Telemedicine may fall short when it comes to people with voice and speech disorders, researchers report. There was a significant rise in telemedicine use — health visits using computer, tablet or smartphone video conferencing — during the COVID-19 pandemic. And even though the pandemic “appears to be waning, telepractice popularity is here to stay,” said…  read on >  read on >

Admit it, you’ve probably put off doctor visits whenever possible during the pandemic, and getting back on track with your health care is a daunting prospect. Never fear, says an expert who offers some advice on resuming in-person health care visits. The first step is to push aside any shame about falling behind on regular…  read on >  read on >

Parents of kids with asthma and allergies should prepare a plan to keep them safe as schools reopen, the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) says. Along with guarding against COVID-19, it’s important to protect against cold, flu and other viruses that pose a risk to children with asthma. That includes wearing masks,…  read on >  read on >

Spit and scan. That’s all you have to do, and in less than an hour, you can not only find out if you have COVID-19 but what variant you have, all without leaving your home. This is the hope and promise of a new saliva-based COVID-19 test that is currently under development. “Several at-home tests…  read on >  read on >

There are many factors that affect your longevity after experiencing a heart attack. And now, new research finds that your neighborhood could play a key role in your long-term survival. The researchers found that patients in poorer neighborhoods had a lower chance of survival over five years, and that Black patients in those neighborhoods had…  read on >  read on >

It’s long been know that polluted can damage the heart and lungs, but new research finds that it’s bad for your brain, too. A long-term study by a Seattle team linked exposure to higher levels of fine particulate air pollution to an increased risk of dementia. “We found that an increase of 1 microgram per…  read on >  read on >

Dispatching rapid-response medical teams to perform an emergency procedure on stroke patients significantly improves their chances of survival and a good recovery, according to a new study. Researchers assessed a pilot program in New York City where a mobile interventional stroke team (MIST) raced to ischemic stroke patients to perform a surgical procedure called endovascular…  read on >  read on >