Learning more about the signs, symptoms, and treatments of this neuromuscular disorder can help patients and caregivers make better health management decisions. Key takeaways: SMA affects infants, children, and adults SMA has four classifications based on how early it appears and the level of...

June is National Scoliosis Awareness Month, a time to spread awareness about this condition and the strategies to prevent it from progressing. Early diagnosis and the right treatment plan can help manage scoliosis and reduce the risk of further curvature.  Scoliosis, an abnormal sideways...

New technology is impacting preventive care and advancing home health care in countless ways, offering more convenience, efficiency, and cost savings. Technology is revolutionizing preventative care, transforming how health care providers diagnose, treat, and monitor patient health. Home health...

The guidance on COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters in 2022 is always evolving. Here are the most current recommendations from the global health authorities. Key takeaways: Three manufacturers are approved to distribute vaccines. Age and current health details affect who is eligible. Some...

The fight against the coronavirus continues. Here’s what you need to know about the COVID-19 variants in 2022 so you can stay informed and safe. The coronavirus is proving as robust as the ongoing attempts to contain and eradicate it, and the list of COVID-19 variants in 2022 continues to...

Walmart launches cheaper rapid-acting insulin In June, Walmart announced its plans to sell its own private brand analog insulin, ReliOn Novolog (insulin aspart) at significantly lower prices than the currently available brands. As any diabetic will tell you, insulin prices have skyrocketed in...

Do you struggle with asthma in the winter months? If so, you are not alone. Asthma affects more than 26 million Americans and is the most common chronic disease among children, according to figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The cold weather and cold air that comes...

Nearly half (49 percent) of all adolescents aged between 13 and 17 were up-to-date with their human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines in 2017, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The organization’s latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)...

Last year saw record levels of diagnoses of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), according to the latest data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  In 2017, nearly 2.3 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis were diagnosed in the United States,...

Children and obese adults infected with influenza A, also known as the flu, transmit the virus longer than adults of a normal weight, according to a recent study.  Obesity is already recognized as a factor that increases the risk of severe complications as a result of influenza, yet new...

Pharmaceutical manufacturer Bayer will stop selling and distributing the Essure permanent contraceptive device in the United States after December 31st, 2018, the company announced last week.  The product is the only permanent non-surgical form of birth control available in the US and is...

Over one-third (34.2 percent) of adults living in America’s rural counties are obese, according to the latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  Obesity prevalence was significantly higher among adults in the nation’s...

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) has issued guidelines to help older adults reduce the risk of hyperthermia, or heat-related health conditions, during the hot summer months.  Seniors are particularly vulnerable to heat-related ailments, such as heat stroke, heat edema, heat cramps, heat...

Less than one-quarter of Americans get the government-recommended amount of exercise, according to an annual health survey published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  The National Health Statistics Report examined responses to an annual survey and found only 23 percent...

Americans have been urged to take precautions to protect against ultraviolet (UV) radiation and skin cancer during the hotter months of the year. In a statement issued by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, highlighted the dangers and prevalence of skin...

Among white and Hispanic people born after 1965, rates of lung cancer are now higher in women than men, according to researchers from the American Cancer Society and National Cancer Institute.  The study, published last month in the New England Journal of Medicine, revealed an overall decline...

The average American should start regular colorectal cancer screenings at the age of 45, according to new guidelines issued by the American Cancer Society (ACS). Previous recommendations from the organization suggested people at average risk of the condition should begin a screening schedule at the...

One in three waterborne disease outbreaks in the United States between 2000 and 2014 occurred in hotel pools and hot tubs, according to recent findings published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report found more than half the...

Bariatric surgery could halve the chance of severely obese teens developing premature heart disease or having a stroke, according to new research. The model presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions 2018...

Improving early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease could significantly reduce healthcare costs in the United States, according to a new report from the Alzheimer’s Association. Up to $7.9 trillion could be saved in both health and long-term care expenditure in the United States if more...