Stacker-Health

The prevalence of plastics isn’t new. Since World War II, mass-produced plastics have increasingly littered sidewalks, oceans, and more across the globe. However, in more recent years, scientists have also started researching the effects these plastics have on human bodies, not just the planet. We now know many plastics persist in the environment, where they break down into

“The emotions involved are not for the faint of heart,” says just one of 1,144 family caregivers from the 2026 Caregivers in Crisis survey conducted by Aeroflow Urology. Today, nearly one in four adults in the U.S. is a family caregiver. For them, supporting a loved one means providing daily assistance, often unpaid, while trying

When people take a medication, they trust that it contains the right amount of active ingredient and is free of harmful contamination. Manufacturing and test records help verify that trust. When those records are missing or incomplete, it’s harder to establish whether a drug meets quality standards. In 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

The drive is the worst. For Kandis Daroski, a mom of three in the rural Midwest, it’s a minimum 30-minute slog each way for every well visit, dental check-up, and sudden toddler sickness. And she finds herself dealing with this (multiplied by five people) several times a month. Welcome to healthkeeping: the invisible project management

Most people experience common foot issues like bunions, stiffness, or a sore heel. These problems are often more inconvenient than painful, but if they persist, they can impact daily movement. When a foot problem seems benign, people often choose to work around it instead of treating it. Going to the doctor may not feel necessary,

Eye doctors and parents have more options than ever to treat and slow the progression of myopia in children. However, many parents either aren’t aware of available resources or don’t take advantage of the recommended strategies to reduce myopia’s onset and progression. “​The Myopia Awareness Gap,” an All About Vision (AAV) survey conducted by The Harris Poll in

Driving down the street in most major U.S. cities, you might have noticed a new fixture popping up in the local strip malls. More and more med spas are opening. According to AmSpa’s 2024 industry report, 1,589 medical spas opened in 2023, taking the national total from 8,899 to 10,488. This marked a 17.86% increase,

As Pennsylvania’s growing measles outbreak gets closer to her community on the west side of the state, Amanda Clear is taking actions to assess the risks to her son Dylan. One of her first stops: A new state website that lets anyone look up the student vaccination rates at individual Pennsylvania schools. That’s how she

Health events rarely come with warning and often bring medical bills, income disruption, and time‑sensitive financial decisions. Wells Fargo professionals share strategies for how to prepare for and respond to a medical emergency financially.   Health emergencies often create both medical costs and income disruption, making liquidity just as important as insurance coverage. Using insurance

The world has become hotter and, in many places, drier than ever before in recorded history. Just this summer, as some U.S. states battled over rights to the Colorado River, major reservoirs were at historically-low levels. In Puerto Rico, extended drought exacerbated an infrastructure crisis, leaving residents to suffer weeks-long stretches without water. In Europe,

As administrative demands grow, medical practices often face staff overload, delays, higher costs, and less time for patient care. A medical virtual assistant can help manage many of these tasks remotely, but choosing the right fit requires careful evaluation. In this guide, My Mountain Mover answers critical questions about choosing a medical virtual assistant, including

While reporting a recent story on the surge in older adults seeking measles immunity tests, Healthbeat found something unexpected. Colleges and universities were encouraging faculty and staff to gather proof of their immunity to measles before an exposure ever occurred on campus. There was another story unfolding. It wasn’t just that individuals were taking a

While cancer continues to be a major global health challenge, it is also a rapidly changing area of medicine. Targeted therapies, immunotherapy, genomic testing, biomarker-driven treatments, and artificial intelligence tools are contributing to the medical community’s ability to diagnose and treat cancer. The American Cancer Society estimated a total of 2,041,910 new cancer cases in

The confusion between ADD and ADHD affects millions of families trying to understand attention-related challenges. Parents often wonder if their child has ADD or ADHD, while adults question whether their childhood diagnosis still applies under current medical terminology. This distinction matters more than you might think. Using outdated terms can create confusion during medical appointments,

You wear your new glasses for the first time, but something feels off. The edges of the room curve slightly, straight lines look tilted, and a dull headache begins to develop. It’s natural to think that something isn’t right with your prescription, but in most cases, what you’re experiencing is completely normal. Mild visual changes

