Artículos

The common cold is a nuisance and can sometimes keep you from your normal activities. Medications to reduce your symptoms are available at the pharmacy, but you may wonder if your Medicare health insurance helps cover the costs.  Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and health care products are becoming more and more popular in this country, and sales topped 162 billion dollars in the United States in 2022. Today, seniors make an average of 26 trips to retail outlets per year solely for OTC purchases like cold care…

You might think that osteoporosis is a disease that only affects older women, but the truth is that men are affected by osteoporosis at almost the same rate as women. Some studies have demonstrated that about 30% of women are at risk of developing this condition at some point in their lives. Between 13% and 35% of men are at risk. Although gender doesn’t seem to matter as much when it comes to who is affected by osteoporosis, age is a bigger factor. The risk…

When you enroll in Medicare you receive a printed card from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This card contains your health care insurance information and is necessary to prove that you have Medicare coverage.  If you apply for Medicare yourself – either online, over the phone, or at a local CMS office – you’ll get your card in the mail approximately three weeks later together with your Medicare welcome packet. If the Social Security Administration enrolls you in Medicare automatically, you’ll get…

According to the Mayo Clinic, three out of 10 Americans live with persistent pain resulting from injury or illness. Our complicated central nervous system enables pain to develop and spread, sometimes making it difficult to pinpoint the underlying cause. Pain can affect many aspects of your life, and can cause stress, depression, anxiety, lack of joy and social isolation. Some pain can be relieved by lifestyle changes, breathing exercises or meditation, increased physical activity, and abstinence from smoking and alcohol. External support can come from…

When you eat, food is digested with the help of secretions from gastric glands, enzymes, and microbes. For instance, enzymes lining the stomach, proton pumps, assist in acid production and serve an essential role in the digestive process. Hydrochloric acid destroys microbes in food and helps enzymes break down food. However, enzymes can lose effectiveness if the environment is too acidic. Too much acid can cause conditions like indigestion, acid reflux and heartburn. Indigestion presents as pain or a burning feeling in your upper abdomen….

Reaching retirement age means starting a new chapter in your life, and for many seniors in the United States, it also means you can begin taking advantage of Medicare benefits. Started in 1965, Medicare is an insurance program provided to Americans age 65 and older as well as some people who have qualifying disabilities under 65. It helps to pay for a range of medical services, including visits with your doctor, hospital admission, diagnostic testing and more. For many seniors, enrollment in some parts of…

Your skin is an organ within an overarching system that includes hair and nails, which protects your internal environment. By regulating body temperature and generating sensory information, such as pleasure and pain, skin helps you respond appropriately to your external environment, removing your hand from a hot surface, for example. Because your skin has massive exposure to infection, injury and disease, it is highly vulnerable to damage. Skin conditions may involve only the top layer, such as warts and age spots, while others indicate conditions…

When you turn 65, you are eligible for the Medicare program, a relief to retirees losing employer-sponsored health insurance plans. However, Medicare coverage comes with costs that may include premiums, coinsurance and copayments. Each part of Medicare has a cost-sharing component.  What does Part A (hospital insurance) cost? At age 65, if you or a spouse paid taxes into the Medicare system for the required duration, usually 10 years, you are eligible for Part A with no premium. Check your Social Security account online to…

The medical community recommends specific vaccinations to reduce your risk of preventable diseases and severe illness. You may also need vaccinations required for employment, school and travel. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for approval before a vaccine is available for public distribution. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) assures the public that vaccination safety is a priority, reviewing safety information and monitoring adverse reactions. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) advises the CDC on who…

Under normal conditions, cells grow and divide while the body rids itself of abnormal cells. Cancer results from a disruption in the cell turnover process when new cells grow uncontrollably and abnormal cells do not go away. You may question the need for undergoing medical tests when you feel well, but some cancers are initially asymptomatic. If a screening reveals the presence of cancer, you can begin treatment right away. Early intervention, while a tumor is small and has not metastasized (spread), has the most…