Category Archives: Health News

Previous reports found that Zika virus can affect the vision of children, but a new study has uncovered that it can also affect the eyes of adults. Doctors in Brazil found that a man infected with Zika virus developed a potentially severe eye condition. Coauthor Dr. Benedito Antonio Lopes da Fonseca said, “Zika patients should ...click here to read more

A serious heart condition known as atrial fibrillation – irregular heart rhythm – has been found to have deadlier consequences in blacks than in whites. Atrial fibrillation affects roughly one percent of Americans and over five percent of those over the age of 65. Atrial fibrillation has been linked to a higher risk of stroke ...click here to read more

Statins are commonly prescribed as cholesterol-lowering drugs, but a new study suggests they also reduce the risk of infection. The researchers analyzed medical records from over 1,600 people who were hospitalized with ischemic stroke, and found that those taking statins had a reduced risk of infection by 58 percent. Study author Doug Weeks said, “If ...click here to read more

A new study has found that regular exercise may be able to better prevent ovarian cancer, while lack of exercise is associated with a higher risk of ovarian cancer and death by ovarian cancer. Senior author Kirsten Moysich said, “Women may be overwhelmed with mixed messages about physical activity or exercise recommendations and opt to ...click here to read more

Poor sleep has been found to worsen multiple sclerosis-related thinking problems. Co-first author of the study Dr. Tiffany Braley said, “Since obstructive sleep apnea is a treatable condition that is also commonly seen in MS, we wondered, ‘What if some of the thinking and processing difficulties that MS patients experience do not stem directly from ...click here to read more

Parkinson’s disease cases are rising among men and researchers speculate it could be associated with declining smoking rates. James Beck, expert who reviewed the findings, explained, “I believe this will be the first of several reports in the United States to demonstrate what the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation has come to realize — that the number ...click here to read more

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) may also be plagued by depression, compared to individuals without COPD. Researchers found that one in four COPD patients suffer from depressive symptoms. If left untreated, depression can lead to worsened health outcomes and even limit the effectiveness of COPD treatment. In an alternative study of depression in ...click here to read more

The stimulating effects of caffeine are limited and short-lived when accompanied by the numerous sleepless nights. Lead author Tracy Jill Doty explained, “These results are important, because caffeine is a stimulant widely used to counteract performance decline following periods of restricted sleep. The data from this study suggests that the same effective daily dose of ...click here to read more

Research has shown that accumulated bad posture can contribute to back pain, so you must maintain good posture to minimize back pain. Chronic pain affects millions of people and has now become a problem of epidemic proportions. People are suffering and searching for answers, but there doesn’t seem to be a definitive solution to resolving ...click here to read more

June is National Scoliosis Awareness Month so we have included topics discussing spinal stenosis, ankylosing spondylitis, low back pain, and spinal muscular strophy. Scoliosis is a curvature in the spine which typically can occur during puberty. Common treatment for scoliosis is wearing a brace for several hours throughout the day but if the curvature is ...click here to read more

June is Hernia Awareness Month and so we’ve compiled a list of our editorials which discuss hiatal hernia, abdominal hernia, inguinal hernia, abdominal wall hernia and the use of mosquito nets to repair hernias. A hernia is when an organ protrudes into a weak spot in the surrounding muscle and connective tissue. Hernias are quite ...click here to read more

A new study has found that one in 13 American adults has contemplated suicide within the last year. The rate of 7.4 percent translates to 2.6 million Americans between the ages of 18 and 25. Kana Enomoto, principal deputy administrator at the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), said, “Suicide is one ...click here to read more

Rates of heart disease are on the decline in those over the age of 40. The rate is down from 10 percent in 2001-2002 to eight percent in 2011-2012. Unfortunately, the rate of heart disease did not lower among those aged 40 to 59, but rates for those aged 60 and older fell from 19.5 ...click here to read more

This week’s health news roundup contains stories regarding multiple sclerosis, testosterone and type 2 diabetes, Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. This week we took a closer look at smoking and multiple sclerosis progression, testosterones role in blood sugar regulation, IBD and creeping fat, rheumatoid arthritis increasing with workload and biologics to ...click here to read more