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Patient Hospitalized in Louisiana With First U.S. Case of Severe Bird Flu

In a case first reported in Louisiana last Friday, a patient has now developed the first known case of bird flu so severe as to require hospitalization, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Sixty other cases of H5N1 avian flu have been reported in people across the United States since April of this year, ...

FDA: Veozah, First Hormone-Free Hot Flash Drug, Issued Black Box Warning

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued its most serious warning -- a black-box warning -- for Veozah, a medication used to relieve hot flashes in menopausal women, due to rare but potentially severe liver risks.

In new communication issued Dec. 17, the FDA advised that women taking Veozah should undergo regular blood testin...

Are Microplastics In the Air Putting Your Fertility At Risk?

Microscopic plastic particles in the air could be contributing to a wide variety of health problems, including lung and colon cancers.

Tires and degrading garbage shed tiny pieces of plastic which become airborne, creating a form of air pollution that’s not very well understood, a new review says.

“These microplastics are...

FDA: Veozah, First Hormone-Free Hot Flash Drug, Issued Black Box Warning

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued its most serious warning -- a black-box warning -- for Veozah, a medication used to relieve hot flashes in menopausal women, due to rare but potentially severe liver risks.

In new communication issued Dec. 17, the FDA advised that women taking Veozah should undergo regular blood testin...

Non-heterosexual Women Report Better Sexual Functioning During Midlife

TUESDAY, Dec. 17, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- A woman’s sex drive often diminishes with age, particularly during perimenopause when issues like pain and vaginal discomfort arise.

A new study, however, reveals that sexual identity may play a key role in sexual well-being during midlife.

The study, published Dec. 18 in the jour...

Act Fast and You Can Still Enroll In An ACA Healthcare Plan for 2025

Folks need to act now if they want health insurance coverage starting Jan. 1 through an Affordable Care Act marketplace, officials and experts say.

Wednesday is the last day folks can enroll in coverage that commences at the top of the year, according to HealthCare.gov.

This is an extension -- usually Dec. 15 is the last day to enrol...

Some Breast Cancer Patients May Not Need Post-Op Chest Wall Radiation

Radiation therapy for breast cancer comes with a host of side effects, including conditions as serious as heart problems and pneumonia.

Now, a new study says some breast cancer patients can safely skip radiation therapy without risking their cancer coming back.

Women who didn’t get radiation following a mastectomy had similar r...

With Correct Measurements, Wine Really May Protect Heart

A little wine every day can protect your heart health, a new study suggests.

People who drank half to one glass of wine a day had a 50% lower risk of heart attack, stroke or heart disease, compared to wine teetotalers, researchers reported Dec. 18 in the European Heart Journal.

Even light drinking -- one glass a week, or les...

U.S. Teen Drug, Alcohol Use Remains at Low Levels

Rates of vaping, drug and alcohol use among American teens plummeted during the pandemic and have remained at relatively low levels ever since, new government statistics show.

“This trend in the reduction of substance use among teenagers is unprecedented,” said Dr. Nora Volkow, who directs the U.S. National Institute on Drug Ab...

Artificial Sweetener Use Tied to Less-Healthy Diets

Folks who switch to artificial sweeteners in drinks and food may be drawn to other types of unhealthy fare -- bringing down the quality of their overall diet, new research suggests.

The study, published recently in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, tracked the diets of almost 164,000 people averaging 53 years of age, abo...

Tools You Can Use to Control Winter Asthma, Allergy Symptoms

Winter is here, and that can make it difficult for those with asthma to control their symptoms.

The cold air that comes with cooler temperatures can contribute to asthma flare-ups, as can increased respiratory infections and seasonal allergies.

It’s essential to manage your asthma to keep yourself healthy throughout the season...

Team Sports Score Big Points for Your Child's Brain, Study Finds

There may be something special about team sports in childhood that helps sharpen a kids' brain, new research shows.

Children who were on soccer or volleyball teams scored higher on tests of "executive function" -- thinking skills needed to organize, remember details, make decisions and stay focused -- compared to kids who didn't play sport...

U.S. Woman Living Healthy With Kidney Sourced From Pig

A 53-year-old woman from Alabama has a new lease on life after receiving a gene-edited kidney obtained from a pig, living healthily with the new organ for over a month, her New York City doctors announced Tuesday.

Towana Looney's road to kidney failure began with the ultimate gift: In 1999, she donated one of her kidneys to her ailing moth...

Feeling 'Techno-Strain' From Work? You're Not Alone

Research out of the United Kingdom finds workers often feel overwhelmed by digital technology and the need to always be connected online.

It's a worldwide issue, the study authors believe.

"What we have found in our research is that there is a potential dark side to digital working, where employees can feel fatigue and strain due t...

Denser Urban Neighborhoods Get People Walking

Does a crowded neighborhood make you move more?

Yes, says new research that found people who live in highly populated areas walk more than people who live in less densely populated areas.  

Since more walking is connected to better health, generally speaking, the extra steps can make a big difference in terms of promoting a...

Study Supports HPV Self-Testing for Cervical Cancer Screening

A self-administered test can help empower women in identifying risks for cervical cancer.

A new study published Dec. 12 in the journal PLOS Medicine shows the self-test for human papillomavirus (HPV) infection accurately identified women who either had cervical cancer or precancerous cells in their cervix.

"About 40% of wome...

Scientists Identify Genes That Shape People's Teeth

Ever wonder why your teeth look the way they do?

A group of genes drive the shape of each person’s teeth, including at least one gene inherited from Neanderthals, a new study published Dec. 12 in Current Biology found.

There are 18 sets of genes that influence the size and shape of teeth, 17 of which had not been previ...

Taxi Drivers' Brains May Leave Them Less Vulnerable to Alzheimer's

Taxi and ambulance drivers need to have quick wits and nimble reflexes to cut through traffic effectively.

Turns out that these traits might also protect them from Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study published Dec. 16 in the BMJ.

“The same part of the brain that’s involved in creating cognitive sp...

Allergies Have You Stuffed Up? Nose Fungi May Be to Blame

There’s fungus among us, and it might be making allergies and asthma worse.

People with allergy sniffles and asthma have different fungal colonies in their noses than folks who don’t suffer respiratory allergies, researchers report Dec. 16 in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology.

“We showed that aller...

Could MRI Spot 'Pre-Cancer' Lesions of the Pancreas?

TUESDAY, Dec. 17, 2024 (HeathDay News) -- Pancreatic cancer can be a silent killer -- the organ is located deep inside the body, making cancer harder to detect before it becomes life-threatening.

A specific type of MRI scan, however, might help doctors better detect pancreatic cancer early, a new study finds.

Diffusion Tensor Imaging...