Ways to maximize your Medicare benefits

Compression stockings help leg swelling

Dear Mayo Clinic: My doctor prescribed compression stockings to prevent my legs from swelling during the day. How will that help, and are they all the same? A: Compression stockings aren’t like regular stockings. They’re typically prescribed with certain specifications, and require professional fitting. A number of tips and tricks can help to properly use and care for them so that ... READ MORE

Phone apps to prove people take their pills

Take two tablets and a selfie? Your doctor’s orders may one day include making a smartphone video to prove you took your medicine. Smartphone apps that monitor pill-taking are now available, and researchers are testing how well they work when medication matters. Experts praise the efficiency, but some say the technology raises privacy and data security concerns. Selfie medicine... READ MORE

OTC drugs better than opioids at pain relief

A yearlong study offers rigorous new evidence against using prescription opioids for chronic pain. In patients with stubborn back aches or arthritis of the hip or knee, opioids worked no better than over-the-counter drugs or other non-opioids at reducing problems with walking or sleeping. And they provided slightly less pain relief. Opioids tested included generic Vicodin, oxycodone... READ MORE

Experts answer your health questions

Q: I was recently diagnosed with dry eyes. But my eyes seem to be watery all the time. How do you explain this? A: Usually, people with dry eyes have too few tears. But as strange as it may sound, dry eyes can also be watery. Tears are a mixture of oil, mucous and water. Dry eyes will water if there is not enough oil or mucous in the mixture. As we age, our tear production slows. If... READ MORE

Local students envision a winning city

If you could design a city that facilitated aging, what would you include? Students at the Edlin School, a private school in Reston, Va., did just that — and recently won a first-place award for their innovations. Students Vinay Ayala, Lucas Ribeiro, Nikhita Kuntipuram and Nikhil Kuntipuram recently competed in the 26th Annual Future City Competition. This contest, open to sixth... READ MORE

Look for new, more secure Medicare cards

Q: I remember reading that Medicare will start sending out new cards this year that don’t include Social Security numbers. How can I find out when I’ll receive my new card? Do I need to do anything to get it? A: In an effort to protect against identity theft, Medicare has been preparing to replace everyone’s Medicare cards with new ones that include a unique 11-digit Medicare... READ MORE

Understand burns and how to treat them

Dear Mayo Clinic: What’s the best way to treat a minor burn? At what point does a burn require medical care? The level of care needed for a burn depends on how extensive the tissue damage is from the burn. Minor burns can often be treated at home without seeing a healthcare provider. Burns considered “minor” include first-degree burns and second-degree burns that are no larger... READ MORE

Threat grows from ‘nightmare bacteria’

“Nightmare bacteria” — those with unusual resistance to antibiotics of last resort — were found more than 200 times in the United States last year in a first-of-a-kind hunt to see how much of a threat these rare cases are becoming, health officials said. That’s more than they had expected to find. And the true number is probably higher because the effort involved only certain... READ MORE

Ways to improve your memory and focus

When retired professor Darlene Howard taught in the psychology department of Georgetown University, she often had to remember the names of as many as 50 students a semester. So she used a memory trick: She created an association with each student’s name or face. A student with the last name of Brady might make her think of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. The next time she... READ MORE