Every nine days, a child dies in a hot car in the United States, but a safety expert says such tragedies can easily be prevented. “Three letters can help drivers remember to take proper safety precautions with children when traveling in the car: A, C, T,” said Susan Katz, coordinator of the pediatric injury prevention… read on >
Doctors and pain specialists have been turning to anticonvulsive drugs for treatment of lower back pain more often over the past decade. There’s just one problem — these drugs don’t really help. A series of clinical trials have shown that anticonvulsants are no good at easing either lower back pain or nerve pain shooting down… read on >
When a teen athlete is tired, their risk of suffering a common knee injury rises, a new study suggests. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) connects the thighbone to the shinbone, at the knee. When the ACL is overstretched or torn, it can cause swelling, instability and pain. It can also lead to high treatment costs… read on >
Playing sports offers plenty of fitness and other developmental benefits for kids, but injuries are common. Every year, more than 2.6 million U.S. children aged 19 and under are treated in the ER for sports- and recreation-related injuries. If your child plays team sports, start by vetting the qualifications of the coaches. A questionnaire-based study… read on >
Your hearing can take a beating during Fourth of July fireworks. So don’t forget hearing protection when you go to fireworks displays this holiday, the American Academy of Audiology (AAA) says. Noise from fireworks can reach up to 155 decibels, which is louder than a jet plane taking off (150 decibels) or a jackhammer. Noise… read on >
Backyard fireworks and sparklers are a Fourth of July staple. They can be fun, but also dangerous, health experts warn. Knowing how to set them off safely can prevent a celebration from becoming a tragedy. And the National Safety Council advises everyone to steer clear from all consumer fireworks, and only enjoy fireworks at a… read on >
Fire Capt. Jay Northup lit the fuse for the intended climax of his backyard fireworks display, a pricey 12-mortar box that would create a wondrous shower of glittering lights over his neighborhood. Three of the 12 tubes went off, and then silence. A dud. “I spent $600 on that, it’s going to work,” recalled Northup,… read on >
Doctors need not fear that sporting a tattoo might drive patients away. That’s the finding of a small, new study that included seven doctors in the emergency department of a trauma center in a large Pennsylvania city who wore either fake body piercings or tattoos, or both, or no body art. The researchers surveyed nearly… read on >
Medicines that protect pets from fleas and ticks may help lower people’s risk of mosquito-borne diseases such as Zika, researchers report. “Insect-borne infectious diseases remain primary causes of severe illnesses and fatalities worldwide, and new approaches to preventing outbreaks of these diseases are critically needed,” said researcher Peter Schultz, chief executive officer of Calibr and… read on >
Working lots of overtime may get you appreciation from the boss, but it might be bad for your health. New research suggests that women who clock 45 or more hours a week have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes than women who log 35 to 40 hours weekly. The study authors aren’t sure why… read on >
