Here’s a problem faced by many families with an older relative suffering from dementia and it will get more common. We’re finding that when dementia patients go into hospital they prove challenging for nursing staff to cope with due to … Read More
DIY test could boost amount of cervical cancer screenings
Earlier this year I expressed concern that frighteningly large numbers of women weren’t taking up cancer screening appointments. There are many reasons why women are slow to respond to requests for these crucial tests. In the first instance, a smear … Read More
Call for more obese kids to have gastric bypass surgery
I find myself shaking my head in disbelief when I read that the American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending gastric bypasses in young children. I’m gobsmacked because weight loss surgery is normally the last resort for severely obese adults who … Read More
HRT benefits could outweigh risk of getting breast cancer
Recently a report was published saying that HRT increased the risk of breast cancer and we saw the usual scare tactics in some areas of the media. This in turn leads to fear and anxiety among women taking HRT and … Read More
Drink Belgian beer for the good of your health
By now we know how important our gut bacteria are, the good ones at least. And we must do all we can to look after them. Well, here’s a method a lot of people will be pleased about. Drink beer! … Read More
Ex-footballers more likely to develop brain diseases
A couple of years ago I wrote about the brain damage that affects American footballers from the physical collisions that are a major feature of the game. Then the same phenomenon appeared in British footballers from the impact of heading … Read More
New study into possible harmful effects of paracetamol during pregnancy
There’s been a study in the US about Tylenol, paracetamol to you and me, linking it to causing harm to an unborn child. Paracetamol is thought of as safe by most pregnant women, and I don’t want to spread alarm, … Read More
It’s time to ban useless cigarette filters to stub out litter
Do the heaps of cigarette butts that litter the ground where smokers gather get on your nerves? Did you know the filter tips on cigarettes are the most common item of litter in the world? The largest part of most … Read More
Another big step forward for treatment of prostate cancer
Medically speaking we live in amazing times. New diagnostic tests, new treatments, new technology, therapies with pinpoint accuracy hunting down individual cancer cells and blasting them to extinction. One such treatment is for prostate cancer, the most common cancer in men … Read More
If the NHS can’t help your anxiety, an app just might
Medicine is getting more and more techie and many of us are now relying on devices to look after our wellbeing. According to research from consulting firm Accenture, four in 10 people said they were using tools such as online … Read More