Nighttime bathroom trips could reveal hidden health issues — here's when to worry

Getting out of bed once during the night to use the bathroom is common, but repeated trips could signal underlying issues, health experts warn.

Waking up more than once a night to urinate can meet the clinical definition of nocturia, which affects about half of adults over 50 and becomes more common with age, according to a recent StudyFinds report. The International Continence Society’s formal definition of nocturia includes even one nighttime trip, but frequency, disruption and a change from a person’s usual pattern all matter.

"Everyone has a baseline of what’s normal urinary frequency for them," Dr. Ali Dabaja, a urologist at Henry Ford Health in Michigan, told the outlet. "But if you wake at least twice to go to the bathroom during eight hours of sleep, that’s considered nocturia."

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Nocturia isn't simply a bladder issue, according to Dr. Jeffrey Chester, a licensed physician and medical director of The Ohana Luxury Addiction Treatment Center in Hawaii.

"A change in nighttime urinary patterns is definitely worth mentioning to a physician or healthcare provider, especially when it begins suddenly, becomes more frequent, or disrupts a person's sleep," Chester told Fox News Digital.

Alcohol and caffeine intake, the amount and timing of fluid consumption, and certain medications can all contribute, he added.

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Waking up once isn't a cause for concern, agreed Catherine Darley, a naturopathic doctor and founder of Skilled Sleeper in Seattle, but more than once can be "concerning," she told Fox News Digital.

Experts note that it can raise the risk of falls, especially for those with mobility or balance challenges. Research shows two or more nightly trips to the bathroom are linked to a higher risk of fall-related injuries, StudyFinds reported.

Sleep disorders can also be a factor, Darley said, including obstructive sleep apnea, which can affect hormones involved in suppressing urine production overnight. Restless legs syndrome could also contribute to nighttime urination and is more common with age, Darley added.

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She advised starting with your primary care provider to look for an underlying cause, and checking in with doctors and pharmacists to see if medications could be involved in frequent bathroom trips. In some cases, they could adjust the timing to prevent late-night wake-ups.

Other issues could be the cause, too, according to StudyFinds, including diabetes, an overactive bladder, an enlarged prostate and fluid buildup.

For some people, simple habits can help, including not drinking for roughly two hours before bedtime and stopping alcohol about three hours before bed, Darley said.

She also suggested keeping floors clear of rugs and clutter, using gentle amber lighting, sitting on the edge of the bed before standing to avoid getting dizzy and installing grab bars for extra support.

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Political fights can rip couples apart — therapist shares 3 ways to save a relationship

More than one-third of Americans report having ended a relationship over political differences, according to recent research – and experts say those divisions may also be straining some marriages.

Some high-profile couples, including Democratic strategist James Carville and his wife, Republican political consultant Mary Matalin, have remained together despite their differing views – but experts say navigating those differences isn't always easy.

Dr. Anna Elton, a licensed marriage and family therapist and clinical sexologist in Massachusetts, said she has counseled couples on different sides of the political aisle.

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"A lot of couples come in and they want to work on communication, and politics can come up in our sessions," Elton, author of "The Formula of Desire," told Fox News Digital.

"I work with a number of couples who are in this place where they have a family, they have kids, but they can't talk about politics."

For many singles, Elton said, political compatibility is now something they consider early in the dating process.

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She referenced a recent study that found younger adults tend to make assumptions about religion, gender roles, empathy and other characteristics based on political affiliation.

"So, before you get to know the person, you’ve already created this assumption of who this person is."

"I've definitely been hearing from my younger clients who are saying, ‘I want to know which political party this person belongs to, and then I'll see if I want to even be going on a date and wasting my time with this person.’"

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For couples who have been married for decades, today's political divisions may present challenges that didn't exist when their relationships began, Elton noted.

The expert offered the following three tips for navigating politically charged conversations with a partner in a healthy way.

Come up with rules for the conversation and set the tone before it starts, Elton suggested, noting that the first three minutes of a discussion typically predict the outcome.

Conversations that begin with a harsh tone or accusatory language are unlikely to be productive, she said. "So, before you talk, say, ‘Okay, these are our boundaries for this conversation.’"

