Jan. 16, 2012 -- Breaking an arm and wearing a sling or a cast is a real inconvenience, to say the least. When it's the arm you depend on to eat, write, dress, brush your teeth, bathe, and do most everything, well, that's when all the fun begins.

But Swiss researchers have discovered that the brain adjusts quickly to a broken limb. It doesn't take long -- perhaps a week or two -- before ... ]]> English 2012-1-18 4:42:47 http://www.39kf.com/EN/Health-News/2011-12-29-781230.shtml Dec. 28, 2011 -- Adults who get their first cat double their risk of cat allergy -- especially if the cat is allowed in the bedroom.

But adults who had cats as kids are less likely to become allergic to their new feline pets, a large European study finds.

An adult's risk of developing a new cat allergy over a nine-year period "was nearly doubled in those acquiring a cat," report Mario Olivieri, MD, of the University of Verona, Italy, and colleagues. "Interesti... ]]> English 2011-12-29 18:45:00 http://www.39kf.com/EN/Health-News/2011-12-11-776608.shtml

Dec. 10, 2011 -- Sebastian Misztal recently cut himself shaving. The bleeding stopped.

Such a mundane occurrence wouldn’t usually make medical headlines. But for Misztal, a 31-year-old London businessman, and others with the inherited blood disorder hemophilia, it was a big deal.?

“It’s huge,” says Katherine Ponder, MD, a professor of medicine at Washington University i... ]]> English 2011-12-11 4:44:46 http://www.39kf.com/EN/Health-News/2011-11-24-772334.shtml

Nov. 23, 2011 -- You don't have to be a germophobe to get anxious about using public restrooms. And now new research shows what many people have long suspected -- bacteria are plentiful in men's and women's public restrooms.

Using a high-tech genetic sequencing tool, researchers identified 19 groups of bacteria on the doors, floors, faucet handles, soap dispensers, and toilets of 12 p... ]]> English 2011-11-24 18:48:01 http://www.39kf.com/EN/Health-News/2011-11-18-770783.shtml

Nov. 15, 2011 -- One in five Americans aged 12 and older has hearing loss that interferes with their ability to communicate, according to new research.

"It's a pretty shocking number," says study researcher Frank R. Lin, MD, PhD, of Johns Hopkins University. The one in five, or about 48 million, have hearing loss in one or both ears.?<... ]]> English 2011-11-18 18:47:57 http://www.39kf.com/EN/Health-News/2011-11-12-769257.shtml

Nov. 11, 2011 (Chicago) -- People with gout should make sure their uric acid levels are under control -- even if they're not experiencing symptoms of the painful arthritic disorder.

"Many people are walking around with uncontrolled uric acid levels and we used to not worry about it -- if they're not having symptoms, who cares?" says Eric Matteson, MD, MPH, head of rheumatology at Mayo... ]]> English 2011-11-12 18:46:06 http://www.39kf.com/EN/Health-News/2011-11-10-768646.shtml

Nov. 10, 2011 -- There are plenty of lurid tales of people being drugged to be robbed or taken advantage of sexually. Sadly, they're not just stories -- and they may be becoming more common.

There were 14,270 emergency room visits for intentional drug poisoning in the U.S. during 2009, according to new data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). English 2011-11-10 18:47:33 http://www.39kf.com/EN/Health-News/2011-11-09-768313.shtml

Nov. 9, 2011 -- We not only pay a lot more for health care in the U.S. than in other countries, but a new study suggests the care we get is often slower and more poorly coordinated.

That's because other industrialized countries do a better job of giving patients easy access to primary care and to "medical homes" responsible for guiding care and complex treatment, according to a study p... ]]> English 2011-11-9 18:47:22 http://www.39kf.com/EN/Health-News/2011-11-01-766272.shtml

Oct. 31, 2011 -- Federal officials today released a list of critical health priorities for the coming decade designed to serve as a blueprint to help make the nation healthier by 2020.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the first time listed improving oral health and high school graduation rates as important goals for achieving better health among Americans.

Oct. 31, 2011 -- It's no surprise that many sodas have a lot of sugar. What may be more surprising is that many fruit drinks, often billed as healthier alternatives, are often loaded with close to the same amount of sugar and calories.

