A cast is as good as metal pins for treating a broken wrist, researchers report. A broken wrist in which bone fragments move out of their normal alignment is called a displaced wrist fracture. After the bones are put back in place, they’re typically held in position by a molded plaster cast or by pins/plates.…  read on >

If winter gets you down, you may have a form of depression called SAD. That’s short for seasonal affective disorder. SAD brings on mood changes during fall and winter, when there is less sunlight, and symptoms typically ease up in the spring. But the American Psychiatric Association says SAD goes beyond the “winter blues.” Its…  read on >  read on >

Tobacco use is far and away the leading cause of lung cancer, but non-smokers are also at risk, experts say. People who smoke have the highest risk, and smokeless tobacco is also a threat. About 90% of lung cancer cases could be prevented by eliminating tobacco use, according to the World Health Organization. “There are…  read on >  read on >

Your heart is in an incredibly vulnerable state if you’ve suffered a heart attack or are fighting heart failure, and cardiac rehabilitation could be an important part of your recovery. Unfortunately, not enough older folks appear to be taking advantage of this life-saving therapy. Fewer than one in 10 eligible Medicare beneficiaries get recommended heart…  read on >  read on >

One less excuse to avoid that COVID vaccine: The shots don’t affect fertility in either men or women, new research shows, but coronavirus infection could cause short-term fertility problems in men. “Many reproductive-aged individuals have cited concerns about fertility as a reason for remaining unvaccinated,” said lead study author Amelia Wesselink. She is research assistant…  read on >  read on >