Common health problems of old age — dehydration, delirium, malnutrition or falls — can become catastrophic if they occur following a major surgery, a new study reports. Seniors who suffer these issues while recovering from surgery are more likely to die within a year, and will require more time in hospitals or nursing facilities, researchers…  read on >  read on >

Obesity shouldn’t be considered a barrier for a patient who needs shoulder replacement surgery, a new study argues. In some places, doctors have been denying joint replacement surgery to people with a high body-mass index, due to concerns over their ability to recover from the procedure, researchers said in background notes. But patients with obesity…  read on >  read on >

A new flu variant spreading overseas may set the stage for another tough winter in the United States, experts warn. The strain, called subclade K, has caused a rise in flu cases in the United Kingdom, Canada and Japan. And now signs suggest it is beginning to take hold across the United States as flu…  read on >  read on >

Kissing may feel like a very human habit, but new research suggests it has much deeper roots. A team of scientists says the behavior likely began more than 20 million years ago, long before modern humans existed. Researchers from Oxford University in England reviewed decades of studies on primates to understand how kissing may have…  read on >  read on >

Adding even a few extra nurses can dramatically reduce burnout and improve morale among hospital medical staff, a new study says. Increasing nurse staffing by as little as 10% improved attitudes among both physicians and nurses working in hospitals, researchers reported Nov. 17 in JAMA Network Open. “Physician burnout is a global crisis, but few…  read on >  read on >

Use of head CT scans in U.S. emergency departments has more than doubled over the past 15 years, a new study says. Nearly 16 million head CT scans were ordered by ERs in 2022, up from under 8 million in 2007, researchers reported Nov. 17 in the journal Neurology. “Head CT scans are a critical…  read on >  read on >

The United States has received another barely passing pregnancy health grade from the March of Dimes after another year in which 1 out of 10 babies were born prematurely. It’s the fourth consecutive year the nation has received a historically low D+ grade, the March of Dimes said in its 2025 Report Card. The national…  read on >  read on >

Plasma infusions may help breast cancer survivors avoid genital and urinary symptoms while on hormone blockers, a recent study says. As many as 70% of breast cancer survivors suffer from vaginal dryness, itching, burning, frequent UTI and pain during sex while taking estrogen-blocking drugs called aromatase inhibitors. But an infusion of platelet-rich plasma relieved these…  read on >  read on >

Firefighters support better protection but say equipment must be safe and practical  read on >

People paying out of pocket for Ozempic or Wegovy may soon see lower costs, as Novo Nordisk rolls out new price discounts for its popular GLP-1 medications. The company announced that through the end of March, patients with prescriptions can buy the two lowest doses of Ozempic and Wegovy for $199 a month for two…  read on >  read on >

Your morning orange juice may be influencing your health in ways you can’t see. In a new study published recently in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, researchers found that daily OJ intake altered gene activity connected to heart and metabolic function. For the study, 20 healthy adults drank around two cups of 100%…  read on >  read on >

Eating disorders can harm a person’s physical and mental health in ways that linger for years, a new study reports. Anorexia, bulimia, binge eating and other such disorders bring with them a high risk of health problems like diabetes, kidney or liver failure, broken bones and premature death, researchers said. This risk is sky-high within…  read on >  read on >