Both national and local parks afford visitors excellent opportunities to see animals in their natural habitats. But these situations come with risks and responsibilities. Wild animals can be dangerous and unpredictable, says the National Park Service. It urges park-goers to follow these guidelines: Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not feed wild animals. Keep children… read on >
A runny nose usually starts when your child’s cold is on the mend, says the American Academy of Family Physicians. Mucus from a runny nose helps wash the cold virus out of the nose and sinuses. After a few days, the mucus may change to a white or yellow color, then to green. A runny… read on >
Bulges (aneurysms) in the abdominal aorta can pose real danger, but research suggests a less invasive method may be as good a fix for the problem as traditional surgery. The less invasive procedure is called endovascular repair. There are a number of short-term benefits to this less invasive fix, such as shorter hospital stays and… read on >
Brittle bones are often seen as a woman’s health issue, but low bone mass may be more common among middle-aged men than generally thought, a small study suggests. The research, of 173 adults aged 35 to 50, found that men and women were equally likely to have low bone mass in the hip. It was… read on >
Vaping is gaining a foothold in an unlikely population: New research shows a growing number of cancer patients are using electronic cigarettes. “The gradual but steady increase is quite striking,” said study author Dr. Nina Sanford, an assistant professor of radiation oncology at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. “The high prevalence of e-cigarette use… read on >
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a collection of symptoms, typically without visible signs of damage or disease in the digestive tract. People who have family members with IBS are at greater risk themselves, says the National Institutes of Health. Other risk factors include a gastrointestinal infection or a recent stressful event. Symptoms of IBS may include:… read on >
Here’s another reason to keep your cholesterol under control: New research suggests that LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol may play a role in the development of early-onset Alzheimer’s. A rare form of the disease that occurs before the age of 65, early-onset Alzheimer’s has previously been linked to a gene mutation involved in how the body… read on >
Exercise apps and fitness trackers are all the rage, and now a new study shows they might actually work. A combination of an exercise app, an activity tracker and personal counseling increased women’s physical activity levels, researchers found. The study of 210 inactive women found that three months of this combined approach increased the number… read on >
If you’ve ever wondered why emotional distress causes stomach cramps or a mad dash to the bathroom, know that there’s a direct line of communication that runs from your brain to your digestive tract. It’s called the enteric nervous system, and it can have a powerful effect. For instance, when you feel nervous or threatened,… read on >
Even amid an epidemic of abuse, opioid painkillers are still commonly prescribed to teenagers and young adults for conditions like tooth and back pain, a new study finds. Researchers found that between 2005 and 2015, opioids were prescribed to teens and college-age adults at nearly 57 million visits to doctors’ offices and emergency departments in… read on >