Those boundaries can also extend to media habits, Elton said, including limiting how much political content couples consume, especially on social media.

"You read certain things and then all of a sudden, you keep scrolling on your social media and you see similar content coming up over and over and over again," Elton said. "And at this point, it creates an illusionary effect."

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Hearing the same information repeatedly may lead people to gradually accept it as true, according to Elton. "Now think about two people who are in their echo chambers, and they're exposed to certain information that is contradicting each other."

As a general rule, Elton said couples should be mindful not to spend more time on their phones than they do engaging with each other. Excessive screen time can reduce face-to-face connection, leaving less room for eye contact, conversation and other shared experiences.

Also, when someone is constantly consuming political content, it can become the primary topic they want to discuss, creating tension when partners hold different views, she cautioned.

To help reduce conflict, Elton recommended limiting when political news or posts are consumed. She also suggested setting aside one phone-free date night each week to encourage face-to-face connection.

While couples with differing political views are unlikely to agree on every issue, "agreeing to disagree" can help prevent hostility.

"We can still love each other," Elton said. "It's not going to affect our relationship."

"As soon as it gets to the point of seeing your partner through the lens of ‘if you believe this, this is who you are, and I can’t believe that I'm still in a relationship with you,’ that becomes a problem."

Elton urged couples not to take political disagreements personally and instead approach them with curiosity. She also recommended looking at the same information together, allowing each partner to ask questions and draw their own conclusions rather than jumping into a heated debate.

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The therapist also encouraged couples to focus on areas of common ground rather than viewing disagreements in black-and-white terms.

After a disagreement or failure to compromise, it’s important to always reconnect with your partner, she emphasized.

Sharing reassuring words like "I love you" and "you matter to me more than anything else" can be helpful, she said.

"I feel like you always need to say, ‘Hey, I hear what you're saying, but I'm not agreeing, and that's okay.’"

When politics come into play in a relationship, it can have an impact on more than just the couple.

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Elton encouraged partners to consider how sharing certain opinions can impact other loved ones, especially if one person confides in a family member or friend about the other's views.

"You can create this triangulation where you're connecting with someone against your partner, and you don't want that," she warned.

"Talk to your therapist, vent to your therapist … because if you start venting to your family and friends, then they start forming certain opinions about your partner, and it can affect how they talk to them, how they interact with them."

Before making any drastic decisions, such as ending a relationship over political discord, Elton suggested slowing down and returning to a more grounded state.

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"We hear certain things and we fill in the gaps," she said. "When we hear someone's political affiliation, we often make assumptions about who they are without really hearing them out."

Rather than making assumptions based on the media or podcasts a partner consumes, for example, Elton encouraged couples to ask questions, stay curious and remain open-minded.

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'Very hot' coffee and tea linked to higher cancer risk in nearly 1 million adults

Regularly drinking very hot tea or coffee may raise the risk of a type of esophageal cancer, according to a large study at the University of Oxford.

People who reported drinking beverages "very hot" had about three times the risk of developing oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), a type of cancer that begins in the cells lining the esophagus, compared to those who drank warm beverages.

Drinking six or more hot drinks per day was associated with a 71% higher risk of the disease. The same link was not seen for esophageal adenocarcinoma (AC), a type of cancer that develops in the lower part of the esophagus.

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The study included nearly 1 million U.K. adults, making it the largest investigation of its kind to date, according to lead study author Keren Papier, a nutritional epidemiologist at the University of Oxford.

Roughly half of the participants were from the Million Women Study (MWS), who were followed for an average of 14 years, and the other half were from the UK Biobank (UKB), who were followed for 11 years.

"Compared with people who reported drinking their beverages ‘warm,’ those who drank them ‘hot’ had around a 1.7 times higher risk of SCC, while those who drank them ‘very hot’ had around a three times higher risk," Papier told Fox News Digital.

The study was published in the International Journal of Cancer.

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The researchers estimated that, if the observed association reflects a true cause-and-effect relationship, about 14% of SCC cases could potentially be prevented if people drank beverages "hot" rather than "very hot."