That is one of the findings of a new report from Yale University.

The report, being presented today at the American Public Health associatio... ]]> English 2011-11-1 18:53:48 http://www.39kf.com/EN/pregnancy-and-family/Parenting/2011-10-29-765760.shtml If Tom Hedrick could change one thing about teen drug use, he would reduce the time it takes between a parent’s first hunch that something is wrong and the child getting treatment. The fact that teens lie about drugs, and parents believe them, delays treatment, says Hedrick, a founding member of The Partnership for a Drug-Free America.

Brian and Julie Unwin have heard a lot of lies, both from their son and through other parents in their support group. A few examples:

That means one thing: It’s probably time to give your child her first baby bottle. Maybe the bottle will contain breast milk, or maybe you’ll be switching over to baby formula. Either way, you’ll need to wean your little one from breast-only feeding to taking a baby bottle -- a transition that isn’t always easy but doesn’t have to be d... ]]> English 2011-10-24 19:15:18 http://www.39kf.com/EN/pregnancy-and-family/Parenting/2011-10-24-763438.shtml Baby’s on the way and it seems there are dozens of newborn care “must-haves” on your long list.

At the top are modern necessities like infant seats, baby strollers, and cribs of course, but what else do you need to take care of your newborn?

Recommended Related to Parenting - Baby ... ]]> English 2011-10-24 19:15:07 http://www.39kf.com/EN/pregnancy-and-family/Parenting/2011-10-24-763437.shtml Academic achievement. College scholarship. Presidential aspirations.

These used to be phrases parents tossed around at their kid's high school graduation.

Recommended Related to Children

Childhood Fears and Anxieties

Things that go bump in the night. The bane of Miss Muffet's existence. A teacher's harsh rebuke. ... ]]> English 佚名 2011-10-24 19:14:59 http://www.39kf.com/EN/pregnancy-and-family/Parenting/2011-10-24-763436.shtml Weaning babies from breast- or bottle feeding to a cup usually comes at a busy time in their lives. At the age most babies are ready to wean, they may also be developing their hand-eye coordination, teething, and learning to crawl.

And like those milestones, weaning baby can leave you with dozens of questions. How long does weaning take? When should you start? What’s the best way to do it?

Oct. 21, 2011 -- Frequent hand washing will keep those nasty bugs at bay, right? Not if you’re using a public bathroom. Paper dispensers, hand dryers, door handles -- all the things you touch after scrubbing -- are contaminated with all sorts of menacing microbes, sometimes too many to count.

"We documented extensive bacterial contamination of high‐touch environmental sites in 22 pu... ]]> English 2011-10-24 18:50:14 http://www.39kf.com/EN/Health-News/2011-10-15-762807.shtml

Oct. 14, 2011 -- The next time you reach for your cell phone, consider this: A new study found that 92% of cell phones in the U.K. have bacteria on them - including E. coli -- because people aren't washing their hands after going to the bathroom.

The E. coli came from fecal bacteria, which can survive on hands and surfaces for hours.

Researchers from the Lond... ]]> English 2011-10-15 18:47:06 http://www.39kf.com/EN/Health-News/2011-10-13-761872.shtml

Oct. 10, 2011 -- Some of the supplements that older women take to improve their health may actually raise their risk of death.

In a new study, multivitamins, folic acid, iron, copper, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin B6 supplements all increased an older woman’s risk of dying from any cause. The greatest risk was seen with iron supplements. Calcium supplements, however, seemed to reduce a... ]]> English 2011-10-13 4:46:41 http://www.39kf.com/EN/Health-News/2011-10-04-760632.shtml

Oct. 3, 2011 -- Sandals may look comfortable, but they can actually worsen the pain of people with gout.

Researchers in New Zealand say people with gout commonly wear the wrong type of shoes, leading to increased pain, impairment, and disability.

A group of scientists led by Keith Rome, PhD, of the University of Auckland in New Zealand, signed up 50 gout patients from rheum... ]]> English 2011-10-4 18:46:38 http://www.39kf.com/EN/Health-News/2011-10-01-760354.shtml

Sept. 30, 2011 -- The year isn't over, and the FDA has already seen a record number of drug shortages, an agency official said Friday.