Millions of people take medication regularly, but getting the next refill isn’t always guaranteed. In a new survey from TelyRx of more than 1,200 U.S. adults who manage an ongoing prescription, 58% said they had run out of, or rationed, doses to make their supply last longer. For some, the consequences of these delays can

Sleep apnea is remarkably common, yet many people living with it may have no idea anything is wrong. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine estimates that nearly 30 million U.S. adults have obstructive sleep apnea, while about 23.5 million cases are undiagnosed. For some people, the first clues are persistent fatigue, headaches, or complaints about

Some of the latest studies around cognitive health have shown growing concern among the adult U.S. population regarding their own brain health and reducing risks of dementia. Indeed, a 2026 nationally representative survey of more than 3,800 U.S. adults aged 40 and older revealed that 99% considered brain health at least as important as physical

  People are tired, and the feeling has become so common that some may barely think to question it anymore. The National Institutes of Health notes that fatigue is one of the symptoms people report most often, while burnout continues to affect workers across nearly every profession. Longer workdays and constant screen time usually take

  Up to 40% of U.S. adults experience insomnia, and sleeplessness affects more than how you feel or function from day to day. It can increase your risk of long-term health conditions, like heart disease and dementia. If you’ve tried insomnia treatments like lifestyle changes and cognitive behavioral therapy without much improvement, you might be

  Many people experience heartburn, chest pain, and indigestion, but fewer think that their medications might be the cause. Even so, many common prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications can directly harm the lining of the esophagus and stomach. This can lead to pill esophagitis — an irritation of the lining of the esophagus, caused by

  Melinda Baron has a story for New Yorkers worried about the Upper East Side Legionnaires’ outbreak: She survived after contracting the disease seven years ago and is grateful for the outcome, but spent many months on the mend. New York City health officials say 89 people have tested positive for the Legionella bacterium. Seventy-one

  For eight states, about 10% of their allotment from the Rural Health Transformation Fund will go not to rural hospitals, but to tech companies seeking innovative solutions to challenges rural healthcare providers face. The Rural Tech Catalyst Fund takes a tenth of the states’ allocation from the Rural Health Transformation Fund and diverts it

  Car sickness is more common than most people realize. According to the Cleveland Clinic, motion sickness affects a significant portion of the population at some point in their lives, and for many people, it’s a persistent barrier to comfortable road travel. It strikes passengers of all ages—and it doesn’t spare the family dog either.​

  Gen Z adults are at the stage when lifelong habits start to take shape. They’re launching careers, reflecting on their values, and building relationships and routines. They’re also navigating messages about beauty standards that sometimes oppose the needs of their long-term health. Case in point: the “tanmaxxing” trend found on social media. “Ain’t no

  For years, concerns about social media were largely framed as a matter of personal responsibility: Parents could limit screen time, teenagers could put down their phones, and users could simply log off. That framing is changing as research, litigation and government action increasingly examine whether platform design itself can contribute to harm. That shift

  Not all hours of sunlight carry equal risk. The angle of the sun relative to Earth’s surface determines how much atmosphere UV rays must travel through before reaching the skin. Early morning and late afternoon sun travel a longer path through the atmosphere, with more atmospheric particles absorbing and scattering radiation. Midday sun travels

  The weather warms up, and the sun comes out. What scene do you picture? Maybe you imagine yourself relaxing on the beach, soaking up the rays, or frolicking in the water. Or maybe you picture the consequences of forgetting to apply sunscreen — a painful sunburn. But wait. You put on plenty of sunscreen

  A father is worried about his toddler, who has been running a fever for two days and pulling at one ear. A 65-year-old woman has been getting winded on her morning walks and feeling more fatigued than usual. Both reach for their phones and type their symptoms into an AI chatbot. “Your child likely

  Measles was surging in West Texas as Nancy Churnin eagerly awaited the birth of two grandchildren. She was sure she had been vaccinated decades ago, but she wanted to confirm she was still protected. She didn’t want to risk spreading the highly contagious disease to vulnerable newborns, so she got a simple blood test

