A hurricane is bearing down on your coastal community, bringing with it deadly storm surge flooding and airborne debris propelled by high winds. But this year there’s another killer lurking about — the invisible menace posed by the COVID-19 coronavirus. Public health and emergency management experts are sounding the alarm that the twin risks of… read on >
Doctors have long suspected it, but a comprehensive new study provides more evidence that antibiotics can reduce the effectiveness of birth control pills. That means women who are using both types of drugs at once should take extra precautions to avoid an unintended pregnancy, the study’s British authors say. The study couldn’t prove cause and… read on >
The World Health Organization recommended postponing routine dental care during the coronavirus pandemic, but the American Dental Association (ADA) strongly disagrees. “Oral health is integral to overall health. Dentistry is essential health care,” said ADA President Dr. Chad Gehani. “Dentistry is essential health care because of its role in evaluating, diagnosing, preventing or treating oral… read on >
In a potential harbinger of what could unfold on college campuses across the United States this fall, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill said Monday it will revert back to online teaching after testing showed a rapid spread of coronavirus among students. The university was one of the largest schools in the country… read on >
Scientists say they are seeing signs of lasting immunity to the coronavirus, even in those who only experience mild symptoms of COVID-19. A slew of studies show that disease-fighting antibodies, as well as B-cells and T-cells that can recognize the virus, appear to persist months after infections have run their course, The New York Times… read on >
Although minorities are paying a disproportionate price in the rate of COVID-19 illnesses and deaths, they are underrepresented in clinical trials, a new study finds. The researchers call upon the government, medical journals and funders of research to make sure trials include minorities so that the results can be extrapolated to the U.S. population. In… read on >
Women with early-stage breast cancer whose surgery has been postponed during the coronavirus pandemic need not worry about the delay, new study findings suggest. A longer time from diagnosis to surgery doesn’t affect overall survival of women with early-stage tumors, the researchers found. They also said a delay didn’t lower survival among women with estrogen-sensitive,… read on >
If your knees crack when you walk or run, don’t be too worried, an expert says. “Knee cracking could mean lots of things,” said Harshvardhan Singh, assistant professor in the department of physical therapy at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. “If it is painful, then you should see a health care provider.” The cause… read on >
Injuries can continue to plague rugby players long after they retire, a new study finds. Researchers examined injuries suffered by 254 retired elite and amateur rugby players and competitors in non-contact sports, such as cricket. The athletes were 21 to 82 years of age. Compared to athletes who played non-contact sports, rugby players were 1.7… read on >
Feeling woozy when you stand up may be a sign of an increased risk of developing dementia, a new study suggests. Doctors call this feeling “orthostatic hypotension,” and it occurs when there’s a sudden drop in blood pressure as you stand, explained a team of researchers from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). The… read on >