In 2010, the FDA counted a record 178 shortages, but the total in 2011 is around 200, Valerie Jensen RPh, associate director for the Drug Shortage Program in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said during an agency webinar.

T... ]]> English 2011-10-1 18:45:55 http://www.39kf.com/EN/Health-News/2011-09-30-760027.shtml Sept. 29, 2011 -- Are you at risk from listeria, the deadly bacteria now in the news?

The death toll is rising in the ongoing outbreak from contaminated cantaloupe. It's now the largest outbreak of food-borne illness in more than a decade.

Suddenly the spotlight is on listeria. What is it? Where is it found? Who's at risk? What can we do about it? What are the symptoms of listeriosis, and how is it treated? Here's WebMD's FAQ.

What Is Listeria? English 2011-9-30 4:43:26 http://www.39kf.com/EN/Health-News/2011-09-28-759409.shtml Sept. 27, 2011 -- Robert Schwartz, MD, recently got an email from a patient he was treating for high blood pressure. In the email, the patient told Schwartz that at $130 month, the cost of his prescription blood pressure drug was too steep.

Schwartz, a professor and chairman of family medicine and community health at University of Miami School of Medicine, made some calls and found a more affordable solution for his patient.

This is how it should look, but as ... ]]> English 2011-9-28 4:40:23 http://www.39kf.com/EN/Health-News/2011-09-23-758263.shtml

Sept. 22, 2011 -- Eight people died and about 14,000 people in 38 states and Puerto Rico were sickened by bacteria and other bugs picked up during recreational swimming activities in a two-year period ending in December 2008, a new CDC report shows.

In addition, more than 4,000 people were sickened and three died due to drinking dirty water in the same January 2007-December 2008 period,... ]]> English 2011-9-23 18:46:32 http://www.39kf.com/EN/Health-News/2011-09-20-757118.shtml

Sept. 19, 2011 -- A unique compound originally isolated from sharks could prove to be a promising treatment for hepatitis B and C and other viral diseases, researchers say.

Known as squalamine, the drug has not yet been tested as an antiviral agent in humans, but it has been given to hundreds of people enrolled in clinical trials designed to test its usefulness for other conditions.

... ]]> English 2011-9-20 18:44:37 http://www.39kf.com/EN/pregnancy-and-family/Parenting/2011-09-16-756087.shtml Everyone talks about peer pressure on teens, but just how bad is it? Odds are, it’s not as bad as most parents think. Parents may lay awake at night worrying about what other kids will force their children to do. But "when we talk to young people, they tell us this vision of peer pressure is extremely rare," says Stephen Wallace, CEO of Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD).

Teens rarely strong-arm each other into trying risky things. Instead, friends play a more... ]]> English 2011-9-16 4:41:44 http://www.39kf.com/EN/Health-News/2011-09-14-755342.shtml

Sept. 13, 2011 -- U.S. adults are not fully aware of drug benefits and harms, new research shows.

Many also do not understand what the FDA drug approval process means for the safety of a drug, says study researcher Steven Woloshin, MD.

"If they have these mistaken beliefs, they may make choices and expose themselves to harm," he tells WebMD. Woloshin is a professor of medicin... ]]> English 2011-9-14 4:44:15 http://www.39kf.com/EN/Health-News/2011-09-08-754028.shtml

Sept. 7, 2011 -- The number of Americans struggling to put adequate food on the table remains at an all-time high, a new government report shows.

The report, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), finds that 49 million Americans, or one in six, lacked the resources to eat sufficient, regular meals in 2010.

That number was essentially unchanged since its peak in 2009.... ]]> English 2011-9-8 18:43:13 http://www.39kf.com/EN/Health-News/2011-09-07-753552.shtml

Sept. 6, 2011 -- Babesiosis, a potentially life-threatening tick-borne disease, is an uncommon but serious complication of blood transfusions, according to a CDC report.

The report is published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. It documents cases of transfusion-related babesiosis reported over the past three decades.

