Category: Health

Raelle Brown is a powerful voice for many – for women of color, for women with eczema, and for anyone needing a role model with strength and self-assurance. A video producer in the Philadelphia area, Raelle uses her communication skills and her deep compassion to help others through her popular Instagram account, @wokewithinskin, as well as her blog. How does she get ready to be at her best each morning, even when dealing with a difficult skin flare-up? Here, she shares her strategies, from both health/beauty and emotional perspectives. As Raelle sees it, planning for any contingency is key. “I ... Read more

April 24, 2024 – The urgent need to pee, a strangled flow, and the feeling that you didn’t get it all out. Those are symptoms of male lower urinary tract problems, and more than 72% of men experience at least one of them.  But European researchers believe they may have a new way to manage these symptoms: A smartphone app that combines pelvic floor training and behavioral changes.  It may sound too good to be true. But research presented this month at a major urology conference in Paris showed that digitally accessible behavioral and physiotherapy strategies might be as effective ... Read more

When you find out that you have breast cancer, your pathology report is a key document in your health records. A pathology report explains what a doctor called a pathologist found when examining a piece of your tissue from a biopsy or surgery. Typically, it takes a week or two after your biopsy to get a pathology report. The report provides some details – but not all – about your cancer. If you see your pathology report in your patient portal before you’ve had a chance to talk to your doctor, it can be easy to misunderstand or take things ... Read more

Women should continue to get regular mammograms to screen for breast cancer and not turn to thermography, the FDA and other breast cancer experts say, because thermography hasn’t been shown to be effective at detecting breast cancer. Some health spas, homeopathic clinics, and others have touted the use of thermography as an alternative to mammography. The FDA and cancer experts say there is no proof that it can spot or detect breast cancer. In fact, the FDA has issued warnings and fines to health care providers who make misleading claims about thermography. The biggest risk is that if you get ... Read more

People of all genders can get breast cancer, so it’s important for trans men and trans women to consider that as part of their health care. “Anyone who has breast tissue could potentially or theoretically develop breast cancer,” says Fan Liang, MD, medical director of the Center for Transgender Health at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore. Many things influence your breast cancer risk, including your own medical history, any family history of breast cancer, whether you have certain genes that make breast cancer more likely, and whether you get gender-affirming treatment. There aren’t yet official breast cancer screening guidelines that ... Read more

Every day, we encounter hundreds of chemicals from a wide variety of sources — the food we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink, the personal products we use, and other items we touch and use at work, school, and in our homes.  Some of these common chemicals may contribute to an increased risk of breast cancer, researchers say. But it’s hard to know exactly how much of a difference they make in your risk.  No chemicals in personal care products that are currently on the market have been proven to cause breast cancer. But some people, including ... Read more

By Edi Mesa, as told to Hallie Levine I was diagnosed with COPD about 6 years ago at the age of 22. I battled sarcoma lung cancer in my teens, which damaged my lungs. But finding out I had COPD was more shattering. I could hide cancer, but I couldn’t hide my COPD. I always saw myself sky diving and hiking, but the reality is that something as simple as a long car ride can take a toll on me and lead to bedrest for several days. But I’ve also found that certain lifestyle changes can give me relief from ... Read more

If you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), you’re probably no stranger to flares. These are sudden attacks where breathing and coughing symptoms get worse and stay that way. You could end up in the hospital if you don’t get treatment. If they’re not treated, they can lead to hospitalization and possibly death. But if you take steps to address symptoms early and find ways to minimize triggers, you can dramatically lower your risk of flares, says David Mannino, MD, chair of the Department of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health  at the University of Kentucky. Follow these tips: Learn the ... Read more

By Jean Rommes, as told to Kendall Morgan I knew in 1985 that I probably had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). I first came across the condition in an article, looked it up, and discovered I had all the classic symptoms. But I didn’t do anything about it until 2000, when I finally went to my primary care doctor about it. I always knew I was more short of breath than other people. A spirometry test, which measures how much you can breathe in and out, showed my lungs were only working at 37%. I had a definitive diagnosis of ... Read more

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be easy to miss when it starts. That’s because you might not have any symptoms. But over time, you may start to cough a lot or feel short of breath when you’re active. Mild COPD might not seem like a big deal. But it’s important to act early. “If we think about overall management goals, we’re trying to both minimize symptoms but also prevent disease progression,” says Carolyn Rochester, MD, medical director of the Yale COPD Program. “This is of particular importance for people with mild COPD.” There’s no cure, but lifestyle changes and ... Read more