Maybe we should add toothbrushes to the bouquet of flowers we bring to friends and family members in the hospital — and make sure to pack one if we wind up there ourselves.

New Harvard-led research published online in JAMA Internal Medicine suggests seriously ill hospitalized patients are far less likely to develop hospital-acquired pneumonia...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: A co-worker recently was diagnosed with oral cancer after a nagging cough led him to the doctor. It got me wondering about the incidence of head and neck cancer and what I should be screened for. I’m in my mid-40s and try to be mindful of getting an annual physical.

ANSWER: There are many types of head and neck cancers, ...Read more

Spring and summer in the U.S. now come with a new normal: days and even weeks where the acrid overhang of wildfire smoke forces us indoors. At its worst, not even shuttered windows can protect us from its effects — the stinging eyes, runny noses and burning lungs.

As the Earth’s climate warms, wildfires tear through a larger swath of land ...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My husband noticed a dark mole on my back when we were swimming. Should I be worried about skin cancer? I do my best to apply sunscreen. What other preventive measures can I take?

ANSWER: If you have a concerning spot on your skin, you should have it evaluated by your primary care team or dermatologist.

There are three major...Read more

Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have a rare point of agreement in their otherwise bitter and divisive contest: It’s up to the government to cut high U.S. drug prices.

Harris cast the tie-breaking Senate vote in 2022 for legislation that allows Medicare to negotiate drug prices for its more than 60 million ...Read more

“We’re losing 300,000 people a year to fentanyl that comes through our border. We had it down to the lowest number and now it’s worse than it’s ever been.”

— Former President Donald Trump at a July 24 campaign rally in Charlotte, North Carolina

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Former President Donald Trump claimed at a recent campaign rally that more than ...Read more

BOSTON — A Massachusetts resident has died from Eastern Equine Encephalitis as the region faces an outbreak from the serious disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes.

This death reported in New Hampshire comes after a man in Massachusetts tested positive for EEE, along with a horse and dozens of mosquito samples. As a result, the Bay State ...Read more

At least 30 travelers from Cuba have brought cases of a potentially deadly virus known as “sloth fever” to Florida this year, including 10 just in the past week.

The virus, also known as Oropouche, is spread to people by infected biting midges (small flies) and some mosquito species. Health officials and mosquito control staff are on high ...Read more

The potentially fatal “sloth fever,” spread by small fly and mosquito bites, has made its way to New York state.

It’s not clear when or where the state’s sole 2024 sloth fever diagnosis occurred.

The illness caused by the Oropouche virus can lead to fever, severe headaches, chills, joint stiffness and muscle pain, according to the ...Read more

BOSTON — A Granite State resident has died from EEE as the region faces an outbreak from the serious disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes.

This death reported in New Hampshire comes after a man in Massachusetts tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis, along with a horse and dozens of mosquito samples. As a result, the Bay State ...Read more

“We’re losing 300,000 people a year to fentanyl that comes through our border. We had it down to the lowest number and now it’s worse than it’s ever been.”

— Former President Donald Trump at a July 24 campaign rally in Charlotte, North Carolina

____

Former President Donald Trump claimed at a recent campaign rally that more than ...Read more

The FDA has approved an updated COVID shot for everyone 6 months old and up, which renews a now-annual quandary for Americans: Get the shot now, with the latest COVID outbreak sweeping the country, or hold it in reserve for the winter wave?

The new vaccine should provide some protection to everyone. But many healthy people who have already been...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Noor Shaik rushed to the bedside of a patient with severe diabetes complications, who had remained upbeat while undergoing surgery to address a foot infection.

The woman was now crying uncontrollably, but not due to pain from her operation that morning. What caused her outburst was that her only hair tie had been lost in the ...Read more

The red flag signs of a hearing-related issue that requires medical attention include sudden hearing loss, or hearing loss in only one ear. Such symptoms should be taken seriously and assessed by a physician, audiologist Stephanie DiSpigno advises.

DiSpigno treats hearing loss and tinnitus (ringing in the ear), and fits patients with hearing ...Read more

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former top U.S. infectious disease expert, was briefly hospitalized earlier this month after contracting West Nile virus. The disease, which tends to peak during summer months, is known for its spread from mosquitoes to mammals causing fever and flu-like symptoms.

Fauci’s hospitalization came weeks after the seventh ...Read more

Although wheelchair users, visually impaired people and others with mobility and physical disabilities need consistent exercise, it’s often hard for them to work out. In many cases, they can’t get access to “adaptive” exercise and sports equipment – meaning machines, weights and other devices that have been modified or engineered ...Read more

The term "freshman 15" often refers to weight gain by students during their first year in college. Many times, it's their first time away from home and their normal routines.

Dr. Denise Millstine, a Mayo Clinic internal medicine physician, shares daily goals for every freshman.

In this season of packing up for college, here's a warning about ...Read more