Your Headaches Are Getting Worse. Do You Need an Imaging Test?
Headache is a very common condition that affects up to 60% of the world’s population. In general, headache can be classified into two main categories: primary and secondary headaches. A primary headache is related to increased sensitivities, but not structural alterations of brain tissues. Common primary headaches are migraine with and without aura, tension-type headache, […]
Now Is a Great Time to Start Sipping Peppermint Tea
Made from the dried leaves of the peppermint plant, peppermint tea is an herbal infusion with a fresh, soothing flavor. And unless it’s mixed with green, black, or white tea (check the label), peppermint tea is a caffeine-free, tea-free, zero-calorie beverage that packs in so many health benefits, it’s kind of wild that it comes […]
Midwife-Led Birth Centers Offer a Safe Alternative to Hospital Birth
When Tania Nava of Berwyn gave birth to her first child at a local Chicago hospital, she knew it was an experience she never wanted to repeat. “The hospital staff was really harsh on me,” she says. Throughout the process, Nava says she felt stressed and pressured to take drugs like Pitocin to hurry the […]
Mayo Clinic Q&A: Canker Sores Often Go Away on Their Own, Are Not Contagious
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Every few months, my teenage son gets canker sores in the back of his throat that really bother him and last for about a week. Is there something that he can do to prevent them? Will this continue throughout his life? ANSWER: Canker sores rarely pose a serious health concern. But as […]
Mind Games: Brain Boosters for Older Adults
By Tricia Despres Bill Darling has always been up for a challenge. A former public relations executive with ComEd, the 78-year-old from the Northwest Side of Chicago has a higher-than-average IQ and an even higher hope that he will be able to continue working for years to come in his current real estate […]
A Failing Heart
As the body’s pump struggles, problems build Evanston resident Marjorie David has been living with heart failure for more than two decades. Leading up to her diagnosis, a few heart issues — mitral valve prolapse and occasional heart racing — were mildly concerning but didn’t slow her down. Then one day in 1997, the now-retired Chicago […]
Second Time’s a Charm
For orthopedic surgery, additional opinions can revise the treatment course Adam Chopp was a freshman athlete, playing football for Olivet College in Michigan, when he tore the labrum in his left hip during a game. He thought surgery would quickly fix the problem, but after four surgeries to the area, he still had pain and […]
Assuring the We in the Health Mastery of Me
Yep, 2020 was a challenging year. It clarified the imperative that the I of the we — the individual in the collective — must actively nourish the sustainability of all: humans and nature. Makes me reconsider the shazam! power of health mastery. Usually, this column addresses the mastering of our individual health. Because of Covid-19, […]
The Support No One Wants (But Everyone Needs)
This morning, I attended a virtual funeral for Brad Rosner. He was 36. Bile duct cancer. Gone just 36 days after he was diagnosed. My family has known Brad his entire life. I was in love with his older sister from age 4 to 8. It was unrequited, but we managed a solid friendship and […]
Screenings Save Lives
Intervening early can halt colorectal cancer In 2003, Bronzeville resident Candace Henley, then 35, was experiencing on-and-off symptoms of diarrhea, constipation, nausea, and a low blood count throughout the year. Her first two trips to the emergency room (ER) didn’t result in any answers. It wasn’t until after her third trip to the ER — following six […]
Facing Terminal Cancer
Support helps families come to terms with looming loss Last April, Rogers Park resident Aisha Luster got the biggest shock of her life when she learned that her father was diagnosed with stage 4 esophageal cancer. “He didn’t tell me or my older sister,” says Luster, 37. “We were crushed. We felt left in the dark. It […]
Not Safe at Home
As Covid-19 stress continues, domestic violence escalates in Chicago Life had been dangerous enough for Elise, whose name has been changed for safety. The mother of twins was living with her husband, who was also her abuser. Then the Covid-19 pandemic hit, and Elise’s husband lost his job in the service industry. The family had to rely […]
A Beginner’s Guide to Running
Start slowly — you have to walk before you can run Evelyn Cato began her journey as a runner by walking. When she was young, her family didn’t emphasize exercise. And Cato, who’s Latina, says she never saw anyone who looked like her go running in her Humboldt Park neighborhood. Then, two decades ago, Cato noticed her […]
Can Food Fight Cancer?
