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How to Spot, and Talk About, Hearing Loss in a Loved One

You're gathering with friends or family and something's just a bit off in conversation with a loved one.

It could be new-onset hearing loss, said Dr. Angela Peng, an otolaryngologist at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

Some of the telltale signs that someone's hearing might be failing include:

• The person simply ...

Estrogen May Trigger Binge Drinking, Prelim Study Suggests

A woman’s binge drinking might be related to her hormones.

The female hormone estrogen appears to promote binge drinking in women, a new mouse study published recently in the journal Nature Communications shows.

Specifically, estrogen causes women to “pre-game,” or consume large quantities of alcohol within...

The Number of Homeless People in the U.S. Has Increased

The number of homeless individuals in the U.S. increased by 18% between January 2023 and January 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The HUD's 2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment found that some 770,000 people were experiencing homelessness on a single night in January 2024, a significant increase...

Weight-Loss Drugs, Wily Viruses, Abortion Pill Under Attack: The Top Health Stories of 2024

It was a year in health news that will be hard to forget.

As blockbuster weight-loss drugs known as GLP-1s made a sizable dent in the obesity epidemic, study after study revealed other ways in which these powerful medications can improve health.

At the same time, multiple viruses posed new threats: Bird flu spread widely through U.S....

Use Your Freezer to Fight Food Waste, Protect the Planet

The bounty of the holidays often leads to loads of leftovers landing in the garbage after they go bad.

A freezer can prevent such food waste by preserving edible food for later meals, a new study suggests.

Discarded frozen items make up just 6% of wasted household food in the United States, according to results published recently in ...

Heat Waves Threaten Brain Health, Study Suggests

Global warming will increasingly have dire consequences for people with degenerative brain disorders like dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.

Heat waves caused by climate change will exacerbate the symptoms of people with brain diseases, increasing their risk of death, researchers reported recently in the jou...

Moms Take on 70% of 'Mental Load' for Household Tasks: Study

If you're a mom right now, you are likely tearing your hair out as you juggle the sizable scheduling demands of the holiday season. Maybe you feel like you are carrying the load alone.

New research suggests you are not imagining things, and that it happens all year long to many moms.

The study, published recently in the <...

Norovirus Cases Are Up in Pockets of the U.S.

Norovirus, a highly contagious stomach bug, is surging across the United States this winter, according to the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The data shows 91 outbreaks of norovirus during the week of Dec. 5, a sharp rise from the 69 outbreaks recorded the previous week.

For context, the ...

CDC Reports Potentially Troublesome Mutations in Bird Flu Found in Louisiana Patient

Federal health officials have confirmed unsettling new details about the first United States case of severe bird flu, reported recently in a hospitalized patient in Louisiana.

Genetic samples from the patient contained mutations that could, in theory, help the virus better infect human cells.

Importantly, these mutations were observe...

Single Peoples' Personalities Differ from Partnered Peoples'

Single folks might seem like they’re free to have more fun, but a new study says they may pay the piper in their later years.

Lifelong single folks have lower scores on life satisfaction measures than those in long-term relationships, according to a study published recently in the journal Psychological Science.

Singles...

Singapore Is Ready for a Rapidly Aging Society, Study Says. What About the U.S.?

The United States is lagging behind dozens of nations in its preparation for dealing with its aging population.

The U.S. ranks 24 among 143 countries when it comes to ensuring seniors’ well-being, productivity and security, according to results published Dec. 27 in the journal Nature Aging.

By compariso...

How to Manage the Blues this Holiday Season

Blue Christmas, anyone? Holiday time can be wonderful, worrisome, energizing and depressing -- all at the same time.

There is no doubt about it: The holidays can be darn hard, especially when the season dredges up painful feelings or memories. Rather than stirring merry and joyful feelings, the end of the year can feel sad, dark and lone...

New Legislation Will Help Schools Handle Heart Emergencies

Schoolkids will be better able to save the life of a cardiac arrest victim, thanks to a new law signed this week by President Joe Biden.

The Cardiomyopathy Health Education, Awareness, Research and Training in Schools (HEARTS) Act creates a new grant program to provide United States schools with additional resources to respond to a heart h...

Money, Gun Violence, Hate Crimes: Poll Reveals Top Worries at the End of 2024

Should you cut back on doom scrolling in 2025?

Worries about money, gun violence and hate crimes ranked high among many people's lists of worries at the end of 2024, according to a poll that is part of American Psychiatric Association (APA) Healthy Minds Monthly opinion poll series. The survey included 2200 U.S. adults.

Reducing new...

Bird Flu Kills 20 Big Cats at Washington Sanctuary, Causing Quarantine

A devastating bird flu outbreak has killed 20 big cats at the Wild Felid Advocacy Center of Washington, a nonprofit animal sanctuary in Shelton, Wash.

The deaths, which include four cougars and a half-Bengal tiger, have led the sanctuary to declare a quarantine to prevent further spread of the virus.

"Our sanctuary is under quarantin...

Proposed FDA Rule Targets Asbestos in Talc Cosmetic Products

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed a new rule to require standardized testing of talc-containing cosmetics for asbestos, a known carcinogen linked to serious illnesses such as lung and ovarian cancers.

According to an FDA report, the proposed rule would mandate that manufacturers test each batch of talc-containing cos...

In Kids with Crohn's Disease, TNF Inhibitors Help Prevent Serious Complications, Data Suggests

FRIDAY, Dec. 27, 2024 (HealthDay News) A specific class of anti-inflammatory drugs can help children avoid a debilitating complication of Crohn’s disease.

A new study published recently in the journal Gut shows children with Crohn's who were prescribed anti-TNF (tumor necrosis factor) drugs following their diagnosis had an 8...

Has RSV Vaccine Hesitancy Subsided?

More Americans believe in the effectiveness of vaccines developed to protect newborns and seniors against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

More than half of U.S. adults (52%) think the RSV vaccine given to pregnant women will protect newborns from the infection, up from 42% a year ago, say survey results from the Annenberg Public Policy ...

Study: Blood Transfusion Post-Heart Attack May Be Critical for Those with Anemia

A blood transfusion following a heart attack could be a life-saving measure for patients with anemia.

A new evidence review published in the journal NEJM Evidence shows anemic patients had a slightly lower risk of death within six months of a heart attack if they were given more transfusions.

“The results of this analy...

FDA Approves Generic GLP-1 Medicine For Diabetes Treatment

THURSDAY, Dec. 26, (2024 HealthDay News)  -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Monday the approval of the first generic version of a daily injectable GLP-1 medicine for people living with Type 2 diabetes.

Liraglutide, the generic for Victoza, is similar to semaglutide, the active ingredient in the popular weigh...