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Ann Arbor, Michigan on Monday became the first U.S. city to require public restrooms to provide free menstrual products, along with things like hand soap and toilet paper, CNN reported. Key Takeaways Ann Arbor, Michigan passed an ordinance that will make period products free in public restrooms.The new rule comes after Michigan’s Governor signed a bill banning the state’s former “tampon tax" this month.This could break down some financial barriers for people who struggle with period poverty....

Adults normally have 32 permanent teeth, while children have 20 baby teeth. Though rare, extra teeth can develop in the mouth—a condition known as hyperdontia; the extra teeth themselves are called supernumerary teeth. These teeth, which occur in .15 percent to 4 percent of the population, can appear in anyone but are more often associated with people who have Gardner’s syndrome (a rare genetic disorder), Down syndrome, or in those born with a cleft lip....

If you’ve recently been diagnosed with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, you might be wondering what it feels like to accidentally ingest gluten—in other words, to “get glutened.” Here’s what you need to know. Symptoms May Surprise You If you were experiencing a particular symptom before you were diagnosed – like, say, diarrhea – you might develop the opposite – constipation – when you eat gluten. And there’s evidence that some people suffer from reflux during a glutening, even if they didn’t have that symptom before the diagnosis....

Summer is a time for being outdoors with friends and family. Many people go camping, picnic at the beach, or barbeque in the backyard. But along with these outdoor activities comes the possibility of outdoor allergies. Allergies to summer pollens, stinging and biting insects, hidden food ingredients, and smoke from campfires and barbeques can ruin an otherwise perfect activity for some people. Summer Pollen Allergy Grass pollen is usually the predominant pollen in the air during the summer....

Biting down on your lip or tongue usually happens unexpectedly. For example, you might just be chewing, and you bite wrong and end up hurting yourself. You might also bite yourself in the course of falling or another accident. While biting your tongue can result in quite a bit of bleeding, these wounds heal reasonably quickly because the tongue has an excellent blood supply. But there are instances where biting down on your lip or tongue requires medical attention....

COVID-19 variants appear to have mutated far enough from the original virus that certain therapies no longer work against them. BQ.1.1, the newest Omicron subvariant, threatens to evade monoclonal antibodies in treatments like Evusheld. Key Takeaways BQ.1.1 is a new Omicron subvariant descended from Omicron BA.5.BQ.1.1, along with its sister variant BQ.1, accounts for around 11% of new COVID-19 cases in the U.S.It might render first-gen treatments like monoclonal antibodies ineffective, but experts say the bivalent boosters should protect against Omicron subvariants that are similar to BA....

The restaurant industry has been among the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. But even as vaccination rates grow, the jury’s still out on whether it’s fully safe for you to swing by your favorite restaurant again and snag a booth indoors once you’ve been vaccinated. Key Takeaways While experts say it’s likely safe to eat indoors after being fully vaccinated, it’s still best to practice caution for the safety of others....

Hemodialysis can cause significant side effects and complications. Many of the problems are related to the creation of dialysis access, through which blood is removed from the body and cleaned in a dialysis machine. Other complications are caused by the imbalance of fluids and electrolytes in the body and the impact this has on blood pressure and heart function. Preventing complications of hemodialysis requires careful management on the part of your nephrologist (kidney specialist), the dialysis team, and you as the patient....

Using fillers such as Restylane, Perlane, and Juvéderm is a great, non-surgical way to rejuvenate your face. However, there is a disconcerting trend occurring that some call the “helium balloon effect.” Instead of walking out of medical offices and spas looking young and vibrant, those undergoing the procedure appear to have had their faces pumped with helium. While injecting fillers such as Juvéderm or Restylane into the face is not “surgery,” it should still be done with considerable care and judgment....

Endometriosis can be a very painful condition. Seventy-five percent of women with endometriosis suffer from pelvic pain, particularly during their periods. A lot of women with this condition also have very painful period cramps, and experience pain during sexual intercourse (dyspareunia). In endometriosis, tissue that’s similar to the uterine lining grows outside of the uterus. These growths (typically called implants) mimic your uterine lining by bleeding every month, but because they’re in places where the blood can’t easily get out of the body, they cause swelling and pain....

