Health News

Health News for 08/26/11

August 26, 2011

Health Tip: Recovering From Adenoid and Tonsil Removal

It's common for people who have just had their tonsils and adenoids removed -- usually children -- to suffer post-surgical symptoms including a sore throat, low-grade fever and ear pain.

Health Tip: At Greater Risk of Flu Complications?

Some people are more susceptible than others to developing complications of the flu. Experts say it's especially important that people with these risk factors speak with a doctor about getting the annual flu vaccine.

Service Members Twice as Likely to Have Affairs: Study

Almost a third of current or former U.S. military service members who were ever married have had affairs -- twice the rate of the general population, a new study found.

Many Health-Care Workers Have Turned to Alternative Medicine

Three out of every four U.S. health-care workers use some form of complementary or alternative medicine or practice to help stay healthy, a new report shows.

Dialysis Patients Unprepared for Disasters, Study Contends

In the event of a natural or man-made disaster, such as a tornado, earthquake or fire, most dialysis patients don't have a plan to get the medical assistance they need, according to a new study.

Gene Mutations Identified in Uterine Fibroids

Scientists report an advance in the genetics of uterine fibroids, the most common noncancerous tumors in women of childbearing age.

Walk-to-School Programs Put Kids' Fitness First

Saying "no" to the school bus and walking kids to school instead could be a step -- or more -- toward boosting children's activity levels, a new study shows.

Expense May Be Causing Fewer Young Blacks to Smoke

Rising cigarette prices and other economic and social factors led to the sharp drop in smoking that occurred among black youth between the 1970s and 1990s, U.S. researchers say.

Quitting Even Tougher When Smokers Battle Other Addictions

Four out of every 10 smokers is also burdened with alcohol or drug addictions, or mental health disorders, and getting them to quit cigarettes can be a big challenge.

C-Sections Linked to Doubled Risk for Blood Clots

The risk of thromboembolism -- a potentially fatal condition in which blood clots block blood flow causing damage to the organs -- is higher during pregnancy, experts warn.

Starvation in Youth Linked to Heart Risk in Adulthood

People who experience starvation in their youth are at greater risk for heart disease later in life, a new study has found.

Obesity Continues to Balloon in U.S. and U.K.: Study

The number of obese people in the United States will increase from 99 million in 2008 to 164 million by 2030, and the number of obese people in the United Kingdom will increase from 15 million to 26 million, a new study predicts.

Jogging Beats Weight Lifting for Losing Belly Fat: Study

Aerobic exercise is better than resistance training if you want to lose the belly fat that poses a serious threat to your health, researchers say.

Scoring System May Tell the Dying How Long They Have to Live

A new scoring system might be able to tell patients in the final stages of cancer how much time they have left so they can prepare for their passing, British researchers report.

Health Highlights: Aug. 26, 2011

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Hurricane Irene Starts Assault on East Coast

As Hurricane Irene spun her way toward the Mid-Atlantic coast Friday morning, emergency officials in six states and New England told an estimated 55 million residents to brace for the worst this weekend.

Extended-release Painkiller Approved

Nucynta ER (tapentadol extended release) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat moderate-to-severe chronic pain in adults, maker Janssen Pharmaceuticals said.