Ann Pietrangelo

Parents who refuse to have their children vaccinated could find it harder to find a pediatrician. Among pediatric offices, 51 percent now have a policy of dismissing families who won’t vaccinate their children, according to a survey published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. More than a third of pediatricians personally dismiss families when parents refuse childhood vaccinations. It’s a growing trend.

You’re enjoying a glass of wine with dinner when the throbbing starts. You know what that means: A wine headache is about to ruin the rest of your evening. Wine often takes the blame for headache pain. The pain is very real, but scientific evidence for the reasons behind this phenomenon is lacking.

Kidney stones are common and can be quite painful.

If you’ve had a hysterectomy, you may assume that you can’t be diagnosed with ovarian cancer. In many cases, one or both ovaries are left in place after a hysterectomy. While having your uterus removed decreases your risk of developing ovarian cancer, it is still possible.

Many people bite their nails at some point, especially as children. It’s a type of body-focused repetitive behavior that goes by the clinical name of onychophagia. There’s a spectrum of nail biting. It can range from an occasional benign behavior to a deeply ingrained self-mutilative behavior.

You feel the approaching sneeze and instinctively tense up because you know what’s coming: You’re likely going to pee when you sneeze.

You can have breast pain at any age, but it’s less common after menopause than before menopause. Most of the time, breast pain is not a sign of breast cancer or anything serious, especially when it’s the only symptom. But severe or persistent breast pain could mean you need to see a doctor for diagnosis and treatment.

Hepatitis is a disease of the liver. There are several types of hepatitis, each named for the type of virus that causes it.

Weight is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. So are genetics and aging. Of those risk factors, the only one you have any control over is weight. Managing your weight may prevent type 2 diabetes, delay onset, or even reverse it in some cases, according to new research presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2020.

Headaches are very common. In fact, it’s estimated that about of adults have experienced some type of headache within the last year.

Molds are organisms that grow indoors as well as outdoors. Outside, they’re an important part of the ecosystem. Indoors, they can be problematic.

Children reach developmental milestones at their own pace, and some move faster than others. Two siblings in the same family may reach milestones at different rates. Minor, temporary delays are usually no cause for alarm, but an ongoing delay or multiple delays in reaching milestones can be a sign there may be challenges later in life.

It may seem counterintuitive, but light may be the key to better sleep. For certain sleep disorders, particularly those related to circadian rhythm disruptions, light therapy can be a beneficial treatment.

COVID-19 is taking a toll on the nation’s mental health. Struggles with mental health issues or substance use were reported by nearly 41 percent of adults who responded to a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) survey. Almost 11 percent of respondents reported suicidal ideation within the previous 30 days, according to the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) published Aug. 14.

The sclera is the outer layer of your eye. You’ve probably heard it referred to as the “white of your eye.”