Category Archives: Health News

Individuals with atrial fibrillation (heart rhythm disorder) who drink alcohol are more likely to experience stroke, compared to those who don’t drink. Study leader Dr. Faris Al-Khalili said, “Doctors should ask their [atrial fibrillation] patients about alcohol use and advise patients to cut down if they are drinking more than is recommended.” The study included ...click here to read more

If you’re just starting out college, you may be excited, but you may also be anxious. Even as a returning student, you already know that college time can get pretty stressful. With heavy course loads, exams, and multiple essays all due back to back, there’s a lot to fret about. The negative health effects of ...click here to read more

Laser pointers can be quite harmful for children’s eyes and could lead to blurry vision, blind spots, or potentially permanent vision loss. The latest findings found that horseplay among children with laser pointers caused dramatic injury to the retina. Although  eye injuries associated with laser pointers among children are rare, they do take place, so it’s important ...click here to read more

More American adults are smoking marijuana than ever before. Over 13 percent of American adults surveyed in 2014 said they used marijuana in the previous year. That is a 10 percent increase since 2002. Daily use of marijuana rose as well from less than two percent to four percent. Lead study author Dr. Wilson Compton said, “This ...click here to read more

This week’s health news roundup presents news stories about gallstones, diverticulitis, chronic kidney disease, glaucoma, irritable bowel syndrome, and diabetes. The week, we discussed natural ways to treat gallstones, diverticulitis complications, the link between kidney disease and diabetes, and much more. Diverticulitis complications: Rectal bleeding, peritonitis, abscess, fistulas, and intestinal obstruction If diverticulitis is left untreated, complications ...click here to read more

September is Prostate Cancer and Health Awareness Month, so we present some of our stories discussing prostate cancer, as well as conditions that can affect prostate health, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, heart failure, heart attack, blood pressure, and circumcision. The public awareness campaigns are meant to educate men about the prostate as prostate cancer ...click here to read more

If used improperly, the vaccine for dengue could actually worsen the disease and lead to serious infections. There is currently only one approved vaccine, which has been licensed in six countries. Dengue has been found in Puerto Rico, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands. Dengue is spread by mosquitoes and can lead to a mild infection. ...click here to read more

U.S. health officials have noted a decline in chickenpox cases since the recommendation for a second vaccine was implemented in 2006. There has been an 85 percent decline in chickenpox cases since 2005. The largest decline was among five- to 14-year-olds, which is typical age group to receive the second vaccination. Chickenpox was quite common prior to ...click here to read more

September is National Cholesterol Education Month, so we present a selection of articles discussing cholesterol and other conditions that can affect its levels, including testosterone, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, prostate cancer, HDL cholesterol, and smoking. Controlling cholesterol levels is important as a way of preventing cardiovascular events. The articles below discuss effective ways to lower your ...click here to read more

September is Healthy Aging Month, so we present a selection of our articles discussing aging and age-related health conditions, including concussions, traumatic brain injury, incontinence, PTSD, and obesity. Aging is an inevitable part of life, but how you age is really within your control. Partaking in a healthy lifestyle can help you age more gracefully. ...click here to read more

Smoking after Crohn’s disease surgery increases the risk of relapse. More than half of Crohn’s disease patients will undergo surgery to remove affected areas of the bowel. Surgery is not a cure for Crohn’s disease, and relapses are quite common. The study involved 240 Crohn’s disease patients who were followed for three years after bowel ...click here to read more

A new study has found that medication-free treatments are effective for relieving pain caused by common conditions like headaches and arthritis. Millions of Americans seek out drug-free ways to relieve pain, including acupuncture, tai chi, and yoga. Unfortunately, there has been little information with regards to effectiveness of these methods. Lead author Richard Nahin said, ...click here to read more

Many aging Americans are more fearful of old age than of dying. A new survey suggests that one in six Americans do not wish to live past the age of 80, and the main reason for this is negative views surrounding aging. The telephone survey consisted of over 1,600 people aged 18 to 64. The ...click here to read more

The FDA has recently approved a new biologic drug to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases. Known as Erelzi, the drug is a biosimilar for Enbrel, which was previously approved by the FDA. A biosimilar is a biological drug approved based on findings that it is highly similar to an already-approved treatment, with no ...click here to read more