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After outpatient cosmetic surgery, they wound up in the hospital or alone at a recovery house
Lisa Farris worried that a nasty infection from recent liposuction and a tummy tuck was rapidly getting worse. So she phoned the cosmetic surgery center to ask if she should head to the emergency room, she alleges in a lawsuit.
The nurse who took the call at the Sono Bello center in Addison, Texas, told her she “absolutely should not” go to...Read more
Ask the Pediatrician: Why do babies need the hepatitis B vaccine?
Hepatitis B is a virus that can damage the liver and lead to lifelong health problems. The hepatitis B vaccine prevents short-term illness (acute hepatitis) and a life-threatening infection called chronic hepatitis B.
The American Academy of Pediatrics believes that a federal advisory panel's decision to weaken hepatitis B vaccine ...Read more
Mayo Clinic Q&A: What are prebiotics and probiotics?
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I’m confused about prebiotics and probiotics. Could you help me understand what they are and how they could benefit my health?
ANSWER: You're not alone in wondering about the health benefits of prebiotics and probiotics. Even the names can be confusing.
The human gastrointestinal tract houses roughly 100 trillion ...Read more
Cost Of Medicine For IBS Is $811 Even With Insurance
DEAR DR. ROACH: After a month of testing from my gastrointestinal doctor, I have been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). I have been sick for several months and have lost 12 pounds. (I'm now down to 100 pounds.)
I have been prescribed Xifaxan. The cost from my pharmacy is $811. Normally, I never have a co-pay. I checked around, and ...Read more
Post-holiday clean up
'Twas the season of feasts and festive beverages! And chances are you added a few pounds. One study found that between Thanksgiving and Christmas, most folks put on around 2 pounds and 14% add 5 or more. Unfortunately, what's added is rarely lost -- and year after year, it adds up to a serious health threat for millions of you.
You can reclaim ...Read more
Flu surge prompts masking mandates at Eastern Shore hospitals
BALTIMORE — Several Eastern Shore hospitals have reinstated masking mandates this week, joining a growing number of health care centers in Maryland reporting unusually high numbers of influenza cases.
On Friday, TidalHealth announced that protective masking is required at its locations, which include TidalHealth Peninsula Regional in ...Read more
Pancreatic cancer is among the deadliest cancers. A new drug being tested at Penn is giving patients and doctors hope
PHILADELPHIA — Irene Blair was expected to have another six to eight months to live in June, after her pancreatic cancer rapidly advanced to stage 4 less than a year after her initial diagnosis.
A new drug being tested in clinical trials around the world, including at Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center, was the 59-year-old grandmother ...Read more
A Continuous Glucose Monitor Can Provide Info To Prediabetic
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 75-year-old man with an elevated A1C level; I was diagnosed with prediabetes. I feel healthy but have struggled to lose weight. I was wondering what your feeling are on using a glucose monitor. -- F.M.
ANSWER: A continuous glucose monitor is a device shaped like a disc, and the smallest of them are only just larger than...Read more
Why it's dumb to give your tween or teen a smartphone
More than 60% of parents of 12-year-olds say their child has a smartphone; nearly 97% of kids age 13 do. And, according to new research, it turns out those phones are connecting the kids to more than Instagram and TikTok. They're directly hooking them up to depression, obesity and insufficient sleep.
A study in Pediatrics evaluated the impact ...Read more
Flu cases tick up in Massachusetts as health officials warn of new variant
Flu cases in Boston and across Massachusetts are continuing to tick up as a new variant circulates, with public health officials reminding residents its not too late to get vaccinated.
“This flu season, we’re concerned about this new variant that is circulating,” state public health commissioner Robbie Goldstein on a WCVB segment aired ...Read more
Editorial: Blue states learn a lesson
In recent years, a handful of deep-blue states have aggressively tried to offer “free” health care to those in the country illegally only to develop alligator arms when the check arrived. Go figure.
In Illinois, Gov. J.B. Pritzker has proposed ending the Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults (notice the word “illegal” is nowhere to be ...Read more
This tick-borne disease continues to rise in Pennsylvania
Janine Hauck doesn't know which tick gave her anaplasmosis and Lyme disease. She just remembers the fatigue, weakness and nausea.
The Mt. Lebanon, Pa., resident was an avid hiker, backpacker, dancer, biker and swimmer until she got sick in 2019, at age 57. After throwing up at work and becoming dizzy from walking down the block, she visited her...Read more
Medicines Labeled As "P.M." Are Not Recommended For Sleep
DEAR DR. ROACH: My wife was having problems getting to sleep and has stocked our medicine cabinet with various p.m. versions of popular pain relievers that have been advertised as sleep aids. Recently, I've had problems getting to sleep as well and began taking a single pill before retiring, but I can't honestly say that they're helping.
I ...Read more
The magnificent seven heart-healthy foods
Take this to heart: Seven tasty everyday foods are front-line warriors against heart disease.
That's the conclusion of researchers from King's College London who recently published results of a 10-year study of the diet and heart health of more than 3,100 people and the metabolites in the urine of more than 200 of those adults. They found that ...Read more
As federal health tax credits end, Chicago-area leaders warn about costs to Cook County and Illinois hospitals
With health care subsidies expiring in the new year, Cook County Health officials and political leaders on Wednesday warned the impact will not only hurt millions of Americans but also affect the county’s bottom line and hospitals around the state.
Congress remains at a stalemate over the future of subsidies for certain households that buy ...Read more
Amid conflicting vaccine recommendations, Americans are less likely to trust Trump's CDC, a Penn study finds
After a year of major shifts in the federal government’s policy toward vaccines, Americans are now more likely to trust the American Medical Association than the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when the two conflict on vaccine guidance, a new survey shows.
The survey, conducted by the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public...Read more
Pennsylvania awarded $193 million for rural health care from Trump bill that also cut Medicaid
WASHINGTON — Pennsylvania's plan to stabilize its struggling rural health care systems will get a $193 million infusion as President Donald Trump's administration implements a new five-year program that some say will not offset future Medicaid cuts.
The federal funding — which the state plans to first spend on the most pressing rural care ...Read more
Environmental Nutrition: Freezer rules
Q: How long can I safely freeze certain foods?
A: Freezing food is a smart way to cut waste and save time, but even frozen food has limits on quality. While frozen items kept at 0 F (-18 C) remain safe indefinitely, their taste and texture can suffer over time.
Meats like beef steaks or whole chicken maintain best quality for up to 12 months. ...Read more
Does eating fruit help with weight loss?
Eating fruit can help you lose weight, particularly if you choose fruit rather than processed foods that are high in added sugar and fat. Making fruit a daily staple in your diet can offer many health and nutritional benefits. The high fiber content can help you feel full, and the natural sweetness can help stave off cravings.
Fruit often gets ...Read more
Mind your heart for a longer, healthier life
Stories about people with remarkably long life spans — like the Spanish woman who died at the age of 117 earlier this year — often spark speculation about longevity secrets. They’ve also fueled the growing interest in longevity clinics. But what does the science actually say?
“There are plenty of affordable, proven strategies to live a ...Read more
Inside Health Advice
Popular Stories
- Get to know your microbiome: It can improve gut health and more
- Pancreatic cancer is among the deadliest cancers. A new drug being tested at Penn is giving patients and doctors hope
- What's the deal with ... banana water?
- Ask the Pediatrician: Why do babies need the hepatitis B vaccine?
- Mayo Clinic Q&A: What are prebiotics and probiotics?






