The biggest limitation, according to the researchers, is that beverage temperatures were self-reported rather than directly measured. Because people's tolerance for heat differs, participants may have classified similar temperatures differently.

"A limitation of our study was that, although we examined associations by self-reported preferred drink temperature, we did not have data on directly measured drink temperatures, and, therefore, cannot determine how self-reported drink temperature is likely to relate to absolute drink temperature," Papier noted.

"These findings don't mean people need to stop drinking tea or coffee. Just let your drinks cool down a little before drinking them."

An outside cancer specialist agreed the findings are biologically plausible but said they should be interpreted in context.

Dr. Aaron Sasson, chief of surgical oncology and co-director of the gastrointestinal oncology team at Stony Brook Cancer Center in New York, said it’s been known that drinking hot beverages or liquids can be irritating to the esophagus and that it could contribute to the development of esophageal cancer.

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The hotter the liquid, the higher the risk of a "thermal injury," the doctor told Fox News Digital.

"Similar to burning your hand, if you were to get a burn on your hand, you have an increased risk of getting squamous cell carcinoma of the hand, of the skin developing in the burned area," Sasson said. "So, think of that as constantly repeating a burn to the esophagus."

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The doctor reiterated that this study specifically looked at the risk of squamous carcinomas, not adenocarcinomas.

"In the United States, about 85% of all of our cancers are adenocarcinomas. So, the incidence of squamous carcinomas in the esophagus is quite low, just to put it into perspective," he noted.

The lifetime risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus in the U.S. is less than 1%, the doctor said.

Sasson agreed that there was no "objective measurement" of the drinks’ temperature, which poses an unknown variable.

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"If you are a heavy consumer of hot tea or coffee, maybe you'd want to cool it down a little bit," he advised. "But I think, for practical purposes, for most people, [it’s] not the predominant risk factor for squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus."

Smoking, heavy alcohol use, acid reflux and obesity are among the better-established risk factors for esophageal cancer, Sasson said.

"If you were to limit alcohol consumption and eliminate cigarette smoking, you will have done wonders for your esophagus."

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Son who lost father in 9/11 attacks shares powerful lessons 25 years later: ‘I’m still here’

As the nation marks 25 years since Sept. 11, 2001, the weight of the loss of loved ones still looms.

Podcaster David Ferrugio, author of the new book "You're Not Dead Yet," joined Fox News Digital to discuss how his own grief persists 25 years after 9/11.

The host of the "DEAD Talks" podcast lost his father, David Frances Ferrugio, who worked at the World Trade Center, in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

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Ferrugio, who was 12 years old and living in New Jersey at the time, recalls watching television footage of the towers collapsing and "breaking down."

"It was like a dividing moment in my memory and my life, because I was one person on September 11th and then on September 12th. It was a whole new reality I walked into, which inspired what I'm doing."

After years of internalizing his emotions, Ferrugio discovered the power of sharing stories of grief. On his podcast, he invites guests to discuss their own experiences with death and loss.

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"Eventually, I got comfortable expressing myself and learning the importance of just sharing [my] story and telling people how I feel and opening up," he said.

Drawing from his own experiences, Ferrugio shares several lessons that have helped him navigate grief.

Although discussions of grief can be difficult, even decades after a traumatic event like 9/11, Ferrugio said "embracing the uncomfortable" and talking it out is "an important piece of this complex puzzle."

Sharing stories of loss can provide emotional release while also helping others feel less alone, he noted, adding that he's seen firsthand how those conversations can make a difference.

"Even when I have my days of just not feeling it, I'm reminded by the people who reach out and the way they share their story ... how much it is impacting so many people."

Finding a sense of community can be especially meaningful at a time when so many people are experiencing loneliness, whether they're grieving or not, Ferrugio added.

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"I've learned so much through the eyes of others, and I think the storytelling is just so vital."

Fear of judgment often keeps people from sharing their stories, even though doing so can bring a sense of "liberation," according to Ferrugio.

More than two decades after the attacks, Ferrugio shared that his mental health has improved after putting in "a lot of effort," including shifting his perspective on life and death.

