I've received a lot of questions about the Zika virus and pregnancy lately. How long do you need to wait to try to get pregnant if you were in a Zika-infested country? What are the symptoms? How is it transmitted from person to person? Read up on these answers in the NBC News article about this and other common questions about the Zika virus.
A co-worker of mine was talking about cannabidiol (CBD) oil (a marijuana derivative) and how it can be used to treat epilepsy in severe cases. CBD oil is low in tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the compound in marijuana that produces the "high" when ingested. This is the story of Charlotte and how CBD oil has changed her life completely. It's amazing.
I took a few classes during college that dealt specifically with cancer and I often wondered to myself, "When will researchers find a cure for cancer?" It seems like it is getting so close! This is an interesting article about finding a cure for cancers of the blood.
It seems like most people have definite opinions on the use of marijuana as medicine. Some think it is a great way to relieve chronic pain issues and swear by it. Others feel like it should still be considered illegal because the DEA hasn't found scientific benefits of its use as a medication. What do you think? Check out what the federal government and the DEA have to say on this topic.
About 36 million people were living with HIV in 2015. Will there ever be a cure for this rapidly mutating virus? The United Nations has committed to ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030. Is this possible? See where the AIDS epidemic is at now, and check out the progress researchers are making on a cure.
If my kids ever need surgery, these are definitely the doctors I would want! They are genuinely concerned about their pediatric patients and their experience surrounding surgery. Is this the scariest experience they'll ever have? How can we make this a little less nerve racking?
I have friends who have asked me about my opinion on the flu vaccine and whether or not it works. Many people swear that they get sick after having the vaccine, which should be a dead virus. I always have to get the vaccine (and want it) in order to work in the hospital. We take care of many flu patients so I figure, "Why not?" But does the flu vaccine actually work? This followup to last year's flu vaccine is quite interesting.
I started reading this article and thought, "Oh, another dieting tactic." This is impressive though! It's essentially assisted bulimia. Definitely an article worth reading.
At what age should you be involved in discontinuing your own medical care? After fighting a long medical battle, this little girl and her parents made some tough decisions. This story is heart wrenching and definitely worth the read.
We are always so focused on the different medical issues that contribute to death. Look at smoking, drugs, obesity, etc. These seem to be medical crises that are so often talked about. The CDC has a new issue that they would like to research: gun violence. How exactly does one research this topic? They say that "gun ownership is a serious threat to public health."