Reduce your risk with these healthy eating practices What we eat, as well as how often we exercise, can affect our risk of cancer. Healthy lifestyle factors — such as a nourishing diet, regular physical activity, and a normal body weight — prevent 30% to 40% of cancers, according to a study in the journal […]
Cancer-Fighting Pantry
Stock these healthy staples in your kitchen Numerous studies show the link between unhealthy eating and cancer. About 18% of cancers and 16% of cancer deaths are due to factors such as poor diet, excess body weight, alcohol intake, and lack of exercise, according to the American Cancer Society. But what should you be eating if […]
Survivor Support
Even though cancer treatment ends, the need for physical and emotional care continues When Marty Hogan found out at age 34 that he had acute lymphocytic leukemia, a rapidly progressing blood cancer, the news devastated him and his pregnant wife, Whitney. It was 2016, and the doctor gave him a low five-year survival prognosis. His […]
The Color of Cancer
Local groups counter sub-par cancer care in underserved Chicago communities At 31, Roshanda Randle of Englewood knew she was younger than most women who develop breast cancer. But it concerned her that three healthcare providers in Chicago told her three different things about the lump in her breast, while saying that she was too young […]
Breast Cancer Breakthroughs
Better surgeries, less radiation, and new drugs are changing treatments and offering hope In 1811, Nabby Adams, daughter of President John Adams and Abigail Adams, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Brave Nabby submitted to a mastectomy without anesthesia in her parents’ home. The doctor successfully removed her tumor, but the cancer reappeared, and she died two […]
Joining a Clinical Trial
Consider the following when deciding whether to join a trial Treatment. Usually, patients get either the medication being studied or a typical treatment for their cancer (called “standard of care”). Cancer patients rarely get placebos (nonactive medication). If placebos are used, it is along with regular medication. Ask your healthcare team how you could potentially benefit […]
Not Everyone Is Studied Equally
Historically, medical research has focused on white men rather than women or people of color, says Nicole Woitowich, PhD, research assistant professor of medical social sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. This has changed somewhat in recent years, following a push for greater gender and minority representation in clinical studies, including draft guidance […]
Clinical Trials
Participating in cancer research can give access to life-saving drugs Alexa DiVenere was 16 in 2011, when she heard news that would drastically change her life: She had stage 4 lung cancer, discovered after she felt pressure in her chest while playing soccer. The Chicago teen underwent multiple rounds of chemotherapy and, at 17, had […]
Empowering Outreach
Organizations offer breast cancer advocacy and support September 27, 2006. No one forgets their date, Sophia Williams says. She was 36 years old and was joking around with a friend after returning from a cruise. During their horseplay, she says, she felt something in her breast. The possibility it was breast cancer never occurred to […]
Prostate Problems
Treatments offer men relief for a common uncomfortable condition About 10 years ago, Steven Prosser, of Libertyville, started beating a path from his bedroom to his bathroom five or six times every night to urinate. His problem got progressively worse until Prosser, who is now 57, was waking up more and more often to go […]
Cancer & Fertility
Options preserve hope for pregnancy after treatment When 31-year-old Amy Glomski was planning her perfect wedding, a pandemic wasn’t part of it. Nor was cancer treatment, and, most certainly, infertility was not part of her plan. Yet, while the Chicago resident was in the midst of planning her June 2021 wedding, she found a lump […]
Connecting Families
Nurse home visits address maternal and infant health disparities Nine-year-old Angela Ellison spent Christmas Eve 1969 sitting in a beauty shop in West Chatham. She was getting ready to visit her mother in the hospital. Ellison’s sister Claudette had been born a month earlier, but then their mother, Willie Mae, returned to the hospital with […]
Home Sweet Sleep
Our overall health and well-being rely on sleep. Yet, for many people, sleep apnea not only prevents a good night’s sleep but also contributes to a range of serious health issues. If left undetected, the condition can put people at risk for everything from stroke to heart attacks. To diagnose sleep apnea, people traditionally need to undergo […]
App Gives Real-Time Updates from the NICU
