Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) Archive

An insect known as the kissing bug has the ability to pass along Chagas’ disease to unsuspecting people. While it affects more people in Latin America than in this country, this parasitic disease can still be a problem in the southwestern United States. Most cases of Chagas’ disease pass without much incidence, but it can cause lasting problems. The rates of Chagas’ disease could go up with climate change, and more research is definitely needed. Charles Darwin may be one of the first “researchers” on the subject, but he’s not to be the last.

The CDC and the AAP update their vaccine recommendations every year, and here are the latest changes. These updates show just how important it is to stay on top of research and help increase the effectiveness of each vaccine. The schedule for routine immunizations and catching up kids who get behind can be found on the CDC and AAP websites if you’d like more information.

How to Splint a Fracture

Heimlich Maneuver on an Adult

Heimlich Maneuver on a Child

Heimlich Maneuver on an Infant

Prescription drug ads are a multibillion-dollar industry that promotes treatments you may or may not need. Here's how to use that information to your advantage.

Ads for prescription drugs are everywhere. You can't watch a sporting event without seeing an ad touting a treatment for erectile dysfunction, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or joint pain.

Drug marketing is a big business, and companies are willing to spend a lot of money to offer you an easy solution to a health problem you may or may not have. From 2012 to 2015, yearly spending on prescription drug advertising in all media outlets (except digital) rose from $3.2 billion to $5.2 billion, and that figure is expected to only go up.

Women use kegels to strengthen their pelvic floor muscles, but men may also benefit from doing these exercises.

Image: © Eraxion /Thinkstock

Kegel exercises to strengthen pelvic floor muscles have long been seen as just for women, but they may be a way for men to address some common unpleasant issues as they age.

"Men also can have issues with these muscles, which can cause urinary leakage, bowel trouble, and even erection problems," says physical therapist Celia Brunette, with Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Center.

Frustrated by medical and health care websites? New research suggests seniors don't use this health technology like they should, but it may not be their fault.

Image: © BananaStock/Thinkstock

It's said that you can find just about anything on the Internet. Yet when it comes to finding information about health, many seniors are at a loss.

"Few seniors are using digital health technology," says Dr. David Levine, of Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital, who specializes in medical technology information.

Shoulder pain appears to be associated with risk factors for heart disease. Researchers found that people with the most heart disease risk factors, like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes, were almost five times more likely to also have shoulder trouble.