The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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2 tips to avoid holiday burnout and actually enjoy the season Ah, the holidays. For some, it's "the most wonderful time of the year." For others, it can also be the most stressful. Parties, gifts, kids’ events, the office potluck, all activities that are meant to be fun but can feel overwhelming when added to your existing responsibilities. It's enough to make anyone say "bah humbug!" When holiday cheer starts to feel like holiday fear, it's time to take action. In this article, Life Exte...
At what age do people start feeling older and more tired? Feeling older and more tired is a common experience that many people notice as they move through different stages of life. However, pinpointing the exact age when these sensations begin can be tricky because aging is a highly individual process influenced by genetics, lifestyle, and overall health. Generally, many individuals begin to notice subtle changes in energy levels and physical resilience in their late 30s to early 40s. This...
From budget cuts to public distrust: Exploring the challenges facing local health departments As CEO of the National Association of County and City Health Officials, Lori Freeman spends much of her time on the road talking with the people on the front lines of public health. It’s been a challenging year for local health departments. The federal government in March announced it was pulling back $11.4 billion in funding allocated across the nation for pandemic response and infrastructure, an a...
Got the flu? Here’s how long you’re contagious When the flu strikes, one of the biggest concerns is how long you might be contagious. Knowing this can help protect your family, friends, and coworkers from catching the virus. This guide from Doctronic.ai breaks down exactly how long you can spread the flu and what you can do to minimize the risk. It is crucial to recognize that the contagious period can vary significantly among individuals, influenced by factors such as age, overall health, and...
1 answers that could save a life: Organ donation explained Teenagers aren’t supposed to struggle to breathe. But two years ago, Micah Clayborne, a then-active 13-year-old middle school tennis player, knew something was wrong. Still, he pushed through the symptoms — persistent sweating and shortness of breath — for six months before finally telling his parents. They rushed their son to the hospital. Within days, doctors diagnosed Micah with Danon disease — a genetic condition that thicken...
Achieving lasting remission for HIV Around the world, some 40 million people are living with HIV. And though progress in treatment means the infection isn’t the death sentence it once was, researchers have never been able to bring about a cure. Instead, HIV-positive people must take a cocktail of antiretroviral drugs for the rest of their lives. But in 2025, researchers reported a breakthrough that suggests that a “functional” cure for HIV — a way to keep HIV under control long-term without...
6 things pediatricians want you to know about vaccines Back in the early 1900s, about one in five children died before entering kindergarten. The most common reason: infectious disease. Today, just one in 27 dies so young, most often because of an accident. Those saved lives are largely thanks to vaccines, which introduce weakened or killed viruses or bacteria into the body to trigger the body’s natural defenses and immune responses. Over the years, vaccines have prevented millions of h...
The holidays are prime time for pancreatitis—here’s how to protect your dog Veterinarians see many dogs in the ER because of stomach problems throughout the year. Summer barbecues, birthday parties, winter holiday dinners — all these food-focused celebrations are prime times for dogs to chow down on something that doesn’t agree with them. These indulgences can set them up to develop pancreatitis, a disease that can be life-threatening. Pet parenting advice source Kinship shares what you need to...
How long does a chest cold usually last? A chest cold, medically known as acute bronchitis, is a common respiratory condition characterized by inflammation of the bronchial tubes. These tubes carry air to and from the lungs, and when inflamed, they produce mucus, leading to coughing and discomfort in the chest area. Chest colds often develop after an upper respiratory infection like a common cold or the flu. In this article, Doctronic provides information on the duration and recovery of chest...
How AI can support doctors in diagnosing patients Artificial intelligence is transforming the way people approach medicine, from diagnosis to treatment planning. The comparison between AI and human doctors raises essential questions about accuracy, speed, empathy, and safety. In this article, Doctronic explores the evidence, the trade-offs, and how emerging services fit into the evolving landscape of direct-to-patient care. Setting the Stage: What ‘Accuracy’ Means in Diagnosis Accuracy in dia...
7 tips to survive the holidays when struggling with an eating disorder For many people, the holidays are a time for celebration, family gatherings and festive meals. But for individuals recovering from an eating disorder or coping with body image concerns, this season can be especially stressful. The focus on food, disrupted routines, dressing up and social pressures can trigger anxiety, guilt and self-criticism. Understanding why holidays can be difficult for eating disorder recovery and...
11% of men misunderstand low testosterone—3 myths debunked Despite cultural conversations evolving surrounding masculinity, misconceptions remain about men’s sexual health issues. Topics like erectile dysfunction (ED), premature ejaculation (PE), or low testosterone are often stigmatized. This can lead to the circulation of misinformation on important health issues that will impact many men in their lifetime. According to a survey by Hims, 63% of men report having experienced ED, 53% report hav...
