Health
Health
Music training limits loss of listening skills
Playing when young shows benefits much later in life
Health
Health Briefs
The thyroid gland is known as the master gland of metabolism because it controls our ability to make energy. Poor thyroid function can cause fatigue, depression, weight gain, digestive problems…
Coroner's Report
It’s not easy to change your mind
Brookelynn Palmer, the 13-month-old daughter of Dorothy Palmer of Westminster, was pronounced dead at Children’s Hospital Colorado in Aurora on May 20, 2013. According to news sources, Palmer was at…
La Plata Health Watch
Wide access to naloxone could save lives
Redman Naloxone is a safe, nonabusable drug that reverses the effects of an opiate overdose. When an overdose occurs, opioid drugs, such as prescription narcotic pain medications or heroin, can…
Health
Health Briefs
People diagnosed with prediabetes are at a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Effectively managing prediabetes can help prevent diabetes. Studies have shown the risk of…
Health
Health Briefs
Bona Dea, a local start-up company creating a new product for women experiencing hot flashes and night sweats associated with perimenopause and menopause, is seeking participants for a proof-of-concept study.…
La Plata Health Watch
Blunt fetal trauma in pregnancy
The most common causes of blunt fetal trauma, in contrast to penetrating injuries such as stabbings or gunshot wounds, are motor-vehicle collisions, falls and assaults. It has long been taught…
Health
Building a better flu vaccine after debacle
This year’s flu vaccine is only 23 percent effective, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To improve the vaccine, scientists and companies are reworking everything from…
Health
Can imaginary exercise keep muscles strong?
Brian C. Clark and colleagues from Ohio University called their study The Power of the Mind: The Cortex as a Critical Determinant of Muscle Strength/Weakness. Because mental imagery is known…
La Plata Health Watch
Save a life: Know the signs of heart attack
Coronary heart disease remains the leading cause of death and disability in the United States. Nearly one-third of all deaths over the age of 35 in the U.S. results from…
Health
Health Briefs
Mercy Regional Medical Center is recognized in the February 2015 issue of Consumer Reports magazine as a top-scoring hospital in the nation for patient safety and patient experience. Mercy is…
Health
Environment trumps genetics in shaping immune system
After all, the immune system adapts throughout life to fight disease, said Stanford University immunologist Mark Davis, who led the work. And while young children’s immunity may be more influenced…
Health
Possible to limit stroke disability
Most strokes are caused by a clot in a blood vessel supplying the brain. The usual treatment is a clot-dissolving medicine called tPA, but it must be given within 4½…
Health
Emergencies are his specialty
Durango Fire Protection District hires new emergency services director
Health
Health Briefs
January is Cervical Health Awareness Month. The American Cancer Society says the majority of cervical-cancer cases and deaths could be prevented with of vaccination, regular screening and treatment. The American…
Coroner's Report
Errors common when reporting cause of death
I’ve expressed this opinion in writing and at conferences, and I’m glad to see that the horrendous error rate in death certification is starting to get some attention. A Scripps…
Health
For breast cancer, shorter-term radiation works
The conventional, longer treatment lasts five to seven weeks. But four rigorous studies and guidelines from a leading radiology society conclude that three to four weeks of more intense radiation…
Health
Despite resolutions, people eat more after the holidays
It turns out that people actually eat the most right around the time they say they’re going to eat the least – and by a big margin. Americans buy about…