Suffering for fashion is nothing new. Researchers in the United Kingdom have unearthed new evidence that stylish pointed shoes caused a “plague” of bunions in the late medieval period. Investigators from the University of Cambridge analyzed 177 skeletons from cemeteries in and around the city of Cambridge. Included were a charitable hospital, the grounds of…  read on >  read on >

The color of your skin may very well determine how your headache gets treated, a new study warns. The same percentage of white, Black and Hispanic Americans — about 15% — suffer from severe headaches and/or migraines, the investigators noted. But the current analysis, conducted by 16 headache disorder experts, found that Black men are…  read on >  read on >

Very rarely, blood clots can develop after COVID-19 vaccination, and doctors in Canada describe a new test and treatment for the condition in a case study of three patients. All three developed the condition called vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine. Two developed blood clots in their legs, and the third…  read on >  read on >

The Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines appear to be safe for people with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), a new study finds. IBDs — which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis — are chronic conditions caused by an overreactive intestinal immune system, resulting in chronic diarrhea and other digestive symptoms. In this study, researchers looked at…  read on >  read on >

The coronavirus pandemic has affected American smokers in different ways, a new study finds. While some smoked more to help them cope with the crisis, others quit to reduce their COVID-19 infection risk. “Even before the pandemic, tobacco smoking was the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. COVID-19 has given smokers yet…  read on >  read on >

(HealthDay News) – You’ve heard it often: Don’t get behind the wheel of a car after a night of drinking. Now, a new study confirms that rideshare services like Uber and Lyft are making it easier for people to follow that advice and get home unharmed and alive. Texas researchers saw a marked change in…  read on >  read on >

COVID-19 could be a much more expensive experience for folks who fall ill this year, thanks to the return of deductibles and copays, new research suggests. Most folks who became gravely ill with COVID last year didn’t face crushing medical bills because nearly all insurance companies agreed to waive cost-sharing for coronavirus care during the…  read on >  read on >