Mild leg swelling relatively common issue

By Robert McBane, M.D.
Posted on September 07, 2018

Dear Mayo Clinic: I am 81 and in good health, but my legs sometimes become swollen. They don’t hurt, and it doesn’t feel like anything else is wrong. Why might this be happening? Is it something I should see my healthcare provider for? Answer: Mild leg swelling in both legs without any other symptoms is relatively common in older adults and usually not serious. Still, it is... READ MORE

Get help finding the best Medicare plans

By Barbara Ruben and Rachel L. Sheedy
Posted on September 06, 2018

Each autumn brings open enrollment season for Medicare, where beneficiaries can choose either a new Medicare Advantage Plan or a Part D prescription drug plan if they would like to change providers for the coming year. Such changes can be made this year between Oct. 15 and Dec. 7. Because Medicare recipients’ medical needs and Part D plans both may change, it’s a good idea to review... READ MORE

Better early dementia detection is urged

By Marilynn Marchione and Lindsey Tanner
Posted on September 05, 2018

Too few people with signs of mental decline or dementia are getting checked during routine medical visits or told when a problem is found, according to a panel of Alzheimer’s disease experts who offered new guidance this summer. The idea is to get help sooner for people whose minds are slipping — even if there’s no cure. Though mental decline can be an uncomfortable topic for... READ MORE

Tailoring healthcare for older patients

By Eleanor Laise
Posted on September 04, 2018

When you visit a doctor’s office, hospital or nursing home, what determines the type of care you receive? That’s the question Dr. Muriel Gillick, professor of population medicine at Harvard Medical School, explores in Old and Sick in America: The Journey Through the Healthcare System (University of North Carolina Press, $30). All too often, Gillick argues, treatment decisions... READ MORE

Most cases of thyroid cancer are curable

By John Morris III, M.D
Posted on August 31, 2018

Dear Mayo Clinic: How is thyroid cancer treated? Does it always require taking out the thyroid? When is iodine treatment used, and how does that work? Answer: online pharmacy order desyrel no prescription with best prices today in the USA Treatment for thyroid cancer usually involves removing all or part of the thyroid gland. In cases where thyroid cancer is advanced or aggressive,... READ MORE

Replacing lymph nodes to ease lymphedema

By Lauran Neergaard
Posted on August 30, 2018

Breast cancer treatment left Susan Wolfe-Tank with an arm too painfully swollen to lift anything heavy or even fit into her usual clothing — a debilitating condition that gets little attention and has no cure. Desperate, the Wisconsin woman traveled hundreds of miles to seek a delicate operation — replacing under-arm lymph nodes lost in cancer surgery — as a small but growing... READ MORE

No single test can diagnose Parkinson’s

By J. Eric Ahlskog, M.D., Ph.D
Posted on August 29, 2018

Dear Mayo Clinic: online pharmacy buy cenforce no prescription pharmacy My mother was recently diagnosed with Parkinson's, but she doesn't have many symptoms. I would like her to get a second opinion.  online pharmacy inderal no prescription Is there a blood test that can determine if the diagnosis is accurate? Answer: There's no one test that can be used to diagnose Parkinson's... READ MORE

Heart scan can determine risk for heart disease

By Stephen Kopecky, M.D.
Posted on August 28, 2018

Dear Mayo Clinic: buy https://dentoncalvary.org/wp-content/uploads/wpcode/cache/library/norvasc.html online https://dentoncalvary.org/wp-content/uploads/wpcode/cache/library/norvasc.html no prescription pharmacy I'm a 57-year-old man, and my doctor recently recommended I have a CT scan of my heart to look for calcium in my arteries. I've never had heart problems. Is this test really... READ MORE

Women experience pain treatment disparities

By Laura Kiesel
Posted on August 27, 2018

Last year, The New York Times published a guest op-ed by a man named David Roberts who suffered from severe chronic pain for many years before finally finding relief. The piece immediately went viral, with distinguished news journalist and personality Dan Rather posting it to his Facebook page with the addendum that it could "offer hope" to some pain patients. However, for many of us in... READ MORE

Helping COPD patients take their medicine

By Carol Sorgen
Posted on August 23, 2018

Over 24 million people in the U.S. have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). It is the third-leading cause of death and the leading cause of disability. COPD is a progressive disease that makes it hard to breathe. It can cause coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and other symptoms. Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of COPD. Most people who have COPD ... READ MORE