Innovative Thinking Could Make New Sickle Cell Treatments More Accessible
The cost of new gene-based sickle cell treatments isn’t the only barrier to access. Coming up with new ways to treat the whole disease—and person—could make treatment more equitable
How Much Do Our Thoughts Shape Our Health?
The way we think about time, aging and sickness may influence our health, behavior and general well-being in surprising ways
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Is Sleeping on the Floor Good for Your Back?
Scientific American asked experts whether sleeping on a hard surface is actually beneficial for back pain
Most Astronauts Get ‘Space Headaches.’ Scientists Want to Know Why
Headaches are a common and recurring problem in space, even for astronauts that don’t experience them on Earth
Consciousness Is a Continuum, and Scientists Are Starting to Measure It
A new technique helps anesthesiologists track changes in states of consciousness
Learning to Accept Discomfort Could Help You Thrive
Equanimity, a key ingredient of mindfulness meditation, helps people face life’s ups and downs
We Need Comprehensive Illicit Drug Analysis Now to Stop Overdose Deaths
More than 100,000 Americans die every year from drug overdoses. We should warn people in real time about dangerous adulterants in the illicit drug market
The First In-Depth Study on ‘Blue Balls’ Reveals a Lot about Sex
Arousal without orgasm isn’t dangerous, so why are people pressured to engage in unwanted sexual activity to avoid it?
New Research Points to Causes for Brain Disorders with No Obvious Injury
Functional neurological disorders are very real, and medical compassion is an important part of treatment
Rising Physical Pain Is Linked to More ‘Deaths of Despair’
What’s happening in the body, as well as the mind, can be tied to increases in drug overdoses, suicides, and more
A Recent Supreme Court Ruling Will Help People In Pain
By ruling in favor of two doctors accused of running pill mills, SCOTUS is clarifying opioid prescription practices
It’s Time To Rethink the Origins of Pain
Chronic pain is biochemical, but it’s also psychological, and treatment needs to address how we think and feel about it