Although most of us shiver at the idea of injecting medicine directly into the eye, that method may work better when it comes to treating the serious eye illness macular edema, research shows. The study, conducted by researchers at a number of institutes including Johns Hopkins and Mount Sinai, was published in the journal Ophthalmology.… Continue reading Direct Injections into Eye Show Promise for Treating Visual Illness
Author: Jane Farrell
The Most Addictive Brand of E-Cigs?
Teens and young adults who use Juul brand e-cigarettes are don’t recognize the product’s addictive potential, even though they use it more often than their peers who smoke conventional cigarettes, according to a new study. The findings, from an ongoing Stanford project addressing the use and perceptions of tobacco products by California youth, was published… Continue reading The Most Addictive Brand of E-Cigs?
A Closer Look at the Environmental Triggers of Autoimmune Disease
The world of autoimmune disease is broad and complex, with many mysteries still lurking. With over 100 types of autoimmune diseases identified, including lupus, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, medical researchers are constantly seeking to gain a better understanding of how, when and why these conditions are triggered. While many diseases in general are associated… Continue reading A Closer Look at the Environmental Triggers of Autoimmune Disease
Study Identifies Gene That Makes Gentle Touch Feel Painful After Injury
Researchers have discovered that a particular gene may be responsible for tactile allodynia: the skin’s reaction to injury that makes normally gentle touches feel painful. The gene, PIEZ02, also been shown to control our sense of bodies in space. The most recent discovery was made in a study funded by the National Institutes of Health… Continue reading Study Identifies Gene That Makes Gentle Touch Feel Painful After Injury
How to Save Your Marriage After Becoming Your Husband’s Caregiver
My husband and I were college sweethearts and had been together for 28 years when he suffered a cardiac arrest in 2003. He didn’t get enough oxygen to his brain and lapsed into a coma for 10 days. When he woke, he wasn’t the same person I had married. He had severe cognitive deficits; his… Continue reading How to Save Your Marriage After Becoming Your Husband’s Caregiver
Radiation Patients Can Use Skin Creams – in Moderation
Although most cancer patients receiving radiation have been traditionally told to avoid topical skin treatments because they increase the dose of radiation to the skin, a new study says that the skin treatments can be used safely as long as they are used moderately. This study, from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University… Continue reading Radiation Patients Can Use Skin Creams – in Moderation
More Mindfulness = Less Pain?
People who are naturally more mindful report less pain and show lower activation of a specific region of the brain in response to an unpleasant heat stimulus, according to a new study supported by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). The study, conducted by researchers from Wake Forest University and collaborating institutions,… Continue reading More Mindfulness = Less Pain?
Experts: Don’t Give Kids Decongestants
Experts are warning that decongestants should not be given to children under 6 – and given only with caution in children under 12 – because there is no evidence that they alleviate symptoms such as a blocked or runny nose, and their safety is unclear. Instead, the researchers, writing in The BMJ, advise doctors to… Continue reading Experts: Don’t Give Kids Decongestants
New Research Tracks Hand-to-Nose Spread of Dangerous Bacteria
Pneumonia-causing bacteria can be spread via another way besides the airborne method: It can spread through contact between the hands and the nose, according to new research published in the European Respiratory Journal. Pneumococcus, the bacteria that can cause pneumonia, is known to be spread through inhalation of airborne droplets containing the bacteria, for example,… Continue reading New Research Tracks Hand-to-Nose Spread of Dangerous Bacteria
Scientists Can Now Study Thousands of Individual Brain Cells
Traumatic head injury can have widespread effects in the brain, but now scientists can look in real time at how head injury affects thousands of individual cells and genes simultaneously in mice. This approach could lead to precise treatments for traumatic brain injury (TBI). The study, which reported in Nature Communications, was supported by the… Continue reading Scientists Can Now Study Thousands of Individual Brain Cells
High Blood Sugar During Pregnancy Ups Risk of Mother’s Type 2 Diabetes, Child’s Obesity
Mothers with elevated blood glucose during pregnancy – even if not high enough to meet the traditional definition of gestational diabetes – were significantly more likely to have developed type 2 diabetes a decade after pregnancy than their counterparts without high blood glucose. For children born to mothers with elevated or normal glucose, researchers found… Continue reading High Blood Sugar During Pregnancy Ups Risk of Mother’s Type 2 Diabetes, Child’s Obesity
Genetics, Not Diet, Seen as A Major Factor in Gout
Although gout is widely perceived as being caused by diet, new evidence suggests that a more important factor is genes in the development of high serum (blood) urate levels. The study was published in The BMJ. Gout, a joint disease that causes extreme pain and swelling, is most common in men aged 40 and older.… Continue reading Genetics, Not Diet, Seen as A Major Factor in Gout
How to Stay Youthful, No Matter What Your Age
We live in a culture that worships youth and beauty and often disregards, disrespects and diminishes age. This is silly for so many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that everyone is growing older every single day. Don’t allow others to diminish you in any way. It’s time to take back control… Continue reading How to Stay Youthful, No Matter What Your Age
On The Job, Standing Beats Sitting
Sit-stand workstations that allow employees to stand, as well as sit, while working on a computer reduce daily sitting time and appear to have a positive impact on job performance and psychological health. The results of research, published by the BMJ, show that employees who used the workstations for 12 months, on average, reduced their… Continue reading On The Job, Standing Beats Sitting
A Contact Lens that Gives Feedback to Doctors
Scientists report that they have developed a contact lens that will tell them how much of a medication is actually making its way into the eye. The visual indicator could help eye doctors and patients readily determine whether these medications are doing what they’re supposed to be doing. Eyes are adept at keeping things out.… Continue reading A Contact Lens that Gives Feedback to Doctors
Probiotics May Play a Role in Fighting Antibiotic-Resistant Infections
A good bacterium commonly found in probiotic digestive supplements helps eliminate Staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria that can cause antibiotic-resistant infections, according to new research. The finding comes from National Institutes of Health scientists and their Thai colleagues. The researchers, led by scientists at NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), unexpectedly found that… Continue reading Probiotics May Play a Role in Fighting Antibiotic-Resistant Infections
How to Conquer Panic Attacks
Over 40 million adults in the U.S. suffer from anxiety and panic disorders. And as privileged as they are, celebrities are no exception when it comes to panic attacks. Whether it’s a one-time event or something they consistently struggle with, dealing with a panic attack is never easy. Most recently, supermodel Gisele Bundchen described in… Continue reading How to Conquer Panic Attacks
A More Complex Understanding of Sepsis
Sepsis is a common condition that occurs when the body reacts to an infection in the bloodstream. Scientists know little about the early stages of the condition; however, physicians must act fast. Every hour that passes without one or more of the few treatments available increases the risk of death. Now, researchers from Sanford Burnham… Continue reading A More Complex Understanding of Sepsis