When Amanda Roth first walked into a fertility clinic in 2011, her situation wasn’t exactly like that of the many other patients in the waiting room. She hadn’t been trying to conceive with a male partner for some time; as someone with a female partner, she simply didn’t have sperm…
Immunologist: How the body’s defense system takes on viruses, and why sometimes it loses
You’ve probably heard that your best defenses against the coronavirus are washing your hands, practicing social distancing, and having a healthy immune system. It’s that last part—the part you can’t really control for sure—that may have you crossing your fingers. A dysfunctional immune system, experts say, is one reason that…
What it really means when you dream about tests
Ugh, the dreaded test dream. It’s always the same — you realize that you have to take a test, and not just a pop quiz, but some kind of huge make-it-or-break-it final exam. Your grade, your diploma, your entire future hinges on this test, and yet… there’s a problem. Not…
The worst thing I did after my cancer diagnosis was Google it
It is terrifying to hear you have a disease that kills thousands of people globally every day. Just moments after hearing ‘Kris, unfortunately you do have breast cancer’, my body and mind drifted to another dimension. Whatever words my doctor was saying turned into nonsensical noise. I vaguely remember him…
British victim describes what it is like to have coronavirus
‘Every pore on my body opened’: British victim describes what it’s like to have coronavirus as he’s treated in Japan after catching virus on infection-riddled ship the Diamond Princess as two other passengers DIE David and Sally Abel were diagnosed with the killer coronavirus onboard the cruise ship Diamond Princess …
What is Prednisone & Why Does It Make Your Face Puffy?
Bodies are always complicated — and bodies dealing with chronic illness and autoimmune disease often have different challenges to navigate than some of their peers. For folks whose treatments involve the corticosteroid (a fancy word for hormones produced in the adrenal cortex or made synthetically to decrease inflammation) like Prednisone,…
Vaccinating children—why peace of mind should not be forgotten when it comes to funding
Vaccinating children against serious diseases is a complicated process. Even after all the scientific discoveries and developments, there are important decisions to be made by parents and politicians. In the UK, government policy on whether to fund new vaccines, or modify their availability, is based on advice from an independent…
Hope for an HIV vaccine as scientists tweak immune system to fight it
Hope for an HIV vaccine as scientists ‘re-engineer’ the human immune system to fight the virus The human body rarely produces antibodies to fight HIV on its own On the rare occasion it does, it usually also recognizes them as as danger and shuts them down Scientists at Duke University and Boston…
Why it seems like your friends have more to be thankful for
Have you ever felt like everyone else has so much more to be thankful for? Check your Facebook or Instagram feed: Your friends seem to dine at finer restaurants, take more exotic vacations and have more accomplished children. They even have cuter pets! Rest assured, it’s an illusion, one that’s…
Teen born with huge facial mass has 55 surgeries to shrink it
Depressed teenager born with a facial mass the size of her HEAD has had 55 surgeries to shrink it after years of unwanted attention from strangers Hannah Dunaway, 18, was born with a severe case of lymphatic malformation Caused vessels to clump together into a congealed mass in her throat…
What it means when your belly button hurts
Belly button pain can take many forms. It may come and go, and it could be sharp or dull. Sometimes, it can even radiate to other parts of the body. If you experience this type of pain, there could be a handful of reasons as to why you’re suffering from…