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Pulsed radiofrequency may help relieve back pain and sciatica A minimally invasive procedure in which pulses of energy from a probe are applied directly to nerve roots near the spine is safe and effective in people with acute lower back pain that has not responded to conservative treatment, according to a new study presented at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Lumbar disk herniation is a common, often debilitating condition that affects the disks that act as cushions between the...
Know your vitamin D levels For the holidays, give yourself a present. Make sure you get your vitamin D levels checked and if they are low, get treatment. A new study now shows that vitamin D levels in the blood are linked to cardiorespiratory fitness. “Our study shows that higher levels of vitamin D are associated with better exercise capacity,” said Dr. Amr Marawan, who is an assistant professor of internal medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University in Virginia. “We also know from previ...
Using new technology to get a better night’s sleep A whole new approach to getting a good night’s sleep just a click away. A new study from the University of Oxford and Northwestern Medicine has found treating insomnia with digital programs can improve insomnia symptoms. In a year-long study involving 1,711 people, researchers found online cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) improved not only insomnia symptoms, but functional health, psychological well-being and sleep-related quality of life. A m...
A new tool against the flu A single dose of a new influenza drug may significantly shorten the duration of the illness in adults, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers conducted two multicenter, double-blind, randomized clinical trials. Both trials found that the drug, baloxavir marboxil, shortened the duration of flu symptoms by about one day and more quickly cleared the influenza virus compared with placebo in otherwise healthy adults. A larger,...
Daily fruit and vegetable intake matters Eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day may make a bigger difference than previously recognized. A new study has found that women who eat a high amount of fruits and vegetables each day may have a lower risk of breast cancer compared to women who eat fewer fruits and vegetables. Researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, and yellow and orange vegetables, had a...
Aspirin use may protect against Alzheimer’s disease An aspirin a day may help keep Alzheimer’s away. A regimen of low-dose aspirin potentially may reduce plaques in the brain, which will reduce Alzheimer’s disease risk and protect memory, according to researchers at Rush University Medical Center. They have just published a study in the Journal of Neuroscience suggesting that regular aspirin use may have significant brain benefits. “The results of our study identifies a possible new role fo...
Surgery for treating high blood pressure An operation that targets the nerves connected to the kidney may be able to significantly reduce blood pressure in patients with hypertension, according to a clinical trial led in the UK by Queen Mary University of London and Barts Health NHS Trust. If the findings are confirmed in more extensive clinical trials, the surgery could offer hope to patients with high blood pressure who do not respond to drugs, and are at increased risk of cardiovascular...
Men age 50 and older and living in Alaska should discuss blood testing for prostate cancer with their physicians. The guidelines are now changing because of concerns that some men who could benefit from screening are not getting screened. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) now recommends that men 55 to 69 who are interested in screening talk to their doctors about potential benefits and harms of screening for prostate cancer before deciding whether to undergo periodic...
High egg diet may be beneficial A diet that includes a lot of eggs may be packed with nutrients and not elevate your risk for heart disease. At least that is the latest findings from researchers at the University of Sydney. They have just published a study showing that eating up to 12 eggs per week for a year did not increase cardiovascular risk factors in people with pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the research extends on a previous...
Hidden brain benefits found in older adults A new study for the first time is suggesting that healthy older men and women can generate just as many new brain cells as younger people. There has been controversy over whether adult humans grow new neurons, and some research has previously suggested that the adult brain was hardwired and that adults did not grow new neurons. However, that does not seem to be the case. A study just published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, suggests that many older adu...
A pill to prevent hearing loss It may soon be possible to take a pill to prevent hearing loss. Researchers have discovered that inhibiting an enzyme called cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) may help protect against noise-induced or drug-induced hearing loss. In animal studies, investigators have found that CDK2 inhibitors prevent the death of inner ear cells. According to the World Health Organization, 360 million people worldwide suffer from hearing loss caused by congenital defects or other...
New blood test for detecting early-stage colorectal cancer A new study has found that a simple blood test can identify circulating tumor cells (CTCs) present in the bloodstream and detect colorectal cancer at an early stage. A preliminary study has found the new blood test has accuracy ranging from 84 to 88 percent. Most prior studies using CTCs have been able to detect late-stage colorectal cancer. However, this is one of the first clinical studies to show that CTCs can be useful for detecting...
E-cigarettes may help some smokers A new study is suggesting that smokers who are willing to use e-cigarettes tend to smoke less and have increased quit attempts. As e-cigarettes become more popular, fewer people are taking up smoking traditional cigarettes. However, there is debate whether this electronic nicotine delivery system can help people quit smoking altogether. “Combustible cigarettes are the most harmful form of nicotine delivery. Alternative delivery of nicotine through e...
