The ancient Japanese practice of reiki “energy healing” might help some cancer patients deal with the pain that can come with infusion therapies, new research shows. “Outpatients receiving reiki during infusion reported clinically significant improvements in all symptoms, high levels of satisfaction and a qualitatively positive healing experience,” reported a team led by Natalie Dyer,…  read on >  read on >

In news that suggest the U.S. opioid epidemic may be easing, drug overdose deaths fell 17% between July 2023 and July 2024. Per new data released Wednesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 94,000 people died from drug overdoses (ODs) during that 12-month period, down from more than 113,000 deaths between…  read on >  read on >

There’s early evidence that a mysterious flu-like illness that has sickened 416 people and left 75 dead in the Democratic Republic of Congo over recent weeks may be malaria. Laboratory samples taken from infected people are suggestive of malaria, although more research is needed to confirm that, health officials said. “Of the 12 samples taken,…  read on >  read on >

In what appears to be a last-ditch effort to limit the harms of smoking before its term ends, the Biden administration has proposed a rule that would significantly lower the amount of nicotine in tobacco products. The agency’s efforts to counter the dangers of the addictive chemical stretch back to 2018, when it first proposed…  read on >  read on >

Keeping your blood pressure in check is important for more than just heart health — it can also keep your brain sharp as you age. A new study published Dec. 11 in the journal Neurology shows that seniors whose blood pressure spikes and drops over time might be more likely to suffer a decline in…  read on >  read on >

Sneaking cigarettes might seem like a harmless pre-teen rite of passage, but it’s more dangerous than you think, a new study warns.  Regular smoking at a young age doesn’t just lead to a higher chance of smoking later in life — it can also cause serious harm to young hearts. Experts have understood that children…  read on >  read on >

It’s still early science — studies in mice and in human cells — but researchers are on the trail of an effective new treatment for inflammatory skin conditions such as rosacea. Skin cells called mast cells are key players in the inflammation and itchiness that can plague folks with these skin ailments. However, researchers at…  read on >  read on >

Actor Jamie Foxx has shared the details of a life-threatening medical emergency he experienced last year after doctors discovered he had suffered a brain bleed. In his new Netflix comedy special, “What Had Happened Was,” Jamie Foxx finally described what left him fighting for his life in 2023, Variety magazine reported Tuesday. Emerging on stage…  read on >  read on >

Genital herpes is widespread the world round among younger adults, with more than 846 million people living with the lifelong sexually transmitted infection, a new review finds. About 1 in 5 people younger than 50 live with a genital herpes infection, researchers reported Dec. 10 in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections. Even worse, more than…  read on >  read on >