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A Pinched Ulnar Nerve Causes Intense Pain And Tingling
DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm an active 76-year-old retired accountant who likely spent too many hours at a computer. Now I'm paying for it with a painful condition. My general physician says that I have a pinched or compressed ulnar nerve, which likely starts in the neck shoulder area but shoots pain down my right arm and elbow, all the way to my ...Read more
Managing sleep-disturbing micro-awakenings
Almost everyone experiences multiple micro-awakenings as they sleep. They can be caused by street noise, a restless bed partner, changes in bedroom temperature, and anxiety, stress or even sleep apnea. Your brain allows such arousal so that it can scan your environment to check for danger without fully waking you up.
But in middle-age, these ...Read more
Dengue fever and other mosquito-borne illnesses surging in Florida
Mosquito bites can be more than a nuisance this summer — they can make you sick.
Florida has become a hotbed for mosquito-borne dieases, reporting hundreds of cases of dengue fever, chikungunya fever, and even West Nile virus.
The state leads the nation in dengue cases this year with 270 reported. Increasingly, residents aren’t just ...Read more
HHS plans new research into autism development, treatment
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services plans to launch a new research initiative related to autism, using AI and other technology to map how the condition develops and identify opportunities for early intervention.
The initiative, called SPECTRA, will analyze available data and then fill in the gaps on “the missing biology needed to...Read more
When is Medicare open enrollment?
The main Medicare open enrollment period runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7.
During this period, anyone enrolled in original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, or a Part D drug plan can adjust their coverage. Because Medicare offers two main paths — original Medicare (Parts A and B) or Medicare Advantage (Part C) — you should shop around during ...Read more
Environmental Nutrition: Fructose phobia
Fructose has become one of the most misunderstood nutrients in modern diets. Often blamed for a range of health problems, it’s easy to assume that this type of sugar is inherently harmful. In reality, fructose itself is not the enemy— how and where we consume it makes all the difference.
Fructose is a naturally occurring sugar found in ...Read more
Mayo Clinic Q&A: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Most of the time, I can tell when my kids are using a tummy ache as an excuse not to do something. But when should I take their “Mommy, my tummy hurts” seriously?
ANSWER: Every child has belly pain at some point, and most of the time, it’s nothing serious. Half of my gastroenterology clinic visits involve abdominal pain ...Read more
The problem with ‘classic’ Lyme disease symptoms
One day, Wendy noticed a quarter-sized rash at the top of her thigh. By the next day, it had grown to the diameter of a half-dollar. But since the flat, red patch didn’t resemble the bullseye rash Wendy had seen listed among Lyme disease symptoms, it didn’t even occur to her she might have the infection.
Wendy was wrong. She was one of the ...Read more
Cut to the Science
Cross off another speculative cause of autism recently voiced by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who claimed infant circumcision doubles the rate of autism, speculating without proof that the use of post-procedure acetaminophen (Tylenol) as a painkiller was part of the reason.
Kennedy alluded to a pair of ...Read more
Elderly Friend Gets Diagnosed With A Zenker's Diverticulum
DEAR DR. ROACH: What's a Zenker's diverticulum? My 74-year-old friend was diagnosed with it, along with "cricopharyngeal achalasia." I've never noticed any swallowing difficulties before. -- S.W.
ANSWER: A Zenker's diverticulum is an outpouching of the esophagus that extends posteriorly toward the spine, at about the level of the thyroid. The...Read more
Keeping your brain younger by getting to the heart of brain drain
You may think slowing the increase of lousy LDL level doesn't indicate you're at risk for chronic conditions associated with unhealthy aging. Well, think again -- if you can.
We've known for a while that if you're diagnosed with lower cardiac output (from plaque buildup in veins and arteries or altered heart rhythm), you may experience ...Read more
'Nearly 100% fatal' disease on the rise across US. What are risks in California?
A “nearly 100% fatal” disease is the rise across the United States, prompting federal officials to issue a nationwide health alert.
Since July, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has seen a sharp increase in the number of people exposed to rabies.
Meanwhile, officials in several California counties have reported ...Read more
Pennsylvania health officials confirm 2 new measles-associated deaths, bringing total to 4 as state outbreak grows
PHILADELPHIA — Pennsylvania health officials on Tuesday confirmed two more deaths associated with measles involving a resident of Jefferson County and a resident of Mifflin County.
The state has now reported four measles-related deaths amid a growing outbreak that has sickened nearly 700 people this year. The deaths mark the state’s first ...Read more
Pittsburgh’s kindergartners fall below the measles safety threshold, testing the city’s vaccine legacy
It takes a lot to knock football out of the headlines in Pittsburgh. But reports of measles cases, exposure alerts and calls for residents to double-check their vaccination status have dominated local news since August 2026.
My office at Allegheny College, where I am an epidemiologist, is within a few steps of a classroom dedicated to...Read more
How South Korea is tackling its super-aging problem – and what other aging nations can learn from its experience
In December 2024, the share of South Koreans ages 65 and older surpassed 20% for the first time, making it what demographers like us call a “super-aged society.” By August 2026 that share had risen further, to 22.1%.
That label can sound like a diagnosis, but population aging is not inherently a problem. In part, it reflects ...Read more
Dengue-carrying mosquitoes expand their reach into new territories – including Florida
The Tampa Bay Times reported the death of an elderly woman on Sept. 8, 2026. Her family says local doctors attributed her death to dengue fever, although the Florida Department of Health has not yet confirmed that.
This death was likely part of a larger dengue outbreak in Hillsborough County, where there have been 95 documented cases ...Read more
Indigenous groups are exempt from Medicaid work rules, but native Hawaiians aren't
WAIANAE, Hawai‘i — Native Hawaiians will need to comply with new work requirements to qualify for Medicaid after being excluded from exemptions carved out for other Indigenous groups, an omission that clinicians fear will exacerbate the challenges the marginalized population already faces in getting healthcare.
In 43 states and the District...Read more
HEPA, HEPA Hooray!
On August 5th, Portland, Oregon, topped the list of IQAir's 10 cities with the worst air pollution. And in mid-July 2026, extensive areas of the Midwest had air quality readings ranging from unhealthy to hazardous (100-500). Between global warming and wildfires, highly polluted air is forcing folks to limit outdoor activity, wear masks outside, ...Read more
Understanding The Part That The Spleen Plays In Leukemia
DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm 80. Over the past 26 years, I've had low blood platelet counts. (In 1998, one reading was 168,000, and in 2026, the reading was 117,000.) I have an enlarged spleen (16.1 centimeters), and I understand that this could account for my low platelet count. I do have tiny red dots on my chest. However, my doctor thinks that I ...Read more
Colorado has 6th-lowest rate of kindergarteners vaccinated against measles
DENVER — Colorado had one of the lowest measles vaccination rates in the country for kindergarteners during the last school year, but that appears to reflect a large number of kids arriving at school without records, rather than an unusually high opt-out rate.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated about 87.7% of ...Read more






















