Most people think of Alzheimer’s disease as an illness of aging. But in fact, the brain changes that characterize it begin much earlier – sometime around the third decade of life.

In the earliest of these changes, a tangled version of a protein called tau starts building up in a tiny region deep in the brain involved in sleep, ...Read more

Gov. Kathy Hochul said that she had no choice from a hostile federal government and had to change the state’s Essential Plan health coverage and thus potentially remove nearly a half-million New Yorkers from this zero-premium plan. The request to alter the program received preliminary approval from Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers ...Read more

John Galvin knows he needs a colonoscopy. But he’s waiting to schedule the procedure until December, when he turns 65 and qualifies for Medicare.

He was already thinking about delaying it — then his monthly Obamacare insurance premium payment tripled this year to $2,460, about a third of his income, he said. And with a $2,700 deductible, he...Read more

Russell Anthony made eight trips to the dentist last year. The 65-year-old retiree in Nashville, Tennessee, hopes to go less often in 2026, but he’s already made a few visits.

“I had a root canal just last week that was like $500,” he said. “The week before that, I had a crown that cost me several hundred dollars. And as we speak, I ...Read more

Since their peak less than three years ago, opioid overdose deaths dropped nearly by half as of October, according to a Stateline analysis. The drop comes as a shrinking fentanyl supply has made the drug weaker and less deadly and volunteer efforts get more people into treatment.

The weaker fentanyl tracks to a crackdown on materials used to ...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I've been diagnosed with myeloma. What can I expect going forward?

ANSWER: Myeloma is a cancer that affects specialized antibody-producing cells called plasma cells. Over your lifetime, your body produces hundreds of thousands of different types of plasma cells that protect you from a broad range of bacteria ...Read more

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Six years ago this month, Florida schools and beaches closed, cruise ships reported their first COVID outbreaks, and shoppers scrambled to get whatever toilet paper remained on the shelves.

Almost overnight, the COVID lockdown went into effect, triggering isolation of the elderly, drive-through testing sites and social...Read more

DETROIT — A measles outbreak in Washtenaw County has grown to seven cases, health officials confirmed Wednesday.

The Washtenaw County Health Department on Wednesday confirmed the seventh case of measles in the county was contracted by an unvaccinated child who is a close contact of the first case on March 11.

"Unfortunately, this most recent...Read more

When life feels overwhelming, many people instinctively turn to nature. A walk in a park. Sitting by the ocean. Watching a sunset. Is this just a pleasant feeling, or is there something deeper at work?

A multitude of studies have linked spending time in nature with different aspects of mental health and wellness. For example, ...Read more

Q: What percentage of my diet should come from each macronutrient?

A: Macronutrients — carbohydrates, proteins and fats — are the building blocks of a healthy diet. The right balance can improve energy and support muscle growth, as well as overall wellness.

Health experts recommend the following daily macronutrient distribution for adults ...Read more

When we snack on delicious foods like candy and popcorn, we don’t always realize what happens once they enter our bodies. However, problems occur when these foods begin negatively affecting our health, specifically, our teeth. “Food plays a major role in oral health, often more than most people realize,” says dentist Sandip Sachar, DDS. �...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: This is kind of embarrassing, but, for a while, I’ve been leaking urine. Can something be done to fix this problem?

ANSWER: You don’t have to live with this issue. The three main types of urinary incontinence are:

Incontinence can be treated with behavioral changes, exercises, medications, nerve stimulation and injections...Read more

Q: I’ve got a lot of peach fuzz on my face, which makes me self-conscious. My friend told me I should try dermaplaning. But is it safe?

A: Dermaplaning has gained popularity as various “influencers” tout it on social media. While a variety of at-home gadgets are now available to perform it, all of them are essentially shaving the face. If...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: For the past several years, I've been competing in half-marathons. This year, I've decided to challenge myself and enter full marathons. What recommendations do you have for preventing sports injuries as I go to this next level?

ANSWER: Congratulations on continuing to stretch your goals — and for thinking about preventing ...Read more

Conservative lawmakers in multiple states are pushing legislation drafted by an anti-abortion advocacy group to increase protections for crisis pregnancy centers, organizations that provide some health-related services but also work to dissuade women from having abortions.

The legislation would prohibit state and local governments from ...Read more

Amanda Miller was 30 and pregnant with her second child in Hershey, Pennsylvania, when she developed depression. After she gave birth, her depression worsened. It was joined by a slew of unexplained health problems.

Miller, a neuroscientist, said she saw several psychiatrists and got prescriptions for drug after drug. Over two years, she tried ...Read more

In April 2022, my mother-in-law, Karla, went for a routine physical therapy visit for carpal tunnel pain. The clinic was full and nearly turned her away. Only after she insisted that something felt wrong did a therapist send her to the emergency room.

A CT scan revealed a mass in her brain.

Karla was 50 years old. She was a first-generation ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — The health care industry accounted for more than 70% of new jobs in the Philadelphia area over the past decade, nearly double the growth rate for health care nationally, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

The region added approximately 184,000 jobs since 2015. More than 132,000 were in health care, with home ...Read more

Bracket-busting upsets, Cinderella stories, OT buzzer beaters – March Madness is here! Or, as some urologists think of it, vasectomy promotion season.

Since 2004, urologists have been promoting vasectomies every March, promising patients who elect the procedure an excellent excuse to relax on the couch and watch college basketball.<...Read more

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — In the early 2000s, Michelle Warfield worked at a factory, hauling heavy seats for Ford trucks on and off an assembly line. To suppress daily aches in her back and hips, her doctor prescribed opioid painkillers.

They worked for a bit. But by 2011, Warfield struggled to walk.

And “by that time, I was addicted,” said ...Read more