"Life and death are the same coin, just two different sides – and there's a thin veil between them," he said.

"It’s completely shifted the way I live my life through seeing what other people are going through ... understanding the pain people are experiencing, how they manage it ... how they reframe it, and understanding that as alone as this life can feel, we're not as alone as we think."

Grief can reshape how people approach life, Ferrugio said, encouraging them to be more present, embrace the full range of emotions and give themselves grace, even during life's most difficult times.

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"Ultimately, all these conversations I've had are conversations about grief, but they're really conversations about how we can live this life."

When painful emotions or a wave of grief start to roll in, Ferrugio's go-to technique is to allow himself to feel it and "breathe it out."

"A lot of breath work works wonders for me," he said. "A deep breath is going to do more for you than you think."

Along with breath work, Ferrugio said exercising and spending time in nature have helped calm his nervous system, noting that what works best varies from person to person.

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"We forget to look inward, and we all have that intuition and that guttural feeling – we have to trust what we're saying to ourselves," he said. "What feels good? Does this feel like it's working?"

According to Ferrugio, it’s important to allow for moments of joy, even during times of grief.

"Give yourself permission to feel moments of levity, to feel moments of joy, even if it is for five seconds … just take those moments and cherish them, because the contrast of the joy and pain exists for a reason."

"It's not easy to feel however you feel, but it takes a lot of effort and discomfort to try to step out of that … Whatever we go through in life, it's an ebb and flow, and sometimes both are happening at the same time."

On the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Ferrugio acknowledged that the pain of losing his father remains.

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"For anyone else who's been part of that day, I just hope they look back at the days they've gone through and see that they're still here," he said. "You're still with us, and you’re still grinding, you're showing up for the people in your life."

"It's important to zoom out and realize, ‘I've done this for 25 years, and I'm still here.’"

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Alcohol tied to surprising cancer death pattern in adults under 55, researchers find

Annual U.S. cancer deaths tied to alcohol consumption more than doubled over a three-decade period, according to a recent study led by researchers at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

The findings, published in The Lancet Regional Health — Americas and presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting in Chicago, revealed that alcohol-attributable cancer deaths jumped from 11,361 in 1990 to 23,126 in 2023.

Researchers analyzed more than 30 years of data from the Global Burden of Disease study to track the trends.

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While alcohol has long been classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, surveys show that awareness of its link to cancer remains limited.

"The most surprising finding was the breadth of alcohol’s potential impact across cancer types," Chinmay Jani, M.D., corresponding author of the study and chief fellow in hematology and oncology at Sylvester, told Fox News Digital.

"Although its relationship with liver cancer is widely recognized, its contribution to cancers such as colorectal, esophageal, breast, pancreatic and prostate cancer is less understood by the public."

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The research showed that older adults and men bore the highest overall burden of alcohol-related cancer deaths. Among older men, liver cancer was the primary cause of alcohol-attributable mortality, followed closely by esophageal and colorectal cancers.

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Breast cancer was the leading cause of alcohol-related cancer deaths among women overall, the study found.

Among younger adults between the ages of 20 and 54, colorectal cancer emerged as the leading cause of alcohol-attributable cancer deaths in men and the second leading cause in women, surpassing liver cancer in both groups.

The authors noted that the findings carry significant weight for public health messaging, particularly because general awareness surrounding alcohol's connection to various cancers remains low compared to known risks like tobacco use.

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Because no minimum "safe" level of alcohol has been established, researchers said drinking less may help lower long-term cancer risk.

Because the study used existing national data rather than following individuals over time, researchers couldn’t determine each person’s exact drinking habits or account for every lifestyle factor.

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As a result, the findings show a strong association between alcohol use and cancer deaths, but they cannot prove that alcohol directly caused those deaths or establish a specific "safe" drinking limit.

"What this study makes clear is that alcohol-related cancer risk is not limited to one disease or one group of people," Gilberto Lopes, M.D., senior author and chief of the Division of Medical Oncology at the Miller School, told Fox News Digital.

