Liver cancer cases in several developed countries have doubled in the past 25 years, due to the continuing obesity epidemic and a spike in hepatitis infections, new research suggests. Even worse, the sharp rise in liver cancer cases is starting to swamp the limited number of liver specialists in those nations, the researchers added. In… read on >
Illegal opioid sales on the internet have surged in the wake of U.S. government crackdowns on prescriptions for the highly addictive painkillers, a new study shows. In 2014, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration reclassified the opioid hydrocodone (Vicodin). The change made the drug harder to prescribe and banned automatic refills. Not surprisingly, the number of… read on >
The Kellogg Company announced Thursday it was recalling certain boxes of Honey Smacks cereal due to the possibility of contamination with salmonella. In a news release, the company said it “launched an investigation with the third-party manufacturer who produces Honey Smacks immediately after being contacted by the Food & Drug Administration and Centers for Disease… read on >
If your eye hurts, you feel like there’s something stuck in your eye or you have tearing or redness, you may have scratched your eye. If you think that’s the case, the American Academy of Ophthalmology suggests: See an eye doctor without delay. Rinse your eye with saline solution or clean water using an eyecup… read on >
Split fingernails, medically called onychoschizia, affect more women than men. The condition typically is caused by repeated wetting and drying of the nails, and tends to worsen in low humidity and during dry winters. The American Osteopathic College of Dermatology suggests how to prevent the problem: Apply a lotion containing alpha-hydroxy acids or lanolin to… read on >
Having a baby is a unique joy, yet it can also bring profound sadness to some women. In fact, about 13 percent of new mothers will experience a major depressive episode during their baby’s first year. Postpartum depression, or PPD, affects baby as well as mom because it can keep you from taking care of… read on >
Doctors can’t yet predict if someone exposed to the flu will become sick. But such predictions may be getting closer to reality, new research hints. Researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine say they’ve identified a “biomarker” that indicates a person’s susceptibility to flu viruses. “We’ve been after this for about four years,” said study… read on >
Good sleep is hard to come by for the 25 percent of Americans who experience a period of severe insomnia each year, new research suggests. There was some good news, though: Most who suffer a bout of “acute,”‘ new-onset insomnia will recover and go on to gain restful slumber, the study found. Tracking more than… read on >
Every year, 1.7 million people in the United States are diagnosed with diabetes, the U.S. National Institutes of Health says. Left untreated, diabetes can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness and other health problems, the agency says. The NIH suggests: Take time to learn all you can about diabetes. With the help of… read on >
Healthy skin habits can make you look younger and reduce your risk of skin cancer. While ointments, creams and eye serums can mask the effects of aging, nothing beats a good skin-care routine, the American Academy of Dermatology says. The academy suggests: Protect your skin from the sun by seeking shade, wearing a hat and… read on >
