SMall Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE): It ’s what’s new in laser vision correction
The goal of laser vision correction (LVC) is to eliminate or reduce the need for glasses and contact lenses. LVC treats three basic refractive errors: myopia (nearsightedness), astigmatism (blurring of vision due to non-spherical shape of the eye), and hyperopia (farsightedness).
During an LVC procedure, the cornea — the clear dome on the surface of the eye — is reshaped in order to correct the refractive error. The different techniques to perform LVC are laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK), phototherapeutic refractive keratectomy (PRK), and small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE).
LASIK and PRK
LASIK, the most co...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - May 14, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Kathryn Hatch, MD Tags: Eye Health Source Type: blogs
Why your sleep and wake cycles affect your mood
It’s no accident that most people tend to sleep at night and are awake during the day. Our sleep-wake cycle is determined by our circadian rhythm, the body’s internal clock. Like old-time clocks, this internal clock needs to be reset every day, and is adjusted by first exposure to light in the morning.
How does circadian rhythm work?
Our circadian rhythms are controlled by multiple genes and are responsible for a variety of important functions, including daily fluctuations in wakefulness, body temperature, metabolism, digestion, and hunger. Circadian rhythm also controls memory consolidation (the formation of long-term...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - May 13, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Lawrence Epstein, MD Tags: Behavioral Health Mental Health Sleep Source Type: blogs
Do adults really need tetanus booster shots?
If you haven’t had a tetanus booster shot in the past decade, your doctor may recommend getting one. Many people think of a tetanus shot as something you only need if you step on a rusty nail. Yet even in the absence of a puncture wound, this vaccine is recommended for all adults at least every 10 years. But why? A group of researchers recently questioned whether you need to repeat tetanus vaccines on a regular schedule.
What is a tetanus booster?
Booster shots are repeat vaccinations you receive after your first series of immunizations as a child. Protection from certain vaccines can wane over time, which is why doctors...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - May 12, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Sara W. Dong, MD Tags: Health Men's Health Vaccines Women's Health Source Type: blogs
Platelet-rich plasma: Does the cure for hair loss lie within our blood?
Platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, is derived from the bloodstream and has been used for years to treat musculoskeletal conditions, and more recently, skin conditions. Colloquially termed “vampire” treatments, PRP injected into the skin or used after microneedling (a technique that uses small needles to create microscopic skin wounds) may help to improve skin texture and appearance. Recently, PRP has garnered attention as a promising solution for one of the most challenging problems in dermatology: hair loss.
Platelets and hair growth: What’s the connection?
Platelets are one of four primary components of blood (the other...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - May 11, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Neera Nathan, MD, MSHS Tags: Health Skin and Hair Care Source Type: blogs
What to eat to reduce your risk of Alzheimer ’s disease
Would you like reduce your risk of cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, and dementia? Researchers from around the world having been studying a variety of different factors that might reduce these risks and keep the brain healthy.
Old news: The Mediterranean diet is beneficial
One factor that a number of studies have converged on is a Mediterranean-style diet. This diet includes
fish
olive oil
avocados
fruits
vegetables
nuts
beans
whole grains
red wine in moderation.
Now, if you’re like me and you happen to like all these foods, then you have all the information you need to eat a brain-healthy diet. On the other...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - May 8, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Andrew E. Budson, MD Tags: Alzheimer's Disease Health Healthy Eating Memory Source Type: blogs
Your headaches are getting worse. Do you need an imaging test?
Headache is a very common condition that affects up to 60% of the world’s population. In general, headache can be classified into two main categories: primary and secondary headaches. A primary headache is related to increased sensitivities, but not structural alterations of brain tissues. Common primary headaches are migraine with and without aura, tension-type headache, and trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias (headaches, such as cluster headache, that also involve facial pain and autonomic symptoms such as tear production and nasal congestion). Secondary headaches have various underlying causes including structural vascu...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - May 7, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Hsinlin Thomas Cheng, MD, PhD Tags: Headache Tests and procedures Source Type: blogs
All rise now — just how fit are you?
How fit are you, really? Fitness is not always best measured by parameters like your weight, your ability to run a 5K, or whether you can do 10 push-ups. Instead, one test of fitness is how well you can stand from a seated position.
Try this: Rise from the floor without using your hands
Before you start: Keep in mind that this test is not for everyone. For instance, someone with a sore knee, arthritis, poor balance, or another kind of limitation would have difficulty doing the test with little or no assistance.
Instructions: Sit on the floor with your legs crossed or straight out. Now stand up again. (This may not an easy ...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - May 6, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Matthew Solan Tags: Exercise and Fitness Health Healthy Aging Men's Health Women's Health Source Type: blogs
Go to the hospital if you need emergency care, even in the era of COVID-19
In the era of COVID-19, the hospital must be a place of mystery to those on the outside. I imagine some think it’s bustling with activity, with caregivers scurrying around at a frenetic pace. Of course, we’ve seen video on the news from hard-hit New York City or Lombardy, Italy, when they were at their initial peak of the COVID-19 epidemic. But the reality is that, in most hospitals around the country, it is actually somewhat calmer than usual.