Long before the Covid-19 pandemic, Craig Garfield, MD, and Young Lee, PhD, at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, developed an app to solve a common problem in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU): Parents often can’t be at the hospital 24/7, yet they need to stay up to date on their baby’s care. Merging electronic medical records […]
Liquid Biopsies May Help Identify Lung Cancer
You may be used to hearing about tissue biopsies, in which doctors snip samples of tissue to see if it’s cancerous. For some cancers, liquid biopsies may offer a less invasive approach. In a liquid biopsy, specialists test your blood, plasma, or urine for DNA sequences unique to specific cancers. Scientists from the University of Illinois College of Medicine […]
Expanded Reach for HPV Vaccine
A vaccine against the human papillomavirus (HPV) can prevent six types of cancer if given at the right time, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Updated recommendations in the past few years have expanded the reach of the vaccine, which can prevent cancers of the cervix, anus, penis, vulva, vagina, and throat. […]
Molecular Breast Imaging for Dense Breasts
Dense breast tissue can mask cancers on standard screening mammograms. “As many as 25% of cancers can be missed,” says Barry Rosen, MD, a breast cancer surgeon at Advocate Good Shepherd Breast Care Center in Barrington. “Every woman with dense breasts should have additional screening beyond mammography.” A newer technique, molecular breast imaging (MBI) can help distinguish […]
Using Artificial Intelligence to Assess Breast Cancer
Software that uses artificial intelligence (AI) may help improve breast cancer diagnosis. QuantX, developed in Chicago, uses AI to analyze breast MRIs. Radiologists can use the technology to help assess if breast lesions are cancerous. Research shows the technology led to a 39% reduction in missed cancers, according to a clinical trial. Maryellen Giger, PhD, […]
Mayo Clinic Q&A: Most Aortic Aneurysms Are Small, Develop Slowly
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: What causes a thoracic aortic aneurysm? Does it always grow slowly, or do some develop more quickly? ANSWER: A thoracic aortic aneurysm occurs when one or more areas along the wall of the aorta — the body’s largest blood vessel — becomes weak or damaged. The aorta carries oxygen-filled blood from the […]
Think Your Baby Is Allergic to Cow’s Milk?
When young infants develop vomiting, diarrhea, and fussiness, some of them are diagnosed as having an allergy to cow’s milk protein. When that diagnosis is made, babies on formula have to switch to a specialized formula — and the mothers of breastfeeding babies have to eliminate all dairy from their diets. The problem is that […]
Are Sugar Substitutes Too Sweet to Be True?
About 40% of adults use low-calorie sweeteners, and most of those people do so at least once daily. While these sugar substitutes are most commonly consumed in beverages, they’re also eaten in foods and used in place of sugar to stir into coffee or sprinkle over cereal. The presence of such sweeteners in our foods […]
Op-Ed: For the Sake of Our Pregnant Mothers, Illinois Needs to Act on Climate Change
Chicago Health is committed to publishing a diversity of opinions. The opinions expressed in this op-ed article are the author’s own. As a practicing obstetrical hospitalist in suburban Cook County, I often see pregnant mothers in their most acute state, when they are having an obstetrical emergency. By the time I see these mothers, the […]
Countering the Stress and Loneliness of Covid-19
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to affect the Chicago area, our winter weariness is gradually lifting, but the stress and loneliness continue to mount. Stay-at-home orders, quarantining, and other public health measures have forced people indoors, leading to increases in loneliness and mental health issues. In a study of 18- to 35-year-olds in April and May 2020, […]
Weight Loss Can Help Head Off Lasting Damage Caused by Fatty Liver
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is the most common cause of liver disease in the United States and is estimated to affect up to a quarter of adults in the world. It is defined by excess fat accumulating in the liver and usually occurs in people with obesity, high blood sugars (diabetes), abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride […]
6 Health Reasons to Eat Eggs
Eggs are budget-friendly, easy to cook, and good for you too. However, you may have heard that you should eat them sparingly. Confused by all the conflicting information? Here’s what you need to know about eggs’ benefits. 1. Eggs are a complete protein. Eggs are more than a good source of protein (with 6 grams […]