"It's uncommon but important and a high priority," ... ]]> English 2011-9-7 4:39:24 http://www.39kf.com/EN/Health-News/2011-09-02-752305.shtml

Sept. 2, 2011 -- The white coats, scrubs, and smocks of hospital doctors and nurses may look clean, but bad germs are hitching rides on their clothes, new research shows.

Uniforms worn by hospital personnel often are contaminated with the superbug MRSA and a variety of other bacteria, Israeli scientists report.

They swabbed white coats and uniforms worn by doctors and nurses ... ]]> English 2011-9-2 18:42:30 http://www.39kf.com/EN/Health-News/2011-08-25-749955.shtml

Aug. 24, 2011 -- By releasing 300,000 live mosquitoes, scientists say they've freed a remote region of Australia from the threat of dengue fever.

Before releasing them, the researchers deliberately infected the mosquitoes with a strain of a common insect bacterium, Wolbachia pipientis, that makes them incapable of spreading the dengue virus.

The four types of dengue vi... ]]> English 2011-8-25 4:39:46 http://www.39kf.com/EN/Health-News/2011-08-19-748415.shtml

Aug. 18, 2011 -- Brain-eating amoebas have killed three young Americans this summer.

What is this scary bug? How does it get to the brain? Where is it, and how can you avoid it? WebMD answers these and other questions.

What Is a Brain-Eating Amoeba?

Amoebas are single-celled organisms. The so-called brain-eating amoeba is a species disc... ]]> English 2011-8-19 18:44:51 http://www.39kf.com/EN/pregnancy-and-family/Parenting/2011-08-18-748005.shtml When your teen goes online, where does she go and what does she do? The Internet makes information accessible in ways previous generations never imagined. Social networking has all but replaced the telephone as teens’ preferred way to communicate. And online videos are putting television programmers on alert in the quest for American teens’ attention.

The Internet is also a place where anyone can say anything, where knowing the difference between fact and fiction is har... ]]> English 2011-8-18 4:43:26 http://www.39kf.com/EN/Health-News/2011-08-16-747380.shtml Aug. 15, 2011 -- Ultra-thin electronics, which can be placed on the skin as easily as a temporary tattoo, could pave the way for patient monitoring systems that would avoid the need for bulky equipment.

In one study, the adhesive patch was applied to a person's chest to pick up electrical signals produced by the heart. The measurements agreed "remarkably well" with those produced by a hospital electrocardiogram, according to the researchers.

John Rogers, PhD, ... ]]> English 2011-8-16 18:43:50 http://www.39kf.com/EN/Health-News/2011-08-13-746768.shtml

Aug. 12, 2011 -- What, exactly, is a face transplant?

The question is being asked anew with the release of dramatic before-and-after images of Charla Nash, the Connecticut woman mauled by a chimpanzee and the latest person to receive a face transplant.

Some 17 people in the world now have undergone the experimental and still misunderstood pro... ]]> English 2011-8-13 18:41:35 http://www.39kf.com/EN/Health-News/2011-08-13-746767.shtml

Aug. 12, 2011 -- Paper money may contain trace levels of bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical found in some plastics and other consumer products, a study shows.

But only small amounts of BPA are absorbed through our skin when we handle the money, the study shows.

The study is published in Environmental Science &amp; Technology.

BPA is... ]]> English 2011-8-13 18:41:34 http://www.39kf.com/EN/Health-News/2011-08-13-746766.shtml

Aug. 12, 2011 -- A rapid blood test that distinguishes between viral and bacterial infection in less than two hours could prove to be a useful weapon in the battle against antibiotic resistance.

Researchers in Israel say they have developed just such a test, but they add that more research is needed to confirm their findings.

The t... ]]> English 2011-8-13 18:41:32 http://www.39kf.com/EN/pregnancy-and-family/Parenting/2011-07-02-738872.shtml Being a new mom is undeniably rewarding and one of the most joyful experiences in life. Most moms take great care of themselves during the first three trimesters of pregnancy. But during the so-called fourth trimester, when baby comes home, mom’s nutrition tends to go by the wayside.

Moms are sleep-deprived, exhausted, coping with physical and emotional stress, taking care of baby, and have little energy to take care of themselves, let alone prepare healthy meals.

