Harvard Health Content API

Screening methods for colorectal cancer continue to evolve. Stool tests are becoming more accurate, and it appears that an experimental blood test might one day provide another effective screening option. The most accurate colorectal cancer screening is a colonoscopy, which allows a doctor to peer inside the colon and rectum, find cancers, and remove potentially precancerous polyps on the spot to prevent future cancer. It’s unclear if a stool or blood test will ever be as good for screening as a colonoscopy.

Many people believe they have allergies to certain medications, even though they really don’t. It could be that they experienced only a drug side effect after taking a particular drug, not a true allergic reaction (which is an immune system response). Unfortunately, inaccurate information can limit treatment options. So it’s best to confirm a suspected drug allergy with an allergist. That typically involves getting a simple skin test or taking a very small dose of the medication in question in the presence of a medical team.

A 2024 study found that people who exercise regularly are much less likely to get COVID-19 or be hospitalized with it, compared with people who don’t exercise regularly. That’s because exercise keeps the immune system strong and able to fight off infection. Exercise enhances the ability of white blood cells to do battle; stimulates the production of antibodies in the lining of the nose, throat, breathing tubes, and lungs; and keeps the immune system from overreacting to infections and harming the body.

Putting excessive stress on muscles can overstretch or tear muscle fibers. The resulting injury is called a muscle strain. The damage could be a small nick or lesion on muscle tissue. In severe cases, the muscle can rip into two separate pieces. If pain isn’t severe, it helps to take a break from intense activity, massage the muscle or use topical creams containing menthol, take over-the-counter painkillers, stretch the muscle gently, get enough sleep, eat protein at every meal, and consume lots of fluids. If pain persists, it’s best to see a doctor.

Intermittent fasting may help people lose weight and improve their cholesterol levels and other heart-related risks. One form of intermittent fasting is time-restricted eating, during which people eat only during a certain time window (usually eight hours) each day. Another approach, alternate-day fasting, involves fasting or significantly limiting calories for one or two days per week. But it’s hard to maintain over the long run due to the challenges of following a strict eating schedule while juggling various work, family, and social commitments.

Health insurance companies sometimes require prior authorization for new, expensive medications. The high price patients pay for these drugs is related to complexities in health insurance coverage.

Cardiac rehabilitation, a personalized program of supervised exercise and heart-healthy lifestyle coaching, helps people recover from heart-related problems, including stable angina, heart attack, heart surgery, and stable heart failure. A 12-week program helps people regain their stamina, enabling them to resume their favorite activities, and may also lessen stress and depression. Cardiac rehab is also proven to lower the risk of future heart-related illness and hospitalization and may help people live longer.