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In August 2021, health officials recommended that most Americans should get an additional dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. During that time, medical experts said the booster shots should be administered starting eight months after the second dose. Key Takeaways Health officials have previously recommended that most people receive a booster shot of COVID-19 vaccine more than eight months after completing their original vaccine regimen.The timeline is based on data on when breakthrough infections occur....

The first five years of life are an important time for your child’s development. And now a new study finds that introducing children to an active learning environment during these formative years is crucial. Key Takeaways A new study found that active childhood learning can impact brain development into adulthood.Children participated in a comprehensive program that focused on promoting language, cognition, and interactive learning. There are steps that parents can take to help their children reach developmental milestones starting when they are infants....

Supplemental oxygen therapy can be a lifesaver for someone dealing with a condition such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)—an effective way to increase the amount of oxygen taken in to healthy, normal levels. Oxygen therapy also presents some potential safety hazards, however. Although oxygen is a safe, non-flammable gas, it does support combustion—in other words, some materials can readily catch fire and burn in the presence of oxygen. For that reason, just as with any medical treatment, it’s important to follow certain precautions while using it....

Abnormal vaginal bleeding, also referred to as abnormal uterine bleeding, is experienced by about one-third of women at some point in their lives. Abnormalities can occur in the timing, volume, frequency, duration, and regularity of the bleeding. Most of the time, a benign (noncancerous) process causes bleeding or spotting, and hormonal fluctuations are often the culprit. However, abnormal vaginal bleeding is also one of the most frequent symptoms experienced by women when they have gynecologic cancers such as cervical cancer, endometrial cancer, uterine cancer, or ovarian cancer....

Alpha thalassemia is inherited anemia where the body cannot produce a normal amount of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout your body. Hemoglobin A (the major hemoglobin in adults) contains alpha-globin and beta-globin chains. In alpha thalassemia, there is a reduced amount of alpha-globin chains. Types Two types of alpha thalassemia can lead to health problems—Hb Bart syndrome and HbH disease. Hb Bart Syndrome This syndrome is the most severe form of alpha thalassemia....

A lot of the information about menopause that you will find in popular magazines, on social media, and from Internet searches will talk about the importance of measuring your hormone levels. But, more likely than not, when you ask your healthcare provider to check your hormone levels, he or she will tell you it is not indicated. This conflict around the importance of knowing where your hormone levels are during the menopausal transition can be very confusing and frustrating, especially when you are feeling miserable....

Many people recently diagnosed with celiac disease find they are deficient in vitamin D, a critical nutrient for both bone health and overall immune system strength. But vitamin D deficiency in celiacs isn’t limited to the recently diagnosed—it seems to be common in adults and children who have been diagnosed with celiac for a while, even if they comply strictly with the gluten-free diet. In fact, research shows that vitamin D deficiency occurs in 64% of men and 71% of women with celiac disease, making it an extremely common problem in those with celiac, although it’s also common in the general population....

A cluster headache attack is a severely painful and debilitating headache that is one-sided and occurs around the eye or temple. While more common in men, they’re still quite rare, affecting less than one percent of the population. With the intense pain that people with a cluster headache endure, it’s not surprising that many of them also suffer from depression and anxiety. There is some research to support this linkage....

PixelOptics, a company founded in 2005, has teamed up with Aspex Eyewear to introduce emPower electronic eyewear. emPower is the first electronic eyewear to be offered to prescription eyeglass wearers. What Is Electronic Eyewear? EmPower electronic frames and lenses have tiny batteries and embedded microchips that control a liquid crystal reading segment located within the lens. Electronic eyewear allows you to activate a reading segment in the lens when you desire close-up, near vision by simply swiping the side temple of the frame....

Enhertu (fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki, trastuzumab deruxtecan, or T-DXd for short), pronounced en-HER-too, is a medication used to treat breast cancer. This medication was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 4, 2022, to treat breast cancer when specific circumstances or guidelines are met. It can also treat other types of cancer, including stomach and lung cancers. This article discusses how Enhertu works, its dosages, side effects, cost, and affordability....

