MONDAY, Dec. 4, 2023 (Healthday News) — While flu and COVID cases are now on the rise, RSV infections may soon peak and level off, U.S. health officials report. COVID-19 continues to fuel the most hospitalizations and deaths among all respiratory illnesses — about 15,000 hospitalizations and about 1,000 deaths every week, Dr. Mandy Cohen,…  read on >  read on >

As syphilis cases surge across America, a group representing the nation’s STD specialists says members are reporting shortages of a drug essential to fighting the disease. In a survey from the National Coalition of STD Directors conducted in early November, 46% of sexual health clinics said they’d tried to order Bicillin L-A — only to…  read on >  read on >

Surgery coming up? Mimicking the high-altitude breathing of mountaineers might make your procedure safer, a tiny study suggests. It’s a form of what surgeons call “prehabilitation:” Making a patient’s body a bit fitter beforehand to withstand the risks and rigors of surgery. Investigators found that exposing patients to reduced oxygen levels (“hypoxia”) for a week…  read on >  read on >

SATURDAY, Dec. 2, 2023 (Healthday News) — The holidays are typically a happy whirlwind of gift-buying, house decorating, party planning and family gatherings, but all that work can also stress people out. Luckily, experts at UT Southwestern Medical Center say there are things you can do to keep your stress levels under control and help…  read on >  read on >

Got a naturally sunny disposition? It might protect you from dementia as the years advance, new research shows. A team at Northwestern University in Chicago report that certain personality traits — being conscientious, outgoing and positive — appear to lower a person’s odds for a dementia diagnosis. On the other hand, being neurotic and more…  read on >  read on >