Mayo Clinic Q&A: Panic Attack Isn’t Life-Threatening, but Can Be Frightening Experience
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: After going to the emergency department for what I thought was a heart attack, the doctor told me there were no issues with my heart and that my symptoms were likely from a panic attack. How can I tell the difference, and how can I prevent future panic attacks? ANSWER: While having […]
Mayo Clinic Q&A: Be Careful with Nonprescription CBD Products
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I’m interested in trying CBD for knee pain. I see CBD for sale everywhere — even at gas stations. How do I figure out which kind to buy? Are CBD products that are available without a prescription safe and effective? ANSWER: When it comes to trying products made with cannabidiol, or CBD, […]
10 Great Habits That Can Help You Manage Diabetes
Managing diabetes doesn’t have to be complicated. While your doctor will help you put together a comprehensive plan to manage your condition, remembering these 10 tips can help you work toward better health every day. 1. Get moving. The American Diabetes Association recommends at least 150 minutes of activity a week, with no more than […]
How to Prevent Overeating When You’re Working from Home
If your eating has been a bit erratic while working from home, here are five strategies to help create some balance and consistency. 1. Develop a set eating schedule. In addition to preventing mindless eating, settling into a consistent routine will help regulate blood sugar and insulin levels, mental and physical energy, digestive health, and […]
5 Steps to Solve the Complex Eczema Puzzle
It’s winter in Chicago, and due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we’re indoors more than ever. This spells trouble for skin. Outside it’s cold and crisp, while inside radiators and furnaces blow dry heat. We seek hot baths and showers, which further dry out our skin. And then there’s the ever-present worry of the pandemic, which […]
Greens Powders May Provide a Nutritional Kick
Greens powders promise to help us reach the recommended five cups of vegetables and fruits each day. They also tout benefits like digestive support, energy enhancement, and disease prevention, which is quite appealing. But do these supplements really deliver? Though they can’t compare to whole foods, greens powders may offer up some potential benefits. What […]
Mayo Clinic Q&A: Getting Adequate Amount of Fiber Has Several Health Benefits
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My doctor is recommending a trial of a gluten-free diet to see if my digestive symptoms improve. Can I still get enough fiber without eating bread and bran flakes? ANSWER: It is possible to get enough fiber, even without eating foods that you may typically associate with good sources of fiber, such […]
Weight Fluctuation Is a Normal Daily Occurrence
Weight fluctuation throughout the course of a day is normal. Weight fluctuation throughout the course of your life can be harmful. Sounds contradictory, doesn’t it? It’s not. A person should strive to maintain a lifelong, consistent healthy weight. Fluctuation in large amounts throughout your life — that lose-gain-lose-gain cycle so many of us battle, the […]
The State of Vaccine Supply: Opaque and Unpredictable
Even as the pace of vaccination against covid-19 has steadily accelerated — hitting an average of 1.3 million doses a day in the last days of January — the frustration felt by many of those unable to secure an appointment hasn’t waned. Why, they wonder, can’t I get one if 100 million shots will soon […]
Thinning Hair in Women: Why it Happens and What Helps
Many people think of hair loss as a male problem, but it also affects at least a third of women. But unlike men, women typically experience thinning hair without going bald, and there can be a number of different underlying causes for the problem. “Some are associated with inflammation in the body. Some are female-pattern […]
Reaching Chicago’s Unsheltered Homeless Population During Pandemic
Near Chicago’s $100 million Riverwalk and luxury high-rise apartments, unsheltered homeless people “sleep rough” on the side of the road. One resident, Drew, lives in an approximately 200-square-foot camp where he shares cigarettes and a portable bathroom with five other people. They typically don’t wear masks around each other. Despite these health risks, he isn’t […]
The Scoop on Protein Powder
Eating enough protein is not just for athletes or would-be Schwarzenegger types. It is necessary for a healthy immune system and required for organs like your heart, brain, and skin to function properly. The nutrient is also touted for its ability to help control appetite and enhance muscle growth. How much protein you need typically […]