... ]]> English 2011-7-2 19:05:54 http://www.39kf.com/EN/pregnancy-and-family/Parenting/2011-07-02-738805.shtml When you found out you were pregnant, you knew you were in for sleepless nights and countless diapers. But your female friends and family members who have walked the motherhood road before you forget to mention a few things, like bigger feet, a saggy belly, and little to no sex drive.

Here is expert insight into the post-pregnancy body changes you never saw coming.

1. Sex Drive Dive

Combine sleepless nights with the shock of motherhood and a drop... ]]> English 2011-7-2 4:59:48 http://www.39kf.com/EN/pregnancy-and-family/Parenting/2011-07-02-738804.shtml Having a baby is an amazing, life-changing experience. But no matter how in love you are with your little one, caring for a newborn can take a serious toll on your sex life.

To put it bluntly: “Babies are sex killers,” says psychiatrist Gail Saltz, MD, at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

... ]]> English 2011-7-2 4:59:45 http://www.39kf.com/EN/pregnancy-and-family/Parenting/2011-07-02-738803.shtml

June 28, 2011 -- New federal rules take effect today banning the manufacture and sale of baby cribs with drop-down side rails.

The cribs have been linked to at least 32 infant deaths since 2000, according to the National Institutes of Health.

The new rules, released by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, require manufacturers and retailers to meet new safer crib standards ... ]]> English 2011-7-2 4:59:41 http://www.39kf.com/EN/pregnancy-and-family/Parenting/2011-07-02-738802.shtml Here’s something few people will tell you when you’re pregnant and about to become a new mom. Among the many new emotions you’ll experience as a parent, guilt is likely to be right up there at the top.

The stakes for parents these days are higher than ever. “We live in an age of high expectations that everything is a Kodak, or nowadays a Facebook, moment,” says Alan Manevitz, MD, a psychiatrist with Lenox Hill Hospital in New York. “It’s very easy for mothers of ne... ]]> English 2011-7-2 4:59:34 http://www.39kf.com/EN/pregnancy-and-family/Parenting/2011-07-02-738801.shtml

June 13, 2011 -- Protection against sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) may be yet another benefit of breastfeeding.

A new review of recent research studies shows that infants who were breastfed were about 60% less likely to die from SIDS than infants who didn't receive any breast milk. This protective effect increased the longer the baby was breastfed and if the baby was exclusively brea... ]]> English 2011-7-2 4:59:30 http://www.39kf.com/EN/pregnancy-and-family/Parenting/2011-07-02-738800.shtml In every issue of WebMD the Magazine, we ask our experts to answer readers' questions about a wide range of topics. In our June 2011 issue, Jennifer Shu, MD, one of WebMD's Baby Experts, answered a question dealing with a baby's chronic diaper rash.

Q: My son keeps getting diaper rash. What can I do?

A: Diaper rash -- that red, bumpy, or raw skin in the diaper area -- is a very common condition for babies. It's also prevent... ]]> English 2011-7-2 4:59:27 http://www.39kf.com/EN/pregnancy-and-family/Parenting/2011-07-02-738799.shtml In every issue of WebMD the Magazine, we ask our experts to answer readers' questions about a wide range of topics. In our June 2011 issue, Daniel Brennan, MD, one of WebMD's Baby Experts, answered a question about the best age for adding solid food to a baby's diet.

Q: My baby is 3 months old. How will I know when he is ready for solid food?

Like Wolf, many parents who are concerned about the health of the environment and the health of their babies are choosing to create earth-friendly nurseries. "When it comes to preparing your baby's nursery, it's important to think about not just h... ]]> English 2011-7-2 4:59:11 http://www.39kf.com/EN/pregnancy-and-family/Parenting/2011-07-02-738797.shtml More and more parents with children and babies are going green – and we're not talking about broccoli. Since 2002, sales of organic products, from strawberries to clothing and shampoo, have nearly tripled, according to a 2010 survey done by the Organic Trade Association. "I see lots of families asking questions about everything from organic infant formula to sleep positioners," says Paul Horowitz, MD, a pediatrician at Discovery Pediatrics in Valencia, Calif. ?

But befor... ]]> English 2011-7-2 4:59:09