Lots of things grow in the spring, including your risk of severe allergic reactions and asthma attacks. So people need to take preventive measures and know when to seek medical care, an emergency physician says. “Spring tends to bring more people to the emergency department,” Dr. Paul Kivela, president of the American College of Emergency… read on >
Endometriosis is a painful condition affecting many women, yet often years pass before it’s diagnosed. Tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus starts growing outside it, often affecting the ovaries, the bowel or tissue lining your pelvis. Cysts or scar tissue can form. Beyond intense physical pain, endometriosis can affect everything from your… read on >
The deadliest form of black lung disease is on the rise among American coal miners, a new study finds. Increases in cases of progressive massive fibrosis (PMF) are occurring despite measures to control coal dust that were put into place decades ago. The finding stems from an analysis of U.S. Department of Labor data on… read on >
Outdoor enthusiasts: Here’s a bit of good tick-fighting news just in time for Memorial Day weekend and the unofficial start of summer. A new U.S. government study confirms that insecticide-treated clothes marketed for preventing tick-borne ills do, in fact, thwart the pests. In lab tests of clothes bought from one manufacturer, researchers found that the… read on >
Are tablets, smartphones and laptops robbing Americans of shut-eye? Absolutely, said researchers who found that the unending entertainments and the light the devices emit are a powerful, slumber-killing combo. The finding comes from a small analysis of nine otherwise healthy adults in their 20s. Their sleep was tracked after five straight nights of unrestricted tablet… read on >
A pressure sore is an area of the body that breaks down because something keeps rubbing or pressing against the skin. A pressure sore can develop if you use a wheelchair or stay in bed for long periods, have a disease that affects blood flow, have fragile skin or are malnourished. The U.S. Library of… read on >
If you find that you’re more motivated by working out under the guidance of a fitness instructor and like the idea of varying your workouts, taking classes is a great choice. With today’s wide variety of gym offerings, use these tips to decide on the best options for you. You’re likely to need a mix… read on >
Many first-time mothers have mistaken ideas about managing the pain of childbirth, a new survey reveals. The survey, commissioned by the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), included more than 900 U.S. mothers, 73 percent of whom had vaginal births. While many said they had less pain than feared, many went into labor with false ideas… read on >
If you’re taking an antidepressant, you’re likely to gain weight, a new study out of Britain reports. That’s a finding that generated little surprise among mental health experts. “Psychiatrists have known about it, written about it and heard their patients talk about it for decades,” said Dr. Brian Keefe, a psychiatrist and medical director at… read on >
Excessive weight gain is never a good idea for health. Now, new research supports the notion that putting on pounds raises cancer risks for middle-aged women. The study, which tracked more than 137,000 Norwegian women for 18 years, found that the odds of developing certain cancers rose as waistlines expanded. The take-home message: “maintaining stable… read on >
