Approaching a van that distributes supplies for safer drug use in Greenfield, Massachusetts, a man named Kyle noticed an alert about xylazine.

“Xylazine?” he asked, sounding out the unfamiliar word. “Tell me more.”

A street-outreach team from Tapestry Health Systems delivered what’s becoming a routine warning. Xylazine is an animal ...Read more

Brykyta Shelton found herself standing in a checkout line of a big-box retailer, uncomfortably aware as a woman ahead of her stared at her sandaled feet.

Shelton had been taking medication for months for what her doctor said was toenail fungus, but one nail still looked gross.

After Shelton completed her purchase, the woman pulled her aside ...Read more

The battle was just beginning for Le Roy Torres and his wife, Rosie, when the Army captain returned to Texas in 2008, already starting to suffer from the toxic substances he’d inhaled from the 10-acre burn pit at Camp Anaconda in Balad, Iraq.

Along the way, Le Roy would lose the job he loved as a Texas state trooper and take his fight all the...Read more

The death of Australian superstar Olivia Newton-John has drawn attention to an often misunderstood stage of breast cancer — metastatic breast cancer.

Newton-John was first diagnosed with breast cancer in the 1990s and spent 25 years in remission. When the cancer returned in 2017, this time in her spine, she fostered greater public awareness ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — By the fall of 2020, the pandemic’s first year, doctors treating hospitalized COVID-19 patients said they were starting to get the regimen down to a science. They learned when to put patients on ventilators, administer steroids, and deploy an expanding array of newer drugs.

Yet the latest data from Pennsylvania and the U.S. ...Read more

Now that most Americans have been infected with COVID — more than 70%, according to a recent estimate from the White House — the rest of us are the outliers.

There’s been lots of speculation about what makes us different.

Is it genetics, diet, exercise, good air quality or, as one South Korean doctor implied, are we just friendless ...Read more

As the school year approaches, you probably turn your attention to purchasing required supplies, buying new clothes and creating a smooth morning routine. However, to truly streamline your back-to-school season, don’t forget to focus on the most trafficked area of the house: the kitchen. After all, it’s the setting for speedy breakfasts, ...Read more

Many people live for the glory of cheating on their diets. This concept of eating your favorite treats while otherwise following what you consider an optimal diet is often referred to as “cheat meals.”

Many nutrition experts recommend that people don’t try to be a dietary saint all of the time and incorporate some leeway into an otherwise...Read more

Various versions of low-carbohydrate diets have been popular for many years. The details of what is allowed and what is not vary quite a bit, and the amount of carbohydrates also differs. Too often these diets contain plates piled high with bacon, meat, eggs, and cheese. Due to the high saturated fat content in these diets, doctors and ...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My friend’s father recently died from a medication error. One of his prescriptions was filled incorrectly and caused a fatal reaction. I take multiple medications for various conditions. How can I reduce my risk for a medication error?

ANSWER: Medication errors refer to mistakes in prescribing and dispensing medications. ...Read more

When I first was outed at age 14, I realized I would have to learn how to navigate a world that didn’t fully accept me. Part of that was figuring out how to access health care as a gay person and a minor at odds with his parents. Though my family knew of my sexuality, they didn’t accept it.

It’s especially hard for LGBTQ+ teens to receive...Read more

August is Summer Sun Safety Month, which makes this a good time to learn more about protecting yourself and your family from the harmful effects of ultraviolet, or UV, radiation from sunlight.

Exercising and enjoying time outdoors are important for good health. Staying protected from the sun will allow you and your family to do so safely.

...Read more

Did you stock up on rapid at-home COVID-19 tests only to realize they all expire much sooner than you expected?

Don’t toss them just yet. The Food and Drug Administration recently updated its guidance on COVID test expiration dates after researchers discovered some tests have a longer shelf life than originally believed.

“Most people who ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Why are we talking about smallpox again?

The virus is estimated to have killed more than 300 million people in the 20th century. But by 1980, thanks to a successful vaccination campaign, it was eradicated. No one today receives routine childhood vaccinations for smallpox, because you can't catch it anymore.

But the disease is ...Read more

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a health advisory, asking clinicians and public health departments to be on the lookout for infants with parechovirus infections. This follows reports of infections in newborns and young infants in multiple states.

Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a Mayo Clinic pediatric infectious diseases expert...Read more

When Congress passed the Affordable Care Act in 2010, its authors cited three overarching goals: to improve access to health care, to slow rising medical costs and to improve health outcomes.

One of the main vehicles for achieving all three missions was a requirement that health insurers provide preventive health care services at no cost to ...Read more

Stress is an inevitable part of life. It is nearly impossible to remove all stress from day-to-day life. Stress is physiological and psychological responses to situations the body and mind find to be overwhelming.

Even situations perceived as good, like getting married, starting a new job or becoming a parent, can produce significant stress. ...Read more

DENVER -- A study in Denver is trying to determine whether a history of concussions increases a person’s odds of developing cognitive or psychological symptoms of long COVID, and, if so, whether that points to new ways to treat the post-viral condition.

Daniel Linseman, a professor at the University of Denver who studies diseases and injuries...Read more

Checking your child's hearing should be on your back-to-school list. Dr. Kelly Conroy, a Mayo Clinic audiologist, says children with an undiagnosed hearing issue can face both academic and social struggles.

You know your child can see the video board, but what if he can't hear the teacher?

"Hearing loss on school performance is quite impactful...Read more