This week, eye care experts are drawing attention to a type of eye disease associated with thyroid disorders during the first-ever Thyroid Eye Disease Awareness Week. The awareness week, which lasts from November 16 to 22, is intended to educate the public about thyroid eye disease (TED), how the condition affects patients, and the new treatment options available. Key Takeaways Thyroid eye disease (TED), also known as Graves’ eye disease, is an autoimmune disorder that is often related to Graves’ disease of the thyroid....

Can celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity cause severe menstrual cramps and just generally make your period a miserable experience? Possibly. Although there are no published medical studies looking specifically at severe menstrual cramps in women with the undiagnosed celiac disease, numerous studies link menstrual and reproductive problems with celiac disease. Many Celiac Women Report Painful Periods Dysmenorrhea technically means severe menstrual cramps, and the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) notes that these cramps can last one or two days per cycle....

On any given night in the United States, some 550,000 people or more experience homelessness —including tens of thousands of children and chronically ill individuals. These individuals are living on the street or in a car, staying in a shelter, or hopping between relatives’ or friends’ homes for an indeterminate amount of time. While official definitions differ, the primary element of homelessness is instability. And for many in the United States, the instability of homelessness and poor health are closely intertwined....

A new study from the U.K. found that healthcare workers are seven times more likely to develop severe COVID-19 than other workers. The December study was recently published in the journal BMJ Occupational & Environmental Medicine. Key Takeaways New research found healthcare workers are much more likely to develop severe COVID-19 than other workers.Social and education workers are also at a high risk of a severe form of the disease.Repeat exposure to the virus may be behind the risk, experts say....

The explosive seltzer trend has prompted questions about whether carbonated water is as healthy as still water. But The Atlantic journalist Derek Thompson criticized this line of questioning as part of an “elite movement” to get people to obsess about their already-healthy habits. Key Takeaways Questioning if sparkling water is “healthy enough” can feed into the obsession with perfectionism in diet culture.Dietary patterns are more important than individual components for overall health status, a dietician says....

A lymphocyte is part of your immune system. Lymphocytes are small white blood cells that actually play an outsized role in defending your body from disease. Your body’s immune system protects you from various invaders (such as bacteria and viruses) that can cause you harm. Lymphocytes’ role in this is to fight infections by producing antibodies, which are chemicals that help your body stop and then remove foreign invaders such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, and toxic chemicals....

Mohs surgery (also called Mohs micrographic surgery) is used to remove skin cancer lesions while sparing as much healthy tissue as possible. The Mohs surgery technique leaves the smallest possible scar, making it an ideal procedure for skin cancers located on the face. Diagnosis Related to Mohs Surgery Mohs surgery can be used to remove all of the most common types of skin cancers and certain rare skin cancers, including one type of early-stage melanoma....

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects at least 10% of women of childbearing ages in the United States. PCOS is characterized by high levels of testosterone (all women have testosterone just like all men have estrogen) creating an imbalance of female sex hormones. In fact, PCOS is the most common cause of ovulatory infertility due to the hormone imbalance seen with the condition. Having irregular periods is a symptom of PCOS. However, there are many things that can cause irregular periods, and PCOS is not the only one....

Shamard Charles, MD, MPH, is an assistant professor of public health and health promotion at St. Francis College. Here, he explains why the COVID-19 vaccine rollout should—and will—improve the flu shot rollout, but why it’s not happening this year. Experts worry that we could be heading into a big flu season, especially if enough Americans do not get their annual flu shot, which is now widely available. With over 700,000 deaths credited to COVID-19 in just 18 months, a rebound influenza epidemic is the last thing we need....

Pinhole glasses are eyeglasses with lenses that consist of many tiny holes filling an opaque sheet of plastic. Also called stenopeic glasses, they block indirect rays of light from entering the eye. This prevents the rays from distorting your vision. By letting less light into your eye, some people claim these glasses allow them to see more clearly. This article will go over how pinhole glasses work and whether wearing pinhole glasses can improve your vision....