Q&A: Joints and weather; heartburn diet

By Howard LeWine, M.D. and Robert H. Shmerling, M.D.
Posted on March 08, 2019

Q: My friend swears that changes in the weather cause her joints to ache more than usual. Is this real or just a myth? A: The belief that weather affects aches and pains in the joints is longstanding. But there is no convincing science to back that up. The question has been studied extensively. While a definitive answer is nearly impossible to provide — because it’s hard to prove... READ MORE

New pill may deliver insulin without shots

By Lauran Neergaard
Posted on March 07, 2019

Scientists have figured out how to hide a shot inside a pea-sized pill — creating a swallowable gadget that can inject medicines like insulin from inside the stomach. Patients usually prefer oral treatment and comply with it better. But many compounds, including insulin for diabetes, can’t survive the harsh trip through the digestive system. The new invention, reported by a... READ MORE

Change Medicare Advantage plan by 3/31

By AP
Posted on March 06, 2019

Medicare Advantage enrollees get a new, second chance to find the right health coverage this year. The government added another enrollment window that started Jan. 1 and lasts until March 31. It gives people with privately run versions of the federal Medicare program a chance to change plans or switch to regular Medicare. Until now, Medicare Advantage customers who wanted to make a... READ MORE

Want to quit? E-cigs beat patches, gums

By Matthew Perrone
Posted on March 05, 2019

A major new study provides the strongest evidence yet that vaping can help smokers quit cigarettes, with e-cigarettes proving nearly twice as effective as nicotine gums and patches. The British research, published in the New England Journal of Medicine online pharmacy buy cialis-soft online with best prices today in the USA , could influence what doctors tell their patients and shape the ... READ MORE

Scientists seek real way to measure pain

By Lauran Neergaard
Posted on March 04, 2019

Is the pain stabbing or burning? On a scale from 1 to 10, is it a 6 or an 8? Over and over, 17-year-old Sarah Taylor struggled to make doctors understand her sometimes debilitating levels of pain, first from joint-damaging childhood arthritis and then from fibromyalgia. “It’s really hard when people can’t see how much pain you’re in, because they have to take your word on it,... READ MORE

Psoriatic arthritis patients sought for study

By Carol Sorgen
Posted on February 28, 2019

Johns Hopkins University is currently recruiting approximately 200 patients for an observational study of how well treatment goals are met in psoriatic arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis is an autoimmune disease that occurs in one in three people who have already been diagnosed with psoriasis. Psoriasis is a common skin condition that speeds up the life cycle of skin cells, causing cells to... READ MORE

Prevent and alleviate gas and bloating

By Gihun Kim
Posted on February 22, 2019

Q: I’ve been feeling very gassy and bloated lately. Is there something I can do to prevent or treat this feeling? A: The feeling of being “gassy” or bloated is common for many adults. It can happen after a large meal, or seemingly without reason. Stomach gas is formed as a normal part of the digestive process. But there could be other reasons for feeling like you have extra gas. ... READ MORE

Friends closer than sisters — and not

By Helen Oxenberg
Posted on February 18, 2019

Dear Solutions: My sister’s friend died recently. My sister, who considered this person her best friend, can’t seem to get over it. She says she has no one to really talk to anymore. online pharmacy order periactin without prescription with best prices today in the USA I thought we were always close, and I feel a little insulted. I told her she still has me to talk to, and she just... READ MORE

Thoughtful gift ideas for comfort, healing

By Suzy Cohen
Posted on February 18, 2019

For those of us who still have our health and energy, it’s hard to imagine how others with a chronic illness may feel. If you know someone who is uncomfortable or struggling with pain or an unpleasant condition, keep in mind they might appreciate a thoughtful — and helpful — gift at any time of the year. In this column, I can help you figure out what they really want or need, or ... READ MORE

Help researchers understand Alzheimer’s

By Barbara Ruben
Posted on February 15, 2019

Over the last 15 years, researchers have made strides in better understanding the development and detection of Alzheimer’s disease — if not in treatments for the disease itself. Some of these discoveries — such as that brain changes take place years before there are outward signs of Alzheimer’s, and that many genes may play a role in who gets the disease — have come about... READ MORE