Raise your hand if you’ve ever noticed brown discharge before or after your period and been like, “Hold on, I did not sign up for this.” From the moment you first learned about periods, you’ve probably gotten the message time and time again that periods = blood = redness galore. What’s the deal with that […]
OCD is a term that’s incorrectly thrown around a lot to describe when people are being particular or obsessive about something. But obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a clinical mental health diagnosis, and this flippant use of the term isn't just inaccurate and stigmatizing—it can also prevent people from truly understanding what the condition is […]
Asthma might seem like one of those health conditions that is absolutely unmistakeable. It’s kind of obvious if you just…can’t really breathe, right? Actually, asthma symptoms can present with a lot more complexity and subtlety than that. There’s a range in how severe your asthma can be and which signs you might experience, Raymond Casciari, […]
Rates of colorectal cancer are rising among millennials in the U.S., and a growing number of people under the age of 55 are dying of the disease. Now, the American Cancer Society is taking action by recommending that adults start screening for the disease earlier on. There will be approximately 97,220 new cases of colon […]
Can weather changes trigger migraines? Answers from Jerry W. Swanson, M.D. Some people who have migraines appear to be more sensitive to changes in the weather. Weather-related triggers include: Bright sunlight Extreme heat or cold Sun glare High humidity Dry air Windy or stormy weather Barometric pressure changes For some people, weather changes may cause […]
Gun suicides declined significantly in two states after they passed laws allowing police to temporarily confiscate firearms from individuals determined to be a threat to themselves or others, according to new research. A study published Friday in the journal Psychiatric Services examined years of death data following the passage of “red flag” laws in Connecticut, […]
While it's already legal in 49 states (come on, Idaho!) to breastfeed in public, some might still prefer a little more privacy when they need to pump or breastfeed in an especially crowded area. That's why it's so great that Amtrak announced it would be building Mamava lactation suites in five of the busiest train […]
If anyone can understand what it’s like to deal with a miserable period, it’s me. When I was younger, my period symptoms felt so excruciating that they would leave me curled up in my home, my mother putting a pillow beneath my head and a blanket on top of me wherever I passed out until […]
On his first full day in office in 2017, President Donald Trump re-implemented the “global gag rule,” which prohibits the use of federal funds for family planning clinics that refer women for abortions or provide them with information about the procedure. Reproductive rights and women’s health advocates greeted his decision with understandable alarm. In Kenya, […]
As an emergency room doctor, I’ve long observed how gendered health and disease are. One classic example is a particular subpopulation that presents to emergency care with high frequency: the individual whose daily, heavy drinking means that it is rare to see them sober. For mysterious reasons, this population used to be overwhelmingly male. When […]
Sunscreen, as you already know, is a crucial way to protect yourself from skin damage and skin cancer. But the truth is it's not the easiest thing to put on correctly or consistently. So it makes sense that some companies have begun making and marketing supplements that supposedly have skin-protecting benefits, and in theory, would […]
It’s not news to anyone that feeling bad—frustrated, anxious, sad, or depressed—isn’t ideal. If we could choose between feeling happy or irritated, it’s safe to assume that most of us would choose the former. But the thing about emotions is that they’re never so black and white—and often, they’re not in our control, either. It's […]
Being diagnosed with a chronic illness—a long-term condition that in most cases has no cure—can upend a person’s entire world. Someone who just found out they have a chronic illness is often simultaneously grappling with symptoms, starting treatment, implementing lifestyle changes, and coping with the enormous emotional impact of their new reality. If you have […]
“Fire” and “eyes” are two things that should never go together, even figuratively. Unfortunately, that terrible burning eyes sensation can happen to the best of us. “This is very common, and there are so many different reasons for it,” Mina Massaro-Giordano, M.D., co-director of the Penn Dry Eye & Ocular Surface Center and a professor […]
Having a miscarriage can be devastating both physically and mentally. It's something Scandal star Katie Lowes dealt with personally before she got pregnant with her son, Albee, who she gave birth to this past October. On a new episode of her podcast with Shondaland, Katie’s Crib, released on Sunday, Lowes said that she was three […]