Evolution has not been kind to millions of back pain sufferers. The physical stress of modern life as a biped is often more than the spine is engineered to handle, leading to painful spasms that range from irritating to debilitating. The odds an adult has had lower back pain in the past 3 months are 1 … Read more
We often think of medical science as being cutting edge, focused on exploring the unknown and uncovering the most deadly secrets of the human body. More mundane conditions can fall by the wayside, with doctors and patients falling back on diagnoses and treatments that may be decades old. Such was the case with peptic ulcers, … Read more
“Phoenix’s problem: he seemed to see flashes like lightning in his eye, mostly the right. And when he had suffered that a short time, a terrible pain developed toward his right temple and around his whole head…” reads an account of ancient Hippocratic medical writings. Not until the late 19th century did these symptoms come … Read more
By now you’ve probably heard a lot about the benefits of complementary and alternative medicine. Everything from meditation and acupuncture to vitamin supplements and herbal extracts have been shown to make documented, and often quite dramatic, inroads against conditions as varied as high blood pressure, arthritis, depression, and even cancer. How far out would you go … Read more
Take a moment to think of the names of any 5 prescription drugs. Your list may read something like: Viagra®, Nexium®, Vioxx®, Zyrtec®, and Lunesta®. Or, if pressed for another 5, maybe Yaz®, Xyzal®, Elidel®, Prozac®, and Paxil®. Notice anything unusual? Topomax®, Prevacid®, Oxycontin®, Celexa®, Botox®. Flomax®, Valtrex®, Zoloft®, Zantac®, Xanax®. How about now? If … Read more
1. My partner and I don’t sleep in the same room. Are we weird? You’re not unusual. The odds a married or cohabiting adult sleeps alone to ensure both partners get a good night’s sleep are 1 in 4.35. 2. Do more men sleep in their underwear, or in the nude? Neither. The odds a man sleeps nude … Read more
As the cells of the human body endure the daily assault of sunlight, smoke, and chemicals, damage occurs along the length of chromosomes, or genes. A mutation may occur. And if that genetic mistake alters a gene influencing cell growth, it could direct the cell to replicate unhindered. Over 2,500 years ago, Hippocrates termed the … Read more
You like her. She likes you. You’ve gone on a few dates, felt that fluttering excitement and ineffable chemistry, and now it’s time to take the next step. You want to have sex. Lord knows there are plenty of rough spots when you get to know someone intimately. But before you even slip between the … Read more
What does the term “objectum sexuality” mean to you? Objectum-Sexuality is a natural inclination to develop meaningful and significant relationships to objects that possess a particular uniqueness in the eye of the beholder. In other words, people who joke about falling in love with a toaster or a pencil miss the point that OS people … Read more
The recent water crisis in the greater Boston area, brought about by a massive rupture in a central water main, imposed many hardships on the two million people forced to boil water—or circle supermarkets hoping to spot a truck bringing in the bottled kind. With the taps shut off all across the city and throughout nearby suburbs … Read more