Allergic reactions are sensitivities to allergens. From animal dander to foods, allergens may cause hives, itching, a rash and other symptoms. For a mild-to-moderate reaction, MedlinePlus mentions these first aid steps: Calm and reassure the person having the reaction. Try to identify the allergen and have the person avoid additional contact with it. If the… read on >
With regular visits to a vision specialist, about half of all cases of blindness can be avoided or treated, says Harvard Medical School. There are many misconceptions about what can hurt or help vision. The school debunks five common eye myths: Doing eye exercises will not improve or preserve sight. Reading in dim light does… read on >
A new brain scanning technique is shaking up what researchers thought they knew about Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers now say they can predict with reasonable accuracy which brain regions will wither and atrophy in Alzheimer’s by identifying the places where tau protein “tangles” have built up. “You could really predict which brain regions were going to… read on >
If you have atrial fibrillation (a-fib) — a potentially dangerous irregular heart rhythm — giving up alcohol could ease your symptoms. That’s what happened when researchers asked people with a-fib who normally have roughly two drinks a day to stop drinking. When they compared the teetotalers to a similar group of people with a-fib who… read on >
“Space medicine” took another small step forward after an astronaut who developed a blood clot in a neck vein was diagnosed and treated while onboard the International Space Station (ISS), physicians at NASA and elsewhere report. The research team didn’t reveal the astronaut’s name, age or gender, but said the ISS crew member developed an… read on >
If you’re not taking regular breaks to move around during your workday, your muscles may rebel after being scrunched in your desk chair hour after hour. The rebellion might be felt in your neck, shoulders, back, hips and legs when you do finally stand up. Stop the insurrection with these three simple stretching exercises you… read on >
As much as people often love to talk about their feelings, it might be more productive to skip the conversations and write about your worries instead, according to research done at Michigan State University (MSU). The research, published in the journal Psychophysiology, provides the first neural evidence of the benefits of expressive writing, according to… read on >
More than 5 million teeth are knocked out every year in children and adults, says the American Association of Endodontists. But knocked out teeth don’t have to be lost for good. Proper emergency action can save the tooth, so it can be replanted. If your tooth gets knocked out, the association urges you to: Pick up… read on >
Millions of Americans have filled movie theaters over the holidays to watch the latest in the Star Wars saga, but a new study suggests that enjoyment of the film may be governed by prior expectations. To see how expectations affect viewing pleasure, researchers surveyed 441 people before and after they saw “Star Wars: Episode VIII… read on >
Lose weight. Eat healthier. Quit smoking. These are all popular New Year’s resolutions that are often only kept for a short time, if at all. About 40% of Americans make a New Year’s resolution, most of which are abandoned by February, according to researchers at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. But Bernadette Melnyk, vice… read on >
