Regular aspirin use may slightly increase the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which causes vision loss in the macula, the part of the eye that controls central vision. But that should not stop the use of aspirin for heart disease.
When buying a hearing aid, it’s easy to be distracted by price and technology. The help and advice of a qualified audiologist can ensure the proper fit and function.
Allergy seasons are worsening, possibly because of climate change. Fighting back against allergy symptoms involves medications and other strategies, such as starting a nasal steroid spray weeks before the spring and wearing a mask for outdoor yard duties.
Damage to small blood vessels in the brain may play a role in causing Alzheimer’s disease, a small study suggests. The study included 20 people who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and 21 who did not have it. It also included 59 people who had mild cognitive impairment. People with this milder memory problem have an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers looked at information from brain scans. In some people, the scans showed amyloid plaque deposits in the brain. This has long been considered a sign of Alzheimer’s disease. Some people also had areas of intense white matter in the brain. These areas indicate damage in small blood vessels. People with amyloid deposits who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s had larger areas of intense white matter than normal subjects.
I was half listening to the television the other night and heard something about kids dying from the choking game. What is that? How can I tell if my child might be playing this game?
In a new survey, about 60% of new mothers who started breastfeeding said they had stopped before they planned. The study included 1,177 U.S. women. They responded to monthly surveys that began when their babies were 2 months old and ended at age 1 year. Women were asked each time whether they had stopped breastfeeding. If the answer was yes, they were asked whether they breastfed as long as they wanted. They also rated the importance of 32 possible reasons for stopping. Problems with breastfeeding ranked at the top of the list. These included difficulties with getting the baby to latch on, cracked or bleeding nipples and infected breasts. The other most common reasons were concerns about the baby’s nutrition and weight, the mother’s illness or need to take medicine, and the effort required to pump milk.
I have high blood pressure. But my blood pressure varies a lot during the day, especially the top number. Which blood pressure reading should I use: the lowest, the highest or the average?