Health News

Health News for 04/06/12

April 06, 2012

Planning Pregnancy May Cut Birth Defects

Women who'd like to become pregnant -- especially those who are taking medications for chronic conditions -- may need to add something to their to-do list: Plan, plan, plan.

Forgoing Medication, for Baby's Sake

Laura Mokelke was diagnosed with painful psoriatic arthritis when she was just 19 years old. A powerful combination of medications helps to keep her symptoms at bay, including methotrexate, a drug that is used to treat certain types of cancer.

Resolutions Revisited

Three months into 2012, chances are good that those grand plans for self-improvement hatched at the start of the new year have become more of a dead weight.

Health Tip: What Triggers Ingrown Toenails?

An ingrown toenail occurs when a nail grows into the skin on the sides or top of a toe. This painful condition can lead to infection.

Health Tip: Control Portion Sizes at Home

Limiting the amount of food you eat is key to losing weight and maintaining weight loss.

Anxiety Might Help People Sniff Out Threats

Anxiety improves a person's ability to smell potentially threatening odors, according to a new study.

Diagnostic Scans Tied to Radiation Risk for Gastro Patients

Patients with digestive disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease may be exposed to significant levels of radiation from diagnostic imaging tests, a new study suggests.

Overuse Injuries Common Among Female College Athletes

Overuse injuries account for more than one-quarter of all injuries suffered by U.S. collegiate athletes, a new study has found.

Taking Multivitamins Won't Prevent Canker Sores, Study Says

Although vitamin deficiencies have been linked to canker sores, taking a daily multivitamin won't prevent this common mouth ailment, a new study finds.

Emotional Trauma May Hurt Toddlers' Later Learning

Suffering emotional trauma such as witnessing domestic violence or being abused early in life may inhibit children's intellectual development, according to a new study.

Bilingual Kids Are Better Multi-Taskers, Study Says

Children who grow up learning to speak two languages are better at multi-tasking than children who learn only one language, a new study finds.

Esophageal Cancer Surgery Can Leave Lingering Health Problems, Study Says

Surgery for esophageal cancer can result in lingering health problems for long-term survivors, a new study finds.

Pregnancy Length May Influence Severity of Autism

Children with autism who were born either prematurely or several weeks late may experience more severe symptoms than kids with autism who were born on time, according to a new study.

Rapid Asthma Treatment in ER May Prevent Admission

Rapid treatment with asthma medications seems to help reduce hospitalizations among children with asthma, a new study finds.

Pharmacy 'Robots' Linked to Bacterial Contamination of Drugs

So-called robotic drug dispensers can be contaminated with dangerous bacteria, a new report says.

Study Finds Antibiotics Best for Appendicitis

For people suffering from uncomplicated appendicitis, a course of antibiotics may be just as good as having the appendix removed, British researchers report.

Health Highlights: April 6, 2012

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