WTOC - Health

What's normal? US debates latest psychiatric guide

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:38:00 EDT

The psychiatric association formally introduces a revised Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, widely known as the DSM-5.

St. Joseph's Hospital unveils renovation plans

Wed, 15 May 2013 20:12:00 EDT

St. Joseph's Hospital officials announced on Wednesday a major renovation project.

Ga. officials launch youth drug abuse initiative

Wed, 15 May 2013 10:16:00 EDT

State officials and lawmakers have launched a campaign aimed at addressing the issue of prescription drug abuse among teenagers in the state.

Breast cancer susceptibility gene: are you at risk?

Conny Cooper — Tue, 14 May 2013 19:52:00 EDT

Breast cancer susceptibility gene mutations – such as the one that led actress Angelina Jolie to have a double mastectomy – count for about 5 to 10 percent of breast cancers in the U.S., according to Cancer.gov.

Four years later, woman reflects on elective mastectomy

Conny Cooper — Tue, 14 May 2013 19:47:00 EDT

Recovery has been hard since 37-year-old Jennifer Gooch had an elective mastectomy after a 2009 genetic test revealed a mutation that could've led to breast cancer.

Flesh-eating disease victim gets prosthetic hands

Fri, 17 May 2013 22:23:00 EDT

A metro Atlanta woman who lost both hands, her left leg and right foot after contracting a flesh-eating disease was on her way back from Ohio Friday after being fitted with prosthetic hands.

Rising consumer demands aids organic industry sway

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:41:00 EDT

The organic food industry is gaining influence on Capitol Hill, prompted by its entry into traditional farm states and by increasing consumer demand.

WHO says single yellow fever shot is enough

Fri, 17 May 2013 05:11:00 EDT

The World Health Organization says a yellow fever booster vaccination given 10 years after the initial shot isn't necessary.

Correction: New Virus story

Fri, 17 May 2013 04:06:00 EDT

In a story May 15 about a new SARS-like virus spreading from patients to health care workers in Saudi Arabia, The Associated Press reported erroneously the location of the 20 deaths attributed to the virus. There have been...

Tiny preemies get a boost from live music therapy

Thu, 16 May 2013 03:21:00 EDT

As the guitarist strums and softly sings a lullaby in Spanish, tiny Augustin Morales stops squirming in his hospital crib and closes his eyes.

Details of Jolie's breast treatment revealed

Wed, 15 May 2013 20:40:00 EDT

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE AP Chief Medical Writer Angelina Jolie's mother had breast cancer and died of ovarian cancer, and her maternal grandmother also had ovarian cancer - strong evidence of an...

Shrinks, critics face off over psychiatric manual

Wed, 15 May 2013 14:40:00 EDT

In the new psychiatric manual of mental disorders, grief soon after a loved one's death can be considered major depression. Extreme childhood temper tantrums get a fancy name. And certain "senior moments" are called...

Stem cells recovered from cloned human embryos

Wed, 15 May 2013 12:40:00 EDT

Scientists have finally recovered stem cells from cloned human embryos, a longstanding goal that could lead to new treatments for such illnesses as Parkinson's disease and diabetes.

St. Louis doctor with cerebral palsy offers hope

Wed, 15 May 2013 05:00:00 EDT

Dr. Jan Brunstrom-Hernandez gently but sternly admonishes a teenage cerebral palsy patient who clearly hasn't been doing his exercises, stressing the importance of keeping muscles loose and limber.

Study questions if bed rest prevents prematurity

Tue, 14 May 2013 17:50:00 EDT

New research is raising fresh concern that an age-old treatment for troubled pregnancies - bed rest - doesn't seem to prevent premature birth, and might even worsen that risk.

Half of people with hepatitis C don't complete needed tests

Wed, 8 May 2013 09:45:00 EDT

Only about half of Americans who are infected with hepatitis C undergo follow-up testing to determine if they are still infected, federal officials reported Tuesday.

Many Americans skipping meds to save money

Tue, 9 Apr 2013 14:58:00 EDT

Cash-strapped Americans often skip doses of pricey prescription drugs or take less than was prescribed by their doctor, new research shows.

Cancer patients may be unintended victims of budget cuts

Fri, 5 Apr 2013 10:56:00 EDT

Thousands of Medicare cancer patients are being denied treatment at clinics nationwide because of federal budget cuts related to the so-called sequester, according to a published report.

Robotic surgery for hysterectomy often not best option

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 09:00:00 EDT

Despite claims to the contrary in "widespread marketing and advertising," expensive robotic surgery for hysterectomy is neither the only nor the best minimally invasive approach for the operation.

Feds take lead on health insurance exchanges

Fri, 8 Mar 2013 14:23:00 EST

More than half the states in the nation have decided against creating on their own one of the most complex yet vital parts of the massive 2010 health reform law, which was championed by President Barack Obama.

Cost of diabetes care in U.S. keeps climbing

Thu, 7 Mar 2013 12:09:00 EST

The total cost of diabetes in the United States jumped from $174 billion in 2007 to $245 billion in 2012, a new report shows.

'Nonsmoking' hotel rooms may not fully protect guests

Sat, 18 May 2013 14:00:00 EDT

People who opt for nonsmoking rooms in hotels with a partial smoking ban are not fully protected from harmful exposure to so-called "thirdhand" smoke, according to a new study.

Cellphone use may reveal your dominant brain

Sat, 18 May 2013 10:03:00 EDT

New research suggests the dominant side of your brain may make the call on which ear you choose to use while talking on your cellphone.

Public funding spurs couples to seek fertility treatment

Thu, 16 May 2013 15:00:00 EDT

Public funding of assisted reproductive technology, including in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments, broadens the range of couples who seek treatment for infertility by attracting a more diverse population.

FDA: Lower Ambien's dose to prevent drowsy driving

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:29:00 EDT

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday that it is asking manufacturers of sleep medications containing zolpidem -- including Ambien -- to lower the recommended doses.

Erectile dysfunction tied to long-term narcotic use in men

Wed, 15 May 2013 15:01:00 EDT

If you're a man, the pain-killing medications known as opioids may do more than relieve pain -- they may also put a damper on your sex life.

Rich 'cougar,' 'sugar daddy' stereotypes might not mirror reality

Tue, 14 May 2013 10:33:00 EDT

The notion of wealthy "sugar daddies" with young, pretty wives and well-heeled "cougar" women with handsome, young husbands may be more fiction than fact, new research suggests.

Hospital bills can vary widely, even in same cities

Thu, 9 May 2013 09:56:00 EDT

The fees that hospitals charge consumers or insurance providers for services vary widely across the United States, and can even vary within geographic regions and cities, federal officials reported Wednesday.

Birth rates good after implanting 1 embryo

Wed, 8 May 2013 14:59:00 EDT

Among women who undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF) to become pregnant, there is no difference in delivery rates among those implanted with one prescreened embryo compared to those implanted with two unscreened embryos.

Prostate cancer may be deadlier for the uninsured

Wed, 8 May 2013 10:07:00 EDT

Men who are uninsured or underinsured get advanced prostate cancer at nearly four times the national average and don't survive as long as other men with advanced disease, a new study says.