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TUESDAY, Dec. 1, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Older adults exposed to air pollution might have a heightened risk of abnormal "plaque" accumulation in the brain, a new study suggests.Plaques refer to clumps of protein called beta-amyloid that build up in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease. In the new study, researchers found that among older adults with memory and thinking problems, those exposed to higher levels of air pollution were more likely to show plaque buildup on brain scans.The findings do not prove air pollution causes plaques or dementia, said lead researcher Leonardo Iaccarino, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, San Francisco's Memory and Aging Center.But the results add to a body of research suggesting that air pollution is a risk factor for...

TUESDAY, Dec. 1, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Virtual reality glasses or hypnosis can relieve pain and anxiety in people having short medical procedures, a new study finds.For those getting an IV catheter or stitches to close a wound, for example, these distraction techniques reduce the need for painkillers, say researchers in Belgium.The study is by Dr. E. Kubra Okur Kavak and her colleagues from Brussels University Hospital. The results were presented online at the annual meeting of the European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care."From the very start of the intervention, the application of either medical hypnosis or virtual reality glasses significantly reduced pain and anxiety in patients undergoing medical procedures," the researchers said. It was not intended for any kind...

TUESDAY, Dec. 1, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Nearly half of Americans fear unexpected medical bills and 44% say they couldn't pay a $1,000 surprise bill, a new poll shows.Those fears aren't unfounded. Among those with private health insurance, 68% have received unexpected medical bills and 33% couldn't pay them on time, while 23% said they haven't paid them yet.Many Americans (81%) want Congress to pass laws to end surprise medical bills, and three-quarters (including 82% of Democrats and 70% of Republicans) said they would vote for those who supported such legislation."Surprise medical bills are a major driver of financial anxiety and disruption for families nationwide that are already straining under the weight of an ongoing pandemic," said Dr. Mitchell Elkind, president of the American...

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 2, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Amid a pandemic, some people are buying so-called germicidal ultraviolet lamps to protect against the new coronavirus.But new research finds that decision could backfire when it comes to eye health.Doctors are reporting on several patients who used such devices to eliminate the virus from homes and offices and developed painful inflammation of the cornea, a condition called photokeratitis."During the height of the pandemic, we noticed an increased number of patients coming in with irritation, pain and sensitivity to light," said study author Dr. Jesse Sengillo, a resident at the University of Miami's Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. "We realized this was after direct exposure to germicidal lamps that emit UV light in the C range to kill bacteria...