Recent Blog Articles

Preventable liver disease is rising: What you eat — and avoid — counts

Fall shots: Who's most vulnerable to RSV, COVID, and the flu?

Got immunity? Thank your thymus

Easy ways to shop for healthful, cost-conscious foods

When — and how — should you be screened for colon cancer?

7 organs or glands you may do just fine without

How to help your child get the sleep they need

What color is your tongue? What's healthy, what's not?

Immune boosts or busts? From IV drips and detoxes to superfoods

The new RSV shot for babies: What parents need to know

Robert H. Shmerling, MD
Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
Dr. Robert H. Shmerling is the former clinical chief of the division of rheumatology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), and is a current member of the corresponding faculty in medicine at Harvard Medical School. As a practicing rheumatologist for over 30 years, Dr. Shmerling engaged in a mix of patient care, teaching, and research. His research interests center on diagnostic studies in patients with musculoskeletal symptoms, and rheumatic and autoimmune diseases. He has published research regarding infectious arthritis, medical ethics, and diagnostic test performance in rheumatic disease. Having retired from patient care in 2019, Dr. Shmerling now works as a senior faculty editor for Harvard Health Publishing.
Twitter: @RobShmerling
Posts by Robert H. Shmerling, MD

Mind & Mood
Right brain/left brain, right?

Robert H. Shmerling, MD
Here’s something completely different for low back pain

Pain
Here's something completely different for low back pain

Robert H. Shmerling, MD
Why coffee might ease your pain (especially if you’re a sleepy mouse)

Staying Healthy
3 reasons to leave earwax alone

Nutrition
Diet not working? Maybe its not your type

Cancer
The problem with tanning (and the myth of the base tan)

Robert H. Shmerling, MD
Can you virtually improve your knee pain?

Robert H. Shmerling, MD
Some medications don’t help back pain as much as we thought

Robert H. Shmerling, MD
The data are in: Eat right, reduce your risk of diabetes

Staying Healthy
Do glucosamine and chondroitin supplements actually work for arthritis?

Exercise & Fitness
Staying active at “that time of the month”

Robert H. Shmerling, MD
What exactly is cupping?

Robert H. Shmerling, MD
The truth behind standing desks

Robert H. Shmerling, MD
What Michelangelo’s hands (can and can’t) tell us about arthritis

Robert H. Shmerling, MD
The truth about tequila and your bones

Robert H. Shmerling, MD
Taking your medications as prescribed: Smartphones can help
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Staying Healthy
How useful is the body mass index (BMI)?

Robert H. Shmerling, MD
My fall last fall: Reaction time and getting older

Exercise & Fitness
Vitamin D and physical function: Is more better?

Robert H. Shmerling, MD
Why men often die earlier than women

Robert H. Shmerling, MD
Kidney stones are on the rise

Robert H. Shmerling, MD
Don't judge your mucus by its color

Robert H. Shmerling, MD