Nearly a century ago, surgeons developed what is still considered the gold-standard treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), an age-related affliction that occurs when an enlarged prostate obstructs the flow of urine. Offered to men who don't respond to BPH medication, this procedure, called a transurethral resection of the prostate, or TURP, involves trimming excess […]
On average, how many hours do you sleep each night? For most healthy adults, guidelines suggest at least seven hours of slumber. But these are general recommendations and not strict rules. “Some people need less than seven hours, while others might need more,” says Eric Zhou with the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical […]
You may have heard recent news reports about a company that knowingly sold defective lead testing machines that tested tens of thousands of children between 2013 and 2017. Or wondered about lead in tap water after the widely reported problems with lead-contaminated water in Flint, Michigan. Reports like these are reminders that parents need to […]
One of the many underappreciated things about the human body is that it has a lot of excess capacity. That is, our organs have more reserve than most of us will ever need. It’s as if our bodies were designed with the idea that we might need backups in case of illness or injury. And […]
Part 2 of a two-part series on making decisions about driving as we age. Read Part 1 here. It’s a simple but unfortunate fact: driving skills can wane over time. Eventually, driving can become unsafe for an older driver, their passengers, and others on the road. If you notice a decline in driving abilities in […]
Cellulitis is an infection of the deep layers of the skin. It develops when bacteria enter through a cut, bite, or wound — including tiny breaks in cracked, dry skin. Common skin-dwelling bacteria, Staphylococcus or Streptococcus, are the usual culprits. Although cellulitis can occur anywhere on the body, the most common location is the lower […]
When I took up running in college, a friend of mine scoffed at the idea. He hated running and was convinced runners were “wearing out” their joints. He liked to say he was saving his knees for his old age. So, was he onto something? Does running really ruin your joints, as many people believe? […]
If you’ve ever dealt with diarrhea, you know how quickly it leaves you feeling depleted. Now imagine a case that rages on and on — or comes back again and again. This is the reality for nearly 500,000 Americans each year who have the bacterial infection known as Clostridioides difficile, or C. diff. Virulent diarrhea […]
Childbirth — painful, messy, unpredictable — has been part of humankind for time immemorial. And in the US, which has surprisingly high rates of avoidable complications and maternal deaths, more people seem to be seeking out doulas for additional care during pregnancy and birth, says Natalia Richey, interim chief midwife in the Department of Obstetrics […]
Loneliness is complicated. You can feel lonely when you lack friends and miss companionship, or when you’re surrounded by people — even friends and family. Either way, loneliness can have devastating health effects. It boosts risk for coronary artery disease, stroke, depression, high blood pressure, declining thinking skills, inability to perform daily living tasks, and […]