The Omicron variant is less likely to give you long COVID than a previous strain of the virus, British researchers say. What was described as the first peer-reviewed report to investigate Omicron and patients’ risk of persistent symptoms found 4.4% of Omicron cases resulted in long COVID. That’s well below the nearly 11% associated with…  read on >  read on >

In a cancel culture where there’s zero tolerance for prejudice, at least one form of discrimination appears to be alive and well. Ageism involves prejudice based on people’s advancing age. It can be as overt as not hiring someone because they are older, or as subtle as giving a loved one a meant-to-be funny “you’re…  read on >  read on >

Annual wellness visits covered by Medicare reduce diabetes patients’ risk of amputation by more than one-third, a new study finds. “Our results confirmed our hypothesis that Annual Wellness Visits are associated with a reduced risk of major lower-extremity amputations, highlighting the importance of connecting patients to preventive care services,” study author Jennifer Lobo said in…  read on >  read on >

Many COVID-19 long-haulers still have neurological symptoms such as headaches, fatigue and memory problems six months later, new research shows. The findings are the first from an ongoing study of long-haulers by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine. Long-haulers are people who continue to have symptoms long after their initial…  read on >  read on >

Patients who have spinal anesthesia while doctors repair a broken hip have more pain and need more prescription painkillers afterward than those given general anesthesia, a new study finds. Spinal anesthesia is increasingly used as a way to reduce pain and painkiller use, but these findings suggest it is having the opposite impact on hip…  read on >  read on >

The record-breaking heat that’s scorching much of the United States this week poses significant heart dangers, and you need to take steps to protect yourself, the American Heart Association (AHA) says. That’s especially true for older adults and people with high blood pressure, obesity or a history of heart disease or stroke. Heat and dehydration…  read on >  read on >

Latin dance classes may be a great workout and social outlet, but new research suggests that learning the intricate steps of the salsa, samba and merengue may also improve your memory. In the study, a Latin dance program was offered to more than 300 Spanish speakers over four years at 12 different sites in Chicago.…  read on >  read on >