Can't leave your house without your earphones, airpods or headphones? Well, you aren't alone. There are millions of others who feel the same. However, do not be surprised if I tell you that it may lead to memory loss and dementia. According to the National Library of Medicine, the auditory nerve, which carries sound signals to the brain, when constantly bombarded with loud noises, starts transmitting weaker signals. This forces the brain to work harder to interpret the sound, leading to cognitive overload. Prolonged cognitive strain can eventually pave the way for dementia and memory loss.

Long-term headphone use also affects brain function directly. High decibel levels of noise can damage the insulation of nerve fibres that carry auditory signals to the brain, disrupting the flow of information. Moreover, the electromagnetic waves produced by headphones have been linked to problems like headaches, fatigue, and, in some cases, neurological discomfort.

Beyond The Brain, Headphones Can Make You Deaf

Empirical evidence shows that nearly one billion young people are at risk of hearing loss due to excessive exposure to loud music through headphones. For the uninitiated, sound intensity is measured in decibels. Prolonged exposure to noise above 85 decibels can be harmful to hearing. Music listened to at maximum volume using headphones often falls in the range of 85 to 120 decibels, a level capable of causing significant hearing damage over time.

Studies Show The Ill Effects

According to a recent survey in the UK, a staggering 65% of students admitted to listening to music at maximum volume through their headphones. A similar study revealed that adolescents exposed to high noise levels via headphones in noisy environments experienced a hearing loss prevalence of 22.6%. Those who used earphones for 80 minutes or more per day had a hearing loss prevalence of 22.3%. These figures are alarming, especially given how ingrained headphone use has become in daily life.

The ramifications of early-onset hearing loss go far beyond damaged ears. It can also jeopardize your mental health. Hearing loss in youth can set off a chain reaction, leading to social isolation and depression. Over time, it can also escalate and jeopardise your relationships. Ill-fitting headphones add to the woes, causing pain that extends from the inner ear to the jaws and top of the head. They can also lead to ear infections, which eventually hamper cognitive functions.

Protecting hearing and brain health requires a shift in listening habits. Experts recommend keeping the volume below 60 per cent and limiting usage to 60 minutes per day. Investing in noise-cancelling headphones can also help reduce the need to crank up the volume in noisy environments.

A PubMed search for “ivermectin” and “cancer” yields hundreds of preclinical studies, many conducted on cell cultures or mice. In the sector of alternative cancer treatments, few drugs have generated as much buzz—and controversy—as ivermectin. Once lauded for its ability to treat parasitic infections and awarded a Nobel Prize for its contribution to global health, ivermectin has more recently been at the center of misleading narratives, first as an alleged cure for COVID-19 and now as a so-called “cancer breakthrough.”

Social media, podcasts, and even some patient communities are abuzz with stories of miraculous recoveries and scientific “breakthroughs.” But what’s driving this surge of interest, and does the science live up to the hype?

For decades, ivermectin was best known as a safe and effective treatment for parasitic diseases like river blindness and scabies. Its impact was so significant that it earned its discoverers the Nobel Prize in 2015. But after being widely discredited as a COVID-19 treatment, ivermectin found new life in online cancer forums and alternative health circles, where it’s now promoted as a cheap, accessible alternative to mainstream cancer therapies.

The renewed interest in ivermectin as a potential cancer therapy has largely been driven by non-scientific sources. On platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Substack, and YouTube, influential figures promote ivermectin as a natural, low-cost cure "suppressed by big pharma."

One viral moment came during a widely viewed episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, in which actor Mel Gibson recounted how three friends with stage IV cancer reportedly became cancer-free after taking ivermectin and fenbendazole. That snippet, viewed by nearly 20 million people, has fueled speculation—despite the anecdotal nature of the claims.

Further fanning the flames, public figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have accused health authorities of deliberately suppressing ivermectin to favor profit-driven cancer treatments—a claim lacking credible evidence but resonating with those distrustful of traditional medicine.

What Is Ivermectin Approved For?

Ivermectin is a U.S. FDA-approved antiparasitic drug, used for treating river blindness (onchocerciasis), strongyloidiasis, lice, and scabies in humans. It’s also commonly used in veterinary medicine to treat parasitic infections in animals.

Its development and application in tropical medicine were so impactful that the researchers behind ivermectin received the Nobel Prize in 2015. However, its uses have always remained confined to parasitic infections—not viral illnesses like COVID-19, and certainly not cancer.

How Ivermectin Might Work Against Cancer?

Ivermectin’s anticancer effects appear to be unrelated to its anti-parasitic action. Instead, the drug disrupts cancer cell signaling, impairs mitochondrial function, induces autophagy (a process that can kill cancer cells), and inhibits cancer stem cells. It also weakens the mechanisms that allow tumors to resist chemotherapy and evade the immune system.

