My health insurer wanted an extra €900 to maintain my plan. Time to look for options
With a dizzying array of 350 plans on the private health insurance market, it is anything but consumer-friendly. Real competition is very badly needed
Death from anaphylaxis extremely rare and unfortunate, despite recent cases
Fatal occurrences of the severe allergic reaction are generally triggered by medications, blood transfusions or insect stings
Why the clocks changing twice a year is bad for your health
Dr Muiris Houston: The evidence suggests that moving to daylight savings time in the spring is detrimental
A doctor on why now is the time to get your flu vaccine
During the last flu season, more than 4,500 people aged 65 and older were diagnosed with the virus, resulting in 159 deaths
The Story of a Heart by Rachel Clarke: A case that changed the history of transplant surgery in the UK
The moving story about how the lives of two nine-year-olds became entwined around a single heart
How your tongue and gait can give important clues as to your overall health
Dr Muiris Houston: What does it mean if your tongue looks like a world map, or your gait is asymmetrical or stop-start?
Why Covid cases are rising this summer, and the latest dominant variants
Dr Muiris Houston: Given the latest summer surge, experts are doubtful that a winter seasonality is in the offing
When is a cancer not a cancer?
When caught early many cancers, including certain types of breast, prostate, testicular and thyroid cancers, have survival rates of up to 98%
Dr Muiris Houston: How do our bodies adapt when challenged by high temperatures?
Dr Muiris Houston: Our internal temperature is controlled by a small area of the brain called the hypothalamus which functions as the body’s thermostat
Why has the incidence of type 1 diabetes begun to increase again in Ireland?
Dr Muiris Houston: It’s important that parents and guardians know the symptoms to look out for and seek help early
Is there a relationship between voting and good health?
Dr Muiris Houston: There may be short-term ill-effects on health from election campaigns
Is bird flu close to causing the next global infectious disease pandemic?
Dr Muiris Houston: The H5N1 virus likely spilled from birds into cows in late 2023, and spread undetected among cattle for months before the first cases were reported this March
What is Toxic Shock Syndrome and how is it treated?
There are several known causes of this rare disease
Just how unsafe are emergency departments in Irish hospitals?
Dr Muiris Houston: University Hospital Limerick has been a black spot for many years, while Beaumont is a good example of how a hospital can turn things around
How could it be that hypochondriacs have shorter lifespans?
Dr Muiris Houston: The inescapable truth is that everyone with illness anxiety disorder is eventually proved right