Lauren Sieben

Nobody enjoys cold and flu season — but if all that hacking is uncomfortable, cough medicine might make it a bit more bearable.
Still, not all cough meds are created equal. Different symptoms call for different active ingredients to treat the underlying cause of your cough, and causes can range from allergies to asthma. Even then, when it comes to over-the-counter meds for cough symptoms, the jury is still out on their effectiveness.
We talked to experts to learn how coughing works in the bod...

Alumna Shannon Maher promotes professional opportunities and inclusion for people with disabilities.
When she was younger, Shannon (Webster) Maher, Comm ’14, did not take ownership of the power of her disability.
“As someone with cerebral palsy, I was born with my disability. It’s just part of who I am,” she says. As she entered the job market after graduating from Marquette, she hoped employers “would overlook the fact that I have a hard time walking or that I use a wheelchair.”
However, onc...

If you’ve been feeling off—a little bit depressed, anxious, stressed, or a mix of all of the above—you might have considered going to therapy. But you may have questioned: Do I really need a therapist? How do you know when it’s finally time to make the call?
While there are many types of therapy, people typically start with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). In a typical CBT session, therapists question patients about their thought patterns, and in turn, can help their patients make changes ...

Everybody poops. But does everybody’s poop look more or less the same? What does it mean if your stool looks or smells a little funkier than usual — could it point to an underlying health condition?
We talked to experts about all things poop to help make sense of the different colors, textures and scents you could notice after your next number two.
What’s in a stool?
Your poop can tell you a lot about your overall health, says Dr. David Kim, a Texas-based gastroenterologist.
“Your bowel movem...

Every type of workout has its evangelists, from dedicated marathoners to devoted yogis. But when you peel back the hype, which forms of exercise are actually best for you? Can too much running be a bad thing? If you only practice Pilates, are you getting enough cardio? Is HIIT all it’s cracked up to be?
In general, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends adults get at least 150 minutes a week of moderate exercise (think brisk walking) and two days a week of strength training...

If you’ve ever been sidelined by throbbing head pain, you may have wondered at what point your tension headache was actually a full-blown migraine. Migraine headaches are relatively common: They affect about 10 percent of people worldwide. Women are almost three times more likely to experience them than men.
But how can you tell the difference between a migraine and a garden-variety headache? Which doctor should you seek for help? And what are your treatment options? We talked with experts to...

Without giving up on sweet cherry wine and fish boils, the legendary peninsula has discovered its cool side. We'll show you where to find it—town by picturesque town.
A full moon hangs overhead as I drive toward the northern tip of Door County. I've come to spot stars—the real kind . One of only 195 places in the world designated an International Dark Sky Park, Newport State Park is one of the Midwest's prime destinations for catching constellations, shooting stars and other astronomical wond...

From urban jaunts to small-town rides, each of these cities holds unique experiences that can only be enjoyed on two wheels.
When you're on a bike, you're seeing places from a completely different perspective than on foot or in a car. Local trails in the Midwest let you explore new places in new ways, with the freedom to pull off to grab an ice cream cone, pause at a lake or discover a nearby nature center. When you're ready to roll, check out eight of the best Midwest cycling destinations.
C...

If you're newly eligible for Medicare, you may be wondering: Does Medicare cover diabetic supplies?
Fortunately, Medicare generally covers the tests, supplies and medical visits required to manage diabetes. But different parts of your Medicare plan cover different aspects of your care. It's important to understand the specifics of your coverage and to anticipate which services or supplies may not be covered.
Coverage for Diabetes Supplies and Screenings
Medicare Part B — the medical insurance...

Nursing faculty work with Milwaukee community partners to focus their research on real-time health care needs in the neighborhood.
For some people, the idea of “research” might conjure images of professors running experiments in a lab or reviewing academic studies in their office. While these are common components of conventional research, these images don’t paint an accurate portrait of community-engaged scholarship, says Dr. Kristin Haglund, professor of nursing.
Community-engaged research ...

As retirees inch closer to age 65, it's important to understand the basics of Medicare — a federal health insurance program for people over 65.
As you start your research, you may read about Original Medicare, which refers to federal government insurance that covers both hospital and medical expenses. In practice, this insurance covers many healthcare expenses — but not all of them.
Read on to learn the basics of Medicare Part A and Part B and health insurance in retirement, including the det...

For many people, simply buttoning up their shirts isn’t a task to think twice about. But for people with spastic cerebral palsy, it can feel nearly impossible when an intense spasm tightens the muscles in their hands.
There are four types of cerebral palsy, which are differentiated by the area of the brain each one affects. Regardless of the specific type, all forms of cerebral palsy affect a person’s gross and fine motor skills, which dictate the muscle movements that control everything from...

Faculty team seeks to remove barriers from identifying children with autism.
When Dr. Mary Carlson started her career as a special education teacher in 1978, the education community’s understanding of autism looked very different than it does today.
“We only knew of a very small class of kids that had autism, and they were generally nonverbal, self-injuring and really difficult to engage in any kind of schoolwork,” Carlson says. But that narrow definition meant some children with autism fell ...

Naming a beneficiary for life insurance and retirement accounts is a crucial step that spells out who will receive benefits or the balance of your accounts if you pass away.
But what happens if your beneficiary passes away before you, or around the same time? What if they can't take over the account for other reasons? In situations where the primary beneficiary can't step in, it's important to have a contingent beneficiary named to your policy or account.
What Is a Contingent Beneficiary?
A c...

“Sweater weather” takes on a whole new meaning when you’re a homeowner.
From lawn maintenance to winterizing the pool, the change of the season ushers in a slew of extra items for your to-do list.
There’s plenty to keep you busy this fall if you’re feeling ambitious and ready to try your hand at some DIY home maintenance. But it’s also easy to outsource your list if you have the budget—and if you prefer not to spend your weekends installing insulation or trimming back tree branches.
Ready to ...