The two “freezing” episodes that Sen. Mitch McConnell experienced recently weren’t strokes or seizures, the Capitol physician said in a new letter released Tuesday. “My examination of you following your August 30, 2023, brief episode included several medical evaluations: brain MRI imaging, EEG study and consultations with several neurologists for a comprehensive neurology assessment. There is no evidence that you have a seizure disorder or that you experienced a stroke, TIA [transient ischemic attack] or movement disorder such as Parkinson’s disease. There are no changes recommended in treatment protocols as you continue recovery from your March 2023 fall,” wrote Dr. Brian Monahan. Monahan had already cleared McConnell for work after the Senate Republican Leader froze for the second time in a month during a briefing last Wednesday in Kentucky. Monahan said in that earlier statement that he had talked with McConnell and his neurology team, and that McConnell can continue his work schedule. McConnell, 81, was injured in March when he fell at a dinner event at a Washington, D.C. hotel. The senator had a concussion and a broken rib. On two separate occasions since then, McConnell has frozen while speaking publicly, including for about 30 seconds on Wednesday, the Associated Press reported. He was “momentarily lightheaded,” McConnell’s office told the AP. “Occasional lightheadedness is not uncommon in concussion recovery and can also be expected…  read on >  read on >

You might think you know what a normal body temperature is, but there is no such thing. Analyzing the age-old belief that 98.6 Fahrenheit is normal human temperature, scientists at Stanford Medicine found that your temperature is personal. It also depends on age, sex, height and weight, and changes throughout the day. “Most people, including many doctors, still think that everyone’s normal temperature is 98.6 F. In fact, what’s normal depends on the person and the situation, and it’s rarely as high as 98.6 F,” said senior study author, Dr. Julie Parsonnet, a professor of medicine. The normal temperature of a tall, underweight 80-year-old man in the morning could be a degree lower than the afternoon temperature of a 20-year-old woman who is obese, she explained in a Stanford news release. Past research at Stanford found that Americans’ average body temperature has dropped from 98.6 F by about 0.05 F every decade since the 19th century. This is likely due to better health and living conditions that reduce inflammation. Today, a so-called normal body temperature is nearer to 97.9 F, the researchers noted. The idea of 98.6 F comes from a German study published in the 1860s. But even then, researchers noted that men and the elderly had lower temperatures than women and young adults. Temperatures in that study were also higher in the afternoon.…  read on >  read on >

A stressful or traumatic childhood experience — anything from parents divorcing to a sibling’s drug problem — may have long-term effects on a woman’s sexual health. These adverse childhood experiences may be linked to sexual inactivity and dysfunction in women later in life, a recent study reports. Health care providers should screen their patients with sexual dysfunction for adverse childhood experiences, researchers recommend. Doctors should offer these women treatment that could include a referral for counseling. “This research adds to the literature exploring sexual function in women,” said senior author Dr. Ekta Kapoor, assistant director of the Mayo Clinic Center for Women’s Health in Rochester, Minn. “Sexual dysfunction has a significant impact on a woman’s quality of life. Based on these findings, we encourage health care providers to screen for adverse childhood experiences in women with sexual dysfunction and offer multidisciplinary treatment including referral for counseling as needed. If the consequences of childhood adversity are not adequately addressed, other interventions to improve sexual function may not be successful,” Kapoor said. The study included more than 1,500 women, aged 40 to 65, who visited the Menopause and Women’s Sexual Health Clinic at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota between 2015 and 2016. The women had concerns related to menopause and sexual health. Before their visit, they were asked to complete a survey that included questions about any…  read on >  read on >

Lots of children and adolescents have the condition known as ADHD, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. What should parents know? A number of treatments exist to help with functioning, including medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Typically, ADHD begins between ages 3 and 6, according to the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health. It can continue into adulthood. People can experience one of three types of ADHD. They are predominantly inattentive, with trouble focusing, following instructions and finishing tasks; predominantly hyperactive/impulsive, with behavior of being “constantly on the go,” talking excessively and interrupting others; and a combination of those symptoms. An increasing number of children are being diagnosed with ADHD. About 10% of children aged 3 to 17, about 6 million kids, have been diagnosed with ADHD as of 2019, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Boys, at 13%, are more likely than girls, at 6%, to be diagnosed with ADHD. “Boys are also more likely to have the hyperactive-impulsive type. This type of ADHD is easier to spot than the quieter child who is inattentive,” said child psychiatrist Dr. Tiffany Farchione, who reviews ADHD drugs at the FDA. Untreated ADHD can have serious consequences, the FDA warns, including falling behind in school, having difficulties with friendships and experiencing conflicts with parents. Children with untreated ADHD also have more emergency…  read on >  read on >