"As physicians and cancer researchers, we have an opportunity to help patients understand that alcohol is a modifiable risk factor and that even small, informed changes can be part of a broader strategy to reduce cancer risk in our community."

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Ground Zero first responder needed major surgery decades after 9/11 exposure: ‘I thought it was over’

Those who were present at Ground Zero on Sept. 11, 2001, continue to experience the physical effects of their exposure.

As Lower Manhattan was engulfed in dust and debris from the remnants of both towers, first responders and survivors were forced to breathe in toxic air.

More than 400,000 people were exposed to toxic contaminants, physical-injury risks and stressful conditions in the days, weeks and months following the attacks, according to the World Trade Center Health Program.

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As of March 2025, 8,215 people who had enrolled in the WTC Health Program had died, including 5,844 responders, as reported by the CDC. The figures include deaths from all causes; the program does not track whether a member’s death was related to 9/11 exposure.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Mordechai Shedrowitzky, a volunteer EMT who responded on 9/11, shared how his exposure led to multiple hospitalizations and, ultimately, major surgery.

Queens-born Shedrowitzky, 51, was living in Brooklyn at the time of the attacks. After helping cover his local area for much of the day, he headed into Lower Manhattan that evening to assist with the response.

"My most vivid memory was actually entering Manhattan from Brooklyn," he said. "As we approached the tunnel, the first thing we noticed was there were no lights, there was no electricity in the area, it [was] pitch black."

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"When we entered the tunnel, there was a tremendous amount of swirling debris, at speeds that I just can't even imagine."

Once Shedrowitzky and his team arrived at South Street Seaport, where his ambulance was staged with others, he described the debris as "overwhelming."

"I remember the engine actually sputtering at times," he said. "I would imagine that it was taking in a tremendous amount of dust."

"We were definitely not cognizant of what effect ... the air might have on us. And therefore, we did spend a significant amount of time outside of the ambulances, just commiserating with the people around us."

Shedrowitzky said he "thought it was over" once he left the scene. But years later, he noticed small symptoms that were turning into a big problem.

His pre-existing asthma — which typically flared during seasonal changes and caused coughing that required an inhaler — was worsening each year.

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"I started to require oral steroids," he said. "I would have wheezing; I would have coughing. It would last longer; it would be more serious ... I wouldn't be able to go to work, wouldn’t be able to take care of my kids. So, the effects were definitely increasing over time."

Shedrowitzky added that his condition was "getting to the point where it was leading to frequent respiratory infections and hospitalizations."

"It took a number of years, many years, for us to realize that what was going on with my health was probably related to 9/11."

In 2019, Shedrowitzky described that his condition got "significantly worse," after experiencing a cough that wouldn’t resolve itself, even after the "highest doses" of steroids and antibiotics.

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Shedrowitzky ultimately was put in touch with the World Trade Center Health Program – a federal program administered by the CDC – where his condition was classified as 9/11-related and was monitored.

It was eventually confirmed that Shedrowitzky had tracheobronchomalacia, a condition in which the walls of the windpipe and major airways weaken and collapse during breathing.

"[It] was probably secondary to both the asthma getting worse as well as steroid use over the years to try to treat those symptoms," he said.

In 2024, Shedrowitzky underwent a procedure called a tracheobronchoplasty to structurally reinforce his trachea and main bronchi.

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Two years after the procedure, he said he is feeling "much better," although he still experiences occasional infections. He hopes to return to work as a physical therapist soon.

"Even a couple of months ago, I wouldn't have been able to speak for more than a very short time," Shedrowitzky said.

As a father of six, Shedrowitzky – who is now also a grandfather of two – said his condition made it difficult for him to spend time with his children as they were growing up.

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"Things as simple as lifting my children, even speaking to them," he said. "The amount of time that I spent in the hospital and its effect on them was quite significant."

"Now, they're older, but my ability to spend time, interact with them ... has been greatly improved."

Dr. Denise Harrison, medical director of the NYU Grossman School of Medicine WTC Health Program Clinical Center of Excellence, has been involved in post-9/11 healthcare since 2002.

The program has since grown to provide screening, monitoring and treatment for people experiencing health effects related to their 9/11 exposure.

