When Is It Nail Fungus?

THURSDAY, July 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- If you think you have nail fungus, you might be tempted to hide your problem with nail polish or self-treat with over-the-counter antifungal products. But you should visit a doctor instead, a dermatologist suggests.

"Nail fungus can be an embarrassing problem, but you shouldn't be embarrassed...

Binge Drinking Rates Dropping on College Campuses

THURSDAY, July 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- After years of increases in binge drinking among the college crowd, new research shows those rates have now dropped.

Unfortunately, the reverse held true for young adults who did not go to college.

Between 1999 and 2005, binge drinking among college students jumped from 37 percent ...

Hearing Loss Rates Holding Steady for U.S. Teens: Study

THURSDAY, July 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- There's good and bad news from a new study on the noise blasted in American teenagers' ears -- more kids are listening to music via earphones than ever before, but rates of hearing loss have not increased.

Still, "the overall take-home message ... is that not only are the elderly at danger of...

'Super Moms' and 'Super Dads': Work-Home Conflicts Affect Both Genders

THURSDAY, July 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Contrary to stereotypes, it's not only women who struggle to balance work and family responsibilities, according to a new report.

In a review of more than 350 studies, researchers found that, overall, men and women reported similar levels of "work-family conflicts."

That runs counte...

Melanoma Isn't the Only Serious Skin Cancer

THURSDAY, July 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- A type of skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is increasingly common in the United States, so people need to be alert for signs of the disease, an expert says.

About 700,000 new cases of this skin cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year, according to the American Acad...

Eczema Can Take a Toll on Adults

THURSDAY, July 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- The itchy, rashy skin condition eczema sometimes takes a heavier toll on adults than children, an expert says.

"Adult eczema patients may have dealt with their symptoms for their entire lives, which can be draining, or they may experience symptoms for the first time as adults, which can be a ...

Can Dogs Teach Doctors New Tricks?

THURSDAY, July 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Can your canine companion help you fight off a troubling skin condition?

Possibly. Well, maybe not your dog, per se, but dogs in general. A human skin specialist said that dogs can offer valuable insight into human skin conditions such as eczema.

"Dermatologists, veterinarian...

Golfing and Gardening Your Way to Fitness

THURSDAY, July 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Leisure-time activities like golf and gardening can become efficient calorie-burning exercises -- if you tweak your routine just a bit.

Here's how to turn these popular pursuits into muscle-building workouts.

On the links, skip the golf cart, suggest experts at the Harvard School of...

Senate Rejects Repeal of Obamacare Without Replacement

WEDNESDAY, July 26, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- In yet another blow to Republican efforts to dismantle Obamacare, the Senate on Wednesday voted down a proposal to repeal the health care reform law without an immediate replacement.

In a 45-55 vote, seven Republicans voted against the measure: Sens. Shelley Moor...

More E-Cigarettes, Fewer Tobacco Smokers?

WEDNESDAY, July 26, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- More Americans are giving up cigarettes, and a new study suggests electronic cigarettes may be the reason why.

After stalling for 15 years, the U.S. quit-smoking rate rose to nearly 6 percent in 2014-2015, up from less than 5 percent in prior years, according to national survey data.

Drug Beats Steroids for Controlling Blood Vessel Inflammation in Study

WEDNESDAY, July 26, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- The drug tocilizumab performs better than steroids in treating the most common form of blood vessel inflammation known as giant cell arteritis, a new study has shown.

The phase 3 clinical trial of 251 patients confirmed that tocilizumab (Actemra) reduced symptoms and also the need for high-d...

Noninvasive Brain Test May Pinpoint Type of Dementia

WEDNESDAY, July 26, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Distinguishing Alzheimer's disease from another common form of dementia may get easier using a new, noninvasive technique, researchers say.

While Alzheimer's is the best-known form of dementia, another form of brain deterioration, called frontotemporal dementia (FTD), accounts for 10 percent...

The Couple That Lives Together Shares Skin Bacteria Together

WEDNESDAY, July 26, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- While it's often said that couples start to look alike over time, new research suggests their skin bacteria may do the same.

The study, of 20 couples who were living together, found that partners showed similarities in their skin's "microbiome."

In fact, those similarities were str...

Robotic Device May Help Gait in Kids With Cerebral Palsy

WEDNESDAY, July 26, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- A robotic training device helped improve the walking ability of children with cerebral palsy who suffer from a condition known as "crouch gait," a small study found.

The device provided strength training for muscles that were too weak to support fully upright posture, explained senior resear...

In Mice, Brain Cells Discovered That Might Control Aging

WEDNESDAY, July 26, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Scientists working with mice believe they've identified brain cells that control aging.

The discovery could lead to new ways to treat age-related diseases in people and extend lives, according to researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City.

Their laborat...

Can Suicide Tries Spread Among Soldiers?

WEDNESDAY, July 26, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Troubling new study findings suggest that U.S. Army soldiers are more likely to try to kill themselves if another member of their unit has attempted suicide in the previous year.

In fact, the researchers linked almost 20 percent of such suicide attempts to recent attempts by others in their ...

Don't Put Off Weight-Loss Surgery Till You're Heavier

WEDNESDAY, July 26, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- Having weight-loss surgery before you become severely obese tends to achieve better results, a new study finds.

Researchers found that people who underwent bariatric surgery when their body mass index (BMI) was less than 40 were more likely to achieve a BMI below 30 (overweight but not obese...

Opioid Abuse Down in Younger Americans, But Up Among Older Adults

WEDNESDAY, July 26, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- While opioid abuse has fallen among younger Americans, the same cannot be said for older adults, a new government report shows.

Opioid abuse includes either the use of heroin or illegal use of prescription opioid painkillers, such as oxycodone (Oxycontin, Percocet) and hydrocodone (Vicoprofe...

Teaching an Old Brain New Tricks

WEDNESDAY, July 26, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- You might pride yourself on your ability to multitask. But research shows that brain health may suffer when multitasking involves many gadgets, such as surfing the web or playing a video game on your phone while you're also watching TV.

According to research published in the journal PLoS ...