Medical Treatments

Julie Eldred is back at home in Massachusetts now. But she was sentenced to a treatment program for opioid addiction as part of a probation agreement, then sent to jail when she relapsed. Some addiction specialists say that's unjust.

Court To Rule On Whether Relapse By An Addicted Opioid User Should Be A Crime

5:00am October 26, 2017

by Deborah Becker

The high court in Massachusetts is weighing legal and scientific evidence to decide whether a woman convicted of larceny violated the terms of her probation by relapsing into drug use.

Scientists Work To Overcome Legacy Of Tuskegee Study, Henrietta Lacks

7:22pm October 25, 2017

by Rob Stein

An influential Harlem church is trying to help the National Institutes of Health overcome reluctance by some African-Americans to participate in a medical study of 1 million diverse Americans.

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An 11-year-old boy put small magnets up both nostrils, then couldn't figure out how to get them out. These X-rays tell the tale.

When A Boy Sticks Magnets Up His Nose, Doctors Have To Get Ingenious

5:30pm October 25, 2017

by Greta Jochem

Children often swallow small magnets or stick them into noses or ears. They can cause serious internal damage, and doctors sometimes have to think outside the box to remove them safely.

Kathi Kolb, a Rhode Island physical therapist, says she's frustrated that fewer than half of eligible breast cancer patients receive a shorter course of radiation, even though studies proved it was safe nearly 10 years ago.

Health & Safety

Many Breast Cancer Patients Receive More Radiation Therapy Than Needed

6:00am October 21, 2017

by Liz Szabo

Unnecessary treatment of breast cancer and other diseases is pervasive. Overtreatment adds enormous costs to the health care system and, at times, burdens patients with needless suffering.

The old advice seems to hold true: Drinking lots of water helps prevent urinary tract infections.

To Reduce Risk Of Recurring Bladder Infection, Try Drinking More Water

1:20pm October 20, 2017

by Greta Jochem

While it may seem simple, drinking water flushes bacteria out of the urethra, helping to prevent infection in women prone to them. And it also may help reduce the use of antibiotics.

Helping her father die at home "was the most meaningful experience in my nursing career," said Rose Crumb. She went on to found Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County in Port Angeles, Wash.

Health & Safety

Rural Hospice That Spurns Federal Funds Has Offered Free Care for 40 Years

12:43pm October 20, 2017

by JoNel Aleccia

The founder of a tiny Washington state hospice that depends on community volunteers and donations says the unconventional approach allows for more flexible care.

Pricking your fingers may someday be a thing of the past for diabetics as new technologies aim to make blood sugar regulation more convenient.

Diabetes Technology Moves Closer To Making Life Easier For Patients

1:49pm October 18, 2017

by Miriam E. Tucker

While the technology is moving rapidly, insurance, regulatory, and supply challenges make it harder for patients to quickly access the latest medical advances to manage their condition.

Macaques are social animals, whether in a group enclosure like this one at the Gelsenkircen zoo in western Germany, or in the wild. But many research monkeys are still housed in separate cages.

Scientists Push To House More Lab Monkeys In Pairs

5:01pm October 17, 2017

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Enhancing a research monkey's life by housing it with a pal often doesn't hurt the study, says a researcher who's done it. In her own experience, she says, "it actually helped to improve the science."

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She's not tuning in, she's tuning inward — letting go of stress, or at least trying to, with a mindfulness app on her phone.

Mindfulness Apps Aim To Help People Disconnect From Stress

5:05am October 16, 2017

by Allison Aubrey

Finding inner calm hard to come by? Some people use their device obsession to help them disconnect. The apps aren't a quick fix, therapists say, but might help you stick to a mindfulness practice.

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Tape worm pills were once advertised as a way to stay thin.

'Quackery' Chronicles How Our Love Of Miracle Cures Leads Us Astray

8:04am October 15, 2017

by April Fulton

Tobacco enemas? Mercury pills? Ice pick lobotomies? A new book explains how throughout history, miracle "cures" often didn't just fail to improve people's health, they maimed and killed.