Latest Health News

17Nov
2021

Over 100,000 Americans Died From Drug Overdoses in One Year: Report

Over 100,000 Americans Died From Drug Overdoses in One Year: ReportWEDNESDAY, Nov. 17, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- New government data confirms what many have suspected: The pandemic has prompted a record number of drug overdose deaths, with more than 100,000 Americans succumbing to addiction as COVID-19 raged across the country.That figure is almost 30% higher than the previous year, when 78,000 overdose deaths were reported, according to provisional figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). "The 12-month period ending in April 2021 is the first time we've seen over 100,000 estimated deaths due to drug overdose," said lead researcher Farida Bhuiya Ahmad, the mortality surveillance lead at the NCHS."Drug overdose deaths continued to rise at least through April 2021," Bhuiya Ahmad...

CDC Investigating Case of Monkeypox in Traveler From Nigeria

17 November 2021
CDC Investigating Case of Monkeypox in Traveler From NigeriaWEDNESDAY, Nov. 17, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- A case of monkeypox in a traveler who returned to the United States from Nigeria is being investigated by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the Maryland Department of Health.The infected person is currently in isolation in Maryland.Monkeypox is a rare but potentially serious viral illness that typically begins with flu-like symptoms and swelling of the lymph nodes, and then progresses to a widespread rash on the face and body.The strain in the infected person matches the strain that reemerged in Nigeria in 2017, after more than 40 years of no reported cases in that country.The CDC said it's working with other officials to seek out airline passengers and those who may have had contact with the patient, and to assess their potential...

Could Coffee or Tea Lower Your Odds for Dementia and Stroke?

17 November 2021
Could Coffee or Tea Lower Your Odds for Dementia and Stroke?WEDNESDAY, Nov. 17, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- A few cups of your favorite brew -- coffee or tea -- each day might help keep stroke and dementia at bay, a large new study suggests.For close to 14 years, scientists stacked up coffee and tea consumption against the risk of stroke and dementia among nearly 366,000 healthy Brits between 50 and 74 years of age.The researchers -- led by Yuan Zhang of Tianjin Medical University in Tianjin, China -- observed that those who drank 2 to 3 cups of coffee along with the same amount of tea every day had a 32% lower risk for stroke, and a 28% lower risk for dementia, compared to those who drank neither. But don't toast the news with a big jolt of caffeine just yet. The findings don't prove that coffee and tea protect against either stroke or dementia...

Coming Soon: A Wearable Device to Predict Epileptic Seizures

17 November 2021
Coming Soon: A Wearable Device to Predict Epileptic SeizuresWEDNESDAY, Nov. 17, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Claire Wiedmaier experiences epileptic seizures so bad that she's broken teeth while in their grip."I have some fake teeth. I broke my two bottom front teeth," said Wiedmaier, 23, of Ankeny, Iowa, who these days can expect to have at least four seizures a month.Knowing when to expect a seizure would be a big help to her."It would be nice to know, because then I could get somewhere safe," Wiedmaier said. "I could get out of public or get on the bed, get out of the shower. Having a seizure in the shower is not very good."Investigators now think they're on the path to accurately predicting epileptic seizures by using a wristband device that tracks different body signals.The researchers identified patterns among patients that could allow about a...

FDA OKs Virtual Reality System to Ease Back Pain

17 November 2021
FDA OKs Virtual Reality System to Ease Back PainWEDNESDAY, Nov. 17, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- A 3-D virtual reality system to treat back pain was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday.The EaseVRx system is a prescription device for at-home use that combines cognitive behavioral therapy and other behavioral methods to treat patients 18 and older with chronic lower back pain."Millions of adults in the United States are living with chronic lower back pain that can affect multiple aspects of their daily life," said Dr. Christopher Loftus, acting director of the Office of Neurological and Physical Medicine Devices in the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health."Pain reduction is a crucial component of living with chronic lower back pain. Today's authorization offers a treatment option for pain reduction...

Trial Begins of Nasal Vaccine for Alzheimer's Disease

17 November 2021
Trial Begins of Nasal Vaccine for Alzheimer`s DiseaseWEDNESDAY, Nov. 17, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- The first human clinical trial of a nasal vaccine to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease is set to begin after nearly 20 years of research.This is a "remarkable milestone," according to Dr. Howard Weiner, co-director of the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston."Over the last two decades, we've amassed preclinical evidence suggesting the potential of this nasal vaccine for AD [Alzheimer's disease]," Weiner said in a hospital news release. "If clinical trials in humans show that the vaccine is safe and effective, this could represent a nontoxic treatment for people with Alzheimer's, and it could also be given early to help prevent Alzheimer's in people at risk."The vaccine features an...

AHA News: Family-Based Programs Targeting Childhood Obesity Can Be Good for Parents, Too

17 November 2021
AHA News: Family-Based Programs Targeting Childhood Obesity Can Be Good for Parents, TooWEDNESDAY, Nov. 17, 2021 (American Heart Association News) -- Family-based programs to encourage healthier eating and physical activity have long been regarded as an effective way to put children diagnosed as overweight or with obesity on a path to a better future.But new research suggests an added dividend: Parents of those children can benefit as well."It is known that parental involvement favorably affects children's weight management," said the study's lead researcher Nirupa Matthan, a scientist at the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston. "We wanted to see if there is a spillover effect on the diet quality and cardiometabolic health outcomes of the parents, and for the first time we showed that the answer is yes."Matthan presented her findings...

Teen Social Media Posts About Cutting, Other Self-Harm Are Soaring

17 November 2021
Teen Social Media Posts About Cutting, Other Self-Harm Are SoaringWEDNESDAY, Nov. 17, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- American teens are increasingly turning to the social media giant Instagram to share graphic images of their own attempts to harm themselves, a new study reveals."It could be an attempt to share their emotional or psychological pain with others or find support from others," said study lead author Amanda Giordano. She is an associate professor of counseling and human development services at the University of Georgia, in Athens. "It could be to discuss different forms of self-injury or how to hide it or do it in a way that does not lead to infection. It could also be a way of seeking help and reasons to stop."No matter the reason, researchers who tracked Instagram throughout 2018 found that teen postings focused on self-harm — such as...

Demand for Liver Transplant Rises Sharply Among Older...

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- More older folks are winding up on liver transplant waiting lists than ever before, as obesity and alcoholism supersede hepatitis C as the main cause...

Most Older Adults Plan to Travel Soon, With Precautions:...

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 17, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Nearly 1 in 3 older Americans plan an extended trip next year, and 1 in 4 plan to travel for the holidays, but many will take COVID-19 into account, a...
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