Amy Schumer posts walker photo amid surgery recovery
The comedian, 44, took to Instagram Aug. 8 to share a photo of her using a walker following a spinal procedure.
"Since my surfing injury back in the day my L5 has been killing me," Schumer wrote, referencing the vertebra and nerve that form a vital component of the lower spine.
"Today I got a laminectomy! It's a short recovery and when I'm feeling better I will buy a bra!" she joked. A laminectomy is a surgery designed to relieve pressure on the nerves by removing a portion of a person's vertebra, according to the Cleveland Clinic. In removing the lamina or, "bony arch" portion of a patient's vertebra, more room is made for the spinal canal, which can relieve any pain or numbness associated with the nerves.
A post shared by @amyschumer
A bevy of Schumer's famous friends flooded the comment section with messages of concern.
"Feel better soon my love," Kathy Hilton wrote, followed by several heart eyes emojis while Bethenny Frankel simply commented: "OH NO."
Schumer, whose comedy often relies on a "too-much-information on purpose" sensibility, has not shied away in the past from sharing her health struggles with fans. In January, the comedian shared that she had been diagnosed with Cushing syndrome.
In an interview with "Call Her Daddy" host Alex Cooper, Schumer said internet trolls had partly helped her find out something might be off with her health. Online haters were commenting about her swollen face – a telltale sign of the hormonal disorder.
Cushing syndrome is an uncommon condition when the body has too much cortisol, Dr. Divya Yogi-Morren, medical director of the pituitary center at the Cleveland Clinic, previously told USA TODAY. Cortisol, known as the "stress hormone," influences how the body handles stress and plays a vital role in keeping the body healthy.
Contributing: Adrianna Rodriguez
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Tom's Guide
29 minutes ago
- Tom's Guide
ASMR for sleep left me awake and annoyed — here's how I actually fall asleep fast
After seeing just how many people rely on ASMR for calming down at night and falling asleep fast I wanted to give it a go. My interest was particularly piqued when I came across a video on Instagram where a woman was whispering into a microphone, imitating a doctor's receptionist booking you in for an appointment. My immediate reaction was 'how on earth is that going to help me sleep?' I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that booking a doctor's appointment is not the most calming experience, and if it came down to either listening to that or buying one of the best mattresses to help me fall asleep faster, I know which option I'd go for. I then wandered down a rabbit hole of bizarre ASMR videos, each with millions of views and likes. From people sloppily eating big piles of food (known as Mukbang) to people scraping and tapping random objects, the world of ASMR was both fascinating and sometimes slightly disturbing. But if it works for everyone else, why shouldn't I give it a go? I spoke to ASMR expert, Craig Richard, about this fall asleep fast method that's growing in popularity, the science behind it and why it didn't work so well for me after I eventually tried it out. Craig Richards, co-author of the first brain scan study of ASMR, founder of the website 'ASMR University' and author of the ASMR book 'Brain Tingles', describes ASMR as 'a deeply relaxing feeling often accompanied by light and pleasurable brain tingles.' People seek out ASMR triggers because it helps them to feel comforted, less stressed, more relaxed, and more sleepy, 'The specific aspects that stimulate ASMR are called 'ASMR triggers' and they include whispering, soft talking, light touches, caring gazes, and gentle sounds,' Richards explains. 'Research data from our team and data published by others demonstrate that the majority of people seek out ASMR triggers because it helps them to feel comforted, less stressed, more relaxed, and more sleepy,' Richards says. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. In fact, Richards likens ASMR to the way we soothe an infant. The core elements such as shushing, softly spoken words and kindness are usually seen in ASMR, too. 'ASMR triggers are effective at soothing others because they convey care and safety to the other person, which stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system to induce a relaxed state,' Richards explains. The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for our rest and digest processes, compared to our sympathetic nervous system known for our fight-or-flight response. This relaxed state in both the body and mind can help people fall asleep fast. I wanted to stay away from any fake appointments or eating videos, mainly because I knew I would be cringing too hard to fall asleep. I found a playlist of calming ASMR on Spotify and pressed play. After skipping through a few (too much whispering, too much cringe), I settled on nature sounds, safe in an audio world of running water and rustling leaves. Initially, I found it relaxing, but the tinny sounds from my phone on the pillow quickly became irritating. That's when I realized I most likely needed a good pair of headphones to get the full benefits of ASMR. Still, I persevered and swiped until I found some classic tapping and scratching. Instead of the 'tingly, brain massaging' feeling I was promised, I was almost flinching at the sounds. They were too loud, too quiet and, unfortunately, too annoying. After 20 minutes, I gave up and enjoyed silence. The next two nights I was better prepared. I used my AirPods instead of the phone speakers and spent time finding the right playlist on Spotify. I settled on 'ASMR for Sleeping (no talking)' which seemed like a good choice for me. I started with 'Tingly Brain Massage Mic Scratching to Make You Sleep' and was excited to experience what everyone else seemed to think was a great feeling. I settled down, turned the lights off and pressed play. Tiny little scratches and tapping started and for a second I thought I was getting an enjoyable feeling from it. But it was soon replaced with irritation. It almost sounded like someone breathing heavily in my ear (my pet peeve, especially on public transport). And now with headphones in, it was even more Richards advice that 'before anyone concludes that ASMR doesn't work for them, they should sample a wider variety of ASMR content,' I skipped to the next one. But after a couple of different sounds (including Lego building) I realized ASMR just didn't work for me. I gave up and returned to what actually helps me sleep. 