
Now comes the bill.
Last month, Stanford became the first hospital in the nation to use a new $515,000 cell therapy to treat a patient with advanced melanoma. A related approach, costing $420,000 to $475,000, is offering hope to patients with lethal...Read more
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Popular Stories
- Operating rooms are major sources of greenhouse gasses. Penn is eliminating a form of anesthesia that hangs in the air for more than a decade after use.
- Medical residents are increasingly avoiding states with abortion restrictions
- Could being online actually be good for you? New study reveals a surprising finding
- A mother's loss launches a global effort to fight antibiotic resistance
- $3.3 billion available for mental health beds as California Gov. Gavin Newsom kick-starts Prop. 1 spending
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