Health & Fitness
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CT scans examined in cancer probe
Youngsters who have CT scans are more likely to get cancer than those who do not, a study suggests. Researchers found that children and teenagers exposed to scans were 24 per cent more likely to have cancer than those who had never had such...
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Call on iodine levels in pregnancy
Pregnant women and those planning to have children should ensure adequate iodine intake, according to the authors of a new report. Lack of iodine, for which good dietary sources are milk, dairy products and fish, can lead to reduced mental...
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Does prostate cancer treatment help older, sick men?
Older men with other illnesses may not live long enough to benefit from aggressive prostate cancer treatments, such as prostate removal or radiation, and they’d have to live with their side effects, says a new study. “If you’re going to die of a...
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New implant for prominent ears
A new implant could make cosmetic surgery for those unhappy with their prominent ears quicker and easier. Protruding ears have traditionally been treated with surgery known as otoplasty, which requires general anesthetic and takes up to 90...
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Warning over antibiotic resistance
Medical experts from around the globe need to work together to try to tackle the “catastrophic threat” of antibiotic resistance, the British Health Secretary said. Jeremy Hunt warned that there are “few” public health issues of greater importance...
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Tiny genetic code strands observed
Scientists say they have formed the most complete picture yet of how the body controls the production of proteins needed to stay healthy. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh are tracking the complex interactions between genes that enable...
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Childhood ADHD tied to obesity decades later
Boys who are diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in elementary school are more likely to grow up to be obese adults than those who don’t have the condition, a new study suggests. Researchers surveyed two groups of...
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Exercise – the best medicine
We live in a world of advanced scientific, technological and medical practice, but unfortunately, for all our discoveries and inventions are worth, we still haven’t quite achieved the idyllic goal of perfect health for all. Some might even say that...
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Livelife Rehabilitation Centre marks its first anniversary
Livelife Rehabiliation Centre, the first private specialised Physical Rehabilitation Centre in Malta, recently marked its first anniversary. Located in the heart of Sliema, the centre is a joint venture between Caremalta Group and the St James...
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Thyroid unearthed
Although I have written about the two common thyroid conditions before, I have spent the past few months unearthing further information I would never have considered unless I had not been experiencing hypothyroid symptoms myself. What I discovered...
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Morally active care companies
In this day and age, care companies are vital to promote values, to enhance the value of others, and to value both the employees who work in the service and also the service users. Values is commonly used term in modern society. Every person has...
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Stomach downsizing – obesity cure?
It may appear strange that currently, in the so-called developed world, one major medical problem is our inability to control the amount of food we eat, necessitating dependence on unusual and unnatural ways of reducing food intake. ‘Enforced’...
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Headteachers’ advice to parents
Parents should give their children “lots of hugs”, play games and ensure youngsters get enough sleep, according to new advice from headteachers in the UK. They are also urging families to eat dinner together and make time for homework, reading and...
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New cancer tools allow patients to reconsider chemo
After decades of using one-size-fits-all therapies to combat cancer, doctors are using new tools to help decide when their patients can skip chemotherapy or other harsh treatments. An approach to oncology that has been in place for decades is...
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Drug hope for leukaemia sufferers
A new leukaemia drug could give “hope” to many patients who previously had nowhere left to turn, a blood cancer charity said. Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research said obinutuzumab could give patients “effective, life-prolonging treatment”. The drug...
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Patients ‘unaware of side effects’
Half of patients don’t know about the potential side effects of medication before they start taking it, figures suggest. Medicines can produce unwanted symptoms but a new poll found that only 49 per cent of people are ‘usually’ aware of the side...
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UK parents warned about energy drinks
More needs to be done to warn parents about the dangers of energy drinks to children, a Welsh Assembly Member has said. Jenny Rathbone expressed concern that the makers of caffeine laced beverages are actively marketing their products to...
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'Magic bullet' for lung patients
A new medicine hailed as a magic bullet could revolutionise the treatment of intensive care patients with lung disorders, scientists claimed. The new drug – developed by researchers at Queen’s University, Belfast – could become the first effective...
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Traffic fumes link to kidney damage
Defective kidneys may be a sign that traffic pollution is harming the arteries, research suggests. Scientists who tested 1,100 stroke patients found a link between reduced kidney function and living close to a major road. They believe kidney damage...
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Teen texting at the wheel tied to more driving risks
Teenagers who text while driving are also more likely to engage in other risky activities, such as riding with an intoxicated driver or not wearing a seatbelt, a new study suggests. Researchers from the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention...