This calm makes sense given the mandate for social distancing, working from home, and canceling nonessential activities. What doesn’t make sense is this: in the emergency depa...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - May 5, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Scott Weiner, MD Tags: Emergency Planning Heart Health Hypertension and Stroke Source Type: blogs
Think your baby is allergic to cow ’s milk?
When young infants develop vomiting, diarrhea, and fussiness, some of them are diagnosed as having an allergy to cow’s milk protein. When that diagnosis is made, babies on formula have to switch to a specialized formula — and the mothers of breastfeeding babies have to eliminate all dairy from their diets.
The problem is that specialized formulas are very expensive, which can be a real burden for families. And eliminating all dairy from your diet can be very difficult (it’s surprising how many foods have some dairy in them), leading some mothers to stop breastfeeding.
If every baby that was diagnosed with cow’s mil...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - May 5, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Claire McCarthy, MD Tags: Allergies Children's Health Parenting Source Type: blogs
Are sugar substitutes too sweet to be true?
About 40% of adults use low-calorie sweeteners, and most of those people do so at least once daily. While these sugar substitutes are most commonly consumed in beverages, they’re also eaten in foods and used in place of sugar to stir into coffee or sprinkle over cereal.
The presence of such sweeteners in our foods isn’t always apparent, though phrases like “light,” “no sugar added,” “sugar-free,” or “low-calorie” mean there’s a good chance they contain a sugar substitute. People are often unsure about whether to consume these items, and for good reason.
An alphabet soup of sugar substitutes
There are ...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - May 4, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Emily Gelsomin, MLA, RD, LDN Tags: Diet and Weight Loss Health Healthy Eating Source Type: blogs
Is it time to give up your annual mammogram?
If you dread your annual mammogram, you’re not alone. For many women, this breast cancer screening examination can be painful, stressful, and just an overall hassle.
You may wonder, are you old enough to give it up? If you’re over age 75, the answer is: maybe or maybe not. The fact is, breast cancer screening isn’t right for all older adults, but there’s no expert consensus on the right age to stop. This is mostly because scientific evidence in this area is lacking, says Dr. Kathryn Rexrode, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and chief of the Division of Women’s Health at Brigham and Women...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - May 1, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Kelly Bilodeau Tags: Breast Cancer Healthy Aging Managing your health care Screening Women's Health Source Type: blogs
COVID-19 and the LGBTQ+ community: Rising to unique challenges
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, new challenges arise each day for people across the world. Some of these challenges particularly affect the LGBTQ+ community. This unique time calls for LGBTQ+-specific resources and new ways to connect and cope.
Minority stress in the LGBTQ+ community
Unrelated to COVID-19, this community faces minority stress based on anti-LGBTQ+ stigma that is harmful for their health and well-being (see key articles here and here). Those among us who are also racial/ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, immigrants, and people with low income may experience compounded minority stress at the int...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - April 30, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Sabra L. Katz-Wise, PhD Tags: Anxiety and Depression Health Health care disparities Mental Health Source Type: blogs
Weight loss can help head off lasting damage caused by fatty liver
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is the most common cause of liver disease in the United States, and is estimated to affect up to a quarter of adults in the world. It is defined by excess fat accumulating in the liver and usually occurs in people with obesity, high blood sugars (diabetes), abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels, or high blood pressure. These disorders often run together and as a group are called metabolic syndrome. The “non-alcoholic” part of “non-alcoholic fatty liver disease” is important to distinguish it from alcohol-related liver disease, which can also cause excess liver fat.
How fat ca...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - April 30, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Irun Bhan, MD Tags: Diet and Weight Loss Digestive Disorders Source Type: blogs
Harvard Health Ad Watch: An arthritis ad in 4 parts
Perhaps you’ve grown as weary as I have of repeated arthritis ads. They appear in frequent rotation on television, online, and in magazines, promoting Enbrel, Humira, Otezla, Xeljanz, and others.
If you’ve actually read or listened to these ads, you might have felt perplexed at certain points. Here’s a quick rundown on what they’re saying — and not saying — in one of those ads.
“The clock is ticking”
Part 1: A teakettle whistles on the stove and a disembodied voice speaks as this ad for Humira opens. “This is your wakeup call. If you have moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, month after month the cloc...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - April 29, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Robert H. Shmerling, MD Tags: Arthritis Bones and joints Health Inflammation Source Type: blogs
Harvard Health AdWatch: An arthritis ad in 4 parts
Perhaps you’ve grown as weary as I have of repeated arthritis ads. They appear in frequent rotation on television, online, and in magazines, promoting Enbrel, Humira, Otezla, Xeljanz, and others.
If you’ve actually read or listened to these ads, you might have felt perplexed at certain points. Here’s a quick rundown on what they’re saying — and not saying — in one of those ads.
“The clock is ticking”
Part 1: A teakettle whistles on the stove and a disembodied voice speaks as this ad for Humira opens. “This is your wakeup call. If you have moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, month after month the cloc...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - April 29, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Robert H. Shmerling, MD Tags: Arthritis Bones and joints Health Inflammation Source Type: blogs
