Need to Pee? Scientists May Have Found the Gene for That

Scientists say they have spotted the gene responsible for telling you when it's time to pee.

The gene, called PIEZO2, may help at least two different types of cells sense when the bladder is full and needs to be emptied.

"Urination is essential for our health. It's one of the primary ways our bodies dispose of waste. W...

Mail-Order Prescriptions Delayed? Here's What to Do

Your mail-order prescriptions may be taking longer to get to you, but you can take steps to get your meds on time.

Recent U.S. Senate hearings found that average delivery times for prescriptions have recently increased 18% to 32%. These delays aren't only a matter of convenience -- many drugs are temperature-sensitive and pati...

Knee or Hip Replacements Cut People's Risk for Falls: Study

People who have total joint replacement, or total joint arthroplasty (TJA), experience fewer falls than those who don't undergo the surgery, a new study finds.

"Osteoarthritis (OA) is the degeneration of the cartilage in our joints over the years," said lead author Dr. Ran Schwarzkopf, an orthopedic surgeon at NYU Langone Health in Ne...

AHA News: Study Highlights Heart-Health Issues for Adults Who Were Preemies

Erin Wegener was a tiny baby facing enormous challenges.

Born at 29 weeks' gestation, she weighed only 1 pound, 14 ounces. Her first three months were lived in the neonatal intensive care unit. Family photos show her covered in gauze, sustained by too many tubes to count. Her entire hand just about fit inside her father's wedding ring.

What Will It Take for People to Embrace a COVID Vaccine?

When scientists finish developing a COVID-19 vaccine, will people be willing to take it?

An international research team analyzed data from 19 countries hit hard by the new coronavirus and found that when confidence in government was low, hesitancy to accept a COVID-19 vaccine was higher.

Based on a previous survey of more tha...

Hard-to-Detect Form of Epilepsy Can Lead to Car Crashes

The most common form of epilepsy is a risk factor for car crashes, yet it can have such subtle symptoms that it often goes undiagnosed for an extended period of time, even years.

Researchers said the failure to recognize symptoms of subtle seizures is the main reason for a delay in the diagnosis of focal epilepsy.

The conditi...

Hospitals Straining Under Weight of Surging COVID Case Counts

As the United States witnessed record-breaking daily coronavirus case counts over the weekend, public health experts warned that hospitals may soon reach a breaking point.

More than 41,000 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized across the country, a 40 percent rise in the past month, The New York Times reported.

But in sha...

Social Media 'Kid Influencers' Are Promoting Junk Foods

Is your kid suddenly clamoring for a fast food meal or a sugary cereal you've never even heard of? He or she may have seen the product featured on a favorite "kid influencer" video.

In a new study, researchers viewed the top 50 kid influencer videos on YouTube and found that 9 out of 10 featured unhealthy foods. Nearly 1 in 3 promoted a ...

Fading Sense of Smell Could Signal Higher Death Risk in Older Adults

If you're a senior who can't smell onions, smoke, chocolate or natural gas, it's time to see your doctor.

Seniors who lose their sense of smell -- which doctors call olfactory dysfunction -- have higher odds of dying from all causes within five years, new research shows. Scientists had previously found a link between olfactory dysfunctio...

Dangerous COVID-19 Syndrome First Seen in Kids Also Strikes Adults

When the new coronavirus pandemic first began, respiratory distress immediately became the hallmark of severe COVID-19 illness. News reports focused on the inability to breathe, low oxygen saturation levels and the alarming need for ventilators.

But six months later, experts are becoming increasingly concerned about a very different CO...

More Evidence Masks Slow COVID's Spread

Here's more proof that masking up reduces transmission of COVID-19: A new Massachusetts study found that wearing face coverings resulted in a decrease in coronavirus cases among health care workers as infections were increasing in the surrounding community.

"We found clear benefits to universal masking for preventing infectious sprea...

MRIs Might Be Safe for Patients With Implanted Heart Devices

For years, people with implanted heart devices have been told they can't undergo MRI scans. But a new study adds to evidence that, with certain measures in place, the procedure is safe.

The study focused on patients with older pacemakers and implantable defibrillators that were not designed to be more compatible with MRI scanners. The ...

Kidney Trouble Greatly Raises Odds for Fatal COVID-19

COVID-19 patients who have kidney disease or whose kidneys are damaged by the virus have a much higher risk of dying from the illness, a new study suggests.

Researchers who studied 372 patients admitted to four intensive care units (ICUs) in the United Kingdom found that even those who had less severe kidney disease to start, as well ...

U.S. Daily COVID-19 Case Count Sets New Record for the Pandemic

The United States broke a bleak record on Friday, logging the highest daily number of new coronavirus cases since the pandemic began.

The tally of over 80,000 new infections eclipses the previous record of 76,533 new cases set on July 17, during a surge in cases across the Sun Belt, the Washington Post reported.

The co...

Knowing What to Expect May Help After Sexual Assault

Sexual assault is common in America, with an attack occurring every 73 seconds. But having supportive care at the emergency department and afterwards can help heal the trauma, Penn State doctors say.

One in five women is raped during their lifetime, yet only 25% report it, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Cent...

Exercise Boosts Physical, Mental Well-Being of Older Cancer Survivors

Active older adults -- cancer survivors included -- are in better physical and mental health than their sedentary peers, a new study finds.

More regular moderate to vigorous physical activity and less sedentary time improve the mental and physical health of older cancer survivors and older people without a cancer diagnosis, say resear...

Nearly 130,000 U.S. Lives Saved by March if Everyone Wore Masks: Study

A resurgence of the new coronavirus is bearing down upon the United States, with hundreds of thousands more deaths likely to occur over the next few months, according to one of the nation's top epidemic modeling teams.

But there's one thing everyone can do to forestall the surge and save lives -- wear a face mask whenever you're out in...

'Tough Guy' Mentality Keeps Athletes in Denial About Pain

A culture of toughness and resilience is encouraged among elite college rowers, but it can keep them from reporting injuries, a new study finds.

There's an overall myth among athletes that admitting pain is a sign of weakness and failure, the researchers said.

Irish and Australian rowers in this study felt compromised by low...

An Unexpected Finding on What Might Drive Joint Disease

High levels of a protein that lubricates the knee joint may actually be a harbinger of impending joint disease, a surprising animal study suggests.

The researchers looked at the role of the protein, known as lubricin, in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in dogs because it may also be involved in similar injuries in humans.

Poverty Might Raise Black Kids' Health Risks as Early as Age 5

Kids growing up in poverty show the effects of being poor as early as age 5 -- especially those who are Black, a new study suggests.

The research adds to mounting evidence that children of Black parents who are also poor face greater health inequities than whites.

"Our findings underscore the pronounced racialized dispariti...