A ruptured appendix is one medical emergency that a general surgeon colleague of Dr. Jacqueline Fincher hadn’t treated for more than 15 years in their small town of Thomson, Ga. That’s because the signs and symptoms of appendicitis are so well-known that nearly everyone gets to the hospital well before an inflamed appendix has a…  read on >

COVID-19 spreads easily among people who live together and other family members, even before an infected person shows any symptoms, new research shows. The study — published June 17 in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal — also said that the new coronavirus spreads among household members more easily than severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) or…  read on >

With U.S. fatalities from COVID-19 now past 115,000, British scientists delivered some welcome news on Tuesday: A drug that appears to cut the odds of death in ventilated patients by one-third. The drug is a low-cost steroid called dexamethasone, which has been in use for decades, noted a team at the University of Oxford. In…  read on >

The COVID-19 pandemic may be stressing out most people, but it has had a surprising upside for college students: They’re sleeping better. That’s the upshot of a new study that investigated sleep habits of 139 college students before and after Colorado enacted a stay-at-home order to prevent spread of the new coronavirus. “In the end,…  read on >

Anesthesiologists can help save the planet, a new study suggests. Increased use of regional anesthesia instead of general anesthesia may help reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change, according to researchers at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. Unlike general anesthesia, regional anesthesia doesn’t use volatile halogenated agents, such as…  read on >

If a loved one is dealing with COVID-19 at home, there are several steps you can take to aid in their recovery. First and foremost: Limit your direct exposure to them. Stay 6 feet away whenever you can. “If possible, sleep in different rooms, use different bathrooms, and have your family member isolate him- or…  read on >

Dental offices responded to COVID-19 lockdowns in much the same way as other medical professions, halting routine visits and only providing emergency care to patients in dire need. But now that stay-at-home orders are lifting, many dentists are reopening, but with new protocols to limit infection. Your dental appointment will not be the same, with…  read on >

One Chicago jail is linked with nearly 16% of COVID-19 cases in the city and in Illinois, a new study finds. The researchers said their findings show that U.S. arrest and jailing practices pose a major public health risk during the pandemic and need to change, especially during anti-racism protests across the country. The study…  read on >