Psychological stress is a well-known risk factor for illness, but how exactly does it make us sick? A new study has provided some interesting insight.

Researchers help to explain how stress can make us sick. Researchers at Michigan State University in East Lansing have revealed how a protein known as corticotropin-releasing factor receptor subtype 1 (CRF1) responds to stress by sending signals to specific immune cells.

This causes immune cells to release chemical substances that can trigger a host of diseases, including asthma, lupus, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Do you know people who are struggling to pay their Medicare Part D prescription drug costs? If so, they may qualify for help through Medicare’s Part D low-income subsidy (LIS), also known as Extra Help. For those who qualify, the Extra Help can save them thousands of dollars a year by helping cover the cost of their Part D plan premium, deductible and drug copayments. Despite how good these benefits are, many people who qualify are unaware of this program. Please help us reach those not yet enrolled by passing on the word on the Extra Help program and encouraging people to apply. (Note: the Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) can also help cover some of Medicare’s costs for those who qualify, and save beneficiaries thousands of dollars a year.)

Below are 5 good enticing facts to know about Medicare Part D’s Extra Help, taken from the National Center on Law and Elder Rights.

You do not need to show that you actually paid the medical expenses to meet your spend-down. You just have to show proof that you incurred the expenses. States vary in what kind of expenses are allowed, but all states give credit for Medicare and other health insurance premiums.

• Pain in the xiphoid process is described as tightness in the lower sternum (breastbone).
• Medically speaking, this pain is called xiphoid syndrome or xiphodynia.
• The xiphoid process can typically heal itself of minor damage with little intervention.

The xiphoid process is a small extension of bone just below the sternum. Discomfort in the xiphoid process can be painful as it can affect the lower ribcage, breastbone, and several major muscles located around the abdomen and diaphragm.

If you live in a state with a medically needy program, then you can use medical expenses you incur to reduce, or “spend down,” your income to qualify for Medicaid. States establish a spend-down period, during which they look at your income and expenses to see whether you qualify for coverage. You must re-qualify for Medicaid after each spend-down period. Spend-down periods range from one to six months.

For example, if your state has a spend-down period of six months, then you must show that you have enough medical expenses within the six months to satisfy your spend-down (that is, to lower your income below the medically needy income limit). Once you have enough expenses, then you are eligible for Medicaid for the rest of the six months. After the six months is up, you must satisfy the spend-down again.

Haphephobia is an anxiety disorder characterized by a fear of being touched. Other names for haphephobia include chiraptophobia, aphenphosmphobia, and thixophobia. Being touched by strangers or without consent can make many people uncomfortable. However, if the fear is intense, appears even when touched by family or friends, and if it causes significant distress, it may be haphephobia.

This condition is different from a hypersensitivity to touch, which is called allodynia. A person with allodynia may also avoid being touched, but they do so because it causes them to feel pain rather than fear.

Migraines can run in families and are diagnosed using certain criteria.

• At least five previous episodes of headaches
• Lasting between 4–72 hours
• At least two out of these four: one-sided pain, throbbing pain, moderate-to-severe pain, and pain that interferes with, is worsened by, or prohibits routine activity • At least one associated feature: nausea and/or vomiting, or, if those are not present, then sensitivity to light and sound

A migraine may be foreshadowed by aura, such as visual distortions or hand numbness.

Overuse of painkillers for headaches can, ironically, lead to rebound headaches.  Culprits include over-the-counter medications like aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol), or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), as well as prescription drugs.

One theory is that too much medication can cause the brain to shift into an excited state, triggering more headaches. Another is that rebound headaches are a symptom of withdrawal as the level of medicine drops in the bloodstream.

When a sinus becomes inflamed, often due to an infection, it can cause pain. It usually comes with a fever and can be diagnosed by symptoms or the presence of pus viewed through a fiber-optic scope.

Headaches due to sinus infection can be treated with antibiotics, as well as antihistamines or decongestants

Cluster headaches, which affect more men than women, are recurring headaches that occur in groups or cycles. They appear suddenly and are characterized by severe, debilitating pain on one side of the head, and are often accompanied by a watery eye and nasal congestion or a runny nose on the same side of the face.

During an attack, people often feel restless and unable to get comfortable; they are unlikely to lie down, as someone with a migraine might. The cause of cluster headaches is unknown, but there may be a genetic component. There is no cure, but medication can cut the frequency and duration.

Tension headaches, the most common type, feel like a constant ache or pressure around the head, especially at the temples or back of the head and neck. Not as severe as migraines, they don’t usually cause nausea or vomiting, and they rarely halt daily activities.

Over-the-counter treatments, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen, are usually sufficient to treat them. Experts believe these may be caused by the contraction of neck and scalp muscles, and possibly changes in brain chemicals.