8 Ways to Shorten Your Wait for a Doctor’s Appointment

If you’ve tried to schedule a doctor’s appointment recently, you might have had to flip your calendar to a different season. There simply aren’t enough physicians in the U.S.: By 2037, the deficit is expected to reach 187,130 doctors, including more than 8,000 cardiologists and 4,000 nephrologists. That means patients routinely wait a long time—an … Read more

What Is OSHA and Why Do Some Republicans Want to Disband It? 

As the Trump Administration moves aggressively to shrink the federal government and cut its spending, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) may be next on the chopping block. Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs, a Republican, recently reintroduced legislation to abolish OSHA, which is part of the U.S. Department of Labor. The bill, called the Nullify … Read more

What to Do If Your Doctor Doesn’t Take Your Symptoms Seriously

One of the many indignities of being a patient is that you won’t always be taken seriously. Perhaps the most frustrating—and startlingly common—experience is being told your medical symptoms, which have nothing to do with mental health, are anxiety. Steph Fowler can tick off a long list of conditions she was initially told were anxiety … Read more

How to Deal With a Narcissist

Narcissistic personality disorder is relatively rare, affecting just 1-2% of Americans by some estimates. But having some form of a relationship with someone who has narcissism is not uncommon. The disorder—characterized by arrogance, grandiosity, a lack of empathy, exploitativeness, aggression, and a constant need for affirmation and admiration—also has a more alluring side. “We’re attracted … Read more

What to Know About Spasmodic Dysphonia, the Condition That Affects RFK Jr.’s Voice

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., President Trump’s nominee to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, speaks with a raspy quiver in his voice. That’s because he has spasmodic dysphonia, a rare neurological condition that causes the muscles affecting the vocal cords to spasm. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Kennedy has previously spoken about the way the … Read more