'If you tried a lot of ASMR content and it often made you feel annoyed or angry, then you are probably experiencing misophonia,' Richards explains. 'Misophonia is an extremely negative reaction to specific sounds. Sounds like whispering, typing, tapping, and chewing can trigger ASMR in one person and misophonia in another person,' he adds. 'The key thing that misophonia and ASMR have in common is hypersensitivity to a stimulus, often a sound like whispering, chewing, or tapping,' Richards explains. 'Some brain scan studies of ASMR-sensitive people and misophonia-sensitive people have shown that some of their brain regions are wired differently compared to control groups.' So, if you're anything like me, you might need a slightly different nighttime routine to help you fall asleep fast. If I'm struggling to sleep, grabbing a sleep mask and my earplugs usually helps me drift off quickly. By blocking out ambient noise and light, I can create an environment that's conducive to sleep. I also find that if I don't have the option to open my eyes, my brain stops trying to look for stimulation and eventually switches off. I opt for a wrap around blackout silk sleep mask that also covers my ears. It's comfortable and cool (but still unlikely to stay on all night). For earplugs, I've ditched the abrasive foam ones and replaced them with soft silicone Loop Quiet 2s. Both work very well and don't cause any discomfort during the night. If I've been lying awake, I can almost guarantee that my head is filling with anxious thoughts and replaying conversations from the last few weeks. I find this cycle really difficult to break, and if I don't break it, there's potential for me to be lying awake with a racing heart until the early hours. That was until I tried cognitive shuffling. This visualization method aims to replicate the way your brain naturally behaves before you fall asleep. All you have to do is think of a random object, imagine what it looks like and then visualize another completely random, unrelated object. You continue in this way until your brain stops trying to make sense of your thoughts and essentially 'switches off', allowing you to fall asleep. It's surprisingly effective. Falling asleep fast isn't just about what happens when you're lying awake. The evening leading up to your bedtime is just as important. Repeating the same calming activities every morning not only relaxes the body and mind but signals to you that it's time to wind down and sleep. Personally, i find that a warm bath with essential oils and some time carved out for book reading works a treat. It's also a good idea to stop scrolling on your phone before bed, as this can be too stimulating, especially for anxious minds.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Family sues for wrongful death in deadly listeria outbreak
A California family is suing for wrongful death in the wake of a listeria outbreak caused by nutrition shakes that led to the deaths of 14 people this year, including their relative. In February, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced an investigation into an outbreak linked to Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial brand frozen supplemental shakes. At the time, Lyon Magnus LLC, the parent company, recalled 17 affected products. The contaminated shakes, distributed to long-term care facilities and hospitals, were produced by a Prairie Farms Dairy Inc. facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The FDA and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) declared the outbreak over on May 16. The agency reported 42 cases of listeriosis, or listeria poisoning, across 21 states, resulting in 41 hospitalizations and 14 deaths. The illnesses and deaths, which overwhelmingly (90%) occurred in people in care facilities or those who had been hospitalized before they became infected, were confirmed through whole genome sequencing as being caused by the outbreak strain associated with the shakes. Wrongful death suit alleges man died of listerosis complications The CDC began monitoring the outbreak of the disease as early as 2018, food safety lawyer Bill Marler told USA TODAY. At the beginning, epidemiologists were unable to identify the source of the illnesses. Now, with the outbreak technically over, some families are just beginning to find out their loved ones were victims, Marler said. Marler of the Marler Clark law firm said he's filed the first lawsuit related to the outbreak on Thursday, Aug. 7. It says the outbreak spanned multiple years and was likely the result of conditions within one of the manufacturing and packaging facilities. Marler said that the family who sued was not informed until July that their relative's death was caused by the outbreak. The wife and children of John Wills Sr. of Richmond, California, sued Lyon, the distributor of the shakes, and Prairie Farms Dairy Inc., the manufacturer. Their suit said Wills was recovering from a slip-and-fall injury in a local care facility when, on July 20, 2024, he was given a contaminated shake. Wills, who was previously able to move with the assistance of a mobility device, to participate in physical therapy and eat meals normally, soon developed a fever, pain and had difficulty speaking, according to the suit. After multiple hospitalizations and monitoring for infectious disease, Wills died of "complications related to his Listeria infection and other comorbid conditions" on Feb. 22, 2025. His relatives are seeking damages and payment of Wills' medical and legal fees. Marler criticized the CDC and FDA for