Author: Emma Yasinski

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.

Over the summer, I attended a three-day music festival near my home. Each day, I spent about eight or nine hours on my feet, mostly standing in one place in the crowd, facing the stage. Long before the shows ended, I started feeling intense pain in my feet, hips, and lower back. For my whole life, I’ve been athletic. I run half marathons, go for long bike rides and swims, and even practice yoga in between. “How could just standing in place cause me more pain than all those intense exercises?” I wondered. I’m not alone. More than 77% of…

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Usually, our immune systems protect us from all kinds of outside invaders like the bacteria that causes strep throat and the virus that causes COVID, but what happens when our immune system’s highly-specialized antibodies, white blood cells, and inflammatory molecules glitch and turn against us, attacking our body’s own tissues and organs? We get autoimmune diseases.  There are 80 types of autoimmune diseases, and they’re often difficult to diagnose. The symptoms of autoimmune diseases can vary widely based on the parts of the body that are affected. Often, the symptoms of autoimmune diseases, like painful swelling and inflammation, change from…

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Do you wake up with stiffness and joint pain? Have you been wondering whether you’re injured, you’re developing arthritis or if you just need a good stretch? Even if you do have arthritis, diet and exercise may go a long way toward mitigating your symptoms. MedShadow explains. What Is Arthritis? There are more than 100 types of arthritis, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), but one thing they all have in common is that any arthritis damages the cartilage in your joints. In some cases, only a single joint will be affected, whereas for others, the…

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It took seven years for Madeline Shonka to be diagnosed with lupus. Unfortunately, her struggles didn’t end there.  The side effects of medications for lupus that her healthcare providers prescribed were often debilitating side effects, such as weight gain, rashes and even difficulty managing anger. Then, over time, her physicians tested different, better-suited treatments on Shonka. She found that certain new habits, like light exercise, made a big difference in her quality of life. She then founded Co-immunity, which hosts support groups for patients with chronic illnesses, so that they can share their experiences. What Is Lupus? Lupus is an…

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A drug overdose can happen to anyone, whether you’re taking a prescription after a surgery, suffering from an opioid-use disorder or living in a home where the drugs are available and you find extras. Those who have never taken an opioid (called opioid-naive) or know little about how they will feel on an opioid, may take too much of the drug or take it too often by mistake. The difference between an effective amount of painkiller and too much can cause an overdose and death. That’s why you should discuss naloxone (Narcan) with your healthcare provider if anyone in your…

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Corticosteroids, also known as glucocorticoids or steroids, aren’t the same as the anabolic steroids athletes misuse. Corticosteroids are used to treat a variety of inflammatory diseases like asthma, allergies, rashes, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and inflammatory bowel disease, as well as many other conditions. Because corticosteroids are so strong, most of them are only available by prescription. While they can be extremely beneficial, steroids can also have serious side effects. It’s a good idea to understand the benefits and risks of corticosteroids and discuss your treatment options with your doctor. Common Names Corticosteroids come in several forms, including: Oral: Capsules, tablets, or…

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Quick Hits: People who take an opioid medication for pain are at a higher risk for heart problems. Patients prescribed an opioid painkiller had a 64% higher risk of early death compared to patients given an another type of pain med, researchers reported in JAMA. Much of the increased risk was connected to difficulty breathing during sleep, as well as abnormal heartbeat and other cardiovascular complications. Some of the alternatives meds examined in the study were Neurontin (gabapentin), Lyrica (pregabalin) and Tegretol (carbamazepine), and some low doses of antidepressants. The authors concluded that long-acting opioids should be in favor of…

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