The doctor noted that the dust on 9/11 was "highly alkaline," which can be "very irritating" to the airways.

"Usually, the larger size dust gets deposited in the upper airways and the smaller size dust gets deposited in the lower airways," she told Fox News Digital. "Because of the overwhelming nature of the disaster, a significant number of large particles got deposited into the lower airways as well. So, this is not just the airways, but also the digestive tract, in the esophagus."

Harrison said patients often report sinus problems, asthma and COPD. These conditions can occur alongside other "aerodigestive" issues, including gastroesophageal reflux disease, which may complicate diagnosis and treatment.

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Other 9/11-related conditions may also be interlinked.

"We have patients with asthma and PTSD who might perceive their asthma symptoms differently than the patients without PTSD, so that requires a combination of providers," the doctor said.

Shedrowitzky urged other first responders who are experiencing health issues to not wait to get help and to confirm that what they’re experiencing may be linked to 9/11.

"Continue to be monitored so that potential issues can be picked up early," he advised.

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"If we can look back and see the quality of life that it's robbing you of, it might push you to contact the World Trade Center Health Program, get the help that you need."

As of March 31, 2025, the WTC Health Program had more than 130,000 currently enrolled members.

The program, which is authorized through 2090, operates branches across multiple health systems, including NYU Langone Health, Mount Sinai, Northwell, Stony Brook and Rutgers.

Harrison reiterated that the health effects of 9/11 exposure remain "persistent," and can be exacerbated by the environment and other illnesses. Experts predict that the fallout will continue for decades to come.

"Symptoms are still ongoing and research is still ongoing," she said, urging the public and responders to "have patience."

"While it might not directly benefit them or may provide some benefits now, it could be more beneficial in the future and help the overall response to disasters."

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9/11 death toll keeps growing decades later as toxic exposure haunts survivors

Those who were present at Ground Zero on Sept. 11, 2001, continue to experience the physical effects of their exposure.

As Lower Manhattan was engulfed in dust and debris from the remnants of both towers, first responders and survivors were forced to breathe in toxic air.

More than 400,000 people were exposed to toxic contaminants, physical-injury risks and stressful conditions in the days, weeks and months following the attacks, according to the World Trade Center Health Program.

SCIENTISTS DISCOVER POSSIBLE LINK BETWEEN 9/11 AND ACCELERATED AGING

As of March 2025, 8,215 people who had enrolled in the WTC Health Program had died, including 5,844 responders, as reported by the CDC. The figures include deaths from all causes; the program does not track whether a member’s death was related to 9/11 exposure.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Mordechai Shedrowitzky, a volunteer EMT who responded on 9/11, shared how his exposure led to multiple hospitalizations and, ultimately, major surgery.

Queens-born Shedrowitzky, 51, was living in Brooklyn at the time of the attacks. After helping cover his local area for much of the day, he headed into Lower Manhattan that evening to assist with the response.

"My most vivid memory was actually entering Manhattan from Brooklyn," he said. "As we approached the tunnel, the first thing we noticed was there were no lights, there was no electricity in the area, it [was] pitch black."

FOX NEWS' ERIC SHAWN REVEALS CANCER AND RESPIRATORY ILLNESS FROM 9/11 TOXIC DUST

"When we entered the tunnel, there was a tremendous amount of swirling debris, at speeds that I just can't even imagine."

Once Shedrowitzky and his team arrived at South Street Seaport, where his ambulance was staged with others, he described the debris as "overwhelming."

"I remember the engine actually sputtering at times," he said. "I would imagine that it was taking in a tremendous amount of dust."

"We were definitely not cognizant of what effect ... the air might have on us. And therefore, we did spend a significant amount of time outside of the ambulances, just commiserating with the people around us."

Shedrowitzky said he "thought it was over" once he left the scene. But years later, he noticed small symptoms that were turning into a big problem.

His pre-existing asthma — which typically flared during seasonal changes and caused coughing that required an inhaler — was worsening each year.

