PHILADELPHIA -- As one of Philadelphia’s first vaccine ambassadors, Dominai Taylor’s capacity for listening is equally as important as her compassion for those she listens to.

During her weekly visits to city-operated shelters to speak about the COVID-19 vaccine with people experiencing homelessness, Taylor, 38, who is currently ...Read more

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — With new COVID cases in Florida on the rise, taking an easy-to-get rapid test can give you quick results.

But the timing has become tricky.

If you have COVID-19 symptoms, such as fever, cough, congestion or a sore throat, test yourself immediately but know that a negative result may mean that you swabbed too early.

�...Read more

On a humid August afternoon in 2020, two caskets ― one silver, one white ― sat by holes in the ground at a small, graveside service in the town of Travelers Rest, South Carolina.

The family had just lost a mom and dad, both to COVID-19.

“They died five days apart,” said Allison Leaver, their daughter who now lives in Maryland with her ...Read more

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- With COVID-19 cases rising again in the Bay Area, parents have a new consideration for protecting their children this week: The Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization Tuesday for kids ages 5-11 to get a booster shot of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine.

So should they? Tuesday’s announcement didn’t ...Read more

Studies show that most Americans don’t get enough of several important nutrients from their diets. A multivitamin/mineral supplement can help fill in those nutrient gaps. But does it make scientific sense to choose a supplement specifically tailored to men or women? There is some rationale behind creating gender-specific supplements, but the ...Read more

Longer days and warmer weather are a happy indication that cantaloupe season is just around the corner. And while you can usually find this delicious melon variety in grocery stores year-round, it’ll be most delicious when in season, which can start as early as April or as late as August, depending on where you live.

Cantaloupe may not be the...Read more

When you hear the phrase tooth loss, what comes to mind first? Trauma? Tooth decay? The tooth fairy? While all of these are acceptable associations, there are many more factors involved in tooth loss. From a population perspective, older Americans are keeping their teeth longer, according to a 2016 study. In fact, complete tooth loss has ...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I have a congenital heart defect and my initial surgery at 32 was complicated. I continue to have heart problems. At my last visit, my cardiologist said I would likely need another surgery. I’m afraid to have another procedure. How do I know if I need one, and why would a revision be needed?

ANSWER: Patients with moderate to...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I swim for exercise and relaxation. I try to get in the pool about three times a week. Recently, I have begun to have episodes where it feels like water is still in my ear. Then my ear becomes red and painful. A friend suggested I might have swimmer's ear. Is this something that is easy to treat? Do I need to stop swimming?

...Read more

May is National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month, which makes this a good time to learn more about this bone disease. Osteoporosis affects approximately 10 million people in the U.S., 80% of whom are women, according to the Office on Women's Health.

Osteoporosis causes bones to become weak and brittle — so brittle that a fall or ...Read more

The stark divides and murky legalities of how U.S. states handle abortion rights may be most intense at the northwest corner of the country.

Less than two months before a leaked Supreme Court document signaled the imminent demise of Roe v. Wade, the governors of Washington and Idaho signed diametrically opposite abortion bills. Washington ...Read more

The average healthy woman begins menopause at 51, though some women will begin in their 40s or in their late 50s. It's a natural biological process that marks the time a woman ends her menstrual cycle.

During National Women's Health Week, health care professionals at Mayo Clinic want to remind all women that mood swings, hot flashes and ...Read more

As the Supreme Court appears poised to return abortion regulation to the states, recent experience in Texas illustrates that medical care for miscarriages and dangerous ectopic pregnancies would also be threatened if restrictions become more widespread.

One Texas law passed last year lists several medications as abortion-inducing drugs and ...Read more

It’s estimated that millions of people in the U.S. use period-tracking apps to plan ahead, track when they are ovulating, and monitor other health effects. The apps can help signal when a period is late.

After Politico published on May 2 a draft opinion from the Supreme Court indicating that Roe v. Wade, the law that guarantees the ...Read more

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, which makes this and good time to learn about the three main types of skin cancer and what you can do to keep yourself healthy.

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. And most skin cancers are preventable.

The three main types of skin cancer are:

•Basal ...Read more

A uterine fibroid is a benign or noncancerous growth of the muscle portion of the uterus. While common, they may cause pain and excessive bleeding, and concerns about fertility and pregnancy for some.

Dr. Michelle Louie, a Mayo Clinic gynecologic surgeon and fibroid specialist, says it is important to know your treatment options and work with a...Read more

MANKATO, Minn. — Learning your ABCs can alert you to changes in moles that could signal melanoma — the most serious type of skin cancer.

For Skin Cancer Awareness Month in May, Mayo Clinic Health System is reminding people that while most moles are harmless and rarely become cancerous, monitoring them is still an important step in detecting...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I love the changing seasons and am looking forward to the warmer days of spring. Unfortunately, I am often miserable because of seasonal allergies. What can I do to keep the box of tissues at bay and enjoy the springtime weather?

ANSWER: As we flip the calendars to April and May, spring is in the air. Warmer springtime ...Read more