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Health News Results - 90

History of Concussion Could Raise a New Mom's Odds for Mental Health Issues

Women who’ve had concussions are more likely to suffer severe mental health problems following childbirth, a new study shows.

A history of concussion increased a new mother’s risk of severe mental illness by 25%, after adjusting for...

Common Post-Injury Action by Players Signals Concussion, Study Shows

Maybe you've seen a cartoon character shake their head back and forth following a sharp blow -- clearing away whatever stars or birds are circling their noggins.

Turns out, that same move might help coaches and physical trainers identify a concussi...

Sports Concussion Outcomes Can Be Made Worse By Depression

Depression can make it tougher for athletes to recover from a concussion, and vice versa, a new study finds.

Student athletes who have both concussion and depression have significantly worse symptoms for both conditions, researchers reported re...

All Those Head Spins By Breakdancers Could Be Harming Them

This year, breakdancing joined the ranks of Olympic-caliber sports, with Japan’s B-girl Ami Yuasa and Canada’s B-boy Phil Wizard taking home the gold.

Now doctors warn breakdancing shares something else with other major sports – the risk of serious overuse injury.

Specifically, breakers appear to run the risk of “headspin hole” or “breakdance bulg...

Brain Zap Treatment Could Get Arms, Hands Moving After Head Injury

Patients who lose the use of their hands and arms after a stroke or traumatic brain injury could regain some function through deep brain stimulation (DBS), new research demonstrates.

DBS involves surgical placement of electrodes to deliver electrical impulses to areas of the brain regulating specific activity. It is often used to treat control movement problems associated with Parkinson's...

Falling Linked to Raised Risk of Dementia in Older People

More than 14 million seniors a year take a tumble, and those falls can be life-changing.

 "The relationship between falls and dementia appears to be a two-way street," said Molly Jarman, senior author of a new study showing that cognitive decline may increase an older person's risk for a fall and the tr...

Brain Injury & PTSD: Veterans' Study Suggests Area of Damage Is Key

Brain damage that veterans suffered from flying shrapnel has provided a major clue that could lead to better treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a new study says.

Veterans who suffered shrapnel damage connected to their amygdala, the fear center of the brain, were less likely to develop PTSD, researchers reported Sept. 24 in the journal

  • Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
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  • September 26, 2024
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  • NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre Has Parkinson's Disease

    Green Bay Packers legend and NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre announced Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

    Favre, 54, made the announcement while testifying to Congress on his potential misuse of taxpayer funds.

    The former quarterback has been presenting testimony in Washington to the House Ways and Means Committee, following accusations that he used politica...

    One Part of Football Helmets Especially Linked to Concussion

    Newfangled designs intended to make football helmets more protective have overlooked one key component, a new study suggests.

    Nearly a third of concussions in pro football involve impacts to the facemask, a part of the helmet that has remained ...

    1 in 4 Brain Injured Patients Who Seem Unresponsive Have 'Covert' Consciousness

    Some comatose patients with severe brain injury might be paying closer attention to their surroundings than previously thought, a new study says.

    About 1 in 4 patients respond to instructions covertly, with their brains showing activity even though their bodies aren’t moving, researchers found.

    When asked to imagine opening and closing their hand, those comatose patients disp...

    Natural Grass or Artificial: One Is Worse for Football Concussions

    Natural grass playing fields pose a greater concussion risk for young football players than artificial turf, a new study shows.

    Athletes who sustained a concussion on grass reported more than 10 symptoms, on average, compared with about six for...

    Even Moderate Drinking Ups Risk for Brain Bleeds After a Fall

    Drinking can increase a senior’s risk of a brain bleed following a fall, even if they only occasionally imbibe, a new study finds.

    In fact, the risk of a brain bleed increases with a senior’s level of drinking, researchers found.

    Occasional or weekly drinking doubled a pers...

    Head Injuries Common Among Police Officers, With Links to Mental Health Issues

    Three out of four police officers have experienced at least one concussion, increasing their risk of mental health issues, a new study suggests.

    About 74% of Ohio law enforcement officers had suffered one or more head injuries during their life...

    14 Risk Factors Raise Your Odds for Odds for Dementia

    New research has added two conditions to the list of 12 risk factors that boost the chances of a dementia diagnosis.

    The good news? You can guard against the development of both and researchers offer advice on exactly how to do that.

    In a study published Wednesday in 

  • Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter
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  • August 1, 2024
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  • Retired Rugby Players Face Risks for Dementia, CTE

    Alix Popham played in two rugby World Cups and won a Six Nations Grand Slam before retiring in 2011 as a professional in the rough-and-tumble game.

    By 2020, he had already been diagnosed with early onset dementia and probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a disabling brain dis...

    Could Contact Sports Raise Risks for a Parkinson's-like Disorder?

