As flu season approaches, a new study is pointing to a possible bonus from vaccination: a lower risk of stroke. Researchers in Spain found that among nearly 86,000 middle-aged and older adults, those who got their annual flu shot were less likely to suffer an ischemic stroke over the next year. Ischemic strokes, which account…  read on >  read on >

As scientists around the world investigate why long COVID strikes some and not others, a new study finds that suffering psychological distress prior to COVID-19 infection may increase the chances of getting the lingering condition. Researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston said they were surprised at the strength of…  read on >  read on >

An experimental drug that has been shown to treat rashes in people with lupus may also help with lupus-related joint pain. Affecting as many as 1.5 million people in the United States, lupus is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system misfires against its own joints, skin, brain, lungs, kidneys and blood vessels.…  read on >  read on >

THURSDAY, Sept. 8, 2022 (American Heart Association News) — Explaining her research, Maria Balhara sounds like a typical scientist: She had a hypothesis. She recruited participants to evaluate. She analyzed the data. Soon, she’ll present her work at major scientific conferences. This might be routine stuff for a professor or graduate student. For a 16-year-old…  read on >  read on >

THURSDAY, Sept. 8, 2022 (HealthDay News) – In a rare second review, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration panel on Wednesday recommended approval for an experimental drug for ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). The FDA is not obligated to follow its advisors’ recommendations, though it usually does. Wednesday’s vote was 7-2 for approval. The same panel…  read on >  read on >

Internet hotheads are often literally that, with hateful tweets rising in number as temperatures soar, a new study reports. Temperatures higher than 86 degrees Fahrenheit are consistently linked to heavy increases in online hate messages, according to a review of more than 4 billion English-language tweets. The researchers identified a “feel-good window” between 54 and…  read on >  read on >

Singer Justin Bieber said Tuesday that he will take a break from touring while he takes care of his health. Bieber has a condition known as Ramsay Hunt syndrome, which is rare type of viral infection. Caused by the chickenpox- and shingles-related varicella-zoster virus, the syndrome can cause paralysis of the facial nerve and a…  read on >  read on >