In the days and weeks following a concussion, it’s often tough to give patients a clear sense of their recovery time. Now, a new study of college football players suggests that measuring blood flow in the brain might help. “It provides support for using cerebral blood flow as an objective signal for the initial evaluation … Read more

Chronic fatigue syndrome appears to be linked to specific changes in a person’s immune system, particularly increased amounts of chemical messengers that regulate immune responses, researchers report. The study adds to growing evidence that chronic fatigue syndrome is caused by a malfunctioning immune system, said lead author Dr. Mady Hornig. She is director of Translational … Read more

Recent news reports suggest that teachers with the power to impact the emotional well-being of our children is a topic on everyone’s mind. The question has now been raised, should a teacher have free reign to punish or administer consequences to a child without parental permission? There has been a whirlwind of news surrounding a … Read more

Several drug alerts made the news this year. The warning from the FDA said clinicians should stop prescribing combination prescription pain relievers that contain more than 325 mg of acetminiophen, citing the risk for liver damage.   The agency also lowered the recommended starting dose of the sleep aid eszopiclone (Lunesta, Sunovion Pharmaceuticals). “Data shows … Read more

Federal health officials estimate that nearly 48 million people are sickened by food contaminated with harmful germs each year, and some of the causes might surprise you. Although most people know animal products must be handled carefully to prevent illness, many don’t realize that produce can also be the culprit in outbreaks of foodborne illness. … Read more

You’ve heard that using screens before bedtime can mess with your sleep, but new research suggests the problem is even more serious. Reading from an iPad before bed not only makes it harder to fall asleep, but also impacts how sleepy and alert you are the next day, according to new research from Brigham and … Read more

In this sweet, sweet world we live in, losing weight can be a dull and flavorless experience. Lovely stove-popped popcorn drenched in butter gives way to dry microwaved half-burnt kernels covered in dusty yellow powder. The cookies and candy that help us get through the long afternoons are replaced with virtuous but boring apples and … Read more

Your spouse says your snoring is driving her nuts. You wake up feeling unrested and irritable. You nod off at the computer—or worse, at the wheel. These are common signs that you may have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a sleep disorder that—left untreated—can take its toll on the body and mind. Untreated OSA has been … Read more

Medicare is penalizing 721 hospitals with high rates of potentially avoidable mistakes that can harm patients, known as “hospital-acquired conditions.” Penalized hospitals will have their Medicare payments reduced by 1 percent over the fiscal year that runs from October 2014 through September 2015. To determine penalties, Medicare evaluated three types of HACs. One is central-line … Read more

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is an annual campaign to increase awareness of this devastating disease. While most women are aware of breast cancer, many forget to take the steps to have a plan to detect the disease in its early stages and encourage others to do the same. Not all women who … Read more