Health News

Health News for 12/21/10

December 21, 2010

Got a Headache? Your Body May Be Telling You Something

Headaches are truly miserable things. There's little good to be said about throbbing, crushing, skull-pounding pain that makes you wince and moan.

A Lifetime of Migraines

Judy Brown says she has suffered from terrible migraine headaches since she was in her teens.

Race, Sex Play Part in Hypertension Risk

A new study finds that race, gender and where you live strongly affect your risk for high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

Health Tip: Protect Yourself From the Cold

Frostbite may set in when fingers, toes or other parts of the body are exposed to very cold temperatures.

Health Tip: Kick Athlete's Foot

Athlete's foot fungus makes the feet itchy, red, cracked and flaky. Fortunately, treatment usually is effective, although the infection is prone to returning.

Most People Regain Happiness After Job Loss

As million of workers have discovered in recent years, losing a job is upsetting and unsettling and can reduce even the most stoic to tears.

Doctors Still Fear Malpractice Lawsuits, U.S. Study Finds

A new study finds that while doctors are fearful of being sued for malpractice, their worries are greater than their actual risk of landing in court.

Kids With Autism May Lack Key Visual Skills, Study Finds

Children with autism may lack certain visual skills needed to be independent in adulthood, new study findings suggest.

Does 'Club Drug' Ecstasy Have Therapeutic Value?

The recreational drug known as ecstasy may have a medicinal role to play in helping people who have trouble connecting to others socially, new research suggests.

Gene Activity May Affect Acute Myeloid Leukemia Outcome

For acute myeloid leukemia patients, overactive genes in their leukemic stem cells (LSC) can translate into a more difficult struggle to overcome their disease and achieve prolonged remission, new research reveals.

Researchers Turn White Fat to Energy-Burning Brown Fat in Mice

Certain cells in white fat can be changed into energy-burning brown fat, according to an animal study that might one day lead to new treatments for obesity, researchers report.

Young Female Chimps Use Sticks as 'Dolls'

Like human children, young chimpanzees appear to play differently depending on their sex, say researchers who spent 14 years observing a chimpanzee community in a national park in Uganda.

Weight Loss During Marathon Linked to Quicker Finish Time

Runners who lose 3 percent or more of their body weight during a marathon finish the quickest, researchers have found.

Sudden Infant Deaths Most Common on New Year's

A new study finds that more babies die of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in the United States on New Year's Day than any other day of the year.

Study Adds to Evidence That Rituximab Slows Lymphoma Symptoms

New research provides more evidence that treating certain lymphoma patients with an expensive drug over the long term helps them go longer without symptoms. But the drug, called rituximab (Rituxan), does not seem to significantly increase life span, raising questions about whether it's worth taking.

U.S. Teen Birth Rate Hit Record Low in 2009: CDC

Teen births in the United States reached a record low in 2009, as births to teenagers fell 6 percent from the previous year to the lowest level seen in almost seven decades, health officials reported Tuesday.

Health Highlights: Dec. 21, 2010

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Clinical Trials Update: Dec. 21, 2010

Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of ClinicalConnection.com:

Device Approved for Dangerous Vessel Bulge

Medtronic's Endurant AAA Stent Graft system, designed to treat a bulge in the largest abdominal blood vessel, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the company said Tuesday.