Mayo Clinic Health Matters

A recent Mayo Clinic study looked at the disproportionate effects of COVID-19 on racial and ethnic minorities. "We found that environmental factors, especially systemic racism and problems with housing density, predispose these patients to having more chances of infection," says Dr. Aditya Shah, a Mayo Clinic infectious diseases expert and one of the authors of the study. In this Mayo Clinic Q&A p...

As positive cases of COVID-19 continue to spike across much of the country, the role of contact tracing to prevent further spread becomes more important. Contact tracing is the process of notifying people who have had close contact with people newly infected with COVID-19, to let them know they may have been exposed. When it comes to contact tracing, quarantining and isolation, timing is critical...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated its guidelines for defining close contact with a person who is positive for COVID-19. Previously, close contact was defined as occurring when someone was within 6 feet of an infectious person for 15 consecutive minutes. Now close contact includes people who were within 6 feet for a total of 15 minutes over a 24-hour period, as the CD...

As most of America prepares to “fall back” and end daylight saving time, many people welcome the extra hour of sleep. But how do time changes affect the body and sleep patterns? On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Lois Krahn, a Mayo Clinic psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist, discusses daylight saving time and offers sleep hygiene tips for dealing with time and season changes Advertising In...

Halloween is just around the corner. Usually, this means trick-or-treating, fall parties, and lots of candy and treats for children and families. But this year is different due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Halloween festivities need to be adapted to protect those who are most vulnerable and slow the spread of COVID-19. This special edition of the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast features an #AskMayoMom episod...

As the COVID pandemic continues and flu season begins, staying healthy and finding ways to improve your immunity is important. "A resilient immune system is not just preventing, but constantly eliminating our exposures to background infections or inflammatory agents," says Dr. Anjali Bhagra, a Mayo Clinic integrative medicine specialist. "It allows your body to keep healing from inflammatory or in...

The race to COVID-19 vaccines and treatments continues, with multiple clinical trials now in the final stages of testing. While the research is moving rapidly, it’s not without challenges. Two different trials were paused recently over potential safety concerns. On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group, discu...

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is an early form of a non-invasive breast cancer that begins as abnormal cells inside the milk ducts in the breast. It typically doesn't show signs or symptoms and it's estimated that up to 40% of cases eventually become invasive if not treated. The current standard treatment is to perform a lumpectomy or a mastectomy in more extreme cases. Clinical trials are under...

As cases of COVID-19 rise in many areas of the U.S., it's important for people to have up-to-date information to protect themselves and their loved ones. Mayo Clinic has a tracking tool that features the latest COVID-19 data for every county in all 50 states, and Washington, D.C. The tool also features Mayo Clinic insight on how to assess risk and plan accordingly. On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, ...

Mayo Clinic recently performed the first-ever shoulder arthroplasty procedure that used mixed reality technology in the United States. This technology provides surgeons with a 3D holographic view of the patient's preoperative plan, allowing the surgeon to visualize, rotate and interact with a surgical plan during the procedure. On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Joaquin Sanchez-Sotelo, a Mayo Cli...

After COVID-19 patients have recovered from the infection, some continue to have lingering effects from the disease, known as post-COVID syndrome. To help these patients, Mayo Clinic has launched the COVID-19 Activity Rehabilitation Program. This program takes a multidisciplinary approach, including specialists in occupational medicine, pulmonary medicine, psychiatry and infectious diseases to tre...

Severe lung damage has been a serious outcome for COVID-19 patients who survive and face recovery from the disease. "As we know, lungs are one of the major organs that are involved with COVID infection," says Dr. Sadia Shah, a Mayo Clinic transplant pulmonologist and critical care physician. "In severe cases, the patient's lungs can be significantly inflamed from the disease, leading to pneumonia...

