Ann Pietrangelo
Freelance writer and author
Ann Pietrangelo is a freelance writer and the author of "No More Secs!" and "Catch That Look."
PROJECTS
Healthline
New Synthetic Protein May Kill Cancer Cells Without Harming Healthy Tissue
Destroy cancer cells without harming healthy tissue.That’s the goal of cancer treatment. Treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation, though effective, can cause serious side effects. In the case of aggressive and recurrent cancers, those treatments sometimes need to be limited. But a first-of-its-kind nanomedicine called BXQ-350 may one day be able to take over.
Healthline
Understanding and Recovering from Stillbirth
Losing your baby between the 20th week of pregnancy and birth is called a stillbirth. Before the 20th week, it’s usually called a miscarriage. There are about 24,000 stillbirths a year in the United States,
Healthline
Breast Cancer Survivors Have A Big Problem After Treatment: The Cost
Breast cancer treatment is saving lives. But its extreme expense is also causing a different kind of hardship for many survivors, saddling them with lifelong financial burden. A new study finds that many physicians believe they’re adequately addressing patients’ financial concerns before treatment. However, many patients say doctors need to do more.
Healthline
Can MS Cause Seizures?
A seizure is a sudden surge of unusual electrical activity in the brain. Seizures can cause changes in movement, behavior, and awareness. While some seizures have obvious symptoms, others are subtler and harder to recognize.
Healthline
What Is Hepatitis C Brain Fog?
Brain fog is a term used to describe an overall feeling of mental fogginess. This includes forgetfulness, concentration problems, and confusion. It’s a state of generally disorganized thinking.Studies show that about half of those with hepatitis C experience neuropsychiatric symptoms such as brain fog. Related symptoms include weakness, irritability, and fatigue. While these complaints may seem minor, they can make it hard to perform daily tasks.
Healthline
Can Massage Help with MS Symptoms?
Some people seek massage therapy to reduce stress and anxiety. Others may want to ease pain or aid recovery from an illness or injury. You might want massage therapy just to loosen up and escape the pressures of the day. People with multiple sclerosis (MS) might seek massage therapy for the same reasons.
Healthline
What Time You Eat Dinner May Affect Your Cancer Risk
The timing of your last meal of the day may affect your risk of certain cancers, according to a new study. Researchers found that eating dinner before 9 p.m. or leaving at least two hours between dinner and bedtime can lower the risk of breast and prostate cancer by about 20 percent.
Healthline
Treating Multiple Sclerosis Flare-Ups with IV Steroids
If you have multiple sclerosis (MS), your doctor may prescribe corticosteroids to treat episodes of disease activity called exacerbations. These episodes of new or returning symptoms are also known as attacks, flare-ups, or relapses. Steroids are intended to shorten the attack so you can get back on track sooner. It’s not necessary to treat all MS relapses with steroids, though. These medications are
Healthline
Understanding the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale
The Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) is a tool that doctors use to evaluate how fatigue affects someone’s life. Fatigue is a common and often frustrating symptom for up to 80 percent of people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Some people with MS find it hard to accurately describe their MS-related fatigue to their doctor. Others have
Healthline
What’s the Difference Between Saturated and Unsaturated Fat?
Dietary fat may have a bad reputation, but fat isn’t always a bad thing. Your body actually needs fat for energy and to process certain vitamins and minerals. For several decades, American grocery stores have been stocked with an assortment of fat-free and low-fat food products. Because fat is high in calories, eliminating it seemed like a good way to manage weight and improve health. Unfortunately,
Healthline
Where You Live Can Determine Your End-of-Life Care with Cancer
How much you spend on end-of-life cancer care varies according to where you live. But more spending isn’t necessarily associated with better outcomes. A new study concludes that differences in end-of-life cancer care don’t come from patient beliefs and preferences. They have more to do with doctors’ beliefs and practice style as well as healthc...
Healthline
Abortions Are Still Safe Even Outside of Surgery Centers
There’s no significant difference in adverse events for abortions performed in ambulatory surgery centers versus office-based settings. That’s the conclusion of a new observational study led by Sarah C. M. Roberts, DrPH, an associate professor at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF). Several states have laws that require abortion facilit...
Healthline
How to Recognize the Signs of Mental and Emotional Abuse
You probably know many of the more obvious signs of mental and emotional abuse. But when you’re in the midst of it, it can be easy to miss the persistent undercurrent of abusive behavior. Psychological abuse involves a person’s attempts to frighten, control, or isolate you. It’s in the abuser’s words and actions, as well as their persistence in these behaviors. The abuser could be your spouse or other romantic partner. They could be your business partner, parent, or a caretaker.
Healthline
Common Mood Stabilizing Drug Can Increase Risk of Birth Defects
Lithium in the first trimester of pregnancy can affect the health of an unborn child, but doctors say stopping this medication can also be risky. Babies of mothers who take lithium in the first trimester of pregnancy are at higher risk of major congenital malformations. But not as high as researchers expected. According to scientists from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, that’s because previous studies looked at smaller groups. In the largest study ever conducted to ex...
Healthline
What Is Verbal Abuse? How to Recognize Abusive Behavior and What to Do Next
Abuse comes in many forms, not all of which are physical. When someone repeatedly uses words to demean, frighten, or control someone, it’s considered verbal abuse. You’re likely to hear about verbal abuse in the context of a romantic relationship or a parent-child relationship. But it can also occur in other family relationships, socially, or on the job.