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Drug abuse linked to brain hemmorhage in young adults

A fifth of young adults whose blood vessels ruptured inside their brain abused drugs and more than 40 percent had malformed blood vessels, according to a study reported Feb. 17 at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2006 in Kissimmee, FL.

20 Feb 2006

Double whammy of drugs plus ultrasound unblocks arteries

According to a pilot study led by the University of Cincinnati, standard clot-busting medication when used in combination with low-energy ultrasound appears to re-open clogged arteries in stroke patients better than medication alone.

20 Feb 2006

Science of autism

As theories about autism spread like wildfire in the media and the general public, a panel of autism experts will reflect on the validity of four widely held - and potentially inaccurate - assumptions about the developmental disability.

19 Feb 2006

Hospitalization of a spouse can harm the wellbeing of his or her partner

In the largest study ever to quantify caregiver burden and the widower effect, researchers found that for people aged 65 and older, hospitalization of a spouse can harm the wellbeing of his or her partner and significantly contribute to that partner's death.

17 Feb 2006

Unexpected rheumatoid arthritis discovery

What makes joints in people with rheumatoid arthritis, and related conditions like Lyme disease or lupus, so susceptible to attack by the body's immune system, leading to painful flare-ups and deterioration? The answer may surprise you.

17 Feb 2006

Acupressure more effective than physical therapy in alleviating back pain

Acupressure (applying pressure with the thumbs or fingertips to the same points on the body stimulated in acupuncture) seems to be more effective in reducing low back pain than physical therapy, finds a study published online by the British Medical Journal.

17 Feb 2006

Not every stutterer is a problem case: over-reacting can make stuttering worse

If a child often stops in the middle of a sentence and repeats individual sounds or syllables, this does not inevitably mean that the child is a stutterer.

16 Feb 2006

Simple diagnostic imaging procedure changes treatment for lower back pain

A simple diagnostic imaging procedure can help identify patients with lower back pain who would benefit from spinal injections and spare those who would not, according to a study appearing in the February issue of Radiology.

13 Feb 2006

Link between high levels of a protein HtrA1 and preeclampsia

Mayo Clinic researchers have found an association between abnormally high levels of a protein named HtrA1 and preeclampsia, a sudden and dangerous rise in blood pressure that can result in premature delivery, disability or death for mother and fetus.

5 Feb 2006

8 million children born every year with serious birth defects

According to a new report, every year an estimated 8 million children are born with a serious birth defect of genetic or partially genetic origin.

31 Jan 2006

Extra fruit and veggies will cut down the risk of strokes

According to British researchers by eating more than the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables a day people can further reduce the risk of suffering a stroke.

29 Jan 2006

Depression in the elderly is under-reported

New York City's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene this week announced that depression in senior citizens is "a serious and under diagnosed condition."

27 Jan 2006

SSRIs most effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder

A variety of medications can help reduce the core symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as reduce associated depression and disability, but selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) should be considered as first line agents as there is most evidence showing that these can be effective.

25 Jan 2006

Booster seat use increased more by carrot than stick

Booster seats significantly reduce the chance of a four to eight year old child sustaining serious injury in a car crash, but many children do not use them. Programs that aim to increase use by educating people, giving away free booster seats, or combining the two do increase use.

25 Jan 2006

Pain in the back - mind could be the cure

Researchers in the Netherlands suggest that mental exercises could be just as effective as physically working the muscles when it comes to easing back pain.

23 Jan 2006

Low-level heat wrap therapy reduces acute low back pain

The use of continuous low-level heat wrap therapy (CLHT) significantly reduces acute low back pain and related disability and improves occupational performance of employees in physically demanding jobs suffering from acute low back pain

23 Jan 2006

Major grant to study institutional care of disabled people in Europe

The Tizard Centre at the University of Kent has been awarded a 350,000 euro grant by the European Commission to find out how many disabled people are still cared for in institutions across Europe and what would be the costs of replacing institutions with services in the community.

11 Jan 2006

New disability website launched

Med Services Europe has announced the launch of " New Disability", a website dedicated to products for the disabled community. According to Dr. Gene Emmer, President of Med Services Europe, the goal of New Disability is to be a platform to advance the commercialization of assistive technology.

11 Jan 2006

Lives will be saved as early signs of meningitis now identified

Scientists in the UK say they have identified the early signs of meningitis and blood poisoning which should improve detection of the disease and save lives.

11 Jan 2006

Traditional neck muscle resistance training may not protect athletes from head injuries

"We did see a change in the player's neck muscle strength but these changes made absolutely no difference in their ability to stabilize their heads when force was applied," said Tierney.

10 Jan 2006