Researchers have identified two molecules that perpetuate chronic pain, and that may pave the way for more effective, less addictive medicines. A study from the Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland said that the molecules may play a role in the phenomenon that causes uninjured areas of the body to be more sensitive to pain if they are near an area that has been injured. The findings were published in the journal Neuron. "With the identification
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Good News About Reducing Hospital Infections
A national plan developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Servicesfor preventing healthcare-associated infections shows progress. That is the joint finding of 14 papers published in a special issue of the journal Medical Care. The 3-year evaluation of the effort has identified what's working as well as the challenges that remain.
ADT Therapy for Prostate: Counseling Needed
If the man in your life has been prescribed androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) as part of the treatment for prostate cancer, you’re both best off if you’re warned ahead of time about possible side-effects and offered advice about coping strategies.
Watch: Can a Super Bowl Cause Fans to Have Heart Attacks?
Here's another addition to our ThirdAge video collection. Press play to start learning!
Can Moderately Cold Temps Help You Lose Weight?
While overesposure to cold is linked to serious and even fatal consequences, regular exposure to mild cold may actually help people los weight. On the other hand, cozy indoor environments might lead to weight gain.
The findings were published in Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Hearing Loss Hastens Brain Tissue Loss
Although the brain becomes smaller with age, the shrinkage seems to be fast-tracked in older adults with hearing loss, according to the results of a study by researchers from Johns Hopkins and the National Institute on Aging. The findings add to a growing list of health consequences associated with hearing loss, including increased risk of dementia, falls, hospitalizations, and diminished physical and mental health overall.
Men Really Are More Forgetful Than Women
If your husband is absent-minded and forgets your wedding anniversary or the name of your new neighbor, don't worry. You’re not the only one with a forgetful man in the house, according to a Norwegian study published in the journal BMC Psychology.
Hospitals Can Learn from Hospices
Training hospital and nursing home staff in the basics of palliative care can make the last days of a dying patient’s life as comfortable and dignified as possible, according to F. Amos Bailey of the Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Bailey is the leader of a study¹ that showed the value of introducing palliative care strategies, typical of hospices, within the setting of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers.
BP Med Can Prevent Migraines
Candesartan, a medication used to treat high blood pressure, is just as effective as more the commonly prescribed propranolol when it comes to preventing migraine attacks. That is the finding of a study from St. Olavs Hospital in Trondheim, Norway and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology Better yet, the team learned that candesartan may work for patients who get no relief from propranolol.
A release from the university quotes lead researcher Professor Lars Jacob Stovner as saying, "This gives doctors more possibilities and we can help more people."
Needed: A New Approach to Health-Care Surrogates
Almost half of hospitalized Americans 65 and older need decision-making assistance from family members because they are too impaired to make decisions on their own, a new study has found. And those health-care surrogates need to be taken more seriously. Most surrogates are children or spouses. Some patients have two or more family members making decisions toether. Researchers from Indiana University said the problem is only going to grow more prevalent as the U.S.
Fibromyalgia and Alternative Treatments
http://dirline.nlm.nih.gov/Fibromyalgia, a collection of painful symptoms that may be linked with anxiety and depression, is often difficult to diagnose and to treat.
How Should You Exercise? Three Questions to Ask Your Doctor
Anyone who's ever read an article about exercise knows that checking with your doctor is always essential before you start an exercise program. But what exactly should you say to your doctor when you're asking about beginning or resuming physical activity?
Brain Training With Neurofeedback
A new imaging technique lets people to “watch” their own brain activity in real time and control or adjust function in pre-determined brain regions. The study from the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital – The Neuro, McGill University, and the McGill University Health Centre was published in the journal NeuroImage. It’s the first to demonstrate that magnetoencephalography (MEG) can be used as a potential therapeutic tool to control and train specific targeted brain regions.
Meds That Fight Fever May Spread the Flu
Better not reach for the Advil or some aspirin when you have the flu. You may end up infecting others. Research done at McMaster University in Ontario showed that the widespread use of medications containing fever-reducing drugs may lead to tens of thousands more influenza cases and more than a thousand deaths attributable to influenza, each year across North America. These drugs include ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and acetylsalicylic acid. The study was published in January 2014 in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Glaucoma Cases Reduced by Half
Glaucoma is a serious issue faced by millions of people, but the likelihood of the condition has been cut in half, probably due to advances in diagnosis and therapy, a new study says Still, researchers also caution that many patients still progress to blindness. Glaucoma affects more than 2.7 million individuals aged 40 and older in the United States and 60.5 million people.
Genetic Counseling Via Phone Is Effective
Genetic counseling delivered over the telephone is as effective as face-to-face counseling, according to the largest randomized study to date comparing the two methods. The multi-center study, led by researchers at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, was published in January 2014 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Chocolate, Tea & Berries May Prevent Diabetes
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Chow down on chocolate, sip some tea, and eat lots of berries if you’re hoping to avoid being diabetic. That’s the advice of researchers at the University of East Anglia and King's College London who found that high intakes of phytochemicals called flavonoids and pigments called anthocyanins are associated with lower insulin resistance and better blood glucose regulation.
The FDA May Not Know Enough About the Drugs It Approves
Although many of us assume that the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) bases its approval of drugs on solid evidence, that may not be the case, a new study shows. Researchers from the Yale School of Medicine found that between 2005 and 2012, the clinical trials used by the FDA to approve new drugs varied widely in their thoroughness. The study, published in JAMA, is the first systematic analysis of the standards used by the FDA in making decisions about drug approval.