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the key ligaments that help stabilize the knee joint. The ACL connects your thighbone, or femur, to your shinbone, or tibia. It's most commonly torn during sports that involve sudden stops and changes in direction, such as basketball, soccer, tennis and volleyball. On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Matthew Crowe, an orthopedic surgeon at Mayo Clinic...

In an effort to reassure the public about the safety and effectiveness of a vaccine, the Food and Drug Administration has set stricter standardsfor COVID-19 vaccine development. These standards include following phase 3 clinical trial participants for at least two months, and having at least five severe COVID-19 cases in the placebo group. The agency's requirements are designed to ensure that ther...

According to an article in the journal JAMA Network Open, American adults report they are drinking 14% more often during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the research didn't determine why drinking frequency has increased, health experts worry that people are turning to alcohol to cope with the stress, anxiety, and isolation caused by the pandemic. On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Victor Karpyak, a...

Children benefit from social interaction, and participating in sports activities is one way to spend time with peers. It's a chance to exercise and learn socialization skills. "But most sports require close contact, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, this is creating a dilemma," says Dr. David Soma, a Mayo Clinic pediatrician. In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Soma discusses risks and benefits o...

Mayo Clinic's Quality Academy was created in 2006 to deliver effective and cohesive quality improvement education across Mayo. The Quality Academy now offers more than 20 different courses for both individuals and teams. Now the Quality Academy is expanding its offerings beyond Mayo Clinic. On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Quality Academy leaders Dr. Nneka Comfere, medical director; Barbara Jordan,...

Integrative health care for women encompasses a wide range of health issues, beyond what people might think are the usual areas of concern. Women's health generally focuses on breast health and gynecological health, but Dr. Jackie Thielen, an internal medicine physician with the Women's Health Specialty Center at Mayo Clinic in Florida, says women respond differently to other illnesses than men. D...

Pediatricians and family physicians are alerting parents that it’s important to keep their children up to date on routine vaccinations, whether or not children attend in-person school. "We’ve had a number of difficulties with the COVID-19 pandemic that actually resulted in children missing months of well-child visits in which routine vaccines were given," says Dr. Robert Jacobson, a Mayo Clinic pe...

Antiviral drugs are medicines that fight against viruses in your body by impeding the infection process. Antivirals are commonly used to treat HIV/AIDS, influenza, herpes, and hepatitis B and C. The antiviral, Remdesivir, which was originally developed to fight Ebola, is now being used to treat  COVID-19. On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of...

While most people who contract COVID-19 will be able to manage symptoms and recover at home, there are some who have a more severe course of the disease and need to be hospitalized. Physicians and scientists have learned a lot about COVID-19 in the first nine months of the pandemic, and that new knowledge is improving treatments for patients hospitalized with COVID-19. On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podca...

When patients are diagnosed with COVID-19, they are required to self-isolate until the infection is cleared. Some patients will be at risk for complications, and may need comprehensive support at home. Providing that support is the goal of Mayo Clinic's remote patient monitoring team. On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Ryan T. Hurt, a Mayo Clinic general internal medicine specialist, explains how...

It has been a remarkable year of discoveries and medical advances at Mayo Clinic's Center for Individualized Medicine. Some innovations include personalized treatments for cancer and rare diseases, and the development of lifesaving artificial intelligence algorithms. All of the center’s efforts are driven by advanced genetic analysis and aimed at providing patients with answers, treatment options...

It has been a remarkable year of discoveries and medical advances at Mayo Clinic's Center for Individualized Medicine. Some innovations include personalized treatments for cancer and rare diseases, and the development of lifesaving artificial intelligence algorithms. All of the center’s efforts are driven by advanced genetic analysis and aimed at providing patients with answers, treatment options...

It has been a remarkable year of discoveries and medical advances at Mayo Clinic's Center for Individualized Medicine. Some innovations include personalized treatments for cancer and rare diseases, and the development of lifesaving artificial intelligence algorithms. All of the center’s efforts are driven by advanced genetic analysis and aimed at providing patients with answers, treatment options...