Why heart attacks spike during Thanksgiving, and what you can do about it Every Thanksgiving, while millions of Americans gather around tables laden with turkey and pie, emergency rooms brace for an invisible surge: a wave of cardiac emergencies that makes the holiday season one of the deadliest times of the year. Doctronic explores the sobering statistics. Norton Healthcare research shows cardiac deaths increase by approximately 5% during the holiday season, with studies documenting a 5% to 15%...
Are STIs truly declining, or is our data just not very good? What the 2024 CDC STI report really shows Amid the disturbing news about public health in the United States, there may be some good news about sexually transmitted infections. On Sept. 24, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention quietly reported that the combined total of the three nationally reportable STIs — chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis — declined in 2024. Is the United States finally making progress in improving sex...
Suicide claims more Gen Z lives than previous generation For Gen Z adults, the oldest of whom are now reaching their late 20s, suicide is taking more lives than 10 years ago when millennials were the same age, according to a Stateline analysis of federal death statistics. The bulk of the increase, 85%, is among Black and Hispanic men, many in Southern and Midwestern states. Experts disagree on the root causes of the growth in suicides, but they see a wave of untreated depression that can lead...
Is sodium good or bad for you? Hypertension has been an established heart disease risk factor for decades. When blood flows at normal pressure, your vessels stay strong and flexible. Cranked up too high for a long period of time, this pressure can damage your vessel walls, making them stiff and narrow — ultimately increasing your risk for a cardiovascular event like a heart attack or stroke. Where does sodium come in? You likely learned in high school chemistry that this mineral, a component of...
Dousing the fire of GERD If you have an esophagus, you’ve almost certainly experienced the occasional bout of heartburn — that painful sensation that occurs when highly acidic stomach juices splash up into the tube that connects your mouth and stomach. It’s no fun, but the discomfort quickly passes. But if you have frequent heartburn — called gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD — you know it can be a life-altering misery. People with GERD can experience such sharp pain it’s like they’re bei...
Happy pills? The truth about depression medications and finding the right one Depression is one of the most widespread health conditions in the world. According to the World Health Organization, it affects more than 280 million people globally, cutting across age, gender, and geography. For some, depression is a temporary episode linked to a major life event. For others, it is a chronic condition that flares and recedes across a lifetime. Despite its prevalence, depression remains deeply...
14% of Americans hear therapy words daily. Here are the 9 we misuse most Have you ever paused mid-conversation and wondered if you’re using a mental health term correctly? Maybe you’ve described feeling “triggered” by something at work, or found yourself questioning whether a situation was really “toxic” or just frustrating. These moments of uncertainty have become part of a cultural shift where mental health language—what’s now called “therapy speak”—has moved out of therapy offices and i...
A red meat allergy from tick bites is spreading, and the lone star tick isn’t the only alpha-gal carrier to worry about Hours after savoring that perfectly grilled steak on a beautiful summer evening, your body turns traitor, declaring war on the very meal you just enjoyed. You begin to feel excruciating itchiness, pain or even swelling that can escalate to the point of requiring emergency care. The culprit isn’t food poisoning — it’s the fallout from a tick bite you may have gotten months...
Do you need a heart checkup? Christopher Malin had always been diligent about his health, so he was used to getting the basic tests — blood pressure readings and blood tests for cholesterol and glucose levels. The 59-year-old Melville, New York, resident knew he faced a higher risk of heart disease because of blood pressure that remained high despite medications and a family history of cardiac problems. Malin thought he’d covered all the bases. But at a visit with his primary care doctor in ear...
August 25, 2025 - MONTGOMERY, AL. - The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) has confirmed the state's first case of measles in more than two decades, renewing calls for vigilance and vaccination amid rising global travel and declining immunization rates in some communities. According to ADPH, the infected child-under five years old and unvaccinated-contracted measles while traveling outside the United States. The child resides in North Alabama and did not attend daycare or school,...
How AI can make infectious disease surveillance smarter, faster, and more useful Public health agencies are under pressure to move faster, detect threats earlier, and make better decisions, even as their funding is cut and their authority reduced. While most public health agencies will have to do less with less, artificial intelligence systems provide an opportunity to maintain and possibly improve performance in one critical area: infectious disease surveillance. Healthbeat reports that even...
4 foods and beverages that help with bloating Have you ever gotten dressed in a pair of pants that fit perfectly when you left the house, but are much too tight around the waist and uncomfortable by the time you got home from your meal? They didn’t change size after dinner—but your belly certainly did! Chances are, you have experienced bloating at some point or another, whether after a big holiday meal or after ingesting a certain food trigger as simple as a carbonated beverage. Bloating is...
A father holding his newborn baby at the hospital a day after birth. Lopolo // Shutterstock Brain study identifies a cost of caregiving for new fathers Parenting makes the heart grow fonder, and the brain grow … smaller? Several studies have revealed that the brain loses volume across the transition to parenthood, Darby Saxbe, a psychology professor at the University of Southern California, writes for The Conversation. But researchers are still figuring out what these changes mean for parents. I...
