Waking up in a pool of sweat is uncomfortable. But it’s not always a cause for concern. It’s usually due to a warm room, heavy sleepwear, or too many covers on your bed. Other common causes of night sweats include stress, hormonal changes and menopause, infections like the common cold, and over-the-counter medications. Sometimes night sweats may be a sign that something more serious is going on. Other new symptoms can help you decide when it’s time to see your provider.
Continue reading
In the past year, almost 13% of Americans reported using benzodiazepines — like Xanax (alprazolam). Among these people, 80% take it for anxiety, and 20% take it for insomnia. But the way that benzodiazepines affect the brain means they can also affect memory. And when people experience these side effects — particularly older adults — it can lead to concerns about dementia.
Continue reading
Could taking vitamin C help reduce the chances of developing gout? A new study sheds light on this possibility.
Continue reading
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a type of movement disorder that is caused by a lack of dopamine in the brain. PD develops when a special type of brain cell that produces dopamine starts to die.
Continue reading
About 233,900 new cancer cases and 85,100 cancer deaths are predicted to occur in Canada in 2022, according to new research.
Continue reading
“Can I just stop my medication?” This is one question healthcare providers (HCPs) hear often. And it has a complicated answer.
Some medications can be dangerous to stop abruptly. Not only could your medical condition get worse, but you could also have dangerous side effects. And with some medications like antidepressants, stopping cold turkey is riskier the longer you’ve been taking them.
Some medications need to be gradually lowered (tapered). Your HCP can help you make a taper plan. In other words, they’ll help you slowly lower your dose over a period of time.
Continue reading
Back pain is a common condition. It affects up to one in four people, and it’s one of the most common reasons people go to the emergency room (ER). While it can be significantly painful and disruptive to daily life, back pain usually isn’t a condition that threatens life or limb. It usually improves over time with gentle exercise, stretching, and over-the-counter medications.
Continue reading