Latest Health News

26May
2020

Lockdown Got You Down? Experts Offer Tips to De-Stress

Lockdown Got You Down? Experts Offer Tips to De-StressTUESDAY, May 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Though the physical health risks posed by COVID-19 are at the top of everyone's mind, experts warn the pandemic is also exacting a massive toll on mental health. So finds new research emerging on the mental health effects in China, where infection peaks and lockdowns have preceded the American experience by several months. For example, one recent study in the journal Psychiatry Research surveyed more than 7,200 Chinese men and women during the country's February lockdown. More than a third were found to be suffering from COVID-related "generalized anxiety disorder," while about a fifth struggled with signs of depression. Just over 18% reported sleeping difficulties. The good news? Experts say there are effective coping strategies for those...

Too Often, Bullying Has Lethal Consequences for LGBT Teens

26 May 2020
Too Often, Bullying Has Lethal Consequences for LGBT TeensTUESDAY, May 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ) youth who die by suicide are five times more likely to have been bullied than their straight counterparts. The finding stems from a review of nearly 10,000 U.S. death records for 2003 to 2017. All of the youth were between 10 and 19 years of age when they took their own lives. While LGBTQ youth are more likely to be bullied and report suicidal thoughts than their straight peers, researchers said this study may be the first to show that bullying is a more common precursor to suicide among LGBTQ people. "Clear and consistent evidence shows that LGBTQ youth are more likely to experience bullying -- including in-person bullying and cyberbullying -- than their heterosexual and cisgender...

After Heart Attack, Home Care Can Prevent a Return to...

26 May 2020
After Heart Attack, Home Care Can Prevent a Return to HospitalTUESDAY, May 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Receiving home health care reduces heart attack survivors' risk of hospital readmission after discharge, a new study finds. In the United States, only a small percentage of heart attack survivors receive home care such as nursing and physical therapy, according to study authors. The findings were presented recently at a virtual American Heart Association meeting. Research presented at meetings is typically considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal. "Little is known regarding the impact of home health care on heart attack patients," lead author Muhammad Adil Sheikh said. "Since patients who receive home health care tend to be older and sicker than others, and these characteristics themselves can lead to hospital...

6 Expert Tips for Defusing Kids' Quarantine Meltdowns

26 May 2020
6 Expert Tips for Defusing Kids` Quarantine MeltdownsTUESDAY, May 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- When kids and teens chafe under COVID-19 quarantine, how can parents stop the meltdowns and misbehavior? Start with understanding: Young people miss their friends and their freedom. Younger kids might respond by throwing tantrums. Teens might isolate themselves, ignore social distancing rules or sneak out to see friends. To curb negative behavior, experts from Penn State Children's Hospital offer their advice. It starts with this time-honed tip: If your child has a tantrum, ignore it if it's not endangering anyone. "It helps a child understand they won't get what they want from having a tantrum," pediatrician Dr. Katherine Shedlock said in a hospital news release. Ask the child to take quiet time, which is different from a timeout. Pick a...

Could a Hormone Help Spur High Blood Pressure?

26 May 2020
Could a Hormone Help Spur High Blood Pressure?TUESDAY, May 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Many people with high blood pressure may have an unrecognized hormonal condition driving their numbers up, a new study suggests. The condition, called primary aldosteronism, arises when the adrenal glands overproduce the hormone aldosterone. That causes the body to retain sodium and lose potassium, spurring a spike in blood pressure. Doctors have long considered the condition an uncommon cause of high blood pressure. But that, researchers say, is because they are simply not testing for it. In the new study, about 22% of patients with more severe high blood pressure had primary aldosteronism. The same was true of almost 16% of patients with milder, stage 1 high blood pressure, according to findings published online May 26 in the Annals of...

AHA News: Strokes in the Spine Are Rare – But Dangerous

26 May 2020
AHA News: Strokes in the Spine Are Rare – But DangerousTUESDAY, May 26, 2020 (American Heart Association News) -- Weighing in at about the same as when he graduated high school, Brian Muscarella, 62, eats a healthy diet and enjoys plenty of physical activity. Indeed, he has completed the New York City Marathon four times. But at 53, Muscarella's life changed dramatically when he had a spinal stroke, which accounts for just over 1% of all strokes. "I had great blood work, I was in shape, and I didn't have any other basic signals that a stroke could happen," said Muscarella, who lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. Those signals, or risk factors, include obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, smoking cigarettes, drinking too much alcohol and a lack of physical activity. Like brain strokes, spinal strokes are...

Banishing Pandemic Worries for a Good Night's Sleep

26 May 2020
Banishing Pandemic Worries for a Good Night`s SleepTUESDAY, May 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- If anxiety and fear about COVID-19 are keeping you awake, rest assured: Adopting a few easy-to-follow habits will help you get a good night's sleep. "Now more than ever, we need to get good sleep," said Dr. Amy Guralnick, a pulmonologist at Loyola Medicine in Chicago. "Sleep can help our immune system function at its best. Getting a good night's sleep also helps us to think clearly and to problem-solve better." And, she added, too little sleep can lead to depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions. So what can you do to get more -- and better -- Zzzzzzz's? Make a sleep schedule and follow a routine, Guralnick advised. "Having a daily, fixed wake up time is the most important part of the schedule," she said. In the hours before...

Getting Back to Work Safely After Lockdown

26 May 2020
Getting Back to Work Safely After LockdownTUESDAY, May 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- With businesses beginning to reopen, the National Safety Council (NSC) has tips for doing it right. "We hope these universal actions, the detailed playbooks and the recommendations within them will help employers safely navigate reopening operations while prioritizing employees' rights to safe work environments," said Lorraine Martin, NSC president and CEO. Here are top tips for employers: Phase in the return to work, taking into account risk and exposure levels. Disinfect before workers return and make changes to allow for physical distancing. Screen the health of all employees. Have a plan to deal with sick employees, and encourage behaviors for hygiene and infection control. Follow proper contact tracing steps if workers get...

Dirty City Air Might Raise MS Risk

TUESDAY, May 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Air pollution might increase the risk for multiple sclerosis (MS), Italian researchers report. They found that in places with low levels of tiny...

WHO Halts Testing of Drug That President Trump Has Embraced

TUESDAY, May 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Safety concerns over a malaria drug that President Donald Trump has touted as a coronavirus treatment prompted the World Health Organization on Monday to...
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