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Symptoms, Not Numbers, Are The Main Drivers For A Phlebotomy
DEAR DR. ROACH: My husband was diagnosed with secondary polycythemia in 2011. His hematocrit test (HCT) was 57%. He was referred to a hematologist. The hematologist would order a phlebotomy when his HCT was high. My husband decided to go to a Veterans Affairs health care center for his care to save money.
He saw a nurse practitioner at the VA...Read more
More info on how to cut your diabetes risk or achieve remission
Around 98 million Americans have prediabetes. And while it comes with its own increased health hazards (heart disease is No. 1), keeping it from progressing to full-blown Type 2 diabetes is the difference between a healthy future and one plagued with heart, kidney, liver and brain woes, potential loss of vision and nerve function, arthritis, and...Read more
Measles case confirmed in southwestern Colorado, possible exposures in Cortez, Mancos
DENVER — People in Cortez and Mancos may have been exposed to the measles from a confirmed case in a school-aged child in Montezuma County, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
The child developed measles symptoms after traveling to another part of Colorado with an ongoing measles outbreak, state officials ...Read more
Feeling bloated or hungover? Here’s what to eat
The post-Thanksgiving food coma seems to last longer than any other. Luckily, many food options keep your body nourished and energized without exacerbating any lingering stomach discomfort or hangover symptoms. Keep reading for insight and suggestions from Megan Miller, registered dietitian, that will help you feel your best in between parties ...Read more
Medigap vs. Medicare open enrollment: What’s the difference?
Medicare provides health insurance to 69 million Americans. During Medicare open enrollment, which runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 this year, people can enroll in the program or change plans. You can also switch from original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan (or vice versa), and weigh your Part D prescription drug plan coverage against other ...Read more
Environmental Nutrition: Let’s talk about restaurant desserts
Desserts as a topic? Since desserts aren’t nutritionally essential, you might think you should just skip them and you’ll be better off, right? While technically that may be true, eating as a whole should be a pleasurable experience and desserts can add to that pleasure. And like many foods, the key is getting away from the idea of good and ...Read more
The hidden heart danger of insufficient sleep
We all know that an occasional night of little sleep makes for a difficult day of grogginess, fuzzy thinking, and mood swings. You might also know that regularly skimping on sleep makes symptoms worse and leads to stress and weight gain. But many people are unaware that insufficient sleep also poses dangerous health risks, especially for your ...Read more
Mayo Clinic Q&A: Minimally invasive options use energy to treat enlarged prostate
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I’m a 64-year-old man who was recently diagnosed with an enlarged prostate after experiencing issues with frequent urination, especially during the night. What are the treatment options and potential side effects?
ANSWER: An enlarged prostate, also called benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, is a common condition as men get...Read more
Apple of My I
Over the last decade, Apple has regularly increased the number of health-related features on its popular smartwatch. Aside from the now-pedestrian ability to count steps, the Apple Watch purportedly can spot possible atrial fibrillation (an irregular heart rhythm) and sleep apnea.
The latest feature flags hypertension or high blood pressure, ...Read more
Mayo Clinic researchers use AI and genetics to identify early signs of a rare, life-threatening heart condition
ROCHESTER, Minn. — At Mayo Clinic, cardiologists Peter Noseworthy, M.D., and John Giudicessi, M.D., Ph.D., are uncovering the earliest signs of a genetic heart condition that often strikes without warning. Their work shows that early detection, and even prevention, may be possible long before symptoms appear.
The condition, arrhythmogenic...Read more
While politicos dispense blame, these doctors aim to take shame out of medicine
The distress that Will Bynum later recognized as shame settled over him nearly immediately.
Bynum, then in his second year of residency training as a family medicine physician, was wrapping up a long shift when he was called into an emergency delivery. To save the baby’s life, he used a vacuum device, which applies suction to assist with ...Read more
Rising PSA Level Prompts Questions About Next Steps
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 68-year old male in good health who exercises regularly, doesn't take any medications, and doesn't have a family history of prostate cancer. During my most recent yearly physical exam with my physician, my PSA score was 3.5 ng/mL from the blood draw and analysis, while my physical exam was deemed normal. One year ago, my ...Read more
Get a grip!
Tom Waits had it right in his song "Hold On": "Oh, you got to hold on, hold on. You gotta hold on." Multiple studies show that your grip strength is both an indicator of good or failing health and a way to protect yourself from the dangers of overweight and obesity.
The most recent study on grip strength published in The Journal of Clinical ...Read more
Philadelphia airport passengers may have been exposed to measles, health officials warn
Passengers traveling through Philadelphia International Airport over the weekend may have been exposed to a case of the measles, city health officials warned Tuesday.
Travelers and anyone else who was at the airport’s terminals A and B between 8:50 a.m. and 4 p.m. Sunday may have been exposed to the highly contagious disease, according to a ...Read more
Better treatments buoy multiple-myeloma patients, bound by research cuts and racial disparities
For more than a year, Diane Hunter, now 72, had been experiencing vague symptoms — pain in her spine and hips, nausea, exhaustion, thirst, and frequent urination. Her primary care physician had ruled out diabetes before finally chalking up her ailments to getting older.
But months of intense back pain eventually landed her in the emergency ...Read more
Sneaky symptoms of stress
The influenza season is just getting started -- it peaks December through February -- but if you find yourself contending with aches and pains, weariness, headaches and trouble sleeping, you may think you've come down with the flu. But maybe not.
Turns out that symptoms of acute and chronic stress can be mistaken for the flu and other ...Read more
Operation Room Staff Puts On Masks Only After Field Is Sterile
DEAR DR. ROACH: Recently, I underwent breast cancer surgery at my local hospital. Imagine my surprise when I found several staff members who weren't wearing masks in the operating room. Later I learned the policy is that staff do not have to mask up until the field is sterile. In your opinion, is this good disease control management? It ...Read more
Shutdown deal leaves popular Obamacare subsidies on shaky ground
WASHINGTON — Expiring Obamacare subsidies face an uphill battle for renewal in the coming weeks as Democrats race against the clock to try to find enough Republicans willing to back an extension.
Millions of Americans facing a sharp spike in premiums must soon decide whether to pay the higher bills or forego health care, as insurance ...Read more
Wielding obscure budget tools, Trump's 'reaper' Vought sows turmoil in public health
When President Donald Trump posted a satirical music video on social media in early October depicting his budget director, Russell Vought, as the Grim Reaper lording over Democrats in Congress, public health workers recognized a kernel of truth.
Vought has exerted extraordinary control over government spending this year, usurping congressional ...Read more
Ask the Pediatrician: Type 1 diabetes causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment
Each November, we observe National Diabetes Month and engage in discussions surrounding prevention, management and the impact of this increasingly common autoimmune disease.
Diabetes, both type 1 and type 2, are conditions that affect the way the body uses food for energy. Type 1 diabetes, sometimes called juvenile diabetes, is one of the most ...Read more
Inside Health Advice
Popular Stories
- Medigap vs. Medicare open enrollment: What’s the difference?
- Feeling bloated or hungover? Here’s what to eat
- The hidden heart danger of insufficient sleep
- Mayo Clinic researchers use AI and genetics to identify early signs of a rare, life-threatening heart condition
- Mayo Clinic Q&A: Minimally invasive options use energy to treat enlarged prostate






















