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Reusing Contact Lenses Raises Odds for Rare Eye Infection

Although wearing reusable contact lenses is generally safe, it can be associated with a greater risk of a rare eye infection, new British research shows.

In the study, people who wore reusable contact lenses were nearly four times more likely to develop the infection called keratitis (AK) than those who wore daily disposable lenses. Risks...

Talking to a Loved One About a Move to Assisted Living

It can be hard to talk to your loved ones about moving into assisted living, so don't push them too hard and make sure they feel safe and comfortable with the idea, one expert advises.

"Start the conversation as early as possible, and focus on what matters,” said Dr. Angela Catic. She's a geriatrician and associate professor in the Roy M...

Japan to Drop COVID Restrictions, Ease Entry for Tourists

FRIDAY, Sept. 23, 2022 (HealthDay News) – Japan announced plans Thursday to relax tight COVID travel restrictions, making it easier for tourists to return to the country.

Independent tourists can begin traveling to Japan on Oct. 11. Some tour groups had already been allowed. The country will also end a cap on tourist numbers, as well as ...

Type 1 Diabetes Is Tougher on Girls Than Boys: Study

FRIDAY, Sept. 23, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Girls with type 1 diabetes may fare worse than boys when it comes to blood sugar control and other critical aspects of their health, a new research review finds.

The review of 90 published studies by researchers in the Netherlands found some consistent patterns in h...

Knee Trouble? Losing Weight May Help Slow Arthritis

FRIDAY, Sept. 23, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Losing excess weight may not only help prevent knee arthritis, but also slow its progression in people who already have the condition, a recent study suggests.

Researchers found that among over 9,000 middle-aged and older adults, those who managed to shed some extra weight benef...

4.4 Million Americans Have Gotten Updated COVID Boosters

At least 4.4 million Americans have received the updated COVID-19 booster shot.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted the count Thursday as public health experts decried President Joe Biden's televised claim that "the pandemic is over."

The White House estimates that more than 5 million people have actually recei...

Not Just Obesity: Everyone May Have a 'Fat Threshold' for Type 2 Diabetes

FRIDAY, Sept. 23, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- If you are one of the millions of people with type 2 diabetes, losing weight can help reverse the blood sugar disease even if you aren’t overweight or obese, new research reveals.

Here's the proof: 70% of people with type 2 diabetes who were a normal weight during the study we...

America's ER Docs Alarmed by Rising Violence From Patients

The stories grabbed headlines during the pandemic: Violent episodes in U.S. emergency rooms where patients attacked doctors.

Now, a new poll shows just how widespread the problem has become: Two-thirds of emergency physicians reported being assaulted in the past year alone, while more than one-third of respondents said they have been assau...

AHA News: How to Keep 'Vaccine Fatigue' From Getting in the Way of a Flu Shot

After nearly three years of nearly nonstop talking about viruses and vaccinations, some people might be ready to tune out.

That would be a mistake, health experts say.

Amid warning signs of a potentially severe flu season ahead, those experts worry "vaccine fatigue" will keep people from getting their flu shot – and with it, a simp...

Hints That Experimental Drug Might Curb a Form of ALS

People with a rare genetic form of ALS may benefit from extended use of an investigational drug, a new study shows.

The medication, tofersen, benefited patients with mutations of the gene SOD1. These mutations create a misfolded version of a protein, which leads to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

In...

Blood Clot Risk Remains Higher Almost a Year After COVID

An increased risk of blood clots persists for close to a year after a COVID-19 infection, a large study shows.

The health records of 48 million unvaccinated adults in the United Kingdom suggest that the pandemic's first wave in 2020 may have led to an additional 10,500 cases of heart attack, stroke and other blood clot complications such ...

Vision Damage May Begin Long Before Type 2 Diabetes Is Diagnosed

Nerve damage is a common side effect of type 2 diabetes and it might start in the eyes long before the condition is ever diagnosed, new research suggests.

In this study, scientists used neuropathy, or nerve damage, in the eye’s cornea as a proxy for the damage to nerves throughout the body.

The s...

Feds Warn of Home Carbon Monoxide Detectors That May Fail to Alarm

Consumers should immediately stop using HECOPRO digital display carbon monoxide (CO) detectors because they can fail to warn about the presence of the dangerous gas, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said.

The CPSC issued the warning Thursday after detectors sold on Amazon.com failed tests with a CO concentration of 400 pp...

A Good Night's Sleep Recharges Immune System

If you want to stay well, make sure you're getting enough sleep.

That's the conclusion of a new study that found that good sleep helps regulate a key component of the body’s immune system.

Specifically, it influences the environment where white blood cells known as monocytes form, develop and get ready to support the immune functi...

Big Studies Test Effectiveness of Common Diabetes Meds

THURSDAY, Sept. 22, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Two common diabetes medications seem to outperform two others when it comes to controlling blood sugar levels, a large U.S. trial has found.

The trial of more than 5,000 people with type 2 diabetes found that two injection medications -- a long-acting insulin and liraglutide (...

Deep Brain Stimulation Offers Hope Against Severe OCD

THURSDAY, Sept. 22, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- When traditional treatments fail to help patients with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), an implant that zaps the brain with electrical pulses just might, a new research review shows.

It found that the remedy — known as "deep brain stimulation," or DBS — can offe...

Lots of Nightmares in Middle Age Might Be Warning Sign of Dementia

THURSDAY, Sept. 22, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- No one likes nightmares, but having persistently bad dreams may also signal impending dementia, new British research suggests.

In the study, people aged 35 to 64 who had bad dreams weekly were four times more likely to have cognitive decline over the following 10 years, and ol...

AHA News: Waiting For Takeoff, Her Heart Stopped. Flight Attendants Came to the Rescue.

Vonnie Gaither hated leaving a reunion of extended family in Baltimore. Still, she had to tear herself away to start the trek back home to Anchorage, Alaska.

Her flight from Baltimore to Salt Lake City was uneventful. After boarding the plane bound for Anchorage, she buckled up and called a friend to let her know she was on her way.

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A Honey of a Study: Well-Fed Bears Give Clues to Human Diabetes

THURSDAY, Sept. 22, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Every year, hibernating bears are able to feast, pack on a huge amount of weight and then lie around for months -- all without suffering the health consequence of diabetes. Now researchers are closer to understanding their secret.

Scientists with the Washington State Universit...

First Good Evidence That Babies React to Taste, Smell in Womb

At the kitchen table, babies trying different foods might look eager or offended, depending on the flavor of what they are asked to eat.

It turns out infants may develop those taste differences while still in the womb, according to a new study that delivered the first direct evidence that infants can smell and taste while in utero.

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