The leading causes of death in the United States (U.S.) are heart disease and strokes.…
Author: Emma Yasinski
I am a freelance science and medical journalist, fascinated by how the scientific process leads to incredible discoveries, but also can lead to publication bias leaning toward positive findings and minimizing negatives. With a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from Lafayette College and a Master’s in Science and Medical Journalism from Boston University, I’ve written about clinical trial transparency, organ donation, and basic molecular biology for publications like The Scientist, The Atlantic, Undark.org, Kaiser Health News, and more. At MedShadow, I research and write about the sometimes unexpected ways that medicines can affect us, and what we can do if and when it does.
The Link Between Stress and IBS
A woman wrote to doctors at the University of California Los Angeles asking whether stress could be behind her new irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) diagnosis. She’d been diagnosed during the pandemic. She’d just started a new job, then lockdowns had her working in addition to homeschooling her children. Like many of us, she’d been incredibly stressed. Spoiler alert: the doctors cannot definitively tell her the cause of her irritable bowel, but stress is a known trigger that often precedes both diagnoses and flare ups. Over the past few years, researchers have begun to understand more and more of the reasons…
People on dialysis for kidney disease are 100 time more likely than others to get staph dangerous hospital- acquired infections in their blood. Nearly 15,000 dialysis patients got blood stream infections in 2020, a third of which were staph (infections of a bacteria called Staphylococcus aureus). While the number of infections has decreased since 2014, the risk remains, and disparities are prevalent. Black and Hispanic patients are more likely than their white counterparts on dialysis to get a staph in their bloodstream, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report published February 6, 2023. You’ve been admitted…
5 of the Most Common Drug Side Effects
Read through MedShadow’s coverage of the side effects of drugs and you’ll see many of the same side effects mentioned over and over. For example, patients report nausea after taking a whole host of drugs, such as those for Lupus, HIV prevention, cancer and more. It’s crucial to differentiate side effects from symptoms, explains Suzanne Soliman, PharmD, founder of the Pharmacist Moms Group, so that you and your healthcare provider can work together to improve your care. She says, when she works with patients who are experiencing new symptoms or side effects, the first step is for her to take…
Madeline Shonka told MedShadow it took her years to get an accurate lupus diagnosis. Even then, she had to go through trial and error with many different combinations of medications for treatment, all the while trying to decipher the best lifestyle changes to manage her condition. For example, she eventually discovered that making time for light exercise had a huge positive impact on her quality of life. Jill Dehlin, an RN who suffers from migraines, told MedShadow that tracking her symptoms helped immensely. “I recommend to everyone that I speak with to keep a journal or diary and keep track…
IBS Is Manageable, Doctors Say
When personal trainer and nutrition coach Erik was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), he says he felt almost betrayed: “The foods I consider paramount to my physical success are now turning against my body.” He says medicines haven’t helped much either, so he’s been experimenting with different foods and testing out an anti-inflammatory diet. None of those attempts have yet managed to end his first months-long IBS flare-ups. What Is IBS? IBS is “chronic abdominal pain with altered bowel movements in the absence of an identifiable cause,” says Aniruddh Setya, MD, a pediatric gastroenterologist at Kidz Medical Service in Hollywood,…
About MedShadow
MedShadow Foundation is an independent nonprofit health & wellness journalism organization focused on helping to protect lives from the side effects of medication and lower risk with alternative health options.
We help protect your life and the lives of your family by making sure you have the information you need to make informed decisions about the risks, benefits and alternatives to medicines.
Even though MedShadow is nonprofit, we refuse to accept support from pharmaceutical companies or medical device manufacturers. You can be sure that our information is free from the influence of pharmaceutical companies.
FIND ARTICLES
Conditions
Symptoms & Concerns
Medications
SUPPORT
Contribute
Donate
Contact
MedShadow Foundation does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information.
MedShadow Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. MedShadow does not accept advertising or contributions from pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers or political action organizations.
Copyright © 2022, MedShadow Foundation. all rights reserved. Designed by Dante Steward