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… Pain is the most common reason people seek medical care. Many also look to complementary health approaches. But how do you know if they’re safe and helpful? To help you find answers, NIH has a free e-book called “Pain: Considering Complementary Approaches.” It summarizes the … pain . Chronic pain is pain that lasts for three months or longer. It affects an estimated 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. Some studies have shown that certain complementary approaches can help …

… Artificial intelligence, or AI, has been around for decades. In the past 20 years or so, it’s become a growing part of our lives. Researchers are now drawing … on the power of AI to improve medicine and health care in innovative and far-reaching ways. NIH is on the cutting edge supporting these efforts. At first, computers could simply do calculations …

… Heart disease is the leading cause of death nationwide, and it’s a major cause of disability. Finding heart … heart disease. Among these are imaging tests that take “pictures” of your heart. A new NIH Web page called “ Picturing the Heart ” gives a simple overview of 6 imaging tools that look … angiography and coronary calcium scan—look specifically for signs of clogged arteries in the heart. This type of blockage, called atherosclerosis, happens slowly over time and leads …

… NIH researchers have been developing a robotic device to help improve the way children with cerebral palsy walk. Cerebral palsy is a brain disorder that affects muscle movement. Children with cerebral palsy have trouble … weren’t letting the exoskeleton do all the work to straighten their legs. “The improvements in their walking, along with their preserved muscle activity, make us optimistic that our …

… changes can be a sign of disease. A condition called age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, is the leading cause of vision loss in older adults in the U.S. It’s caused by light-sensing tissue in the back of your eye, or … stages, it’s all about a healthy lifestyle,” says Dr. Tiarnán Keenan, an ophthalmologist at NIH. This includes eating a healthy diet, getting enough physical activity, and not smoking. A …

… creatures—including bacteria, fungi and viruses—can make you ill. But what you may not realize is that trillions of microbes are living in and on your body right now. Most don’t harm you at all. In fact, they help you digest food, … to study these rich microbial communities and their genes—the “microbiome.” In 2007, NIH launched the Human Microbiome Project to study microbes in and on the body. Earlier this …

… as simple as playing an online game or sharing a blood sample. Or you could help collect data in your community. You might even help guide the types of questions researchers are investigating … They have all sorts of skills and contextual knowledge,” says Dr. Jennifer Couch, who heads NIH’s citizen science working group. “Citizen science in its broadest sense draws on the insights … are using their data to study a wide range of health issues. Diversity among participants is key for this study. Our cultural practices, biology, and … [qtip:genetic|Having to do with …

… A study found that when people consumed a diet of highly processed foods, they took in more calories and gained more weight than when on a diet of minimally processed foods. … processed and a minimally processed diet in 10 men and 10 women residing for four weeks at the NIH Clinical Center. Each diet lasted for two weeks. People received three meals per day plus … healthier may not be effective for some people without improved access to healthy foods,” says NIH obesity expert Dr. Kevin Hall, who led the study. More studies are needed to better …

… of studies, experts recently changed the definition of high blood pressure. Blood pressure is measured in two numbers, like 120/80 mm Hg. The first number is the pressure that the heart uses to push … when the heart is at rest between beats. Normal blood pressure for an adult is below 120/80. NIH-sponsored research played an important role in providing evidence that the definition of high …

… a stroke. The most common types of strokes are caused by a clot that blocks a blood vessel in the brain. These are called ischemic strokes. Strokes are a medical emergency. When blood … were less likely to die. They were also likely to be more independent after their recovery. NIH ended the study early because of the success of the surgery. “These striking results will … and save people from life-long disability or death,” says Dr. Walter Koroshetz, director of NIH’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. After the study’s results were …