You might not want to broach the topic with a woman in the throes of a hot flash — a menopausal symptom often described as feeling like your body’s been set on fire — but a new study suggests that difficult symptoms of …
Medicine
Can’t Sleep? It May Help to Get Out of Bed
Those who have suffered from insomnia know the sinking feeling of watching the clock tick into the wee hours. Now a new study in the Archives of Internal Medicine suggests that lying in bed awake may actually contribute to the …
Brain Changes May Explain Driving Problems in the Elderly
Worsening vision and dulled reflexes might explain why some older folks have trouble behind the wheel. But researchers from the University of Rochester may have uncovered another possibility: the aging brain may be better at …
FDA: Breast Implants May Be Linked to a Rare Cancer
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is investigating a possible link between saline and silicone breast implants and a very rare type of cancer called anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). For now, the FDA is advising doctors
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Life Expectancy Lags in the U.S., But It May Be on the Upswing
On average Americans don’t live as long as people in many other wealthy nations, and they’re less healthy overall — this, despite the fact that the U.S. spends more on health care than any other nation in the world. A new …
House Watch: What Causes Back Pain?
Like last week’s episode, this week’s House M.D. stuck to the formula that has worked so well for the series these past 6.5 seasons: medical mystery, a flurry of possible diagnoses — more than any episode this season, I …
Healthland Guide: Fast Facts About Malaria
Actor George Clooney announced on Jan. 20 that he had recently beaten his second bout of malaria, which he had contracted during a diplomatic trip to Sudan. His publicist told the Washington Post that he says his experience shows …
For Childhood Cancer Survivors, the Many Benefits of Breast-Feeding
Thanks to remarkable advances in both detecting and treating cancer, young children who are diagnosed with various forms of the disease have an 80% chance of surviving into healthy adulthood.
Why You Shouldn’t Snuggle with Your Pooch in Bed
It isn’t just dog trainers and the occasional finicky spouse who want you to keep your pets off the bed. A new report in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases found that of the 250 known zoonotic diseases, which are …
Experimental Melanoma Drug May Help Extend Patients’ Lives
The results of a promising recent clinical trial showed that an experimental drug prolonged life in patients with melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. The drug, manufactured by Swiss drug giant Roche, targets a specific …
Scatological Success: Fecal Transplants to Treat Bacterial Infections?
Here’s a real head-scratcher: would you eat someone else’s feces to treat your own diarrhea?
Statins May Not Prevent Heart Disease in Healthy People
Cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins are an undeniable boon for heart patients. Study after study has shown that for those who have had a heart attack or other forms of heart disease, the medications can significantly …
The Lab Rat Gets Petted: How Massage Works
Not long ago, I was naked and lying face down on a table as a woman massaged me with oil. Soft music played in the background, and the lights were low. But it wasn’t as fun as it might sound: I was in a room at Cedars-Sinai …