A rare red meat allergy, usually linked to a bite from the lone star tick, may also be caused by other tick species found in different parts of the U.S., a new report shows. “Alpha-gal syndrome is relatively rare, but those who have it can have a full-on anaphylactic shock,” Douglas Norris, a professor of… read on > read on >
Folks frequently use their smartwatches to monitor their daily step count, aiming to get enough physical activity to improve their health. But smartwatches are tracking another measure of health that could prove even more important, a new study suggests. Smartwatches also capture a person’s average daily heart rate, and dividing that by their daily number… read on > read on >
People dealing with heart disease, diabetes or obesity are behind the eight ball when it comes to their chances of living longer. But they can improve their odds if they start following a healthy plant-based diet, according to a study scheduled for presentation Saturday in Chicago at a meeting of the American College of Cardiology.… read on > read on >
Colon cancers have been steadily increasing among people younger than 50, even as cases have declined among seniors. That’s why guidelines now recommend that colon cancer screening start at 45, five years earlier than previously advised, Dr. Jennifer Davids, chief of colon and rectal surgery at Boston Medical Center, told HealthDay TV in an interview.… read on > read on >
Night owls — people who stay up late — have been shown to have an increased risk of depression. And now a new study says why that might be. Dusk dwellers tend to be less mindful — that is, less engaged in the present moment, researchers found. That, along with poor sleep quality and higher… read on > read on >
There are a ton of suggestions out there for soothing an aching lower back — acupuncture, heat, cannabinoids, muscle relaxants, TENS electrical pulses, dry cupping, opioids, massage and more. But not much actually eases back pain, including those suggestions, according to a new evidence review. Only painkillers like aspirin or ibuprofen — non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs… read on > read on >
A newly approved clot- busting drug for stroke works as well as a decades-old medication still used by most U.S. hospitals, and can be delivered even more quickly, a new study says. Tenecteplase (TNKase) is the first new clot-busting drug to be approved in nearly 30 years, with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)… read on > read on >
Doctors should prescribe triptans for migraine patients who aren’t receiving relief from over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers, according to a new clinical guideline from the American College of Physicians. The recommendation is based on an evidence review showing that adding a triptan to either a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) or acetaminophen worked better to quell migraine… read on > read on >
Removing the tonsils and adenoids can improve the sleep of kids with mild breathing problems that disturb their slumber, a new clinical trial reports. Children with sleep problems needed to see a doctor 32% less often and had a 48% reduction in medication use after surgical removal of their tonsils and adenoids (adenotonsillectomy), researchers reported… read on > read on >
Dancing is known to lift the spirit, and a new study shows that Alzheimer’s disease patients respond to the rhythmic moves as well. Dance classes eased agitation in a small group of people with Alzheimer’s disease and other related dementias, researchers reported in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. “This study highlights how movement-based interventions, like… read on > read on >
