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Most people experience some kind of pain during their lives. Pain serves an important purpose: it warns the body when it’s in danger. Think of when your hand touches a hot stove. But ongoing pain causes distress and affects quality of life. Pain is the number one reason people see a doctor. A class of drugs called opioids is often used to treat pain. One reason, explains NIH pain expert Dr.…, Opioids Not Always Needed, Opioids are often prescribed for acute pain. Acute pain is short-term pain, the kind experienced after an accident or an operation. But other drugs may be just as effective for acute pain, even after surgery, explains Dr. Dena Fischer, a dental health expert at NIH. Some of these drugs, like acetaminophen or ibuprofen, don’t require a prescription. People may think that prescription drugs work…, When Pain Is Chronic, Managing chronic pain is more complicated than treating acute pain. More than 25 million people in the U.S. alone live with chronic pain, which is pain that lasts more than three months. Many things can cause chronic pain. For example, Oshinsky says, a muscle that was damaged in an accident may heal relatively quickly. But if a nerve was also hurt, it can continue to send pain signals long after…, Expanding the Options, The alternatives to opioids we have now don’t work for everyone’s pain. More non-opioid, non-addictive treatment options could help reduce the number of opioids prescribed each year. Recently, NIH launched the Helping to End Addiction Long-Term (HEAL) Initiative to address the shortage of effective medications for chronic pain and other issues contributing to the opioid crisis. Some of the…

Want the secret to living a longer and healthier life? Scientists have found ways to prolong the healthy lifespans of worms, mice, and even monkeys. Their work has revealed exciting new clues about the biology of aging. But solid evidence still shows that the best way to boost the chance of living a long and active life is to follow the advice you likely heard from your parents: eat well,…

Being up all night with a child crying from the pain of an ear infection can be a nightmare. But it’s not uncommon. Most children in developed countries get at least one ear infection by the age of five. Most ear infections happen in the middle ear, the part of the ear behind the eardrum. The middle ear is connected to the upper part of the throat by the eustachian tube. It normally lets fresh…, Haemophilus influenzae, , or, H. influenzae, . These bacteria can cluster together to make a biofilm, a thin, slimy coating that your body has a hard time getting rid of. Even antibiotics can be ineffective against them. Ear infections that keep coming back often involve biofilms. A vaccine introduced in 1987 already prevents ear infections caused by one strain of, H. influenzae, . Researchers are working on developing vaccines to protect against other strains. They’re also looking at what specific nutrients, H. influenzae, needs to grow the biofilms. Restricting those nutrients may be a new way to fight these bacteria. If your child has repeated ear infections or trouble hearing, your doctor may suggest draining your child’s ear with small tubes to help maintain a healthy environment. Ear infections aren’t contagious. But there are things you can do to lower your chances of getting one. See the Wise Choices box for…

A study found that, for healthy pregnancies, inducing labor after full term (39 weeks) rather than waiting for natural labor doesn’t increase the risk of major complications for newborns. Being inside the womb for a full 39 weeks is important for a baby’s development. A baby’s brain nearly doubles in size during the last few weeks of pregnancy. The lungs and liver are still developing too. Once a…

Electronic cigarettes are battery powered devices that people use to heat liquid into a vapor that can be inhaled. They’re also called e-cigarettes, e-cigs, or vapes. The inhaled vapor may contain nicotine (the addictive drug in tobacco), flavorings, and toxins—including ones that cause cancer. The government controls e-cigarettes as tobacco products. This means you must be at least 18 to buy…

Ever wondered why your doctor suggests a certain lab test? Learn about more than 100 common lab tests, such as the blood glucose test, complete blood count, and vitamin D test. Look up what a test may be used for, and what the results may mean.

You probably already know that your genes can affect your health. So can the choices you make, such as getting enough exercise and eating healthy food. But did you know that where you live can affect your health, too? NIH-funded researchers are looking at how the environment around us, from how many trees we can see to how far we have to travel to get fresh food, influences our health., Green Spaces, Studies show that green spaces, such as parks or woods, seem to affect your health for the better. Dr. Francine Laden, an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, analyzed data from a huge national study to look at how green space affected people’s lives. She found that those who lived near green spaces were less likely to die over an 8-year period. No one knows exactly…, Getting Active, Your neighborhood can also affect how easy it is for you to exercise. People in urban and suburban areas can often walk to a coffee shop, school, or work. People in rural areas are more likely to have to drive to these places. “The human body is meant to move. The body works a lot better when people are moving more,” says Dr. Ross Brownson, a public health expert at Washington University in St.…, Eating Healthy, In some neighborhoods, it’s not easy to get healthy food. The U.S. Department of Agriculture calls low-income communities without full-service supermarkets “food deserts.” Food deserts can occur in both urban and rural areas. Food deserts not only lack grocery stores. They are likely to have stores selling cheap snacks that aren’t very nutritious. People with chronic health conditions often get…, Creating Change, Changing your neighborhood can be tough. It may mean getting together with neighbors and talking to local officials about making more walking paths, sidewalks, and bike lanes. You might reach out to local institutions, such as churches and schools, with land that could be used. You might talk to convenience store owners about offering more healthy foods. “It doesn’t all have to be tackled at the…

You’ve probably felt it. After a meal, a burning sensation rises through your chest, or up to your throat. This feeling can come from reflux: when acid and food rise up from the stomach into the esophagus, which is the tube that connects your stomach to your throat. Occasional reflux is normal. Most people may not even feel it. Sometimes it’s mild, with occasional heartburn after large meals.…

A new study found that, for healthy older adults, taking a low-dose aspirin each day didn’t extend life or prevent a first heart attack or stroke. Heart diseases and stroke are the leading causes of death and disability in older adults in the U.S. These are often caused by blood clots that form in the blood vessels to the heart or the brain. For people who’ve had a heart attack or stroke, aspirin…

Do you take care of an elderly parent or other older adult? If so, remember that a healthy mouth can help them enjoy food, chew better, eat well, and avoid pain and tooth loss. Plaque puts a healthy mouth at risk. It can collect on teeth that aren’t brushed well. The buildup can cause bad breath, tooth decay, and gum disease. Some older adults need to be reminded to brush and floss teeth. Others…