This “most wonderful time of the year” can be very challenging on a number of levels. While uncertainties and restrictions surrounding COVID-19 may prevent large family gatherings, it likely will not interfere with the temptation of holiday treats. In fact, due to the year we’ve had, those temptations may be harder to avoid than ever before. But that doesn’t mean making healthy choices...

In the United States, more people—men and women—die from lung cancer each year than any other type of cancer. Common symptoms may include chest pain, wheezing and shortness of breath, persistent exhaustion, unexplainable weight loss, and constant coughing, which is partly why this type of cancer is often diagnosed in advanced stages: These symptoms may be mistaken for other illnesses, or written...

Hypertension is elevated blood pressure. There are usually no symptoms, so people often don’t even know they have it, unless they visit a doctor regularly. Unmanaged, it can lead to heart attack and stroke, but it can also lead to other serious health issues, such as kidney disease. In fact, hypertension is the second leading cause, after diabetes, of kidney disease and kidney failure (end-stage...

Women in America have a 1 in 8 chance of developing breast cancer. For men, the lifetime risk is much less, about 1 in 833, but it is no less serious.

There are many reasons, other than cancer, as to why a person’s breasts my change over time. Aging, hormones, certain medications, certain foods, and changes in weight can all affect the look and feel of breasts. If you notice a change,...

Patients are often asked to rate their pain on a scale from zero to ten, zero being no pain and ten being the worst pain you’ve ever felt. For some patients, answering that question may be a bit more complicated than it seems. 

The pain scales are designed to be a measure of pain severity. They are especially useful in establishing a baseline, so clinicians can see the progress of your...