Marijuana/CBD Archive

It's dangerous to keep unneeded or expired medications around the house. But it's bad for the environment to simply flush or throw away the drugs. It's best to dispose of them by bringing them to a drug take-back site (such as a drugstore or law enforcement office) or a medical waste collection site (such as the local landfill). As a last resort, it's okay to toss medications into the trash with careful preparation. The FDA recommends mixing medicines with unappealing substances, such as cat litter or used coffee grounds; placing the mixture in a sealable plastic bag or container; and throwing the bag or container in the trash.

Fatigue is a common symptom that can be caused by a whole host of factors, from medical conditions to stress and poor sleep. In order to ease ongoing fatigue, it's important to investigate and treat the underlying cause. Fatigue that doesn't respond to interventions or is severe or persistent should be brought to the attention of a doctor. It may be caused by a medical condition.

Chronic pain sometimes originates in the pain-sensing nerves as well as injured body tissues.

Beta blockers can slow one's heart rate, which can make gauging intensity during exercise difficult. Monitoring your breathing is a good way to ensure you work out at an intensity that is sufficient and not too high.

Ketamine has been used for decades as an anesthetic, and in 2019 an inhaled version of it was approved by the FDA for treatment-resistant depression. But it is generally prescribed only when other treatments have not been effective.

Many medications claim to relieve migraine pain, but some are more helpful than others. In a large study looking at real-world data on 25 drugs, migraine sufferers rated the most and least helpful options.

Falls are the leading cause of injuries and accidental deaths among Americans 65 and older. Women fall more often than men and are far more likely to show up at an emergency room because of a fall. Women are especially vulnerable to falling due to weaker bones, lower muscle mass, higher rates of incontinence and antidepressant use, and a tendency to multitask. People can reduce their fall risk by doing strength and balance exercises, getting regular vision and hearing exams, reviewing their medications, and keeping floors clutter-free.

A 2023 study suggests that taking low doses of amitriptyline, a tricyclic antidepressant also used to treat nerve pain, may be one of the best pharmacologic choices to help improve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

The weight-loss drug semaglutide is the first obesity treatment shown to help people live longer and have fewer cardiovascular problems. Developed as a drug for type 2 diabetes, semaglutide was first marketed as Ozempic; a higher-dose version for weight loss is called Wegovy. But because the drug is so popular, it can be hard to find, and it might not be covered by insurance.