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More than 37 million people in the U.S. are living with chronic kidney disease, or CKD. In this condition, the kidneys can’t filter blood the way they should. CKD may eventually lead to kidney failure. The most common blood test for CKD measures a protein called creatinine. Doctors use the amount of creatinine to estimate kidney function. This can affect the timing of treatments. Delaying…

Are you thinking of trying a “detox” or cleanse? They claim to help you lose weight or rid your body of toxins. After a winter of holiday eating, they might seem like a way to kickstart better habits in the new year. But are these trendy programs and products healthy or just a bunch of hype? “Detoxes” aren’t all the same. Some involve fasting, followed by eating only certain foods. You may be…

Thinking about adding more physical activity to your day? Walking can be a great way to get more active. Walking is the most popular physical activity among adults, and it’s easy to see why. It requires no special clothes or equipment, and it’s free. Regular walking can have many health benefits. It may lower your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. It can strengthen your…

Feeling sick can be especially concerning these days. Could your sniffles be caused by COVID-19? Or the flu? A cold? Or maybe allergies? Determining the cause of an illness can be tricky because many share some symptoms. They can leave you sniffling, coughing, and feeling tired. But there are important differences. Figuring out what’s making you sick can help you recover and prevent spreading…, Flu vs COVID-19, “Distinguishing COVID from flu can be difficult because the symptoms overlap so much,” explains Dr. Brooke Bozick, an NIH expert on respiratory diseases that affect the lungs. Flu and COVID-19 are caused by different viruses that can be spread among people. Flu is caused by the influenza virus. COVID-19 is caused by SARS-CoV-2. Both can give you a fever, cough, headaches, and body aches. Flu and…, Could It Be a Cold? Or Allergies?, Like flu and COVID-19, colds are also caused by viruses and can be passed to others. Symptoms of a cold tend to be mild. You may have a runny nose, cough, congestion, and sore throat. But you won’t usually have the aches and fever that are common with COVID-19 and flu. Often, you’ll feel better in a couple of days. There’s no cure for the common cold. Typical treatments include rest, fluids, and…, Wintery Mix of Viruses, Winter is the prime cold and flu season. You’re more likely to be indoors and closer to others when it’s colder outside. Weather also plays a role in the spread of viruses. “Cold and flu viruses survive better and are more transmissible if it’s cooler and if there’s lower humidity,” Gordon explains. Experts are concerned that flu and COVID-19 cases may increase and overlap in the winter. Flu…, Staying Well, There’s another really important way to fight viruses. “Get your flu shot and COVID-19 vaccine,” Walter advises. They are safe and effective ways to protect yourself and those around you. Don’t forget to vaccinate your children, too. That is the best way to protect their health. COVID-19 vaccines are now recommended for everyone age 5 years and older. Flu vaccines are recommended for everyone 6…, Comparing Cold, Flu, Allergies, and COVID-19, Symptoms Cold Flu Airborne Allergy COVID-19 Fever Rare Usual, high (100–102 °F), sometimes higher, especially in young children); lasts 3–4 days Never Common Headache Uncommon Common Uncommon Common General Aches, Pains Slight Usual; often severe Never Common Fatigue, Weakness Sometimes Usual, can last up to 3 weeks Sometimes Common Extreme Exhaustion Never Usual, at the beginning of the illness…

Many things can cause a bruise: minor injuries, falls, small collisions. While bruises may hurt, they’re usually harmless. But sometimes, they might be a sign of a deeper problem. If you bump part of your body hard enough, you can break tiny blood vessels under your skin. But if you don’t break the skin, the blood has nowhere to go. It gets trapped under the skin’s surface, causing a bruise. When…

More than 25 million people in the U.S. live with chronic pain. This is pain that lasts for more than three months. The most common type of chronic pain is chronic back pain. Often, no physical cause for this pain can be found. In these cases, it may stem from brain changes that persist after an injury healed. These brain changes provide a warning for you to restrict your movement and let the…

Your thyroid is a small gland in the front of your neck. It releases hormones that control how your body uses energy. These keep your organs running properly. But some people’s thyroids can be underactive or overactive and cause health problems. When your thyroid doesn’t produce enough hormones to meet your body’s needs, it’s called hypothyroidism. This condition affects about 5 in 100 people age…

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among American women. Breast cancer death rates have been falling over the past 30 years. But nearly 13% of women are still diagnosed in their lifetime. Men can get breast cancer too, although it’s rare. Cancer is caused by changes to [qtip:genes|Stretches of DNA you inherit from your parents that defines features, like your risk for certain diseases…, Unraveling The Risks, “Breast cancer is caused by a combination of factors,” says Dr. Montserrat García-Closas, a cancer researcher at NIH. Your genes, lifestyle, and environment all contribute to your risk. Researchers are trying to better understand how each plays a role. People with a family history of breast cancer are at increased risk for the disease. Some are born with rare versions of certain genes that put…, BRCA1, and, BRCA2, . “But the vast majority of patients have no known family history and no known gene that causes cancer,” explains Dr. Margaret Gatti-Mays, a breast cancer treatment specialist at The Ohio State University. So researchers are also searching for combinations of genes that may lead to breast cancer. “Women can inherit hundreds or thousands of common versions of genes that each have tiny effects, but…, Staying Ahead of Breast Cancer, Another study, called the Wisdom Study, is exploring how to best personalize breast cancer screening. Screening tests look for signs of a disease before symptoms appear. Finding cancer early may increase the chance that it can be treated and cured. If you’re at high risk for breast cancer, your doctor may advise you to get screenings at an earlier age than most, or more often. “Women from 40 to…, Fighting Back, When breast cancer is found, treatment depends on the type of tumor. Surgery and radiation are common. Chemotherapy may also be used. Doctors might recommend other treatments as well, depending on the type of breast cancer. “There are three main types of breast cancer,” Gatti-Mays says. “The subtype is determined by the presence or absence of three [qtip:receptors|Molecules that receive and…

“Screen time” used to mean sitting around and watching TV. For kids, too much time in front of the TV is linked to obesity, as well as trouble in school. But screen time doesn’t refer just to television anymore. Smartphones, tablets, and other handheld devices are now everywhere. These new screens pose new challenges for parents, says Dr. Jenny Radesky, a pediatrician at the University of…

Night shift work increases the risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. It disrupts the body’s circadian rhythms—the 24-hour internal “clock” that controls when you sleep and wake. Studies have shown that eating at night alters the body’s metabolism. Specifically, it impairs your ability to process blood sugar, or glucose. Now, a study suggests there may be a way to combat these…