Taking cholesterol-lowering statins could increase your risk of musculoskeletal disorders and joint diseases, new research suggests. Statins are medications used to reduce blood cholesterol levels in people at risk of heart attacks, strokes, and angina (chest pain). The drugs are frequently prescribed as a preventive measure for older adults, diabetics, and patients with a family history of cardiovascular illnesses.
Read MoreTwo new studies demonstrate the effectiveness of trigger point therapy for chronic calf and knee pain. Myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) are hyperirritable spots of pain located in the taut bands of muscle fibers. Trigger point therapy is a treatment commonly used by chiropractors, massage therapists, and other manual therapists to alleviate pain.
Read MoreA new study conducted by Norwegian researchers has revealed the health benefits of regular high-intensity exercise. For the CONSORT trial, men aged 35 to 45 were recruited between January and April 2009. All of the men were healthy but inactive, with a body mass index of 25 to 30 kg/ m2.
Read MoreNew guidelines from the Congress of Neurological Surgeons and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons recommend against the use of steroid injections for acute spinal cord injuries. Previously the injections were recommended "with consideration to the risk/reward profile" as determined by a physician. But a growing body of research of the last decade led the association to reverse its earlier guidelines on the use of steroid injections for spinal cord injuries (SCIs). "Class I, II, and III evidence exists that high-dose steroids are associated with harmful side effects including death," the authors of the guidelines wrote. They stated that there is "no consistent or compelling medical evidence of any class to justify administration of MP[steroid injection] for acute SCI." In issuing the updated guidelines, researchers from the Congress of Neurological Surgeons conducted a meta-analysis of 28 studies on the effects of steroid injections on patients with acute spinal cord injuries.
Read MoreEach year, more parents report that their children suffer from recurrent headaches. Diagnosis and treatment can both pose complications for health-care providers. Some suspect that a portion of these pediatric headaches may be cervicogenic headache, which result from damage in the upper spine and the muscles in the neck, shoulders, and upper back.
Read MoreNon-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are very commonly used to relieve aches and pains. Today, millions of people will take Ibuprofen, which is one type of NSAID sold in low doses as an over-the-counter pain medication.
Read MoreA new study shows for the first time that probiotics in the diet can affect brain activity in humans. Using functional MRI (fMRI), researchers discovered that women who regularly consumed foods with probiotics had altered activity in areas of the brain that process sensation and emotion. It's still unclear whether these changes are beneficial, since evaluating the effects will require additional research. However researchers hope to pursue studying how probiotics affect people with irritable bowel syndrome and anxiety. Earlier research has demonstrated that gut microbiota can affect brain activity and behavior in mice, but this is the first study to show that probiotics can affect resting brain activity in humans. "This gives credence to the idea that we may eventually modulate brain function in disease states using probiotics," explained John Cryan, PhD, who led the earlier research on mice and probiotics, and commented on the new study for Medscape Medical News. Dr.Cryan pointed out that they still have to investigate the mechanisms as to how the bacteria are affecting the brain. The study, published in the journal Gastroenterology, included 36 healthy women with no psychiatric or gastrointestinal conditions.
Read MoreChiropractic adjustments were just as effective as epidural injections for patients with back pain in a new study -- without the risks and at lower cost. The findings show that chiropractic can significantly reduce pain in patients with lumbar disc herniation, and is less expensive than medical treatment. Lumbar epidural injections are frequently used for back pain and sciatica in patients with lumbar disc herniation, failed back surgery syndrome, and spinal stenosis. During the procedure, a physician injects a high dose of pain medication, and sometimes steroids, into the area of the lumbar spine around the damaged nerve.
Read MoreWe are in the middle of what some refer to an obesity epidemic, so it is unfortunate to find research that shows that consumers are not as informed about what they are taking into their bodies as they should be. Yet, there is a glimmer of hope that information may be key at reversing bad nutritional decision-making. A new study published by a journal of the British Medical Association revealed that consumers are greatly underestimating the calories in their meals at fast food chains, particularly young people.
Read MorePhysical workload and socio-economic status are two factors that have been previously been shown to effect the likelihood of low-back pain. While some studies have demonstrated that workers with a high physical workload are more susceptible to pain in the low back, others have shown that a low socio-economic status (SES) also increases the risk of low-back pain (LBP) and recovery from it. In a recent study published in the journal Spine, researchers in Denmark sought to understand how these factors were interrelated.
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