In the Brazilian rat study, nano-encapsulated ivermectin not only shrank tumors but also improved the health of surrounding brain tissue and reduced abnormal blood vessel growth—suggesting multiple avenues of attack against cancer.

What the Science Says About Ivermectin and Cancer?

A search of scientific literature reveals hundreds of studies linking ivermectin to cancer research. Some of these suggest that ivermectin may interfere with cancer cell metabolism, inhibit tumor growth, or boost immune response in lab-controlled environments. But—and this is critical—lab results do not equal human results.

Dr. Peter P. Lee, chair of the Department of Immuno-Oncology at the Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, has studied ivermectin's immune-stimulating effects in mice. While findings hinted at some tumor-modulating potential, they fell far short of demonstrating therapeutic value in humans.

At the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, early results from a phase 1/2 trial combining ivermectin with immunotherapy in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer patients showed no significant benefit. Of the eight patients evaluated, six experienced disease progression, one had a partial response, and one achieved stable disease.

Risks of Using Ivermectin as a Cancer Therapy

Promoting ivermectin for cancer without evidence carries several dangers:

Neurological toxicity: High doses can lead to seizures, confusion, blurred vision, or even coma.

Drug interactions: Ivermectin can interfere with common cancer medications, such as blood thinners or immunotherapy agents.

Treatment delays: Perhaps most concerning is the risk that patients may delay or forgo evidence-based cancer treatments in favor of unproven, alternative drugs. Such delays can allow the cancer to progress unchecked.

False hope and financial exploitation: Some patients may spend time, money, and emotional energy pursuing unproven remedies, only to face worsening outcomes.

Why the Sudden Surge in Popularity?

Several factors have converged to make ivermectin a hot topic in cancer circles. Social media amplification has played a major role, with influencers and alternative health advocates promoting ivermectin as a cheap, “natural” alternative to mainstream cancer treatments. These promotions often rely on cherry-picked studies or anecdotal stories of success, rather than clinical evidence. Distrust in conventional oncology also fuels interest—many patients, disillusioned by the side effects, financial burden, or perceived limitations of standard therapies, are increasingly drawn to off-label or experimental alternatives like ivermectin.

Preclinical breakthroughs, such as the much-publicized Brazilian nano-ivermectin study in animals, add to the intrigue by generating hopeful headlines, despite lacking human trial data. Finally, political and cultural overtones stemming from ivermectin’s controversial use during the COVID-19 pandemic have transformed the drug into a rallying point for individuals skeptical of established medical authorities, further complicating the public narrative around its potential role in cancer treatment.

Where Does This Leave Patients and Doctors?

While the science around ivermectin and cancer is evolving, the consensus among oncologists and researchers is clear: There is no solid evidence that ivermectin can cure or significantly treat cancer in humans. The most promising findings are still limited to laboratory and animal studies, and ongoing clinical trials have yet to show meaningful benefit in people.

That said, the safety profile in small studies is reassuring, and the innovative use of nanotechnology to deliver ivermectin to brain tumors is a genuine scientific advance—one that warrants further research but not premature celebration.

Curiosity Is Good—But Let's Stick to the Science

The buzz around ivermectin as a cancer cure is based more on anecdotes and viral claims than on real science. While early lab data may inspire future studies, there is currently no evidence that ivermectin can treat or cure cancer in humans. Ivermectin’s journey from Nobel-winning anti-parasitic to cancer “miracle drug” is a testament to both the power of scientific curiosity and the dangers of viral misinformation.

Patients facing cancer deserve hope—but not false hope. Turning away from proven therapies in favor of unproven ones could have devastating consequences.

Sex is typically all about pleasure, intimacy, and—yes—a healthy dose of natural feel-good hormones but for some, sex can also have an added, decidedly uncomfortable surprise: an allergic reaction to semen. Though it sounds unusual and even bizarre to many, semen allergy, or medically termed seminal plasma hypersensitivity (SPH), is a legitimate and underdiagnosed condition—and notably, it doesn't only occur in women, men can also experience it.

SPH is a type I hypersensitivity reaction—much like the way some individuals react to peanuts, pollen, or dander from a cat. First described in the late 1960s, SPH is not caused by the sperm cells themselves, but by proteins of the seminal plasma, the fluid that coats sperm. One main perpetrator seems to be prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a protein found in common semen.

What is Semen Allergy?

A semen allergy is a reaction by the immune system to proteins within seminal plasma, the liquid that transports sperm, rather than sperm cells. It was first described in the 1960s and is now considered a type 1 hypersensitivity, which includes such allergies as peanuts, pollen, and animal dander.

