Adults with spinal cord injuries have a high risk of depression, anxiety and other mental health issues — and chronic pain is a major factor, according to a new study. Researchers analyzed private insurance claims from more than 9,000 U.S. adults with a traumatic spinal cord injury and more than 1 million people without injuries.…  read on >  read on >

Proposed changes to voluntary federal guidelines for prescribing opioid painkillers emphasize that doctors should first try other treatments for acute and chronic pain. The non-opioid treatment options suggested by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention include prescription medications like gabapentin and over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), as well as physical therapy, massage…  read on >  read on >

The fossilized bones of a young dinosaur show evidence of a respiratory infection that may have caused familiar flu-like symptoms β€” fever, coughing and trouble breathing. Dolly, as she’s been dubbed by researchers, was an immature diplodocid β€” a large, long-necked plant-eating sauropod. Her remains were found in southwest Montana and date back about 150…  read on >  read on >

The mononucleosis virus, Epstein-Barr, has become a major suspect in the search for what causes multiple sclerosis. Now researchers are raising the next logical question — can we stop both MS and mononucleosis by preventing Epstein-Barr infections, which occur in 95% of adults? Epstein-Barr vaccines currently under development by the U.S. National Institutes of Health…  read on >  read on >

To live healthier and longer in the United States, it helps to have money and education — and if you live in Hawaii or California, your odds are even better, according to a new government report. Life expectancy varies dramatically from state to state, health officials say, because of factors like chronic disease and drug…  read on >  read on >

Nearly one-third of older COVID-19 survivors develop new health problems in the months after their infection, a new study finds. Those conditions involve a number of major organs and systems, including the heart, kidneys, lungs and liver, as well as mental health problems. With roughly 400 million people infected with the coronavirus worldwide, β€œthe number…  read on >  read on >

New research supports the notion that COVID-19 can cause long-term heart problems. The analysis of U.S. health data found COVID patients are at increased risk of heart complications for at least a year after infection. Those complications include heart rhythm problems, inflammation, blood clots, stroke, coronary artery disease, heart attack, heart failure and death, according…  read on >  read on >

Babies whose moms were vaccinated during pregnancy against COVID-19 have long-lasting antibody protection, a new study finds. “Many interested parties from parents to pediatricians want to know how long maternal antibodies persist in infants after vaccination, and now we can provide some answers,” said co-senior study author Dr. Andrea Edlow. She is a specialist in…  read on >  read on >

The pandemic has dramatically disrupted kids’ normal routines, but a new study suggests the initial lockdowns of 2020 did not necessarily hinder preschoolers’ language development. In fact, researchers found, there was an unanticipated “lockdown boost” in youngsters’ vocabulary growth β€” possibly because parents were spending more time at home. Studying families in 13 countries, the…  read on >  read on >