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Local Sales Bans on Flavored Tobacco Products in California Cut Use

Banning flavored tobacco products leads to fewer people using them, according to a new California study that found lower usage in areas that had a full ban.

Residents in areas with a comprehensive sales ban had 30% reduced odds of using flavored tobacco compared to those without a ban, according to researchers from the University of Califo...

Stress Across the Life Span Could Worsen MS

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease that attacks the central nervous system and leaves patients suffering from a host of symptoms, and now new research finds life stressors can make those symptoms even worse.

Poverty, abuse and divorce in childhood and adulthood can significantly impact the level of disability someone with MS expe...

With Training, Soccer Headers Might Be Safe for Teen Players

Limited "heading" of a soccer ball in youth sports may not cause irreversible harm, as long as players are properly trained, a new study finds.

This study from concussion researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) looked at the consequences of repeated head impacts shortly after the impact. They did this using six differe...

When Arthritis Strikes, Keep Moving

Your achy joints may suggest that you take it easy. Don’t listen to them, experts say.

If it hurts when you get up from a chair or climb stairs, you might have osteoarthritis. If so, it’s best to keep moving.

“While the pain from osteoarthritis worsens with activity and improves with rest, exercise is still the most cost-effect...

Grilling Plant-Based Burgers This Memorial Day? Safe Cooking Temperatures May Change

The last thing you want to invite to your Memorial Day cookout is foodborne illness.

An expert from Virginia Tech offers some suggestions for keeping it at bay, even when cooking something you may have less experience with, such as plant-based or turkey burgers instead of beef patties.

“If you choose the classic ground beef burge...

The Most Common Depression Medications, Explained

You've been diagnosed with depression. What's next?

The cornerstone of treatment remains antidepressants, so it's likely your doctor will prescribe one for you, but which one might be best?

You will join millions around the world who struggle with how to treat the mental health disorder. An estimated 3.8% of the global population exp...

Elon Musk's Neuralink Says Brain-to-Computer Interface Has FDA Approval for Clinical Trial

It may sound like the stuff of science fiction, but Elon Musk’s company Neuralink announced Thursday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a human clinical trial of a device that may restore or enhance function when implanted in a human brain.

“We are excited to share that we have received the FDA’s approval to laun...

Huge Mass of Sargassum Seaweed Is Targeting Florida's Coast, With Hazards to Health

Be cautious when heading to Florida's beaches this summer, an expert warned, as a 5,000-mile floating mass of sargassum seaweed has begun washing up on the state's shores.

It can be low risk in some instances, but it also has the potential for triggering serious respiratory health issues.

“The sargassum itself is not dangerous. I...

AHA News: More Than a Kernel of Truth: Corn Can Add a Healthy Crunch to Your Cookout

Stroll past the seasonal aisle at any grocery store this time of year and you'll find a shelf piled with plastic flip-flops, a box sprouting colorful pool noodles and a "sizzling sale" on grilling accessories.

But when it comes to food, a true mark of summer is a staple of the classic American cookout: corn on the cob.

In many parts ...

Heavy Marijuana Use Might Raise Risk of Bipolar Disorder, Depression

Heavy users of marijuana might face an increased risk of bipolar disorder and depression, a new study suggests.

The analysis of more than 6.6 million Danish individuals found that having cannabis use disorder doubled or even tripled the odds for most forms of depression or bipolar disorder. When it came to bipolar disorder in particular, "...

Minimally Invasive Surgery May Be Good Option for People With Pancreatic Cancer

Minimally invasive surgery works just as well as full-scale open surgery in removing early-stage pancreatic cancers, allowing patients a faster recovery with less infection risk, a new clinical trial has found.

The ability to remove all the cancer and the rate of cancer recurrence was essentially the same between the two groups, said lead ...

Are ERs Safe? Patients, Nurses and Doctors Say No in New Survey

Emergency departments aren’t perceived as safe for professionals or their patients, according to an international survey from the European Society of Emergency Medicine (EUSEM).

More than 90% of emergency professionals surveyed said they felt at times the number of patients exceeded the capacity the emergency department (ED) had to prov...

Could Microbiome Changes Explain Rise in Colon Cancer Among the Young?

With colon cancer on the rise among younger Americans, researchers are working to figure out why.

A new study suggests the microbiome — the community of microorganisms in the body — may play a role.

“Younger people with colorectal cancer have more biologically aggressive cancers and whatever survival benefit they have by being...

Switching to Plant-Based Diet Helps Your Heart, Major Study Finds

Vegetarian and vegan diets lead to lower blood levels of cholesterol and fats, according to a major new analysis of all evidence from clinical trials published since 1982.

Compared to people eating an omnivorous diet, those following a plant-based diet experienced an average reduction in total cholesterol levels of 7% from levels measured...

8 Key Factors Are Shortening the Lives of Black Americans

Black Americans face a greater risk of early death than white people do, and now a new study points to the reasons why.

Known as the social determinants of health, these eight factors are critical for health and well-being.

The reason that Black adults in the United States have a 59% higher risk of premature death than white adults ...

More Mpox Cases Reported as Health Officials Fear a Summer Resurgence

U.S. health officials are bracing for the possibility that mpox could surge again this summer as cases mount in several states.

On Thursday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 21 more cases of mpox, with Illinois, New York and Maryland reporting the most new infections. Illinois had nine, while New York and Maryla...

Experts Devise Symptom Checklist to Help Define Long COVID

Researchers have developed a definition and symptom checklist for long COVID, based on initial findings from a study of nearly 10,000 Americans.

The study identified a set of 12 long-term symptoms that can occur following infection with COVID-19. These symptoms — ranging from "brain fog" to chest pain — are linked to the effects of the...

Depression Treatments: Medications, Lifestyle Changes & More

Depression is a debilitating condition that can leave its millions of sufferers in despair.

Globally, an estimated 5% of adults suffer from depression, according to the World Health Organization.

Luckily, there are a variety of depression treatments that can help manage and ease symptoms. These can range from medications to lifestyl...

Attachment Theory: What It Is, Stages & the Different Attachment Styles

Attachment theory sounds like a complicated concept, but when you're a parent it can sometimes boil down to a crying, clinging child who does not want to be separated from you.

Put simply, attachment theory explores the lasting psychological and emotional bonds between individuals.

Developed by British psychologist John Bowlby and th...

FDA Grants Full Approval to Paxlovid to Treat COVID-19

Americans with COVID-19 have been taking Paxlovid since it was approved under emergency use in late 2021. Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted full approval to the drug.

This approval will allow drugmaker Pfizer to sell the medication at market rate once government supplies are used up.

Paxlovid is the fourth antivira...