Category: harvardhealth_news_UNDEFINED

Retinal migraines cause temporary blindness or vision changes in just one eye. They are three times as common in women as men. Retinal migraines last from 10 minutes to an hour and arrive with or just after the start of the headache. Symptoms may seem similar to what can happen during a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke. People who experience new vision changes, even temporary ones, should seek medical attention.

People with insomnia can quiet a racing mind or relax a tense body with progressive muscle relaxation, which involves gradually tensing and relaxing muscles, beginning with the toes and working up the body.

A 2023 study found that people who exercise in the morning, specifically between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., have a lower risk of obesity than those who are most active in the midday or evening.

A 2023 analysis suggests that men older than age 70 can fight declining testosterone levels by engaging more in healthy lifestyle behaviors like increasing exercise, losing weight, and managing high blood pressure.

Dietary choices can influence weight, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar levels, all factors that can determine a person’s risk for heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. Adopting certain eating habits can help manage these factors. These include reducing the intake of saturated fat and refined sugar that are included in many processed foods, eating more healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, and following a plant-based diet like the Mediterranean or DASH diet.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression that begins in late fall and early winter, is caused by lack of sunlight exposure. Common symptoms of SAD include lack of sexual energy, overeating, problems sleeping, and social withdrawal. SAD is also associated with impaired cognitive function. Getting more sunlight from being outdoors or sitting in front of a sunlit window helps stimulate the brain’s 24-hour sleep-wake clock. Taking antidepressants and using light therapy (which involves sitting in front of a light box) also can help manage SAD.

Pickleball continues to soar in popularity, especially among older adults. Unfortunately, more playing can lead to court-related injuries, the most common being strains and sprains in the legs and knees, and wrist sprains and fractures from falls. Pickleball injury prevention is threefold: performing lower-body strength exercises, such as lunges, squats, and heel raises, at least twice a week; doing a dynamic warm-up before playing; and working on agility and balance, which can help improve footwork and reduce the risk of falling.

Many men diagnosed with low-grade prostate cancer follow active surveillance, in which they regularly follow up with a doctor for routine PSA tests, prostate biopsies, and possibly MRI scans. If there is evidence their cancer has progressed, then they can consider treatment (radiation or surgery). While there is little men can do to slow the growth of known low-grade prostate cancer, losing excess weight and keeping it off may help keep undetected high- or medium-grade cancer from becoming more aggressive.

Many people end up taking a long list of medications when they might be able to safely reduce the number of daily pills. Reviewing medications with their specialists and primary care doctor can help determine which drugs may be reduced or perhaps discontinued.

Most acute back pain happens because of weak muscles related to aging and inactivity. Symptoms usually last a few days, but pain and stiffness sometimes linger for a couple of weeks or longer. Frequent episodes can make people less active, as they are fearful about straining their back. Managing acute back pain is a two-step approach. First, treat the pain with over-the-counter remedies, cold and heat therapy, and rest, and then strengthen the back muscles and improve flexibility to prevent recurrent back pain episodes.