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Maybe you’ve noticed that you get out of breath doing light activities lately. Or have a cough that won’t go away. You might think it’s temporary, or just part of getting older. But these issues can also be signs of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, more commonly called COPD. With COPD, your lungs can no longer take in all the air you need. More than 16 million people in the U.S. are living…, Lessening Lung Irritation, Smoking is the main risk factor for the disease. But up to a quarter of people who develop COPD have never smoked. The number of people in the U.S. who smoke has dropped over the last few decades. “But the amount of chronic lung disease has not declined as fast as we would have expected, given the decrease in smoking,” says Dr. Joel Kaufman, who studies how the environment impacts chronic…, Boosting Quality of Life, People who currently smoke or smoked in the past may feel stigmatized and embarrassed to talk with their doctor, when they shouldn’t, Woodruff says. “That’s a huge population that may not be getting the attention they need,” he says. If you have symptoms of COPD, talk with your health care provider. They can refer you for testing. The main test used to diagnose COPD is called spirometry. In this…, Personalizing Treatments, Better treatments are still needed for COPD. Scientists first need to learn more about how the disease differs between people. “By identifying the different subtypes of COPD, we can then target the specific underlying problems with new therapies,” Woodruff says. In a recent study, Woodruff’s team identified one such subtype. They found that many current or former smokers had normal results on a…

It’s common to worry about things like germs or to double check that the stove is turned off. But for people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), these thoughts and behaviors are so severe that they interfere with daily life. OCD is a mental health condition that causes repeated unwanted thoughts, called obsessions. This can trigger compulsions—the urge to do things over and over to deal…

Caring for a friend, parent, or other relative who lives far away? If you live an hour or more away, you’re a long-distance caregiver. You may be arranging care or helping with bills and paperwork. You could be communicating with health care providers. And you’re probably an important source of emotional support for your friend or relative. Doing all this from afar can be challenging. There are…

A new study found that awareness, control, and treatment of high blood pressure has dropped among U.S. adults. Nearly half of adults live with high blood pressure, also called hypertension. It’s defined as a blood pressure reading of 130/80 mm Hg or higher, or by taking medication for the condition. High blood pressure increases your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Many people don’t know…

Coping with a substance use disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic may be particularly challenging. NIH has resources to help. Find important information on addiction and COVID-19. This includes tips on how to support a friend or family member with a substance use disorder during this stressful time.

Your digestive system is busy. When you eat something, your food takes a twisty trip that starts with being chewed up and ends with you going to the bathroom. A lot happens in between. The health of your gut plays a key role in your overall health and well-being. You can make choices to help your body stay on tract. Your digestive, or gastrointestinal (GI), tract is a long, muscular tube that…

Abuse can be difficult to see, especially when it’s in your own relationship. It can start slowly, and it’s not always physical. You may not realize that the small comments a loved one makes to you are doing harm. You may even make excuses for them. They’re stressed from work or the pandemic. But abuse takes many forms. It can be physical, like slapping, punching, or kicking. It can involve…, Signs of Partner Abuse, It’s important to recognize the signs of an abusive relationship. Controlling behavior is a common sign. Your partner may monitor where you are and how much you see friends and family. They might decide what you wear or eat or how you spend your money. Verbal threats are also common. Other warning signs include name calling, humiliating someone in front of others, or blaming someone else for…, Understanding the Harms, The harm from domestic violence isn’t always visible. Experiencing it puts you at higher risk for a range of health conditions. These include heart disease, high blood pressure, digestive problems, and reproductive issues. Intimate partner violence is linked to several mental health conditions like depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicide. People who experience intimate partner…, Preventing Partner Violence, So what’s the best way to prevent intimate partner violence? Learn what to look for in a healthy relationship and how to build healthy relationship skills. It’s important to start early. People who have violent relationships as teens are more likely to have them as adults. Dr. Jeff Temple, an expert on teen dating violence at the University of Texas Medical Branch, teaches youth about building…

You probably don’t give your eyelids much thought. But many conditions can irritate them. One of the most common issues is called blepharitis. Blepharitis is an [qtip: inflammation|Heat, swelling, and redness caused by the body’s protective response to injury or infection.] of the eyelid. It can affect the inside or the outside of the skin that lines the eyes. The condition can make your eyelids…

Children with a skin disease called eczema benefited from an experimental treatment with live bacteria. The treatment improved skin symptoms in children as young as three years old. Eczema can cause dry, itchy skin and rashes. Studies have shown that germs on the skin, like bacteria, may play a role in the condition. People with eczema often have a different balance of bacteria than those with…, Roseomonas mucosa, . Twenty children were enrolled in the study. Their ages ranged from three to 16 years. A solution with the live bacteria was sprayed onto their skin where they had a patch of eczema. It was applied twice weekly for three months. Then, every other day for another month. Almost all of the children showed more than 50% improvement in their symptoms after the treatment. Most needed less medicine to…, R. mucosa, therapy. Encouragingly, the bacteria stayed on the skin and continued to provide benefit after therapy stopped,” says NIH researcher Dr. Ian Myles, who led the study. The treatment is now being further studied in a larger group of children, as well as adults.

Your brain lets you think, feel, move, and breathe. But when something goes wrong, it can cause devastating disorders. Brain donations help researchers study brain disorders that affect millions of people. Scientists need donations from both people who had a brain disorder and those who were healthy. These donations help researchers learn about brain injuries and diseases like Alzheimer’s disease…