The reaction may lead to burning, itching, redness, or swelling wherever semen touches the skin or mucous membranes. In more severe reactions, it may initiate systemic symptoms like hives, wheezing, dizziness, or even life-threatening anaphylaxis.

Is Semen Allergy Really That Common?

SPH was previously thought to be very rare, with fewer than 100 cases reported around the globe in the late 1990s. More recent findings contradict this. A late 1990s study discovered that almost 12% of women with postcoital symptoms could be diagnosed with probable SPH. Figures now estimate that as many as 40,000 American women may be suffering from the condition. The experts warn that their estimates are probably on the low side, however, because so many individuals are unwilling to complain about sex-related symptoms or misdiagnosed with yeast infections or other problems.

Men, in fact, can be allergic to their own semen—a condition referred to as post-orgasmic illness syndrome (POIS). POIS is a rare condition that results in flu-like symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, and muscle pain just after ejaculation.

Women with the condition can experience symptoms within minutes after exposure to semen—usually during or after unprotected anal or vaginal sex. They can experience anything from irritation (burning, redness, vulvar or vaginal lining swelling) to systemic allergic reactions like hives, facial swelling, wheezing, diarrhea or even anaphylaxis. Although there have been no reported deaths from semen allergy the physical and emotional cost it can exact is immense.

What Triggers a Semen Allergy?

At the core of the disorder lies the immune system confusing proteins contained in seminal fluid as dangerous invaders. This may activate the release of histamines and other inflammatory chemicals that trigger itching, pain or worse.

One can be allergic to the semen of one partner but not the other because of individual protein combinations and possible residues of drugs, foods, or allergens such as Brazil nuts in semen. There can be cross-reactivity in extremely rare instances when a person with a dog allergy, for instance, can be allergic to semen because the canine and human PSA proteins have similarities. Other aspects that can affect:

Genetic susceptibility: Individuals with a history of allergy or atopic disease in the family are potentially predisposed to SPH.

Cross-reactivity: Certain proteins within semen bear resemblance to allergens on pet dander or even food proteins, causing an unanticipated reaction. A woman with a hypersensitivity to dogs, for instance, can produce an allergic reaction to semen because proteins in semen share structural features.

Medications and diet: Residuals of drugs or food allergens may be found in semen, resulting in reactions in reactive partners.

Hormonal changes: Menstrual cycle fluctuations or pregnancy can affect immune system reactions and symptom intensity.

If you regularly have burning, itching, or swelling in the genitalia following unprotected intercourse—and the symptoms resolve when a condom is worn—you might be facing SPH. Systemic signs such as hives, wheezing, or lightheadedness within minutes of ejaculation are stronger predictors.

Keep in mind that a number of other conditions are similar in symptoms—yeast infection, UTI, or latex allergy among them. That's why expert diagnosis is necessary. Allergy testing on your partner's semen (or using PSA-specific antibodies) can shed some light.

Wait, Men Can Be Allergic to Their Own Semen?

Yes, it is possible. In a very rare condition known as Post-Orgasmic Illness Syndrome (POIS), men develop flu-like symptoms—muscle pain, tiredness, mental confusion—just after ejaculation. Although the reason is not clear, POIS is believed to be an allergic or autoimmune response to one's own semen.

In others, men experience rashes or irritation of the skin on the shaft or foreskin of the penis—particularly if semen comes into contact with the skin during sex or masturbation. In some instances, skin-prick testing using the man's own semen can diagnose this condition.

Impact on Fertility and Relationships

SPH does not cause infertility, but it can complicate conception. Since avoiding semen is the most effective way to prevent symptoms, couples trying to conceive face unique challenges. Treatments include:

• Antihistamines taken before sex to reduce or prevent symptoms.
• Desensitization therapy, where diluted seminal plasma is introduced gradually to build tolerance.
• IVF with washed sperm, which removes the allergenic proteins, allowing for conception without triggering a reaction.
• A lot of women with SPH have successfully gotten pregnant, naturally or with medical interventions

Can You Prevent or Treat Semen Allergy?

The most simple and effective way to avoid symptoms is to employ the use of condoms, which can suitably avoid contact with semen and nullify allergic reactions altogether. Nonetheless, when condoms are unavailable or in cases of severe symptoms, antihistamines, EpiPens, and desensitization procedures might come into play.

It's important to see a board-certified allergist, preferably with experience in treating unusual sexual allergies. In a few instances, referrals to academic medical centers are necessary because of the esoteric nature of this condition.

Why People Don't Know About Semen Allery?

Even in 2025, sexual health still carries a significant stigma. Many people, especially women, feel uncomfortable discussing pain or irritation following sex. This silence can lead to misdiagnosis, with symptoms often attributed to yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis, or STIs.

