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Customizable Finger Brace Eases Rehab, Arthritis Care

Finger braces used to treat arthritis or sprains can be a pain in the neck for working people, who must take them on and off throughout the day to function.

But an innovative new finger brace that can easily switch from fixed to flexible might make it easier for patients to stick with their rehab and speed up recovery times, researchers at...

Growing Pains? For Young Athletes, It Might Be A Sports Injury

Volleyball player Madelyn Olympia, 14, started experiencing back pain after diving for a ball.

“The first time it happened, I was just diving normally, but something sounded different,” Madelyn, of Hummelstown, Pennsylvania, said in a news release. “After that, it hurt every time I bent forward and back.”

This...

Spinal Fusion Procedures Should Differ Based On Patient's Sex, Experts Argue

The placement of orthopedic screws and rods during spinal fusion surgery should vary depending on whether you’re a man or a woman, according to a new study.

Sex-based anatomical differences in the pelvis make it essential that surgeons approach men and women differently when fusing and stabilizing the spine, researchers recently wrot...

Testing Finds Lead in Popular Protein Powders

Heavy metals might be hiding in your post-workout shake. 

A new report from the publisher of Consumer Reports found that many popular protein powders and drinks contain measurable levels of lead.

The nonprofit group tested 23 protein supplements and found that more than two-thirds had more lead per serving than what it ...

Need a Little Help Going? Science Says Grab a Kiwi

Kiwis may be more than a healthy snack — they could also help get your digestive system moving. 

New evidence-based dietary guidelines from the British Dietetic Association say kiwis, rye bread and certain supplements may help people manage chronic constipation without on medication.

These guidelines focus specifically on ...

Ben’s Original Recalls Rice After Stones Found in Packages

Consumers are being warned to check their kitchen shelves for certain Ben’s Original Ready Rice products that may contain small stones.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced earlier this week that the company is recalling several batches of its microwaveable rice products.

Officials said the stones are naturally...

New York Confirms First Local Chikungunya Case in 6 Years

A Long Island resident has tested positive for the chikungunya virus, the first locally acquired case in the U.S. since 2019, New York state health officials announced.

The infection was detected in a Nassau County resident who began showing symptoms in August after traveling outside the region but not outside the country, the New York Sta...

Stronger Muscles Might Fight Organ Damage From Excess Fat, Study Says

Stronger muscles might be able to ward off some of the organ damage associated with obesity.

People with excess body fat who also had stronger handgrip strength were less likely to develop obesity-related heart, liver or kidney damage, researchers reported Oct. 15 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Th...

Gene Therapy Provides Lasting Cure For 'Bubble Boy' Children

Eliana Nachem is taking a brave step once unthinkable for the 11-year-old girl — she’s starting sixth grade, with dreams of becoming an artist.

As a baby, Eliana lived in complete medical isolation, after her 2014 diagnosis at 3 months of age with ADA-SCID, more popularly known as “Bubble Boy” disease.

Ki...

Deep Sedation During Ventilation Can Cost Patients Their Independence, Study Says

Patients placed on mechanical ventilation are commonly put under deep sedation, to ease the stress and discomfort of having a machine breathe for them.

But that short-term comfort might come at the cost of their long-term health.

People put under deep sedation during ventilation are 18% more likely to lose their ability to live indep...

Why Might GLP-1 Drugs Reduce Alcohol Cravings? New Experiment Suggests An Answer

Weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Zepbound appear to reduce alcohol cravings, but doctors have been at a loss to explain why – until now.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drugs appear to slow the speed at which alcohol enters the bloodstream, which also diminishes its effects on a person’s brain, according to pilot study result...

Common Hospice Meds Increase Death Risk For Alzheimer's, Dementia Patients

Hospice drugs commonly handed out to people with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia might be hastening their deaths, a new study says.

Benzodiazepines and antipsychotics given to hospice patients with dementia appear to increase their risk of earlier death, compared to similar patients who weren’t prescribed those drugs, research...

Millions More Americans Might Be Obese Under New Definition, Experts Say

A new definition of obesity could dramatically increase the number of Americans considered obese.

Under the new definition, the prevalence of obesity rose from around 40% to nearly 70% among more than 300,000 people participating in a long-term health study, researchers reported Oct. 15 in JAMA Network Open.

The new definiti...

FDA Clears New Blood Test to Help Rule Out Alzheimer’s Disease

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared another blood test that could help doctors identify whether a patient’s memory problems are likely caused by Alzheimer’s disease.

The new test, called Elecsys pTau181, was developed by Roche Diagnostics in partnership with Eli Lilly. It’s designed for adults 55 and o...