Pain relievers like ibuprofen, naproxen and celecoxib are popular anti-inflammatory drugs for back pain, headache and other aches and pains. Though these drugs have a good safety history, the risk of serious side effects rises when the medications are taken for long periods or in high doses, says Harvard Medical School. To ensure you’re taking… read on >
While fewer straight teens suffer depression than did two decades ago, the same cannot be said for lesbian, gay and bisexual teens. For those teens, depression risk remains much higher than among their straight peers, new research shows, and it is not following a similar downward trend. Each year between 1999 and 2017, Massachusetts-based teens… read on >
The range of motion of the human thumb makes so many everyday hand movements possible. Whether you’re an athlete gripping sports equipment, a baker whisking egg whites or a do-it-yourselfer hammering a nail, you’d be at a total loss without your thumbs. Yet most people do little to protect these overlooked but essential digits. First,… read on >
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential elements that the body doesn’t make on its own, says the Cleveland Clinic. Fish, plants and supplements are among the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids. For people who don’t have a history of heart disease, two servings of fish per week is recommended. Research indicates that omega-3 fatty acids… read on >
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting about 31 million Americans, and is the leading cause of disability among adults. Known as OA, it causes pain and other symptoms in joints, which can affect the ability to do everyday tasks. There’s no known cure, but there are treatments that can relieve pain and… read on >
There’s no trick to keeping kids safe this Halloween — it just takes some planning, the American Academy of Pediatrics says. Costumes should be bright, reflective and short enough to prevent tripping, entanglement or contact with flame. It’s a good idea to add reflective tape or striping to costumes and trick-or-treat bags for greater visibility.… read on >
Many doctors encourage seniors to use brain fitness games as a means to help deal with dementia, Alzheimer’s and other cognitive diseases, says SeniorLiving.org. While research remains inconclusive, there appears to be a correlation between brain games and brain health. The website says brain games that may help seniors include: Memory games, such as Match… read on >
Many people who take cholesterol-lowering statins may not benefit from them, researchers say. Drugs like atorvastatin (Lipitor) and fluvastatin (Lescol) provide little value to people without heart disease, new research shows. Yet these heart-healthy folks represent a sizable number of statin users. While statins for people with heart disease isn’t controversial, their use in people… read on >
Young and middle-aged adults with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have an increased risk of stroke, new research suggests. For the study, researchers analyzed medical data from more than 1 million veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. They ranged in age from 18 to 60 years and two-thirds were white. Of those, 29% had been… read on >
For people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) that doesn’t respond to the usual treatments, a complex surgery may help, a new study finds. In carefully selected patients, the surgery provided much more relief than two different types of medication treatment — 67% for surgery compared to 28% for “active” drug treatment and 12% for the… read on >
