Bronchitis is typically caused by a respiratory virus, and much less frequently, by a bacterial infection, the American Lung Association says. Risk factors include having close contact with someone who has bronchitis, failure to get age-appropriate vaccinations, and exposure to tobacco smoke, fumes, dust and air pollution. The American Lung Association says symptoms of bronchitis… read on >
More U.S. families with young children are buying handguns — and that might help explain a recent spike in firearm deaths, a new study suggests. Government figures show that after years of decline, gun-related deaths among U.S. children under age 5 have been on the upswing. Between 2006 and 2016, the rate nearly doubled —… read on >
Strong limits on marketing and sales are needed to control and prevent teens’ use of electronic cigarettes, a new American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) policy statement says. Teens who use e-cigarettes are more apt to use traditional cigarettes eventually, studies show. The surge in vaping among American teens threatens to turn back five decades of… read on >
Using a new blood test for pancreatic cancer alongside the current blood test may improve early detection and help screen people at high risk for the deadly disease, researchers say. The combination approach detects 70 percent of pancreatic cancers with a less than 5 percent false-positive rate, according to the team led by scientists at… read on >
Agility, or the ability to react quickly to change without losing your balance, is an important skill not only for playing sports, but also for everyday living. Strength training helps improve agility, but so do balance and coordination exercises. Simple moves include standing on one foot, standing on tiptoe and walking heel to toe. Specific… read on >
American parents aren’t sure whether their teen and young adult children should be prescribed opioid painkillers, and many don’t know there are other ways to get pain relief, a new survey finds. The poll included more than 1,000 parents of children aged 13 to 24, one-third of whom had been prescribed opioid painkillers. While more… read on >
Even a slight improvement in your heart/lung fitness could reduce your risk of a heart attack, a new study reveals. Between 2006 and 2008, researchers assessed the cardiorespiratory (heart/lung) fitness of just over 4,500 men and women in Norway. None had heart disease, high blood pressure or cancer, and most were considered at low risk… read on >
Wherever Kathleen Simmonds goes, her service dog, Emma, isn’t far behind. Emma — also known by her Instagram handle, “Type 1 Wonder Dog” — has been trained to sniff out dangerously high and low blood sugar levels and alert Simmonds so she can take action. Simmonds, 48, has had type 1 diabetes for more than… read on >
When it comes to monitoring physical activity, we’ve come a long way from pedometers that only counted steps. Today’s health trackers use sensors to monitor movement and store and analyze the data. You can track calories burned, calories consumed, your heart rate during and after exercise, and even how long you sleep. Like a personal… read on >
Three weeks in a cast or brace may be just as effective in healing ankle fractures as the typical six weeks, a new study shows. While six weeks in a cast is the usual treatment, there are risks associated with prolonged immobilization, including stiffness, skin damage and blocked blood vessels. Finnish researchers decided to find… read on >
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