AMERICA'S FIREFIGHTER SHORTAGE HITS CRISIS LEVEL AS EMERGENCY CALLS TRIPLE, PUTTING LIVES AT RISK

"I started to require oral steroids," he said. "I would have wheezing; I would have coughing. It would last longer; it would be more serious ... I wouldn't be able to go to work, wouldn’t be able to take care of my kids. So, the effects were definitely increasing over time."

Shedrowitzky added that his condition was "getting to the point where it was leading to frequent respiratory infections and hospitalizations."

"It took a number of years, many years, for us to realize that what was going on with my health was probably related to 9/11."

In 2019, Shedrowitzky described that his condition got "significantly worse," after experiencing a cough that wouldn’t resolve itself, even after the "highest doses" of steroids and antibiotics.

NAVY VETERANS REUNITE AFTER 30 YEARS FOR 'GRUELING' CROSS-COUNTRY BIKE CHALLENGE HONORING 9/11

Shedrowitzky ultimately was put in touch with the World Trade Center Health Program – a federal program administered by the CDC – where his condition was classified as 9/11-related and was monitored.

It was eventually confirmed that Shedrowitzky had tracheobronchomalacia, a condition in which the walls of the windpipe and major airways weaken and collapse during breathing.

"[It] was probably secondary to both the asthma getting worse as well as steroid use over the years to try to treat those symptoms," he said.

In 2024, Shedrowitzky underwent a procedure called a tracheobronchoplasty to structurally reinforce his trachea and main bronchi.

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Two years after the procedure, he said he is feeling "much better," although he still experiences occasional infections. He hopes to return to work as a physical therapist soon.

"Even a couple of months ago, I wouldn't have been able to speak for more than a very short time," Shedrowitzky said.

As a father of six, Shedrowitzky – who is now also a grandfather of two – said his condition made it difficult for him to spend time with his children as they were growing up.

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"Things as simple as lifting my children, even speaking to them," he said. "The amount of time that I spent in the hospital and its effect on them was quite significant."

"Now, they're older, but my ability to spend time, interact with them ... has been greatly improved."

Dr. Denise Harrison, medical director of the NYU Grossman School of Medicine WTC Health Program Clinical Center of Excellence, has been involved in post-9/11 healthcare since 2002.

The program has since grown to provide screening, monitoring and treatment for people experiencing health effects related to their 9/11 exposure.

The doctor noted that the dust on 9/11 was "highly alkaline," which can be "very irritating" to the airways.

"Usually, the larger size dust gets deposited in the upper airways and the smaller size dust gets deposited in the lower airways," she told Fox News Digital. "Because of the overwhelming nature of the disaster, a significant number of large particles got deposited into the lower airways as well. So, this is not just the airways, but also the digestive tract, in the esophagus."

Harrison said patients often report sinus problems, asthma and COPD. These conditions can occur alongside other "aerodigestive" issues, including gastroesophageal reflux disease, which may complicate diagnosis and treatment.

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Other 9/11-related conditions may also be interlinked.

"We have patients with asthma and PTSD who might perceive their asthma symptoms differently than the patients without PTSD, so that requires a combination of providers," the doctor said.

Shedrowitzky urged other first responders who are experiencing health issues to not wait to get help and to confirm that what they’re experiencing may be linked to 9/11.

"Continue to be monitored so that potential issues can be picked up early," he advised.

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"If we can look back and see the quality of life that it's robbing you of, it might push you to contact the World Trade Center Health Program, get the help that you need."

As of March 31, 2025, the WTC Health Program had more than 130,000 currently enrolled members.

The program, which is authorized through 2090, operates branches across multiple health systems, including NYU Langone Health, Mount Sinai, Northwell, Stony Brook and Rutgers.

Harrison reiterated that the health effects of 9/11 exposure remain "persistent," and can be exacerbated by the environment and other illnesses. Experts predict that the fallout will continue for decades to come.

"Symptoms are still ongoing and research is still ongoing," she said, urging the public and responders to "have patience."

"While it might not directly benefit them or may provide some benefits now, it could be more beneficial in the future and help the overall response to disasters."

from Health News Today on Fox News https://ift.tt/WuhdiEV

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