In Bernstein's 1997 research, almost half of the symptomatic women had never been tested for SPH. Consequently, many of them wasted decades suffering in silence, receiving ineffectual treatment and even relational strain.

In spite of its prevalence, semen allergy continues to be underdiagnosed and subject to misconceptions. Stigma, shame, and lack of familiarity among medical providers translate into many individuals suffering silently. Research indicates that almost half of women with post-coital symptoms have never been examined for SPH.

A stinging, burning feeling after sex is never normal—and not something you need to be ashamed of. If you think that you might be allergic to semen, don't stay silent. Speak with your doctor, push for proper testing, and discuss your options.

The Health and Me had previously reported on how many people faced problems with their pancreas post taking weight loss drugs and diabetes injections. These medicines are mostly Wegovy, Ozempic and other variants of GLP-1 medicines, or the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists. This has led to an investigation by the authorities.

Not just this, but there are also reports of deaths that have been linked with GLP-1 medicines. Data from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) revealed that ever since these drugs were approved, there have been hundreds of cases of acute and chronic pancreatitis.

The data revealed that 10 people have died and among them, 5 were linked to active ingredients of these popular weight loss jabs.

What Did The Data Reveal?

• A total of 181 cases of acute and chronic pancreatitis have been reported in connection with tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Mounjaro, including five fatalities.
• Liraglutide was associated with 116 such cases, one of which was fatal.
• Semaglutide—the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy—was linked to 113 cases, with one death reported.
• Exenatide was associated with 101 cases, including three deaths.
• Dulaglutide and lixisenatide were linked to 52 and 11 cases respectively, with no reported fatalities for either drug.

Based on the data, the Yellow Card Biobank project, which is launched by MHRA and Genomics England will investigate these instances and check whether these drugs could influence people's genetic make-up.

The MHRA is encouraging individuals taking GLP-1 medicines who have been hospitalised with acute pancreatitis to report their experience through the Yellow Card scheme.

Following a report submission, the MHRA will reach out to patients to ask if they are willing to take part in a related study.

Participants will be asked to share further information and provide a saliva sample to help determine whether genetic factors may contribute to the risk of developing acute pancreatitis from specific medications.

What Are GLP-1 Medicines?

GLP-1 agonists, used to lower blood sugar in type 2 diabetes and support weight loss, are currently under increased scrutiny, according to Wales Online.

With an estimated 1.5 million people in the UK using weight loss injections, health authorities recognise their role in tackling obesity but warn against viewing them as a universal solution, citing potential side effects.

Commonly reported reactions include nausea, constipation, and diarrhoea. Recent safety alerts have also highlighted concerns about Mounjaro possibly reducing the effectiveness of oral contraceptives.

Dr. Alison Cave, Chief Safety Officer at the MHRA, stated: “Evidence shows that nearly a third of medicine-related side effects could be avoided through genetic testing. Adverse drug reactions are estimated to cost the NHS over £2.2 billion annually in hospital admissions alone.”

She added that data gathered from the Yellow Card Biobank will help identify patients at increased risk of side effects, enabling more personalised and safer prescribing based on individual genetic profiles.

What Happens To Your Body When GLP-1 Medicines Are Administered?

To understand what our body goes through, we spoke to experts in endocrinology and gastroenterology. Here's what they said.

Dr Pranav Ghody, Consultant Endocrinologist & Diabetologist, Wockhardt Hospitals at Mumbai Central explains that weight loss medications, particularly injectable GLP-1 receptor agonists like semaglutide, have become popular due to their effectiveness. "However, when misused taken without medical supervision, used in high doses, or by people with underlying health issues they can lead to serious side effects. Some complications, like pancreatitis or severe gastrointestinal symptoms, may be life-threatening if not promptly addressed."

Why does it impact the pancreas? Dr Ghody explains that these medicines slow digestion and help control hunger, however, in some individuals, especially those predisposed or with a history of pancreatic issues, they can irritate the pancreas and trigger inflammation, leading to a condition called acute pancreatitis.

He also notes that in rare cases, acute pancreatitis can become severe. "It could lead to serious complications like organ failure of infections. If not diagnosed and managed early, it can be fatal. That said, such outcomes are uncommon and typically occur when early warning signs are ignored or the drug is misused."

So, How Can One Ensure Safe Use Of Weight Loss Drugs?

"Always take these drugs under the guidance of a qualified endocrinologist or physician. A thorough evaluation including your medical history, current health status, and regular monitoring is crucial. Never self-medicate or take someone else’s prescription. Also, report any symptoms like persistent stomach pain, nausea, or vomiting immediately to your doctor," points out Dr Ghody.