Author: zdrukj

Animals renowned for their outstanding night vision include owls, cats, tarsiers (a tiny primate in Southeast Asia) — and even the dung beetle. But humans? Not so much. Over time, many people suffer from night blindness, also known as nyctalopia. This condition makes seeing in dim or dark settings difficult because your eyes cannot adjust…

When measles broke out in 31 states several years ago, health experts were surprised to see more than 1,200 confirmed cases –– the largest number reported in the US since 1992. Measles is a very contagious, preventable illness that may cause serious health complications, especially in younger children and people who are pregnant, or whose…

The tongue is secured to the front of the mouth partly by a band of tissue called the lingual frenulum. If the frenulum is short, it can restrict the movement of the tongue. This is commonly called a tongue-tie. Children with a tongue-tie can’t stick their tongue out past their lower lip, or touch their…

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) –– or myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), to be specific ––  is an illness defined by a group of symptoms. Yet medical science always seeks objective measures that go beyond the symptoms people report. A new study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has performed more diverse and extensive biological…

Maybe we should add toothbrushes to the bouquet of flowers we bring to friends and family members in the hospital — and make sure to pack one if we wind up there ourselves. New Harvard-led research published online in JAMA Internal Medicine suggests seriously ill hospitalized patients are far less likely to develop hospital-acquired pneumonia…

Experiencing discrimination in the workplace — where many adults spend one-third of their time, on average — may be harmful to your heart health. A 2023 study in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that people who reported high levels of discrimination on the job were more likely to develop high blood pressure…

Headaches are very common in children and teens. In fact, more than half will suffer from headaches at some point, and by 18 years the majority of adolescents have had them. And while most headaches are part of a viral illness, some are migraines. In fact, recurring migraines affect as many as one in 10…

If you’ve ever tried to lose excess weight, you’ve probably gotten this advice: drink more water. Or perhaps it was more specific: drink a full glass of water before each meal. The second suggestion seems like a reasonable idea, right? If you fill your stomach with water before eating, you’ll feel fuller and stop eating…