PFAS compounds are known as “forever chemicals” because they degrade slowly in the environment and accumulate in the body, potentially harming human and animal health. Bacteria can’t eat them. Fire can’t incinerate them. Water can’t dilute them. Instead, these per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances break down on their own schedule, posing a potential health hazard for…  read on >  read on >

Many opioid abusers cite short-term, legitimate use of an opioid for relief of joint or dental pain as their “gateway” into addiction. Now, research done at one New York State clinic finds that dentists can cut their use of opioids down to zero, using other painkillers for patients instead. The end result: “No opioids were…  read on >  read on >

Parkinson’s disease can be hard for the average person to identify, but 10 warning signs may offer an early clue that you or a loved one may be developing the disease. The Parkinson’s Foundation suggests being aware of the signs, while knowing that having any one of them doesn’t mean the disease is present. Tremor…  read on >  read on >

Cancer isn’t just a physical struggle but also an emotional one, as patients, survivors and their loved ones experience grief and loss throughout the experience. Gabrielle Alvarez, a social worker at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, offered some tips to help patients and caregivers manage their feelings. Alvarez, a certified grief counselor, noted that…  read on >  read on >

Researchers may have found a new way to help ease the pain of knee replacement surgery: infusing morphine directly into the shin bone. The findings come from a recent study of 48 patients undergoing total knee replacement. The investigators found that giving a morphine injection into the shin bone during the operation controlled patients’ post-surgery…  read on >  read on >

Suicide is a major public health issue for all Americans, but new research suggests it is a particularly pressing problem for Hispanics. Between 2010 and 2020, the suicide rate among Hispanic adults increased by more than 70%, while the Hispanic population in the United States only grew by about 25%, the researchers reported. Study author…  read on >  read on >

U.S. health officials said Wednesday that they are investigating an outbreak of E. coli that has infected 29 people in Michigan and Ohio. The outbreak has led to nine hospitalizations but no deaths, and investigators have not yet found a food source responsible for sickening people. They did note that the numbers are likely higher…  read on >  read on >

Using a lower threshold to diagnose pregnancy-related diabetes does not seem to reduce the risk of having a big baby, on average — but some women do benefit, a new clinical trial suggests. Gestational diabetes is diagnosed when a pregnant woman’s blood sugar levels are abnormally high. The condition can have consequences for moms and…  read on >  read on >