If you’ve had major sinus or skull base surgery, you should talk with your ear, nose and throat doctor before getting a COVID-19 nasal swab test, researchers advise. It’s also crucial for health workers performing swab testing to ask whether the patient has had extensive sinus or skull base surgery, said Dr. Philip Chen, an… read on > read on >
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Pandemic Stress Has More Americans Grinding Their Teeth
Lockdowns have you stressed? The American Dental Association (ADA) reports that more people are grinding their teeth as they try to cope with the pressures of the pandemic. An ADA Health Policy Institute survey of dentists found that 70% of respondents said they’ve seen an increase in the number of patients with teeth grinding and… read on > read on >
New First Look at the Tiniest Babies’ Lungs
Researchers who recorded the most detailed images ever made of newborns’ lungs as they took their first breaths say the breakthrough could improve treatment of breathing problems in babies. “Respiratory problems are the most common reason we need to treat babies in intensive care,” said researcher David Tingay of Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Melbourne,… read on > read on >
No Sense of Smell After COVID? Therapies Can Help Bring It Back
So, you had COVID-19 a few months back and you still can’t smell that first steaming cup of coffee in the morning. Is there anything you can do to hasten the return of that vital sense? Experts say there is, including “physical therapy” for your nose. “In most cases, smell loss is temporary, but it… read on > read on >
Wildfire Smoke Is Especially Toxic to Lungs, Study Shows
Fine particles in wildfire smoke pose a far greater threat to the lungs than similar particles in vehicle exhaust and other types of air pollution, researchers report. These fine particles — called PM2.5 — have a diameter about 1/20th the size of a human hair and can get into the respiratory tract, enter the bloodstream… read on > read on >
The Skinny on Wrinkle-Free Skin
Wrinkles may be a natural part of getting older, but you can slow your skin’s aging with changes to your lifestyle and environment, a skin expert says. “Daily activities, such as protecting your skin from the sun and eating healthy foods, can go a long way in preventing your skin from aging more quickly than… read on > read on >
Snow Shoveling, Slips on Ice Bring Cold Weather Dangers
Clearing away snow can be hazardous to your health, experts warn. Shoveling snow causes 100 deaths a year in the United States, and injuries due to improper use of snowblowers are common. “Cold weather will cause the body to constrict blood vessels to maintain warmth, which can then raise blood pressure and the risk for… read on > read on >
How Moving the Homeless to Hotels During the Pandemic Helps Everyone
Giving homeless COVID-19 patients a free hotel room for their quarantine and recovery pays huge health dividends for the entire community, according to a new study out of San Francisco. Only 4% of homeless folks transferred from Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital to a participating hotel wound up back in the hospital with worsened COVID-19… read on > read on >
With 3 COVID Vaccines Approved, Is There a ‘Best’ Shot?
Americans love to have choices, and now there are three COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in the United States. But infectious disease experts say that all three protect strongly against severe COVID-19, so there is only one criteria to use in deciding which vaccine is the best. “There is a single best vaccine. It’s the… read on > read on >
It’s Too Soon to Lift COVID Restrictions: Fauci
(Healthday News) — Coronavirus restrictions should not be lifted until the daily toll of new U.S. cases falls below 10,000, “and maybe even considerably less than that,” Dr. Anthony Fauci said Thursday. The last time the United States saw that low a number was almost a year ago. The daily case count hasn’t fallen below… read on > read on >