Nerve Block Cuts Opioids Needed Following Cleft Palate Surgery

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• December 19, 2025
• Full Page

Using a nerve blocker before surgery to correct cleft palate can reduce or eliminate the need to prescribe infants opioids to manage post-procedure pain, a new study says.

A nerve block administered to a nerve that provides sensation to the palate, upper jaw and upper li...

Different Mental Health Conditions Share Similar Genetics, Study Says

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• December 19, 2025
• Full Page

Psychiatric conditions as varied as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder might be driven by very similar genetic underpinnings, a new study says. 

Mental health problems can be sorted into five general genetic categories, each with a shared “genetic architecture...

Eczema Injectable Drug Provides Quick Itch Relief, Clinical Trial Results Show

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• December 19, 2025
• Full Page

A recently approved injectable eczema drug provides quick itch relief to patients with the maddening skin disease, a new study says.

Nemolizumab (Nemluvio) relieved itchiness within two days for three times as many patients as a placebo, researchers reported Dec. 16 in t...

Depression, Anxiety Increase Heart Disease Risk Through Stress, Experts Say

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• December 19, 2025
• Full Page

Depression and anxiety are linked to a higher risk of heart attack, heart disease and stroke, and researchers now think they know why.

These mood disorders appear to drive brain activity and nervous system responses that place additional stress on the heart, researchers ...

Risk Score Helps Predict Pancreatic Cancer Recurrence, Study Says

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• December 19, 2025
• Full Page

A new risk score can help predict which pancreatic cancer survivors are more likely to suffer a recurrence of their cancer, researchers said.

The score could help better manage the follow-up care for patients who’ve had pancreatic tumors surgically removed, and who...

Miracle Surgery Saves 2-Year-Old Boy With Broken Neck, Severed Spinal Cord

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• December 19, 2025
• Full Page

Two-year-old German boy Oliver Staub lay in a Mexico City hospital bed awaiting death.

An armored car going 70 mph had slammed into his family’s minivan during a vacation in Mexico.

The crash disconnected Oliver’s head from his spine, resulting in the s...

FDA Adds Brain Tumor Warning to Depo-Provera Birth Control Shot

• I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter
• December 18, 2025
• Full Page

THURSDAY, Dec. 18, 2025 (HealthDay News — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new safety warning for Depo-Provera, a widely used birth control shot made by Pfizer, alerting patients to a possible risk for a type of brain tumor called meningioma.

...

Cutting Saturated Fat Helps Those at Risk for Heart Disease, Review Finds

• I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter
• December 18, 2025
• Full Page

People who are already at risk for heart disease may see the biggest health benefit from cutting back on saturated fat, according to a new review.

The analysis — published Dec. 16 in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine — found that people with a ...

Trump Calls Fentanyl a Weapon of Mass Destruction

• I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter
• December 18, 2025
• Full Page

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order declaring the street drug fentanyl a weapon of mass destruction.

The order, signed Dec. 15, said fentanyl production and trafficking threaten U.S. national security and fuel crime at home and overseas. Speaking at the ...

New Bio-Inspired Gel Helps Tooth Enamel Grow Back

• Deanna Neff HealthDay Reporter
• December 18, 2025
• Full Page

Dental appointments may get easier and less painful soon. Scientists have developed a revolutionary gel that can repair and regrow tooth enamel.

The breakthrough could come to the aid of a problem affecting many worldwide and at a time when ingestible fluoride, a mineral...

L.A. Wildfires Linked To ER Surge In Heart Attacks, Lung Ailments

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• December 18, 2025
• Full Page

Heart attacks, lung problems and other illnesses spiked within three months of the Los Angeles wildfires early this year, a new study reports.

ER visits for heart attacks rose by 46% at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center following the January 2025 outbreak of the fires, which m...

Vapes Or Cigs, Doesn't Matter — Nicotine Is Toxic To Heart Health, Experts Say

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• December 18, 2025
• Full Page

It’s beside the point to debate whether vaping or nicotine pouches can be more healthy than smoking a cigarette, a major new report argues.

Nicotine is toxic to the heart and blood vessels regardless of how it’s consumed, according to an expert consensus repo...

High-Fat Cheese, Cream Might Protect Brain Against Dementia

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• December 18, 2025
• Full Page

Cheese is frequently featured in holiday gatherings, whether it’s grandma’s cheese ball, a fancy baked Brie or a cheese-laden gift basket.

Who knew all these holiday treats might be saving people’s brain health?

Eating more high-fat cheese and hig...

The Dark Side Of True Crime Reporting

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• December 18, 2025
• Full Page

Grieving friends and family of homicide victims or missing people often feel pressure these days to participate in true crime podcasts or documentaries, in hopes their testimonials will help catch the killer.

But this relationship is not very healthy for those trying to ...

Anxious, Depressed About An Uncertain World? Training Can Help You Cope, Study Says

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• December 18, 2025
• Full Page

Young adults are inheriting a world filled with turmoil and unrest, and this instability is leaving its mark on their mental and emotional health.

A single half-hour course, however, could help them feel less anxious and depressed, by helping them increase their toleranc...

New Rapid Test IDs Bacteria Involved In Urinary Tract Infections, Possibly Improving Treatment

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• December 18, 2025
• Full Page

A new rapid test could improve treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs), by identifying the most effective antibiotic for each individual patient.

The test applies different antibiotics to bacteria found in urine samples, to see which one best suppresses bacterial gr...

FDA Slams Retailers for Keeping Recalled Infant Formula on Shelves

• I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter
• December 17, 2025
• Full Page

Some of the nation’s biggest retailers are receiving stern warning letters after regulators found recalled baby formula still being sold weeks after it was pulled for safety concerns.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent warning letters to Walmart, Targ...

Flu Season Starts Early in NYC as Cases Rise Fast

• I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter
• December 17, 2025
• Full Page

Flu season is getting an early start in New York City, with doctors reporting a sharp jump in cases weeks sooner than normal.

Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that New York City and nearby areas such as Long Island and northern Ne...

CDC Officially Moves Away From Universal Hepatitis B Shot at Birth

• I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter
• December 17, 2025
• Full Page

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) rescinded its long-standing advice on universal hepatitis B vaccination of newborns.

Under the new policy, parents of babies born to mothers who test negative for hepatitis B are now advised to talk with a health ...

Many Americans Say U.S. Health Care is in Trouble, Poll Finds

• I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter
• December 17, 2025
• Full Page

Nearly 1 in 4 Americans believe the U.S. health care system is in crisis, and high costs are the top reason why, according to a new poll.

The data, released Dec. 15 by Gallup Inc., showed that 29% of adults consider the biggest health problem facing the country to be the...