3-D printed implants may help with hearing loss The New Year is ushering in some significant new medical advances. Researchers using CT scans and 3-D printing have created accurate, custom-designed prosthetic replacements for damaged parts of the middle ear, according to a new study. The technique has the potential to improve a surgical procedure that often fails because of incorrectly sized prosthetic implants. Hearing works partly through the transmission of vibrations from the ear drum to...
Exercise as a Christmas present Taking up a new exercise program or joining a health club may be one of the best Christmas presents for older adults in 2017. That’s because the United States is now in the midst of an “inactivity epidemic.” This inactivity reportedly is the fourth leading cause of death nationwide and is responsible for 3.2 million deaths each year. No matter one’s age, when combined with a commitment to healthy eating, regular physical activity can provide a wealth of health ben...
Gene therapy may help reverse blindness Researchers are moving closer toward a novel gene therapy approach to restore vision to the blind. British researchers in a laboratory study have demonstrated how it might be possible to reverse blindness using gene therapy to reprogram cells at the back of the eye to become light sensitive. Most causes of untreatable blindness occur due to loss of the millions of light sensitive photoreceptor cells that line the retina. However, the remaining retinal...
Laser zaps gum disease Dentistry is getting a little bit less invasive and less painful. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a minimally invasive laser, a tiny laser fiber about the thickness of three human hairs, to treat gum disease. The laser helps regenerate bone and tissue. It eliminates the traditional treatment of periodontal surgery, a highly invasive and often painful procedure. This less invasive technique means minimal post-operative discomfort requiring no opioid...
E-cigarettes may help some smokers quit Vaping may be helping some people kick the habit. In the United States, the smoking cessation rate increased for the first time in 15 years. Researchers conducted a population-level analysis of national surveys conducted from 2001 to 2015. The study suggests e-cigarettes helped users of the electronic devices to quit smoking traditional cigarettes. The annual rate of people who quit smoking has hovered around 4.5 percent for years but in the 2014-15...
A painless microneedle patch for the flu Researchers have now come up with a dissolvable vaccine patch for combating influenza. It has been tested in a large number of volunteers and it fared well. A team of investigators has found that delivering the flu vaccine via a dissolvable microneedle patch appears to be safe and preferred over conventional injection in a new phase 1 trial involving 100 people. The study is the first randomized trial to test a self-administered, dissolvable microneedle...
Wearable patch may help detect sleep apnea New treatments for diagnosing and treating sleep apnea may soon make it much easier to combat this problem. Scientists have now come up with a disposable diagnostic patch that effectively detects obstructive sleep apnea across all severity levels. The device is called SomnaPatch and it weighs less than one ounce and records nasal pressure, blood oxygen saturation, pulse rate, respiratory effort, sleep time and body position. The team developing this...
Men over the age of 50 are being continually targeted with advertisements for testosterone replacement gels and patches. However, research is now questioning the real risks and benefits associated with getting tested and treated for low testosterone levels. Testosterone supplementation is touted to improve cardiovascular health, sexual function, physical function and mood in men who have low levels of testosterone. However, a review of more than 200 clinical trials questions those claims. Dr....
Many women know the importance of getting screened for vitamin D levels and raising them if they are too low. However, many men over age 50 in Alaska may have low levels and need to take action, according to dietitian Stephanie Figon, who is with Alaska Weight Management and Diabetes Counseling in Palmer, Alaska. Figon said Alaskans have a very high prevalence of low vitamin D levels compared to the lower 48, partly due to the lack of sunlight during most of the year. “If an Alaskan is not e...
Combating the common cold with zinc There is no significant difference between zinc acetate lozenges and zinc gluconate lozenges regarding their efficacy in shortening the duration of common colds, according to a new meta-analysis. Researchers analyzed data from 7 randomized trials with zinc acetate and zinc gluconate lozenges and found that the duration of colds was shortened on average by 33 percent. Zinc lozenges appear to influence the common cold through the release of free zinc ions into...
Drinking tea may help combat Alzheimer’s disease A new study is suggesting that drinking tea may help reduce the risk of cognitive impairment in older adults and for those who are genetically at risk of Alzheimer’s. Researchers at the National University of Singapore conducted a longitudinal study involving 957 Chinese seniors aged 55 years or older. They found that regular consumption of tea lowers the risk of cognitive decline by 50 percent. In addition, those individuals who are APOE e4 gen...
New nasal spray to improve sleep The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is giving the green light to the first treatment for frequent urination at night due to overproduction of urine. The FDA has approved Noctiva (desmopressin acetate) nasal spray for adults who awaken at least two times per night to urinate due to a condition known as nocturnal polyuria (overproduction of urine during the night). “It is important to know that Noctiva is not approved for all causes of night-time u...
