Powerful synthetic opioids are meant to serve as painkillers, but new research suggests their use during surgery might actually prompt worse pain during patients’ recovery. The use of two types of synthetic opioid during surgery is linked to patients having a poor “pain experience” — a composite of the emotional, cognitive and mental aspects of…  read on >  read on >

Feeling scared? Your fear is a survival tool, but sometimes, it overreacts — making us afraid of things that aren’t true threats.  A new study shows how the brain learns to let go of unnecessary fears, offering potential new ways for treating conditions such as anxiety, PTSD and phobias. Published in the journal Science, it…  read on >  read on >

Many Americans don’t realize how everyday habits and overlooked health issues can increase their risk for heart disease, according to a new Cleveland Clinic survey. The nationwide survey found numerous gaps in heart health knowledge. For example:  40% of repondents didn’t know that using tobacco harms heart health. 62% were unaware that air pollution can…  read on >  read on >

TUESDAY, Feb. 25, 2025 (HealthDay news) — Antidepressants are frequently prescribed to people with dementia for symptoms like anxiety, depression, aggressiveness and sleeplessness. But a specific class of antidepressant medications — selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) — actually might speed up brain decline among some dementia patients, a new Swedish study suggests. Heavier doses of…  read on >  read on >

Women experience a great deal of pain or discomfort from common gynecological problems like endometriosis, heavy or irregular periods and ovarian cysts. But even worse, these reproductive health problems might be increasing their risk of heart disease and stroke, according to new findings published Feb. 24 in the journal Heart. Women with one or more…  read on >  read on >

Each hour a person spends squinting into a smartphone or staring at a screen increases their risk of nearsightedness, a new evidence review suggests. Every daily one-hour increment in digital screen time is associated with 21% higher odds of myopia, researchers reported recently in JAMA Network Open. What’s more, the risk continues to increase as…  read on >  read on >

Narcissists may seem self-assured, but new research shows they often feel excluded — and their behavior may be making things worse. Hallmarks of narcissm include an inflated sense of one’s importance, a hunger for admiration and negative response to criticism. The new research — published Feb. 20 in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology…  read on >  read on >