The best time to treat brain plaques may be the 15-year period when they are first developing. These plaques are found in Alzheimer’s disease and are linked to a decline in memory and thinking abilities.
Many plants can cause rash, so it’s important to learn how to take precautions against them. The easiest way is to wear long sleeves and pants when gardening or spending time near potentially poisonous plants, as well as a thick pair of work gloves.
It appears the risk of dying from breast cancer is not greater in women with dense breasts who get breast cancer. That may be because women with breast cancer often are treated with medicines that lower estrogen levels and block the effects of estrogen.
Restless legs syndrome causes unpleasant sensations in, and sudden spontaneous movements of, the legs-typically during sleep or when at rest during the day. Exercises, heating pads, hot tubs, and several medicines may provide sufficient relief.
Health applications (apps) for mobile health are not yet regulated. That means there’s no way to know which apps are accurate and reliable. Harvard experts warn against using cellphones to diagnose or treat any conditions.
Kids mostly get warts from family members and classmates, not from public places, a new study suggests. The authors said advice on preventing warts may need to change. The study included about 1,000 schoolchildren. They were 4 to 12 years old when the study began. A medical student examined their hands and feet. Nearly one-third had warts. Parents answered questions about the history of warts for the child, family members, classmates and friends. Parents also were asked whether the child used public pools or showers. A different medical student examined the children for warts 11 to 18 months later. Warts occurred twice as often among white children and those who had other family members with warts. Having classmates with warts also increased risk somewhat. Using a public swimming pool appeared to increase risk. But the difference was so small it could have been caused by chance.
Exercise is known to reduce the risk of heart disease. But a physically demanding job may increase risk, two new studies suggest. One study looked at 500 adults who had a first stroke, heart attack or other heart-related event. They were more likely to have physically demanding jobs than a comparison group of 500 healthy adults. This was true even after researchers adjusted the numbers for age, smoking and other factors that affect heart attack and stroke risk. A second study included 14,000 middle-aged men who did not have heart disease. But those with physically demanding jobs were more likely to develop it during 3 years of follow-up. And that risk increased almost 5-fold if they also exercised during their leisure time. For people with less active jobs, on the other hand, heart disease risk dropped 60% if they exercised during leisure time.