their reporting practices, telling USA TODAY and explaining in a blog post that victims like Wills underwent various tests – including blood and spinal fluid draws – and underwent investigations that involved family interviews and reviews of purchase histories. However, they were never informed by the agencies about the cause of their illness or death. "I spoke with a family today to inform them that their husband/father died after suffering a Listeria infection," Marler said in a recent blog post shared with USA TODAY, which he confirmed was referencing Wills. "Until today, the family did not know the cause of his infection despite (the) fact that it has been known by local, state and federal officials for over a year." USA TODAY has reached out to the CDC and FDA for comment. Which states had listeria poisoning cases? A total of 21 states had known listeria outbreaks related to this recall: Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and West Virginia. The 14 deaths occurred in nine states: California, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New York, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington. Which Lyons ReadyCare and Sysco Imperial shakes were recalled? All recalled products had "best buy" dates between 02/21/25 and 02/21/26, according to Lyons Magnus. All the contaminated products are believed to have been destroyed, the FDA notice said. What is listeriosis or listeria poisoning? Listeriosis, or listeria poisoning, is a foodborne bacterial infection most commonly caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. It is considered a serious condition and can be dangerous or life-threatening, especially to older adults, people with weak immune systems and pregnant people. Signs and symptoms of listeriosis may not appear until weeks after consumption. Persons in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell their health care provider about eating the contaminated food, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. According to the USDA, symptoms include:
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Is Urine The Secret Weapon Against Persistent Ant Hills In Your Yard?
There are tons of old wives' tales we tend to believe, even though there's little to no evidence to back them up. The five-second rule isn't real because germs can transfer almost instantly, and swallowing gum won't result in it being stuck in your stomach for seven years. But one of the more surprising claims going viral on social media is that urine can eliminate stubborn ant hills in your yard. Though there might be some evidence to back that claim up, the answer is a little more complicated than a simple yes or no. Instagram user @backyardgardengirl, who supports this claim, explains that collecting urine in a mason jar and sealing it for a few days allows it to ferment. This, in turn, allows time for ammonia to build up, a gas known for its strong, suffocating odor, especially at higher concentrations. Then pour the fermented urine over an ant hill, and it is believed to eliminate the mound (and kill some ants in the process) due to the effects of the ammonia. The day after applying the urine, you can rinse the area with water to help remove any lingering odor. Now, this isn't something recommended for daily use, but rather used as a sporadic extermination method you'd apply throughout the year to keep the ants under control. This method is a natural and chemical-free alternative to store-bought ant killers, and best of all, it doesn't cost anything to give it a try. But is there any evidence that proves it actually works? Why Human Urine Might Be An Effective Ant Exterminator As odd as it may sound, human urine could be an easy and effective method for getting rid of ant hills, but only when it's fermented and has high ammonium content. That's because ammonium is an effective ant killer and can even disrupt the pheromone trails ants leave behind that guide the rest of their colony to food and resources. While urine doesn't naturally contain ammonia, storing it allows the urea to break down into ammonia through a process called urea hydrolysis. According to a 2017 study published in the Journal of Environmental Management, untreated urine stored for 36 days saw its ammonium levels increase by 32%. When fermented properly and poured over an ant hill, especially one containing the queen, it may help break down the mound, disrupt the colony, and even kill off some ants. How well it works depends entirely on how strong the ammonium concentration is. Deciding how long you should let the urine sit and ferment is a little ambiguous. The scientific study says ammonia levels rose by 32% after 36 days. @backyardgardengirl didn't specify their time frame, but "let it sit for days," and was successful in keeping their lawn ant-free. So perhaps a trial-and-error approach might work best here. Urine containing high amounts of ammonia might break down an ant hill and hopefully put an end to ants in one easy hack. However, there's a chance human urine just isn't an effective ant exterminator. And that's because ants are generally attracted to urine, especially if it comes from someone with Type 1 diabetes, whose urine typically contains larger amounts of glucose. Because human urine contains urea, a compound formed when the kidneys break down proteins, ants are naturally drawn to it. A study conducted by wildlife ecologist Dr. S. Topa Petit and published in Austral Ecology tested several baits, including urea, human urine, sugar water, and even kangaroo urine. The researchers discovered ants were most attracted to the urea, and preferred human urine over kangaroo. Ultimately, when considering this DIY pest control method, it seems to all come down to the fermenting process, which breaks the urea down into ammonia. If urine is fermented for a long enough period, it undergoes chemical changes that might be enough to break down the ant hill and keep the ants away. But if urea is still present in the mix, there's a good chance the liquid might just soften the mound and attract even more ants in the process.
