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Here, we have gathered hundreds (and working on thousands) of articles explaining important health subjects. The articles we share are constantly updated and authoritatively sourced. Bookmark this page so you can start your health information research from a place you can trust.

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Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are research studies that test how well new medical approaches work in people. Each study answers scientific questions and tries to find better ways to prevent, screen for, diagnose, or treat a disease. Clinical trials may also compare a new treatment to a treatment that is already available.

Every clinical trial has a protocol, or action plan, for conducting the trial. The plan describes what will be done in the study, how it will be conducted, and why each part of the study is necessary. Each study has its own rules about who can take part. Some studies need volunteers with a certain disease. Some need healthy people. Others want just men or just women.

An Institutional Review Board (IRB) reviews, monitors, and approves many clinical trials. It is an independent committee of physicians, statisticians, and members of the community. Its role is to:

  • Make sure that the study is ethical
  • Protect the rights and welfare of the participants
  • Make sure that the risks are reasonable when compared to the potential benefits

In the United States, a clinical trial must have an IRB if it is studying a drug, biological product, or medical device that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates, or it is funded or carried out by the federal government.

NIH: National Institutes of Health

Degenerative Nerve Diseases

Degenerative nerve diseases affect many of your body's activities, such as balance, movement, talking, breathing, and heart function. Many of these diseases are genetic. Sometimes the cause is a medical condition such as alcoholism, a tumor, or a stroke. Other causes may include toxins, chemicals, and viruses. Sometimes the cause is unknown.

Degenerative nerve diseases include:

  • Alzheimer's disease
  • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
  • Friedreich ataxia
  • Huntington's disease
  • Lewy body disease
  • Parkinson's disease
  • Spinal muscular atrophy

Degenerative nerve diseases can be serious or life-threatening. It depends on the type. Most of them have no cure. Treatments may help improve symptoms, relieve pain, and increase mobility.

Depression

Depression is a serious medical illness. It's more than just a feeling of being sad or "blue" for a few days. If you are one of the more than 19 million teens and adults in the United States who have depression, the feelings do not go away. They persist and interfere with your everyday life. Symptoms can include:

  • Feeling sad or "empty"
  • Loss of interest in favorite activities
  • Overeating, or not wanting to eat at all
  • Not being able to sleep, or sleeping too much
  • Feeling very tired
  • Feeling hopeless, irritable, anxious, or guilty
  • Aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems
  • Thoughts of death or suicide

Depression is a disorder of the brain. There are a variety of causes, including genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors. Depression can happen at any age, but it often begins in teens and young adults. It is much more common in women. Women can also get postpartum depression after the birth of a baby. Some people get seasonal affective disorder in the winter. Depression is one part of bipolar disorder.

There are effective treatments for depression, including antidepressants, talk therapy, or both.

NIH: National Institute of Mental Health

Disabilities

What are disabilities?

A disability is any condition of your body or mind that makes it more difficult for you to do one or more major life activities and interact with the world around you.

There are many types of disabilities, such as those that can affect your:

  • Vision
  • Hearing
  • Movement
  • Thinking
  • Remembering
  • Learning
  • Communicating
  • Development
  • Mental health
  • Social relationships

More than 1 in 4 adults in the United States have some type of disability. Even though they all have disabilities, they can have a wide range of needs. For example, even people who have same type of disability can be affected in very different ways. Also, some disabilities are "visible" (easy to see), for example when someone is in a wheelchair. But other disabilities are "invisible" (hidden or not easy to see), such as problems with hearing, thinking, or learning.

What causes disabilities?

Disabilities can have different causes. Some disabilities are present at birth, while others may happen later in life.

Causes of disabilities that are present at birth can include:

  • Disorders in single genes, such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy
  • Disorders of chromosomes, such as Down syndrome
  • Exposures (before birth) to infections or substances, such as drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes

Causes of disabilities that happen later in life can include:

  • Injuries, such as spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), and back injuries
  • Chronic (long-lasting) diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, COPD, and arthritis
  • Cancer
  • Mental health problems
  • Stroke
  • Alzheimer's disease and other causes of dementia
How can disabilities affect your health?

Having a disability does not mean a person cannot be healthy. In fact, many people with disabilities report that their health as good or better. But they may have or be at risk of health problems related to their disability, called "secondary conditions." These conditions may include:

  • Bowel or bladder problems
  • Chronic pain
  • Diabetes
  • Fatigue
  • Heart disease
  • Injuries
  • Mental health problems, including depression and substance use disorders
  • Overweight and obesity
  • Pressure sores or ulcers

Many of these conditions can be prevented, and there are treatments for them. It's also important for people with disabilities to get health care that meets their needs as a whole person, not just as a person with a disability.

How can people with disabilities get and stay healthy?

Just like for people who don't have a disability, having a healthy lifestyle is important for people who do have a disability. A healthy lifestyle includes:

  • Getting regular physical activity
  • Eating healthy foods in healthy portions
  • Limiting sun exposure and using sunscreen to prevent skin cancer
  • Not smoking, and if needed, getting help to quit smoking
  • Using medicines wisely
  • Not drinking alcohol or drinking in moderation
  • Getting help for any substance use or mental health problems
  • Staying in touch with family and friends
What kinds of resources are there for people with disabilities?

Managing a disability can sometimes be challenging. There are resources that can help:

  • Assistive devices and mobility aids can make daily tasks easier.
  • Schools can develop plans around the specific needs of a child with a disability. The goal of the plans is to give the child an opportunity to perform at the same level as other children their age.
  • Support networks, such as disability organizations, can help you learn more about resources for you and your family. Support groups can help you connect with other people who have the same disability. They can provide emotional and social support. They are also a place where people can share tips about how to deal with day-to-day challenges.
  • Government programs may provide benefits, job training, employment resources, and protection against discrimination.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Health Fraud

Health fraud scams involve selling medicines, supplements, devices, foods, or cosmetics that have not been proven effective. At best, these scams don't work. At worst, they're dangerous. They also waste money and might keep you from getting the treatment you really need.

Some of the possible dangers of scam products are that they could:

  • Be contaminated from being made in unclean facilities or without proper quality control
  • Contain harmful ingredients that are not listed on the label
  • Trigger a harmful interaction with medicines you are taking
  • Cause serious, even life-threatening, injuries

Health fraud scams can be found everywhere, promising help for many common health issues, including weight loss, memory loss, sexual performance, and joint pain. They target people with serious conditions such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, HIV, and Alzheimer's disease.

Just remember - if it sounds too good to be true, it's probably a scam. Some red flags to watch for are product claims that:

  • Have personal testimonials by "real" people or "doctors" played by actors claiming amazing results.
  • Say that the product can treat or cure a wide range of unrelated diseases. No one product can treat or cure many different illnesses.
  • Mention conspiracy theories like "This is the cure our government and Big Pharma don't want you to know about."
  • Include phrases such as:
    • Ancient remedy
    • Miracle cure
    • No-risk money back guarantee
    • Natural cure
    • Quick fix
    • Secret ingredient
    • Scientific breakthrough
  • Use scientific-sounding terms that don't make sense for the products, such as "molecule multiplicity."
  • Refer to prestigious prizes, for example "Nobel Prize winning technology."

Before taking an unproven or little-known product, talk to your health care provider, especially if you are taking any prescription medicines.

Food and Drug Administration

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