Latest Health News

4Aug
2022

Space Travel Speeds Up Aging, Weakening of Bones

Space Travel Speeds Up Aging, Weakening of BonesTHURSDAY, Aug. 4, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Astronauts may go to space for weeks or months, and their bones can lose years in that environment.Long periods in space can irreparably damage bone structure and cause parts of the human skeleton to age as much as 10 years, new research reveals.Research teams from Germany, the United States and Canada studied 14 men and three women before their spaceflights and at six and 12 months after their return. They measured the density and strength of their shin and lower arm bones, the tibia and radius. They also measured the trabecular microstructure inside the bones. Bone turnover -- the assimilation of old bone and replacement by new -- was also measured using biomarkers in astronauts' blood and urine.The results, researchers said, are...

Your Dog's Gut Microbes Change Quickly With New Diet

4 August 2022
Your Dog`s Gut Microbes Change Quickly With New DietTHURSDAY, Aug. 4, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Switching Fido to a new dog food? What happens in his gut as a result is nothing short of remarkable, a new study reveals.The population of bacteria living in his gut — his microbiome — will change dramatically in as little as a week.It starts when "wallflower bacteria," those that were on the sidelines, multiply rapidly to replace the old, the study found. The chemical byproducts of these microorganisms change as they vie for dominance. Many of these byproducts are crucial for your dog’s overall health.“Metabolites change really quickly, within a couple of days," said study co-author Kelly Swanson, a professor of human nutrition at the University of Illinois, in Urbana. "Bacteria responsively metabolize and deal with the substrates...

Hearing Loss, Tinnitus Can Strike Cancer Survivors

4 August 2022
Hearing Loss, Tinnitus Can Strike Cancer SurvivorsTHURSDAY, Aug. 4, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- People who’ve had chemotherapy to treat a range of common cancers should also have a hearing test.In a new study of 273 cancer survivors, researchers found more than half experienced significant hearing loss even if they didn’t realize it.“While hearing loss associated with the administration of platinum drugs was reported in adults with testicular and head and neck cancer, our study is the first to demonstrate that hearing loss and tinnitus are highly prevalent problems in survivors of the four most common types of cancer,” said first author Dr. Steven Cheung. He is a professor of otolaryngology—head and neck surgery at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).Cheung noted that the problems were found in individuals who...

There's Stress, and Then There's 'Good Stress'

3 August 2022
There`s Stress, and Then There`s `Good Stress`WEDNESDAY, Aug. 3, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- A tight deadline at work. A tough exam at school. A big vacation that requires tons of planning. A home repair that’s gone awry.These sources of stress are anything but pleasant, but a new study suggests that they might actually be good for your mental health in the long run.Low to moderate amounts of daily stress can prepare the mind to deal with tougher and more chaotic times, much as a vaccine protects a person against future infection, said lead researcher Assaf Oshri. He is an associate professor with the University of Georgia’s College of Family and Consumer Sciences, in Athens.“Some low to moderate level of perceived stress is associated with increased cognitive functioning or better cognitive functioning, and this cognitive...

Gout Flare-Ups Could Raise Heart Risk for Weeks After

3 August 2022
Gout Flare-Ups Could Raise Heart Risk for Weeks AfterWEDNESDAY, Aug. 3, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- When gout flares up, the joint pain is often excruciating. But that's not the only worry tied to this common inflammatory arthritic condition.A new British study warns that gout flares double the risk for heart attack or stroke over the two months that follow.A spike in risk endures even three to four months after the gout flare-up, investigators found, though at a lower level, about 1.5 times greater than usual. No added risk was seen more than four months after a flare, or recurrence of symptoms.“Gout often occurs alongside other health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and kidney disease,” noted study author Abhishek Abhishek, a professor of rheumatology at the University of Nottingham in England.To see...

8/8 -- Could Quit-Smoking Meds Help You Quit Drinking, Too?

3 August 2022
8/8 -- Could Quit-Smoking Meds Help You Quit Drinking, Too?MONDAY, Aug. 8, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Pills, patches, gums, nasal sprays and lozenges used to help smokers kick the habit can also help heavy drinkers cut back on alcohol, a new study suggests.The finding follows several months spent working with 400 smokers with HIV who were also heavy drinkers.Researchers determined that both the prescription smoking cessation medication varenicline (Chantix) and standard over-the-counter and prescription nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) -- including patches, gums, lozenges, inhalers and nasal sprays -- were highly effective at helping patients quit smoking and curtail drinking at the same time.So too was another prescription medication called cytosine, which is similar in chemical makeup to Chantix. Though it is not approved for use in the...

Cases of Potentially Deadly Parechovirus in Infants Are Surging

3 August 2022
Cases of Potentially Deadly Parechovirus in Infants Are SurgingWEDNESDAY, Aug. 3, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Parechovirus, a virus that can cause severe illness in infants, is on the rise in parts of the United States.Twenty-nine infants were admitted to the Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville this year, which includes 23 admitted during a six-week period this spring, according to a new study. By contrast, only 19 cases were detected over five months in 2018.For most kids, parechovirus is mild, but it can be deadly in newborns. Symptoms may include fever, fussiness, poor appetite, seizures and meningitis (a potentially fatal inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord). This virus can also raise the risk of developmental problems later."Parechovirus is circulating in our population and will...

B 8/11 -- U.S. Opioid Prescriptions Are Declining

3 August 2022
B 8/11 -- U.S. Opioid Prescriptions Are DecliningTHURSDAY, Aug. 11, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- The United States has an opioid epidemic, but there's one bright spot in the fight against it: Prescriptions for these addictive drugs have declined for patients with private insurance.Amid guidelines over the past decade from governments, health systems and insurers aimed at reducing opioid prescriptions, previous studies have pointed to a nationwide drop in prescribing rates.Patients who are actively receiving cancer treatments are excluded from those limits.The new study included cancer patients as well as people with other chronic pain. It found that overall prescribing rates still dropped.“We find that from 2012 to 2019 there were declines in opioid prescribing for individuals with chronic non-cancer pain and individuals with cancer...

Could One Type of Cheese Help Strengthen Your Bones?

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 3, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Enjoying just two slices of Jarlsberg cheese every day may help stave off osteoporosis, a small Norwegian study suggests.The protective effect of cheese...

Just 8% of Americans Lack Health Insurance, a Record Low

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 3, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- The number of Americans without health insurance continues to drop, reaching 8% in 2022 -- a record low.That leaves about 26 million people living in...
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