Health Library

Managing Seasonal Allergies SUNDAY, May 19 (HealthDay News) -- Although spring arrived late this year in parts of the United States, the summer allergy season will still be strong, according to a sinus expert at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Richard Waguespack, clinical professor in the university's division of otolaryngology, said a wet spring often results in a robust summer allergy season. However, some simple strategies can help people manage symptoms such as sneezing, wheezing and co...

Many Can Blame Family for Their Bunions MONDAY, May 20 (HealthDay News) -- If you've got bunions, chances are others in your family suffer from the common foot disorder, with a new study finding the condition is often passed down from parents to children. Reporting in the May issue of Arthritis Care & Research , researchers found that people of European descent often inherit conditions such as bunions or other toe deformities. "Our study is the largest investigation of the heritability of common foo...

Migraine, Chronic Back Pain Tied to Higher Suicide Risk WEDNESDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- People who endure chronic migraines or back pain are more likely to attempt suicide, whether or not they also suffer from depression or another psychiatric condition, according to a new study. "Clinicians who are seeing patients with certain pain conditions should be aware they are at increased risk of suicide," said study co-author Mark Ilgen, of the Veterans Affairs Serious Mental Illness Treatment Resource a...

More Kids Getting Donor Organs, But Gaps Persist, Study Finds WEDNESDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- Over the last decade, the number of American children who die each year awaiting an organ donation dropped by more than half, new research reveals. And increasing numbers of children are receiving donor organs. During that time, the overall pool of potential organ donors expanded to include not just patients who've experienced brain death but also those with a "circulatory determination of death." But it'...

Modified Polio Virus May Help Fight Brain Tumors, Study Suggests THURSDAY, May 23 (HealthDay News) -- A modified version of the polio virus might one day help fight brain tumors, preliminary research suggests. Scientists at Duke Cancer Institute said the investigational therapy, known as PVSRIPO, uses an engineered form of the virus that is harmless to normal cells, but attacks cancer cells. The therapy shows promise in the treatment of glioblastoma, the most common and aggressive brain tumor, they said...

Many Medical Students Have Anti-Fat Bias, Study Finds FRIDAY, May 24 (HealthDay News) -- Two out of five medical students have an unconscious bias against obese people, a new study found. The study authors, from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, noted the anti-fat stigma is a significant barrier to the treatment of obesity. They concluded that teaching medical students to recognize this bias is necessary to improve care for the millions of Americans who are overweight or obese. "Bias can affect clinic...

Many Public Pools Contaminated With Human Waste: CDC THURSDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- There are few things more inviting than a cool, clear pool on a hot summer day. But a new federal report will have you thinking twice before dipping a toe in the water. Fifty-eight percent of pool filter samples taken from Atlanta area pools last summer contained E. coli, a bacteria found in human feces. The report is a sign that swimmers often contaminate pool water when they have a "fecal incident" in the water, ...

Most Americans Say 'No' to Smoking in Their Homes, Cars THURSDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- Drop by for a visit or share the drive -- but please, no smoking. That's the message the vast majority of Americans send to the smokers within their social circle, a new study finds. Four out of five adults now have smoke-free rules in their homes, while about three out of four have enacted the same ban in their cars, according to the national survey from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Gett...

Multiple Head Injuries Raise Soldiers' Suicide Risk, Study Finds WEDNESDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) -- Military service members who sustain more than one mild traumatic brain injury may be at much greater risk of suicide, according to a new study. Researchers at the University of Utah found that the risk for suicidal thoughts or behaviors increased for a lifetime, not just short-term, among those with multiple head injuries. "Up to now, no one has been able to say if multiple [traumatic brain injuries],...

Metformin Won't Aid Breast Cancer Survival in Diabetics TUESDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- Despite prior research suggesting that the widely used diabetes drug metformin might help cancer patients, a new study finds it does not boost survival for older breast cancer patients with diabetes. Previous research has found that metformin was associated with an up to 30 percent reduction in new cancers in breast cancer patients without diabetes, noted study author Dr. Iliana Lega, a research fellow at Women's...