Your eyes are subject to a wide variety of health conditions, from minor annoyances to serious chronic diseases and even cancer. While it’s never a good idea to ignore any change in your vision or in the appearance of your eyes, call your doctor right away if you experience the following warning signs. Report any…  read on >

During LASIK surgery, a laser reshapes the eye’s cornea and is designed to improve how the eye focuses light onto the retina. But LASIK isn’t for everyone, and it won’t give all recipients perfect vision, the Federal Trade Commission warns. Even with LASIK, you probably will need reading glasses in your mid-40s, the agency says.…  read on >

Regular exercise might delay a rare form of early onset Alzheimer’s disease, a new study suggests. Researchers found that 2.5 hours of walking or other physical activity a week thwarted mental decline tied to autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s disease (ADAD). This is an inherited form of disease that leads to dementia at an early age. “The…  read on >

One of the key members of your health-care team might not be a doctor or a nurse, but a physician assistant. A physician assistant — or PA — is a specialist with training to fill gaps in primary care, not only in rural communities, but also in busy practices in other areas. If you call…  read on >

Exercising on a budget can be as simple as buying a good pair of walking shoes. But when you want to make an investment in fitness equipment, new options can make your workouts interactive as well as high-energy. Look for exercise bikes, treadmills and ellipticals that offer pre-set workouts, often with incline adjustments and/or increases…  read on >

MONDAY, Sept. 24, 2018Reminding people to eat less or exercise usually gets their back up. That’s one reason why public health messages fall on deaf ears, researchers say. But investigators think they’ve found a better way. They suggest leaving your ego behind because it might open your mind to healthy activities that your natural defensiveness…  read on >

If you have high cholesterol, you are at greater risk of developing a number of health problems, such as heart disease and stroke, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. High cholesterol often lacks symptoms, so cholesterol should be checked early in life, between ages 9 and 12, between ages 17 and 19,…  read on >

It may be tempting to squeeze a large pimple, but doing so could make the zit worse, skin doctors say. Up to 50 million Americans struggle with various forms of acne, particularly red, swollen, painful bumps that develop deep in the skin, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. There are better, more effective ways…  read on >

For many children with asthma, coughing is an early warning sign of a flare-up, an expert says. Understanding asthma and knowing what to expect can help parents prevent or lessen the severity of asthma attacks, said Dr. Ronald Ferdman, a pediatric allergist-immunologist at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. He provided the following tips to help parents…  read on >

Have you ever left a doctor’s appointment with only a vague idea of what was said? You’re not alone: A new survey finds many Americans, and their doctors, are turning to recordings for help. Researchers found that almost 30 percent of the doctors they surveyed had ever recorded a visit for a patient’s use. And…  read on >