Your Health

The Owlet, which is not yet on the market, is designed to measure a baby's heart rate and blood oxygen levels.

You Can Monitor Your Baby's Vital Signs 24/7, But Should You?

5:23pm November 20, 2014

by Nancy Shute

A new generation of baby monitors lets new parents track their child's heartbeat and other vital signs. But they're not health devices, a pediatrician warns, and could give a false sense of security.

Posture and stress on the cervical spine.

Health & Safety

Keep Your Head Up: 'Text Neck' Takes A Toll On The Spine

4:12pm November 20, 2014

by Laura Sullivan

Newly published research finds that common texting posture can put as much as 60 pounds of force on the cervical spine.

How concerned are people about the privacy of their medical information? The NPR-Truven Health Analytics Health Poll found worries were low.

Health & Safety

A Worry In Theory, Medical Data Privacy Draws A Yawn In Practice

2:01pm November 20, 2014

by Scott Hensley

Nearly three-quarters of Americans say their doctors use electronic records. The overwhelming majority of people aren't particularly concerned about the privacy of the information, an NPR poll finds.

When should a patient in dire condition be allowed to try an experimental treatment?

Health & Safety

More States Adopt Laws To Ease Access To Experimental Treatments

12:00pm November 19, 2014

by Michelle Andrews

While several states have approved so-called right-to-try measures that aim to give patients with life-threatening illnesses access to unapproved drugs, drugmakers don't have to comply.

6 Pitfalls To Avoid When Picking Insurance On The Job

10:27am November 19, 2014

by Jay Hancock

Even if your health insurance is provided by an employer, your plan may be changing quite a bit in 2015. Here's a guide to the questions you should keep in mind when looking over your options.

A tangle of protein (green) in this scanning electron micrograph of a brain cell of an Alzheimer's patient lies within the cytoplasm (blue) of the cell. The tangle consists of clumps of a toxic form of tau.

Toxic Tau Of Alzheimer's May Offer A Path To Treatment

9:08am November 19, 2014

by Jon Hamilton

Faulty forms of the brain protein tau trigger tangles inside and outside brain cells of Alzheimer's patients. Scientists say figuring out how to stop bad tau's spread from cell to cell might be key.

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In California, That MRI Will Cost You $255 — Or Maybe $6,221

9:53am November 18, 2014

by Lisa Aliferis

It's almost impossible to comparison shop for medical tests and procedures. A crowdsourcing experiment by two NPR member stations in California is aimed at making those numbers less mysterious.

Fresh data show that Vytorin, a combination pill for cholesterol, cuts the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Health & Safety

Controversial Cholesterol Drug Redeemed By Global Clinical Test

9:16am November 18, 2014

by Scott Hensley

Merck's Vytorin reduced the risk of heart attack and stroke more than a cholesterol-lowering statin alone. The findings come from an international study of more than 18,000 people in 39 countries.

The Power Of Suggestion Could Trigger Asthma — Or Treat It

4:41pm November 17, 2014

by Patti Neighmond

Strong odors can be a problem for people with asthma. Even anticipating smells like chemicals or heavy perfumes can lead to an asthma attack. Some scientists think this may lead to new treatments.

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NPR's Nina Totenberg says the pop bottle method worked without a hitch.

Trouble Swallowing Pills? Try The 'Pop Bottle' Or The 'Lean Forward'

2:00pm November 17, 2014

by Maanvi Singh

One-third of people have trouble downing pills, and many skip taking medications as a result. A researcher in Germany says that two techniques help. Really? We tested them ourselves to find out.

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