Harvard Health Content API

Migraines, which affect nearly 40 million Americans, are likely vastly underdiagnosed and undertreated. Women are three times more likely to get migraines than men, and hormones appear to be a major trigger. Other triggers include stress, disrupted sleep patterns, hunger or dehydration, certain foods or medications, and bright lights or loud noise. Newer medications are more targeted and pose fewer side effects. They include CGRP (calcitonin gene-related peptide) blockers, more effective nasal sprays, and green light therapy.

Discussing sexually transmitted infections (STIs) at the start of a new relationship can protect both partners’ health. Many STIs don’t cause symptoms. Couples can test for STIs together or separately and share results before becoming intimate.

Ears can feel clogged due to impacted earwax, swollen or blocked eustachian tubes, or hearing loss. If the sensation persists, a doctor should examine a person’s ears and hearing.

Three-quarters of women experience painful sex at some point, and up to six in 10 report painful sex during the transition to menopause and beyond. Childbirth, menopause, and a condition called hypertonic pelvic floor contribute play a role in many cases of painful sex, though other health problems and treatments can contribute as well. Treatment options include lubricants, vaginal moisturizers, vaginal estrogen, and pelvic floor physical therapy.

Taking antihypertension drugs to lower blood pressure that also stimulate type 2 and 4 angiotensin II receptors in the brain may offer protection against Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

People who follow a combination of healthy diet plans that share similar traits may have a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Doing five minutes of light walking for every 30 minutes of sitting can help offset the harmful effects of sitting for long periods.

Rinsing your nasal cavity with a saline solution using a neti pot or small ball syringe can be a simple and inexpensive way to find relief from common sinus problems.

Men with low-risk prostate cancer continue to choose active surveillance as their course of action, meaning they monitor their cancer and don’t seek treatment unless it becomes worse. While this wait-and-see approach may appear passive in nature, it’s an opportunity for men to take charge of their health and make lifestyle changes that could improve their cancer outcome and offer protection against other health risks, like heart disease.

Loneliness is one of the greatest health risks facing older adults. The antidote to loneliness is more social engagement. Developing new friendships and maintaining existing ones is one of the best ways for people to remain socially active. Recreating the environments and settings where men first built long-lasting friendships, like the workplace and sports, can help them find friends and expand their social circle.