Black eyes are common among kids who play sports. Most cases can be treated with self-care at home. The American Academy of Ophthalmology suggests how to safely treat a black eye: Use an ice pack for 20 minutes at a time, once every hour, to reduce swelling and ease pain. Use a bag of frozen…  read on >

Ditching the car and biking or walking to work just might cut your risk of developing heart disease and even dying from it. So says a new British study that finds a person’s risk of heart disease or stroke falls 11 percent and their risk of dying from these diseases falls by 30 percent, just…  read on >

Nine out of 10 ER doctors say their hospitals aren’t fully prepared for major disasters or mass tragedies. The finding, from a new poll by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), comes as the U.S. Congress considers major disaster preparedness legislation. ACEP questioned 1,328 emergency room doctors between April 25 and May 6 and…  read on >

A biopsy involves removing bodily tissue to examine it for disease, typically cancer. The procedure also may be used to diagnose other conditions, such as an infection, the Radiological Society of North America says. Some biopsies involve removing a small amount of tissue with a needle, while others entail surgically removing an entire suspicious lump…  read on >

Dry skin affects a lot of people, particularly as seasons change. But the same care routine doesn’t work for everyone in every type of weather. The American Academy of Dermatology suggests how to heal and prevent dry skin: Close the bathroom door during a bath or shower. Limit a bath or shower to 10 minutes,…  read on >

American moms and dads work hard to prevent food poisoning at home, but 10 percent say their kids have gotten sick after eating bad food elsewhere. In a new poll by C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital at the University of Michigan, parents peg restaurants as the usual source of spoiled or contaminated food (68 percent). Surprisingly,…  read on >

Do you put off until tomorrow things you should do today? Or tell yourself that you work better “under pressure”? If you’re a procrastinator, you’re probably a master at making excuses rather than making plans to get the job done. A study done at the Universities of Southern California and Michigan found that putting an…  read on >

Exercising may keep you young at heart. Researchers found that people who make regular exercise a lifelong habit appear to slow the aging of their heart and blood vessels. The finding stems from a comparison of exercise histories and heart health among 102 people over age 60. Those who had exercised two to three times…  read on >

If you want to look cool, try smiling, researchers suggest. Their advice counters the popular belief that showing no expression is the way to be cool. The University of Arizona researchers asked volunteers to look at clothing ad photos in which models were either smiling or not, and to give the model a coolness rating.…  read on >

The millions of Americans who suffer from migraine may have a new source of hope — the first drug aimed at preventing the headaches gained U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval on Thursday. Researchers have found that the injected drug, called Aimovig (erenumab), can prevent migraines if other treatments have failed to do so. “Aimovig…  read on >