Family Health Blog

If you spent any time on social media this summer, you’ve probably seen videos of people taking the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Participants have included everyday people to celebrities ranging from Jennifer Lopez to Anna Wintour to a surprisingly classy contribution from Sir Patrick Stewart. While it’s entertaining to watch people dump buckets of ice water... Read More

Although chemotherapy is one of the most powerful, appropriate and effective approaches for treating breast cancer, new research shows that about 12 percent of patients older than 65 develop heart problems as an unintended side effect within three years of starting chemotherapy. Seeing a cardiologist is important, but only about one-third of breast cancer patients will... Read More

Every year in the U.S., between 300,000 and 600,000 people are diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis (DVT), or blood clots in their legs, which can be fatal. Although there are several treatments available, you may be unclear as to which one is best suited for you. Currently, doctors usually treat blood clots with one of... Read More

The summer is generally a time when people enjoy the outdoors, but some individuals may be taken by surprise when they start developing symptoms of allergies they never experienced before, particularly symptoms that go beyond the usual sneezing and stuffy noses. If you’re experiencing allergies for the first time, you may mistake them for another... Read More

About 15 million people in the U.S. live with social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia. Research into treatment for this type of anxiety disorder is ongoing, but one team of scientists from Queen’s University in Ontario suggested that physical activity and relaxation exercises may be beneficial. Given how social anxiety disorder can disrupt everyday... Read More

Heart disease is the leading killer of both men and women in the U.S., which underscores the importance of cardiovascular research. Recently, a study published in the journal BMJ suggested that the mortality risk among heart attack survivors was lower for those who ate more fiber-rich cereal and grain sources after their heart attacks. Read More

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that 30,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported to the agency every year. In 2012, 95 percent of cases came from only 13 states, concentrated in the Northeast and Midwest. Traditionally, healthcare experts believed Lyme disease was virtually nonexistent in southern states such as Florida and Georgia. However,... Read More

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) estimated that, during any given 12-month period, 40 million American adults – or 18 percent of people at least 18 years of age – live with an anxiety disorder. According to the NIMH, 8 percent of young people aged 13 to 18 years have an anxiety disorder. These disorders can... Read More

A federal health survey revealed that 12 percent of adults in the U.S. ages 20 to 64 had not seen a dentist in the prior five years. For older adults, that rate jumped to 23 percent. This is problematic because, while it is true that a physician can help keep you healthy and monitor your... Read More

When you experience physical symptoms – a cough, a headache, some muscle pain – you might try to diagnose yourself by turning to the Internet. Experts from the Pew Research Internet Project reported on a survey that indicated 72 percent of Internet users had gone online to search for health-related information during the previous year. Within this group,... Read More