Ed Cara
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Not Being Able to Burp Actually Sounds Pretty Horrific
A life without burps might sound like a blessing, but a new study shows it’s anything but. Researchers interviewed patients with the rare condition retrograde cricopharyngeus dysfunction (R-CPD), which makes them unable to burp or belch, about how it affected their daily life. Not only did patients report unpleasant symptoms like constant farting and gas,…
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Wegovy and Other New Weight Loss Drugs Actually Work—so What’s Next?
Few prescription drugs have entered the public consciousness as abruptly as Ozempic and Wegovy have in recent years. Novo Nordisk’s brand-name medications have become as synonymous with weight loss as Viagra and Cialis are with erectile dysfunction. But while 2023 has made it clear that these and similar drugs really are the future of obesity…
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5 Real Medical Treatments That Sound Like Sci-Fi
Modern medicine has extended our lives and reduced suffering in all kinds of ways. Many of the impactful interventions we have available today have been around for a long time, like antibiotics, most painkillers, and various forms of cancer screening. But every once in a while, scientists come up with novel treatments that jump the…
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The Weirdest Medical Cases of 2023
It’s once again time to crane our heads sideways in bafflement at all the strange ways people got sick or hurt this year. Young doctors are taught the lesson that when they hear hoofbeats, they should first assume it’s a horse, not a zebra—a reminder that most illnesses can be explained by the mundane. But…