  From lead paint chips to trace parts per billion (ppb) in cookies, exposure to heavy metals has decreased in recent decades. In this story, LMNT details the progress made on this front even as public questions persist. From 1976 to 1980, the average American’s blood contained about 12.8 micrograms of lead per deciliter (µg/dL),

  Microplastics have made their way into the human body, including the urinary system. But what do the effects of microplastics mean for bladder health? In this story, Aeroflow Urology examines the latest data. Right now, the research is still in its early stages. However, what researchers have found is that microplastics and nanoplastics may

  Travel creates conditions the brain finds highly rewarding: novel environments, varied sensory input, social engagement, freedom from habitual demands, and a disrupted relationship with time. When vacation ends, the return to familiar, predictable routines entails the simultaneous loss of all these stimulating conditions. The contrast is the key mechanism. The brain does not evaluate

  That familiar, maddening itch after a mosquito bite is one of summer’s most annoying experiences. The science behind why mosquito bites itch involves a complex interaction between mosquito saliva and the human immune system. Understanding this process helps explain why some people react more severely than others and what actually works to stop the

  A federal advisory committee has recommended making BPC-157, a peptide popular in online wellness and fitness circles, available again through licensed compounding pharmacies. The FDA’s Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee voted to recommend adding BPC-157 to the 503A Bulks List, the set of substances that compounding pharmacies may prepare for patients who have a prescription,

  That painful red glow after a day outdoors is more than just discomfort. It signals real cellular damage happening beneath the skin’s surface. The good news is that dermatologist-approved treatments can significantly reduce pain, speed healing, and prevent long-term damage when applied correctly. Many people reach for whatever lotion is nearby, but not all

  For multigenerational families and roommates navigating escalating housing costs, consolidating into a single shared home is increasingly a financial necessity. But pushing a property’s capacity past its intended structural limits introduces severe, often overlooked physical hazards. Rather than just a loss of privacy, occupying a home beyond its design capacity triggers a chain reaction

  Those little brown marks on the skin confuse many people. Both involve excess pigment in the skin, but they arise from different causes and behave differently. Freckles often bring back memories of summer days as a kid, while sunspots can signal that the skin has been exposed to too much sun over the years.

  When you’re comparing health plans, knowing which medications are covered, how they’re covered, and how much they’ll cost can save you a lot of frustration and money. That’s why a health plan’s formulary is important. It’s an essential component of an insurance plan. You should review it to confirm that the coverage fits both

  About 14 years ago, Chrissi Kelly lost her sense of smell. She had traveled to the Czech Republic to visit family and caught some virus. Months later, when she still couldn’t smell, she made the rounds to doctors, including her general practitioner and an ear, nose and throat specialist, trying to find answers. She

  If you’ve ever used an online pharmacy platform to get a prescription filled, you’re in good company. Millions of people do it, and trust in these platforms has been growing steadily. In fact, 62% of users of online pharmacy platforms say they trust some or all online pharmacies more now than they did in

  Ask two trusted sources how bad America’s drug shortage problem is, and you get two answers that seem to come from different countries. By the Food and Drug Administration’s count, 2024 was the calmest year in more than a decade. The FDA’s drug center recorded just 15 new shortages that year. That is down

  Most people assume their tap water has already been tested for anything that could affect their health. Public water systems do test and treat drinking water to meet current standards, but research is moving quickly, and scientists continue to discover potentially harmful substances that may be in drinking water before regulations are updated to

  For years, smartwatches have helped us monitor our health. From tracking how many steps we take each day to measuring our heart rate, our watches have helped us stay healthy. More recently, many smartwatches can measure our blood pressure, letting the user take a reading as and when they need to. But now, thanks

SmartAsset reports Utah and Colorado are the healthiest states, while West Virginia ranks the lowest in health metrics.

Doctronic reports that hunger-triggered nausea stems from excess stomach acid, hormonal changes, and low blood sugar; small frequent meals can help manage symptoms.

Oura reports that heart rate variability (HRV) measures the variation in heartbeat timing, reflecting stress levels and recovery. Higher HRV indicates well-being, while lower HRV signals stress.

Doctronic reports that stress can cause temporary hair loss by disrupting growth cycles. 

GoodRx reports 2026 will see higher health insurance premiums, Medicare changes, and many opting out of coverage due to increased costs.