Skin infections are very common occurrences throughout life. Some infections are self-limiting and resolve on their own, but many others require medical attention. Bacterial skin infections technically have specific names based on their origin and extent, but in the medical community they are often lumped into one of two categories: “boil” or “abscess.” This article will clarify the technical terms that are used to describe the diagnosis of infections that are caused by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus (also known as “staph” for short)....

Rhinophyma is a skin condition that causes a large red, bulbous nose. It’s a severe form of rosacea, a chronic skin condition that causes redness and bumps on the face. Treatment is important because rhinophyma can cause breathing trouble when the airways become blocked. The main treatment for rhinophyma is surgery, and there are a few different options available. Oral treatments and lifestyle changes can also help control the condition. This article will cover treatments for rhinophyma, including the types of surgery for rhinophyma and what to expect from rhinophyma surgery....

Going to physical therapy for your neck or back? If so, you’ll likely be given a coordinated set of treatment modalities. The specific therapies are chosen by your P.T. and depend on what’s happening with your spine—pain levels, functionality, and the like. Usually, a home exercise program (acronym HEP) is the biggest part of the plan. But your therapist may add in things like traction, moist heat, and other types of feel-good experiences that have varying degrees of effectiveness as proven via medical studies....

Meditation may have several benefits for people living with cancer, and many cancer centers are now offering this “alternative” treatment. Possible benefits include a reduction in anxiety and depression, reduced stress, greater energy, and a decrease in chronic pain among other symptoms. At the same time, there are very few risks. An unlike many complementary treatments used to control the symptoms of cancer, anyone can begin at any time. What Is Meditation?...

Neulasta (pegfilgrastim) is a drug used to reduce the risk of infection in people undergoing treatment for cancer. It stimulates the production of white blood cells known as neutrophils, which are the body’s first-line defense against disease-causing microorganisms. Neulasta was approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for people at risk of infection while undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy. How It Works One of the challenges of chemotherapy is that the conventional drugs work by targeting and killing fast-replicating cells....

Otolaryngologists are medical doctors who are also surgeons. They specialize in conditions of the throat, nose, and ears. Another name for an otolaryngologist is an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) doctor, or simply an ENT. Otolaryngology is one of the oldest medical specialties in the United States. It started in 1896. This article will explain more about what otolaryngologists do and when to visit one. Reasons to See an Otolaryngologist Usually, your primary healthcare provider can handle minor or short-term conditions that affect the ears, nose, and throat....

Lifestyle modifications are the primary treatment approaches for women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). These lifestyle modifications include improving diet and physical activity as well as stress management and sleep hygiene. When I provide nutrition counseling to women with PCOS, we discuss these important lifestyle changes as well as ways to reduce exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). What Are Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals? EDCs are everywhere in our environment, including the containers that hold the food that we eat and bottles that contain beverages we drink....

Pemphigoid gestationis (PG) is a rare autoimmune skin condition that typically occurs during pregnancy, although it can also occur in the days following birth and during menstrual cycles. Formerly known as herpes gestationis, it isn’t related to the herpes simplex virus. It occurs in approximately one in 50,000 pregnancies. Even though it often resolves by itself after delivery, treatments are available. These treatments are meant to ease itching and prevent blister formation....

If you have had a myocardial infarction (MI), also known informally as a heart attack, your heart muscle has been damaged. If enough damage has been done, you may be at risk of developing heart failure, even if you had a mild MI that caused only minimal or moderate damage. (For people who have had a very large heart attack the risk of heart failure is acute and can occur within the first few hours or days of the MI)....

You may or may not experience problems with night vision after Lasik. Though it’s hard to predict whether you will experience this complication, there are some risk factors. It is normal for your night vision to be reduced for several nights after undergoing Lasik surgery. Many people experience temporary night vision problems after Lasik that can last for days, weeks, or even months. This temporary effect is completely normal and will most likely improve over time....