Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) Archive

Updated national guidelines on hormone therapy after menopause recommend that women use it only for relief of menopause-related symptoms, not to prevent chronic conditions that become likelier with age.

People who have had shingles have a 30% increased risk for heart disease and stroke, says a new Harvard study. Learn more about the risk.

A 2022 study suggests that regular exercise may improve fatigue and physical and emotional well-being among women undergoing radiation treatment for breast cancer.

Hives are red, itchy welts that crop up on the skin. Allergic reactions and stress, among other triggers, can cause episodes of hives, which typically last several days to a couple of weeks. Cases that last six weeks or longer may be autoimmune hives.

Getting at least one dose of a COVID vaccine lowers the risk of developing long COVID even among people who were previously unvaccinated and recovered from COVID.

A new calculation tool that focuses on family history and specific genetic variants may help identify men at high risk for prostate cancer and help determine who would benefit most from routine screening.

Peyronie's disease, a condition marked by extreme curvature of the penis, affects about 3% to 10% of men, usually between the ages of 45 and 60, but also can occur in men older than 60. There is no cure for Peyronie's, and the condition often does not improve on its own, but in mild cases men can maintain a regular sex life. If the curvature is severe, making erections or intercourse painful, treatment may help. Options include traction therapy, drug injections, and surgery.

A 2022 observational study that included more than 200,000 people found that those who'd had shingles at some point had a 30% higher long-term risk for a major cardiovascular event, compared with people who didn't have shingles.

COVID-19 can damage the brain in many ways. Initially, it can cause brain inflammation that causes confusion, difficulty concentrating, and memory problems. COVID also can cause new psychological disorders such as depression or anxiety. It can even cause people to see and hear things that aren't there and to believe things that aren't true. COVID often damages the brain's autonomic nervous system, leading to abnormalities in heart rate and blood pressure. Additionally, the virus that causes COVID can infect and injure the lining of blood vessels and make blood clot more easily, which can lead to strokes and heart attacks.

Doctors used to recommend treating all men with prostate cancer; now they are likely to advise active surveillance for lower-risk cancers. But some men require closer monitoring — so how do they determine which ones?