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MONDAY, June 26, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- If you have had a sharp pain shooting down one leg, you may be experiencing a condition called sciatica.Here is what you need to know about sciatica, including what it is, its causes, symptoms and treatments. Plus, learn about medications, self-care and stretches that may provide relief.What is sciatica?Sciatica refers to pain that travels along the path of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve travels from the lower back through the hips and buttocks and down each leg. The pain may be severe but usually clears up in a few weeks.Sciatica nerve pain causes and risk factorsCauses of sciatic nerve pain include anything that affects the sciatic nerve, according to Penn Medicine:Slipped or herniated diskSpinal stenosisPiriformis syndromePelvic injury...

SUNDAY, June 25, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Summer's here and the Mayo Clinic says babies need protection from the sun's damaging UV rays, too.It only takes one severe sunburn during childhood or adolescence to nearly double the risk for a deadly melanoma later in life, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association.Babies are far more vulnerable to sunburn than older kids, so it's essential to protect them against UV rays, said pediatric dermatologist Dr. Megha Tollefson, who offers tips for keeping babies safe outdoors."Sunburns can be very painful," she said, adding that severe sunburn can be a setup for infection. Sunburns are usually short-term concerns, but they pose long-term risks, too."The more UV exposure a child gets — especially the younger in life that it...

SATURDAY, June 24, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Your family medical history may reveal some important details about your health, making it vital information to share with your medical provider.It’s helpful to gather what you can before your next visit with your primary care physician.“Knowing your family history can be helpful in identifying if you’re at higher risk for certain chronic diseases, mental health conditions or cancers,” said Dr. Saundra Nguyen, an assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. “For example, someone with a strong family history of colon cancer may be recommended for a colonoscopy earlier than the general population, or we may screen for diabetes in someone with a family history of diabetes," Nguyen said in a college news release. "We...

FRIDAY, June 23, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- It's an image you see everywhere on social media and television: Groups of 30-something women, glistening glasses of chardonnay or cabernet in their hands as they let loose with their friends.But a new study digs into the downside of "booze bonding" — these women are 60% more likely to engage in excessive drinking than their peers were some 25 years earlier.The investigators also found that even as excessive drinking risk has shot up among modern middle-aged women overall, that risk appears to be particularly high among those who do not have children by the time they hit 35. “The finding that women without children have higher rates of excessive drinking is not a new finding, and has been observed for decades,” acknowledged study author...