Health claim rejected? Consider an appeal
Patients are often shocked when their insurance company denies coverage for a procedure or treatment, especially if that leads to a bigger-than-expected bill. These rejections can be fairly common, and people may not put up their best fight to get the decision reversed. Odds are tough, but denials can be resolved with phone calls or a formal appeal, which healthcare experts see as... READ MORE
Topical pain relievers can replace pills
Q: My arthritis primarily affects my hands. Aleve helps but I don’t want to rely on it every day. There are so many pain relieving skin creams. How do you choose? A: You are wise to consider alternatives to oral naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or other oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Long term use of these can lead to stomach and intestinal... READ MORE
Many types of orthotics relieve foot pain
Many people come to my office complaining of foot pain from conditions such as bunions, hammertoes, a pinched nerve (neuroma) or heel pain (plantar fasciitis). I perform a thorough evaluation and examination, and together we review the origin, mechanics and treatment plan for the specific problem or issue. The patient usually asks if they need an orthotic and, if so, which type would be... READ MORE
Get fit for free if 65 or better
You’d never mistake Dottie Longo for a Marine drill sergeant. The 67-year-old fitness instructor encourages her students, including me, with phrases like “if you can,” “at your own level” and “don’t overdo it.” No one is ever asked to “go for the burn.” In a recent class, Longo announced, “I’m doing eight repetitions with my two-and-a-half-pound weights. You can... READ MORE
‘Zombie cells’ may play big role in aging
Call them zombie cells — they refuse to die. Scientists actually call these senescent cells. They start out normal but then encounter a stress, such as damage to their DNA or a viral infection. At that point, a cell can choose to die or basically enter a state of suspended animation (hence the popular term “zombie cell”). The problem is that senescent cells, though they no... READ MORE
Headaches or jaw pain? Study may help
If you’ve had pain in your jaw or frequent headaches in the past three months, consider helping yourself as well as science with a visit to the University of Maryland Baltimore. Researchers from the school’s Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Science will do a full rundown to see if you have a condition called temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD), a complex chronic pain... READ MORE
CBD finding place in ever more products
From skin-care lotions to bottled water, cannabis companies are rolling out a growing array of consumer products infused with a chemical found in marijuana called cannabidiol, or CBD. The compound doesn’t have the ingredient that gives marijuana users a high. Instead, CBD product makers say they promote general health and well-being. The U.S. retail market for CBD is projected to... READ MORE
Diet and exercise help manage diabetes
Q: I don’t know why my diabetes is out of control — I cut out soda and cake! I walk around my house; shouldn’t that be good enough for exercise? A: Diabetes can be complicated to manage. Medications can be difficult to understand, and knowing what to eat and how to exercise can be confusing. Unfortunately, there is no universal plan because everyone’s lifestyle and health are... READ MORE
Why scientists are trying to map all cells
Did you hear what happened when Bill Gates walked into a bar? Everybody there immediately became millionaires — on average. That joke about a very rich man is an old one among statisticians. So why did Peter Smibert use it to explain a revolution in biology? Because it shows averages can be misleading. And Smibert, of the New York Genome Center, said that includes when scientists... READ MORE
Biscuits with the flavor of sweet potatoes
It was only a matter of time before sweet potato-loving Southern cooks combined the fluffy texture and pleasant tang of biscuits with the earthy sweetness of this popular tuber. To add the flavor of sweet potatoes to biscuits without weighing down the dough, we microwaved them to eliminate their moisture while concentrating their flavor. After mashing the flesh, we stirred in cider... READ MORE
