Many people may have postponed cancer screenings during the coronavirus pandemic, but a major medical group says now is the time to catch up. The American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer is urging people to resume recommended cancer screenings to prevent further delays that could lead to diagnosis after a cancer is more advanced.…  read on >  read on >

Want to ward off high blood pressure? Don’t forget to brush and floss. A new study finds that severe gum disease may make an otherwise healthy person significantly more likely to develop high blood pressure. “[Our] evidence indicates that periodontal bacteria cause damage to the gums and also triggers inflammatory responses that can impact the…  read on >  read on >

Nonsmokers usually try to avoid secondhand smoke, but many kids have no option, and now a new study finds tobacco smoke exposure puts them at higher risk of hospitalization. Compared to other kids, those exposed to secondhand smoke were more likely to have had an urgent care visit over a one-year period, and to incur…  read on >  read on >

If you’re one of the many people who’ve switched to working at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, you need to take care of your eyes, the American Academy of Ophthalmology says. Staring at a screen too long can lead to digital eye strain. Symptoms include blurry vision, headaches and tired, dry eyes. It happens because…  read on >  read on >

States are scrambling to vaccinate as many people as they can while the rate of new U.S. coronavirus infections stays steady, but still high, for a third week. At more than 55,000 new COVID-19 cases a day, public health experts believe that is a level that could rapidly become yet another surge, The New York…  read on >  read on >

Using cellphones to track patients’ painkiller use, a new study found more than 60% of opioid painkillers prescribed to surgical patients after their procedures went unused. That has implications for the ongoing epidemic of opioid misuse in the United States, where unused medications can be diverted to others. Giving surgical patients only the amount of…  read on >  read on >