Health Blog

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is taking a significant toll on the mental health and wellbeing of people of all ages, from older people self-isolating to young children who can’t spend time playing with friends because of social distancing. A study on JAMA Network Open found that symptoms of depression were three times more prevalent among... Read More

Back pain is one of the most common reasons that adults in the U.S. seek medical attention and also one of the leading reasons Americans miss time at work. But it’s important to know that surgery often isn’t the most appropriate treatment and, in most cases, should not be the first treatment undertaken. Before choosing... Read More

Many women don’t think of heart health as a top concern, but recent data show why they should. Not only are heart attacks the leading cause of death for women in the U.S. annually, causing more deaths than all types of cancer combined, data from the American Heart Association show that the incidence of cardiovascular... Read More

As states begin to reopen, hospitals are starting to schedule elective surgeries that have been postponed because of the pandemic. But many people wonder if now is the time to undergo elective surgery. While 31% of people have chosen to delay care and 50% of people over 65 have decided to wait to receive care... Read More

Would you understand if your doctor told you your EKG was unremarkable or your condition was idiopathic? Like all professions, medicine has its own vocabulary. Unfortunately, most patients aren’t fluent in the language of medical jargon and many doctors don’t provide plain English explanations when sharing information, test results, or recommendations with their patients. That... Read More

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and concern about being exposed to the virus, more people are using telehealth or virtual visits rather than in-person visits with their doctors. Physicians in a wide range of specialties, from primary care and pediatrics to cardiology, oncology, and mental health, are offering their patients the option of conducting some... Read More

There’s a seemingly endless amount of information about COVID-19 available online, but unfortunately not all of it is accurate. In fact, some of it is purposely misleading or dangerous. To ensure that the information you’re reading and the advice you’re getting is based on scientific evidence rather than speculation or misinformation, it’s wise to carefully... Read More

Because of the COVID-19 outbreak, more people are trying telemedicine services rather than going to the doctor’s office or hospital to receive care. In fact, many primary care physicians are encouraging their patients to use virtual visits to limit the risk of being exposed to someone with the virus. You can even use telemedicine to... Read More

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has created one of the largest, most difficult health challenges the U.S. has encountered in decades, people are still facing the serious health problems they always have, from heart attacks and strokes and serious injuries from accidents to all kinds of cancer. One of our members shared her experience of being... Read More

If you take Zantac (ranitidine) or a generic version of this medication, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced that you should stop taking any form of the drug and dispose of it properly. The reason for this recommendation is that all ranitidine products are currently being investigated by the FDA related to contamination... Read More