Health News

Health News for 12/20/11

December 20, 2011

Health Tip: Help Prevent Exercise Injury

There's no surefire way to stay young, but plenty of regular exercise may be the closest way.

Health Tip: Risk Factors for Varicose Veins

Varicose veins are swollen, bulging and often painful veins that tend to occur in the legs.

Screening Alone Not Enough to Prevent Sudden Death in College Athletes

Precautionary measures need to be used in conjunction with screening to protect all college athletes from sudden death related to overexertion and exhaustion, researchers say.

Making Sense of Cancer Screening Updates

As experts alter course on guidelines for cancer screenings such as mammograms and the prostate-specific antigen test, the general public is understandably confused.

Buildup of Newer Flame Retardants Concerns Scientists

Increasing concentrations of two newer generation flame-retardant chemicals were detected in atmospheric samples collected in the Great Lakes region between 2008 and 2010, a new study indicates.

Early Food Choices Seem to Influence Taste for Salt Later

The types of foods given to infants seems to affect their future taste for salt, a new study has found.

Youth Exposure to Unwanted Internet Sexual Encounters Drops

Increased public awareness and improved Internet security may be among the reasons why child and teen exposure to unwanted online sexual solicitations and pornography has declined in the United States, a new study indicates.

Severe Sepsis Can Harm the Immune System

Severe sepsis can impair the immune system, a new study says.

Endometriosis Tied to Higher Risk of Crohn's, Colitis

Women with endometriosis may be up to 80 percent more likely to develop inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis compared to women without the uterine disorder, according to a new long-term study.

Mindfulness Training May Help Arthritis Patients Cope

A small study finds that mindfulness training, which teaches people to push away troublesome thoughts, helped improve well-being in people with rheumatoid arthritis and similar diseases.

Drug Overdoses Kill More Americans Than Car Accidents: CDC

More Americans now die from drug overdoses than in car accidents, according to a new government report released Tuesday.

Health Highlights: Dec. 20, 2011

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

Hormone Might Ease Menopause, Boost Women's Sex Life: Study

A hormone called DHEA appears to help ease women's menopausal symptoms and also improve their sex life, a small, new study says.

Uterine Fibroids Cost Billions in U.S. Health Care, Lost Work: Report

Uterine fibroids are a significant economic drain on the U.S. health care system, costing anywhere from $5.9 billion to $34.4 billion a year, according to a new report.

Driving Isn't An Issue for Most People With Diabetes

Diabetes needn't prevent someone from driving, and only a doctor should decide if complications are severe enough to keep an individual off the road, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) says.

Maggots Quickly Clean Up Wounds, Study Shows

The surgeons' scalpel may have new (and wriggling) competition in cleaning troublesome wounds: maggots.

Treating High Blood Pressure May Add Years to Life

People suffering from high blood pressure, or hypertension, who keep their blood pressure levels under control may add years to their life, a new study suggests.

Many Police Officers Battle Sleep Woes, Study Finds

Sleep problems are common among police officers and are associated with more health issues and poorer performance on the job, a new study shows.

Jump in Resting Heart Rate Might Signal Higher Death Risk

A rise in resting heart rate during middle age signals an increased risk of dying from heart disease, new research indicates.

Edarbyclor Approved for High Blood Pressure

Edarbyclor (azilsartan medoxomil and chlorthalidone) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat high blood pressure in adults, maker Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. said Tuesday in a news release.