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Know the difference between a pacemaker and a defibrillator

DEAR DR. ROACH: What’s the difference between a pacemaker and a defibrillator? — T.S.B. ANSWER: Both are implantable devices to treat electrical problems of the heart. A pacemaker is a much older device; the first implantable pacemaker was made in 1958. The heart has an electrical system, which coordinates the mechanical activity of the heart so that blood is pumped out efficiently. Each cardiac muscle cell has an intrinsic rhythm, but specialized cells in the right atrium normally act as a pacemaker to the heart. They respond to nerve stimulation from the sympathetic and vagus ...

The war in Ukraine is becoming very inconvenient for Trump

One of the challenges with writing about the war in — and on — Ukraine is that so little changes. I don’t mean the fighting on the ground, though even there, when viewed from a distance, it doesn’t look as though much has shifted in a long while. Russia has gained very little territory in the last year (even as it has suffered an estimated half-million Russian casualties over the last 12 months). All of that to gain 0.3% of Ukrainian territory (and net zero gains in the last six months). Though distance can be deceiving, the fighting on the ground has actually been far more ...

Don’t let the war on woke lull us all to sleep

History is written to be argued about, I have often said. Recent efforts by the Trump administration’s culture war have offered numerous examples. In recent days, we have seen Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a break from the administration’s war against Iran, announce the re-installation of a Confederate memorial that had been removed from Arlington National Cemetery in 2023. History buffs may recall that the sculpture had been removed as part of a congressionally mandated effort to rid military bases and sites of Confederate names and images. If you are one of those ...

Dear Annie: Going for gold in grief

Dear Annie: I have two sisters, and one of them, “Joanie,” tragically passed away from cancer last year. It’s obviously been hard, but what’s making it harder is my remaining sister. She has always been competitive. And she has somehow turned even grief into a competition. For example, a few weeks ago I mentioned I hadn’t slept the night before out of sadness, and she shot back, “I haven’t slept at all since Joanie died.” I know she’s sad, but I also know this isn’t true. It was the same at the funeral. She insisted on speaking longest and loudest, then collapsed ...

A pinched ulnar nerve causes intense pain and tingling

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m an active 76-year-old retired accountant who likely spent too many hours at a computer. Now I’m paying for it with a painful condition. My general physician says that I have a pinched or compressed ulnar nerve, which likely starts in the neck shoulder area but shoots pain down my right arm and elbow, all the way to my pinkie and ring fingers. These fingers tingle and, at times, prickle so intensely that it feels like my hand’s on fire. I use ice on my shoulder, neck and elbow. I take 25 mg of pregabalin on a prolonged step-up process that I augment with ...

We are the leaders we’ve been waiting for

We’re now officially in the run-up to the midterm elections, with less than two months to go before Election Day 2026. The good news is most Americans now understand how bad Trump is. With the exception of Nixon, he’s the most unpopular second-term president at this stage in his tenure in the history of polling going back to the 1940s. On issues where he once was strong — like the economy, national security and immigration — Trump is now underwater, with more Americans opposing than supporting his policies. All the major problems America now faces are entirely ...