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Water Beads Can Expand Inside Body, Causing Kids Serious Harm. Should They Be Banned?

Ashley Haugen’s 13-month-old daughter, Kipley, woke up projectile vomiting in their Texas home one morning in July 2017.

The Haugens took her to the doctor after it became apparent she wasn’t keeping anything down. After not responding to medication, Kipley was whisked to a nearby children’s hospital for emergency surgery.

“I...

Psychotherapy May Help Ease Fibromyalgia Pain

"Talk therapy" may help people with fibromyalgia manage their chronic pain -- and alter the brain's pain-processing circuitry along the way, a new study shows.

Researchers found that after eight sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), patients with fibromyalgia felt less burdened by their pain and other symptoms in daily life. And ...

President Biden Gets COVID, Flu Shots

MONDAY, Sept. 25, 2023 (HealthDay News) – President Joe Biden has been freshly vaccinated for three major respiratory viruses that could spread widely this fall and winter.

Biden got both the updated COVID booster and his annual flu shot on Friday, White House physician Kevin O’Connor wrote in a White House memo. The president received...

Surgeons Perform Transplant of Gene-Tweaked Pig Heart Into Second Patient

A second human patient has received a genetically altered pig heart as he battles the ravages of end-stage heart disease.

The 58-year-old man, Lawrence Faucette, received the pig organ at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore.

The medical team was the same one that performed the first pig transplant with another pati...

Your Wrist Could Give Clues to Future Health

One day, it may be possible to monitor people for risk of disease through continuously measuring skin temperature.

Researchers have found in a new study that wrist temperature is associated with future risk of disease.

“These findings indicate the potential to marry emerging technology with health monitoring in a powerful new way,�...

Tear Gas Might Harm a Woman's Reproductive Health

Researchers in Minnesota have uncovered a new link between tear gas exposures and negative effects on reproductive health.

The study was prompted by anecdotal reports of irregular menstrual cycles among protestors who were exposed to tear gas during the nationwide protests that followed the May 2020 murder of George Floyd.

“This st...

How to Care for a New Body Piercing

Piercings can be a fun way to express yourself, but they can also cause complications — particularly in areas that aren’t the earlobes — and need proper care.

“The first step to caring for your piercing is choosing a qualified piercer,” said Dr. Steven Daveluy, an associate professor and program director at Wayne State Dermatolog...

Talking to a Loved One Battling Substance Abuse: Staying Positive Is Key

A conversation with a family member or loved one struggling with addiction can be the catalyst for getting help.

But it’s important to choose your words carefully when discussing possible addiction to controlled substances with your loved one, said Dr. Aleksandra Zgierska, a professor of family and community medicine at Penn State Colleg...

RSV Vaccine Given in Pregnancy to Help Shield Newborns Receives Full U.S. Approval

Women may soon have a vaccine they can take during a pregnancy to help protect their newborn from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Following approval one month ago by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday also approved the shot, called Abrysvo. That marks the last hurdle needed fo...

Many Americans Frustrated in Search for Low-Cost COVID Boosters

Americans seeking out the new COVID boosters are finding themselves held back by insurance entanglements and supply delays.

Some insurers have balked at covering the vaccines, with people arriving at shot appointments only to be told that they’ll have to pay $100 or more out of pocket for the jab.

And in other places, booster appo...

In 22 U.S. States, More Than a Third of Adults Are Now Obese

Obesity is on the rise across the United States.

In 22 states, 35% of adults or more were obese last year, new data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show.

Just 10 years ago, there were no states that had obesity rates at or above 35%.

“Our updated maps send a clear message that additional support for ...

Kraft Cheese Slices Recalled Due to Plastic Wrap Choking Hazard

Kraft Heinz said it is recalling over 83,000 packs of its Kraft Singles American processed cheese slices because of a packaging defect in the plastic that wraps the cheese slices.

A temporary issue developed on one of the wrapping machines, making it possible for a thin strip of individual film to stay on the cheese slice after the wrapper...

Kids' ER Visits for Mental Health Crises Rise When School Term Begins

FRIDAY, Sept. 22, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- While the start of the school year can give kids and teens the chance to reconnect with friends and enjoy school sports and activities, it can also trigger stressors that send many to the emergency room for mental health woes, a new report shows.

Among children aged 5 to 17, emer...

Medicaid Reinstated for Nearly 500,000 Children and Families: CMS

FRIDAY, Sept. 22, 2023 (HealthDay News) – About 500,000 children and families have had their Medicaid reinstated after some states erroneously purged them because of a systems issue, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) said Thursday.

The agency had first expressed concerns about the issue last month, telling states to evalua...

Vaping Raises a Teen's Odds of Developing Asthma

New research underscores the harms of e-cigarettes, showing that vaping increases the risk of asthma in teens who have never smoked cigarettes.

Although e-cigarettes have fewer toxins than regular cigarettes, they still contain a mixture of harmful chemicals and raise the risk of respiratory diseases, researchers say.

“Increasing k...

Newer Diabetes Meds Might Not Work as Well in Black Patients

FRIDAY, Sept. 22, 2023 (HealthDay News) – New research suggests some newer diabetes treatments may not be as beneficial for Black patients, after earlier drug trials included small numbers of non-white people.

Whether the medications -- called sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2-Is) and glucogen-like peptide 1 receptor agon...

Scientists Spot Gene Mutation Linked to Esophageal Cancer

Researchers have found a gene mutation linked to esophageal cancer, which could lead to better prevention and treatment strategies.

Investigators from Case Western Reserve University in Ohio found the mutation, potentially helping those at risk of what is a highly lethal cancer. Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is a cancer of your food pip...

Brain Trauma Could Help Trigger Heart Troubles

While the neurological impact of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) has long been studied, new research suggests TBIs are also hard on the heart.

The research team took a closer look at connections between the two organs, finding that nervous system dysfunction, neuro-inflammation, changes in the brain-gut connection and post-injury health is...

Babies May Leave Cells Behind That Help Mom Prepare for Future Pregnancies

One pregnancy may leave behind microscopic souvenirs that prepare a mom's immune system for the next one, a new study suggests.

Experts said the research, carried out in lab mice, offers new insights into a longstanding puzzle: Why doesn't a pregnant woman's immune system attack the fetus, which is essentially a foreign invader?

Scie...

Today's COVID Is Increasingly Looking Like a Cold or Flu

Symptoms of mild COVID-19 infection have shifted this season, and now are more akin to those of allergies and the common cold, doctors say.

Many people with COVID-19 now are presenting with upper respiratory symptoms like runny nose, watery eyes and a sore throat, said Dr. Teresa Lovins, an independent family physician in Columbus, Ind.