Victoria Cooper thought her drinking habits in college were just like everyone else’s. Shots at parties. Beers while bowling. Sure, she got more refills than some and missed classes while nursing hangovers, but she couldn’t have a problem, she thought.

“Because of what my picture of alcoholism was — old men who brown-bagged it in a ...Read more

June is Migraine and Headache Awareness Month, which makes this a good time to learn more about one of the most painful types of headache: the cluster headache.

Cluster headaches occur in cyclical patterns or cluster periods that can last from weeks to months. During a cluster period, headaches usually occur daily, sometimes several times a day...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My 7-year-old son developed a small pink bump on his arm recently. Soon we started noticing more on his back and under his arms. His pediatrician said they were called "molluscum," and we didn't have to do anything about them. But I am worried about them spreading to his little sister. What are these spots, and should I be ...Read more

Kasmirah Scarbrough wants people to know that infertility is not a dirty word.

The Montgomery, Illinois, resident has been on a journey to have a baby with her husband, Derick, since 2010.

“It’s a roller coaster of emotions,” she said. “It’s hope, it’s fear, it’s loss. It’s a constant barrage of ‘I feel really good about this...Read more

Given that 90% of adults are caffeine users, you'd think that hospitals might consider what those orders not to eat or drink before and after surgical procedures might mean for people who have to miss their daily doses of coffee, tea or Diet Coke.

Caffeine withdrawal = fatigue, nausea, muscle pain and wicked headaches.

Jeffrey Goldberger, a ...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: About a year ago, I had a heart transplant and I've been doing well since. At a recent follow-up visit, my transplant doctor recommended a skin check with a dermatologist. What's the connection?

ANSWER: It's always a good idea to be evaluated by a dermatologist for a baseline skin check, regardless of your past medical history...Read more

In the 1960s, health care across the Mississippi Delta was sparse and much of it was segregated. Some hospitals were dedicated to Black patients, but they often struggled to stay afloat. At the height of the civil rights movement, young Black doctors launched a movement of their own to address the care disparity.

“Mississippi was Third World ...Read more

My mom got on TikTok before I did. I wish I could pretend like this was some big shock — my Gen X mom scrolling with the likes of Gen Z! — but it wasn't.

This was her first experience on any social media platform. She wasn't interested in keeping up with the drama of her childhood friends on Facebook or following celebrity chatter on ...Read more

The announcement of a new drug to treat Alzheimer’s disease was greeted this week with celebration and skepticism. The Food and Drug Administration approved the use of the drug Aduhelm over the objections of an FDA advisory committee and expert panels that questioned the medicine’s effectiveness in trials.

Almost immediately, the drugmaker�...Read more

Jun. 8—In December, after more than four years of medical monitoring while keeping his early-stage prostate cancer secret from his family, Michael Nutter had the walnut-size organ removed.

Now, fully recovered — fully, he stressed — the former Philadelphia mayor is advocating that men undergo regular screening for prostate cancer with the...Read more

CHICAGO – As Illinois reopens and people catch up on long-postponed checkups and health care, some patients have a new question for their doctors: Are you vaccinated?

Many providers say they’re happy to share that information with patients, in hopes of assuaging their fears about getting the shots. But it’s not always easy information for...Read more

UnitedHealthcare wants to stop paying for non-emergency care that's provided in emergency rooms, a move that doctors and hospitals are criticizing for its potential to stop patients from quickly getting care in situations they believe are emergencies.

Officials at Minnetonka-based UnitedHealthcare, which is the nation's largest health insurer, ...Read more

We’ve become a snacking nation, and in fact, the idea of snacking has lost its stigma. What was once discouraged as a “spoiler of appetites” has now come to be considered a healthful habit, but it can be easy to forget that not all snacks are considered equally healthy.

Pay attention to the driving force behind the snack — are you ...Read more

While one of the most iconic uses for the ever-popular green bean is in a creamy casserole at the holidays, fresh beans purchased in season at your local market can’t be beat. Their peak season is June through September, when you can find them in grocery stores, farmers markets and roadside stands.

Green beans are a tasty, low-calorie and ...Read more

As someone who struggled with a miserable opiate addiction for 10 years, and who has treated hundreds of people for various addictions, I am increasingly impressed with the ways in which mind-body medicine can be a critical component of recovery from addiction.

Mind-body medicine is the use of behavioral and lifestyle interventions, such as ...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Our toddler has shown signs that she might be allergic to our dog. We have had our dog for eight years, and the dog seems to be fond of our daughter. Do you have any tips for how we can safely keep our dog without sacrificing our child’s health?

ANSWER: Pets are an important part of many families. In most cases, you should ...Read more

Alphonso Harried recently came across a newspaper clipping about his grandfather receiving his 1,000th dialysis treatment. His grandfather later died — at a dialysis center — as did his uncle, both from kidney disease.

“And that comes in my mind, on my weak days: ‘Are you going to pass away just like they did?’” said Harried, 46, ...Read more

LGBTQ Pride Month is celebrated each June to commemorate the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or gender nonconforming people have had, and continue to have, on society. While millions may celebrate, many members of the LGBTQ community continue to experience stigma and keep their identity hidden. That may mean not sharing ...Read more

As more people are vaccinated for COVID-19, many are looking forward to being able to travel again. While many restrictions have been lifted, COVID-19 has not gone away. So how safe is it to travel?

Dr. Stacey Rizza, a Mayo Clinic infectious diseases specialist, answers questions about traveling at this point in the pandemic.

Q. What is the ...Read more

Screening for colorectal cancer is now recommended for all people, beginning at age 45 rather than 50. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently updated its guidelines to begin screening five years earlier because of the increase in younger people developing colorectal cancer.

"What we're seeing now is more people developing colorectal ...Read more