Recent Articles
An action plan to fight unhealthy inflammation
How to treat spider bites and when you need to see your doctor
Gratitude enhances health, brings happiness — and may even lengthen lives
Skin care for aging skin: Minimizing age spots, wrinkles, and undereye bags
Medicare versus Medicaid: Key differences
Prostate cancer: Short-course radiation as effective as longer-term treatments
Lost a tooth? What to know about dental implants
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy: Evidence-based uses and unproven claims
Gatorade. Liquid IV. Do you need extra electrolytes?
Sexual violence can cast a long shadow on health
Lung Health Archive
Articles
Can't shake that cough?
The average cough, typically due to a cold or other respiratory virus, lasts three weeks or less. A lingering or chronic cough lasts eight weeks or longer. Most causes of chronic cough aren't serious, such as bronchitis, seasonal allergies, or medication side effects. People should see a doctor if over-the-counter treatments haven't worked or if they experience signs such as breathlessness, wheezing, chest pain, blood in the sputum, weight loss, or fatigue. Before an appointment, people should track their cough and note its patterns to offer clues for diagnosis.
Breathe better after a chest cold, flu, pneumonia, or COVID
Sometimes mucus secretions in the lungs can persist after someone starts to get better from a chest cold, flu, pneumonia, or COVID. To cope with the problem, experts recommend two approaches. One is doing exercises that clear the lungs, such as a series of breaths and coughs that dislodges mucus. The other approach is doing exercises that strengthen respiratory muscles. An example is diaphragmatic breathing, a type of deep breathing that relies on the diaphragm muscle located below the lungs.
Who should get an RSV vaccination this year?
In 2024, RSV vaccinations are recommended for infants and young children; everyone ages 75 and older, regardless of health; and people ages 60 to 74 at increased risk for severe RSV, such as people with lung or heart disease or those who live in nursing homes.
Beyond tobacco: Lung cancer in nonsmokers
While cigarette smoking remains the biggest cause of lung cancer, between 15% and 25% of cases globally occur in people who have never smoked. Lung cancer claims more women's lives than breast and ovarian cancer combined. Risk factors among nonsmokers include age, family history, chronic lung conditions, and exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke, radon, diesel fumes, air pollution, and asbestos. People concerned about their risks should discuss it with their doctor, reduce exposure to lung cancer contributors, and get involved in advocacy efforts.
How to stay healthy during a drought
With climate change, rising temperatures are making many regions dry within the US and beyond. The effects of droughts on the planet and our health are complex, and include water shortages, higher risk of disease, changes in habitability, and worse air quality.
One more reason to brush your teeth?
New research suggests that people who are hospitalized in an intensive care unit are far less likely to develop pneumonia if their teeth are brushed twice daily. They also need ventilators for less time, are able to leave the ICU more quickly, and are less likely to die in the ICU.
Still confused after Flovent discontinuation? What to know and do
Until recently, many people with asthma used a medicine called Flovent. It has been discontinued by its manufacturer, leaving users with questions about what to substitute and which medicines their insurance will cover.
Recent Articles
An action plan to fight unhealthy inflammation
How to treat spider bites and when you need to see your doctor
Gratitude enhances health, brings happiness — and may even lengthen lives
Skin care for aging skin: Minimizing age spots, wrinkles, and undereye bags
Medicare versus Medicaid: Key differences
Prostate cancer: Short-course radiation as effective as longer-term treatments
Lost a tooth? What to know about dental implants
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy: Evidence-based uses and unproven claims
Gatorade. Liquid IV. Do you need extra electrolytes?
Sexual violence can cast a long shadow on health
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