Health News

Health News for 02/16/11

February 16, 2011

Health Tip: Your Child May Be Stressed

Even kids can be stressed out, to the point that it affects their physical and psychological health.

Health Tip: Why Does My Heel Hurt?

Heel pain may stem from repetitive stress or another type of injury, but an underlying health problem also may be to blame.

In-Hospital Blood Sugar Levels Should Be Higher: Report

The American College of Physicians has released new guidelines recommending that doctors not attempt intensive insulin therapy designed to achieve normal blood sugar levels in patients in medical or surgical intensive care units.

Dwarfism Mutation May Protect From Cancer, Diabetes

A genetic mutation that causes a type of dwarfism may also protect against cancer and diabetes, a new study finds.

Self-Drawings May Reveal Hidden Eating Disorders

The way women draw themselves may help reveal whether they have an eating disorder, researchers suggest.

'Talk Therapy' Can Alter Brain Activity, Research Shows

Psychotherapy triggers changes in the brains of people with social anxiety disorder, finds a new study.

Sexual Issues Often Unaddressed in Women Who Survive Cancer

Many women who survive breast or gynecologic cancers say they want help for sexual issues, but few of them actually ask for it, according to a new study from the University of Chicago Medical Center.

Parents Still Giving Cough, Cold Meds to Kids Under 2: Poll

Many American parents of children aged 2 and younger still give over-the-counter cough and cold medicines to their kids despite U.S. Food and Drug Administration warnings to the contrary, researchers have found.

1 in 5 Kids With Cold Develops Middle Ear Infection: Study

About one in five children with a cold or other respiratory viral infection develops a middle ear infection that may range from mild to severe, says a new study.

Could Hair Loss at 20 Signal Higher Prostate Cancer Risk?

Men with prostate cancer may be twice as likely to have started showing signs of male pattern baldness at the age of 20 than those without prostate cancer, a new French study suggests.

PSA Test Cut-off Could Signal Low-Risk Prostate Cancer

Men who have a low prostate-specific antigen (PSA) score when they're first tested may not need to be screened annually and probably don't need to undergo a biopsy, a new study suggests.

America's Health a Mixed Bag: Report

U.S. officials on Wednesday released the annual state-of-the-nation's health report and the news is mixed, with life expectancy rates on the rise but obesity levels still climbing.

Zinc May Help Ease Common Cold: Analysis

A review of data from 15 trials suggests that the zinc supplements so many Americans pop at the first sign of a cold may, in fact, cut the length and severity of illness.

'Resilience Gene' May Save Kids in Troubled Families

Children who carry a variant of a so-called "resilience gene" get along much better with their troubled parents -- those who have substance abuse, mental health or criminal problems -- than those without the gene, a new study suggests.

New Eye Treatment May Save Preemies' Sight

A new study holds potentially good news for preterm infants who develop an eye condition that may cause blindness: An inexpensive drug appears to do a better job of treating the condition than the existing therapy.

Health Highlights: Feb. 16, 2011

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

New Factor May Spot Heart Risks in Healthy People: Study

A possible new risk factor for death from heart disease in seniors has been identified by researchers.

Placebo Effect May Work in Reverse

Everyone's heard of the placebo effect: when you take a sugar pill but believe it is medicine, it tends to work. Now a new study suggests that the opposite may also be true.

Appalachia, the South Home to Least-Active Americans: CDC

Americans living in parts of Appalachia and the South are least likely to be physically active in their free time, according to federal government estimates released Wednesday.

Clinical Trials Update: Feb. 16, 2011

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