Too much anxiety isn’t good for anyone, but a new study suggests it is particularly perilous for pregnant women because it can raise the chances of their child being born early. Given that finding, the researchers recommended that doctors screen for anxiety during the first and third trimesters of pregnancy. “Anxiety about a current pregnancy…  read on >  read on >

Staring at a computer screen endlessly can lead to dry, irritated, tired eyes and headaches. But there’s a quick fix. Just look away from the screen every 20 minutes. Do this for at least 20 seconds, and look about 20 feet in the distance. Experts have suggested the 20-20-20 rule for a long time. Now,…  read on >  read on >

Head lice are ubiquitous still, so there’s a good chance your son or daughter could develop an infestation. Now, the nation’s leading pediatrics group is issuing new guidelines to help schools and families cope. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is emphasizing education to reduce stigma and manage infestations. The new guidelines are the first…  read on >  read on >

When it comes to why U.S. heart patients wind up in the emergency room, uncontrolled high blood pressure (or “hypertension”) fuels about one-third of those medical crises. “These visits resulted in hospital admission less than 3% of the time and with very few deaths — less than 0.1%. This suggests that these visits were mostly…  read on >  read on >

Here’s another reason to stay out of jail: New research shows the risk of dying from cancer is sharply higher among those who are behind bars or have been recently released. In Connecticut prisons, where the data for this study were gathered, the average age for a cancer diagnosis was 50. For those who were…  read on >  read on >

MONDAY, Sept. 26, 2022 (American Heart Association News) — Gene abnormalities may make some people more susceptible to myocarditis, a rare type of heart inflammation that can affect young people and athletes, a large new study shows. The findings, published Monday in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, could partially answer why otherwise healthy young…  read on >  read on >

People who work in manufacturing, welding and chemical operations and are exposed to hazardous chemicals may face a higher risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a new study found. “This study shows that certain occupational settings and exposures increase one’s chances of developing ALS,” said first author Dr. Stephen Goutman. He’s director of the…  read on >  read on >