Currently, a school in Asheville, North Carolina is the source of the state’s largest chickenpox outbreak in over 20 years. Ever since the chickenpox vaccine became available in 1995, these types of outbreaks have been less common. But chickenpox can still occur in areas where not enough people are vaccinated. Let’s find out more about…

Open Enrollment is here, which means many of us are trying to choose an insurance plan for 2019. But understanding the options can feel like learning a new language with all the new terms, legaleze and sheer amount of information out there. In this article, we’ll walk through the basic health plan types to help…

Ear infections are caused by either a bacteria or a virus, and most kids get them before they turn two years old. Ear infections, which often occur after a cold or throat infection, can be unpleasant or downright painful. Here’s what you need to know about treatments. What are symptoms of an ear infection? Ear…

More than 40% Americans are struggling to pay for the cost of their medications – even though nearly all of them have some kind of health insurance coverage, a new GoodRx survey has found. Despite the fact that nearly all survey respondents reported they had some health insurance coverage for medications, the analysis reveals that…

With the holidays comes more drinking—and hangovers. If you ask around, you’ll be buried in folk remedies for hangovers. But here’s what’s actually been studied and what actually works compared to doing nothing (or taking a placebo). What causes a hangover? Hangovers are NOT caused by an electrolyte imbalance, lactate, ketones or (this will surprise…

If you have asthma, you’ve likely been prescribed a maintenance inhaler to help control your symptoms long-term, but there are multiple options to choose from: inhaled corticosteroids, long-acting beta agonists, long-acting muscarinic antagonists and combination inhalers. All have different ways of working and side effects, so which one is best for you? Here’s what you…

We hear a lot about vaccination shots for children, but it turns out adults also need immunizations. People with diabetes need to pay special attention because they are more likely to get and experience complications from certain infectious diseases. The CDC recommends that adults with diabetes be up-to-date on five different vaccinations. 1) The flu…

Shopping for health insurance and feeling a bit confused? You’re not alone. A recent survey by the UnitedHealthcare Group found that only 9% of Americans have an understanding of four of the most basic health insurance terms: health plan premium, health plan deductible, out-of-pocket maximum and co-insurance. For the other 91% of you, we’re here…

Dry eyes are a common complaint for older patients, especially older women due hormonal changes that affect lubrication. They’re no fun either: Dry eyes can cause a gritty or burning sensation, excessive tears, light sensitivity and even blurry vision. Some people use over-the-counter artificial tears to cope while others turn to Restasis, an expensive prescription…

Lyrica. Humira. Xeljanz. Sound familiar? They should; drug makers spent more than $1 billion on commercials for these three drugs alone in 2017. Given their retail prices—hundreds to thousands of dollars for a prescription—it makes sense, too. But with all the money poured into drug commercials, you’d assume someone was making sure they were informative…