    Autopsies of deceased boxers and pro football players have long confirmed that repeat head injuries can lead to a devastating brain condition known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

    Now, research supports the notion that contact sports can also raise the odds for a Parkinson's-like disease, called parkinsonism, in athletes already affected by CTE.

    In the new study, "subject...

    1 in 8 Older Americans Are Stricken With Traumatic Head Injury

    About one in eight U.S. seniors will be treated for a traumatic brain injury, typically during a fall, a new study finds.

    Medicare data shows that about 13% of seniors suffered a severe concussion during an average follow-up period of 18 years, researchers report.

    Although these injuries...

    Light Therapy Might Help Heal Injured Brains

    Near-infrared light pulsing into a person's skull appears to boost healing in patients with a severe concussion, a new study finds.

    Patients who wore a helmet emitting near-infrared light displayed a greater change in connectivity between seven...

    Repeat Blasts Can Damage Soldiers' Brains, Study Confirms

    Soldiers can suffer brain injury if they are repeatedly exposed to explosive blasts, a new study shows.

    Further, the more frequently a soldier is exposed to explosions, the greater their risk for brain injury, researchers reported April 22 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

    Based on this, researchers intend to develop a diagnostic test to detect blast b...

    FDA Clears 15-Minute Bedside Test to Gauge Soldiers' Brain Injury

    When a soldier is rushed to medical care following a blast or other injury to the head, time is crucial in deciding just how extensive that injury is.

    Now, the U.S. Army has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared a bedside whole blood test that can answer that question in about 15 minutes.

    Prior tests relied on blood plasma or serum, and that meant sending ...

    Sports Concussion Recovery Time Similar for Men, Women

    It's long been thought that it takes more time for a woman to recover from a concussion than a man.

    But a new national study of U.S. college athletes refutes that notion, finding that women and men recover from sports-related head injuries at about the same pace.

    Recovery patterns for both genders were similar on tests of brain function, concussion symptoms, mental health, and balan...

    Head Trauma Can Spur 'Spatial Neglect' Similar to a Stroke

    Stroke patients often suffer from "spatial neglect" -- an inability to see things on the side of the body opposite to where the brain injury occurred.

    Now, new research suggests that spatial neglect can also affect folks who've had a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

    The study makes clear that screening for spatial neglect "is warranted in TBI rehabilitation as well as in stroke rehabil...

    Former Pro Football Players Show Troubling Brain Changes

    Head injuries related to football might be tied to markers of dementia like brain shrinkage and decreased blood flow to the brain, a new study of former pro and college players reports.

    The study looked at signs of injury to the brain's white matter, called white matter hyperintensities.

    These are caused by red...

    It's Hunting Season: Keep Safety in Your Sights

    TUESDAY, Dec. 5, 2023 (Healthday News) -- Hunting season has begun in many parts of the United States, with millions of Americans heading into the woods in hopes of bagging a big buck.

    But with the season comes tragic accidents.

    "Every year, within the first 72 hours of hunting season, we see hunting-related injuries,"said

  • Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter
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  • December 5, 2023
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  • Head Injury Left Her Memory-Impaired. A New Brain Implant Has Brought Memory Back

    Gina Arata had a bright future, wrapping up college and preparing for law school, when a 2001 car wreck left her with lasting brain damage.

    After her recovery, Arata wound up taking a job sorting mail, but struggled even in that.

    "I couldn't remember anything,"said Arata, who lives in Modesto with her parents. "My left foot dropped, so I'd trip over things all the time. I was always...

    Persistent Inflammation Could Drive Brain Issues in Former Football Players

    The repeat head injuries suffered by football players, boxers and other athletes appear to affect brain health long after players have given up their sport.

    New research from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore could explain why: The persistence in the brain of inflammation tied to the original injury or injuries.

    "The findings show that participating in repeated collision sports ...

    Too Few Seniors Get Follow-up Care After a Serious Fall

    Four of every 10 American seniors who suffer a fall and end up in the ER with head trauma get no follow-up care once they go home, a new study finds.

    "Only 59 percent of our study subjects had follow-up with their [health care] provider," study senior author Dr. Richard Shih said. He's professor of emergency medicine at Fl...

    Teens With Multiple Concussions Face Higher Risk of Suicidal Thoughts

    A year after suffering a concussion, teens, especially boys, are more likely than their peers to think about, plan and even attempt suicide, new research finds.

    With more concussions, the risk grows.

    Teen boys who reported two or more concussions in the past year were two times more likely to report a suicide attempt than those who had one concussion. Girls' odds for suicidal behavi...

    Steroid Use Could Raise Teen Athletes' Odds for Concussion

    Use of steroids among high school athletes is a continuing problem, and now new research finds these youths are also more likely to suffer a concussion while they play.

    The study was published Oct. 20 in the Journal of Osteopathic ...

    Could Living Football Players Be Overdiagnosed for CTE?

    Former pro football players with symptoms of depression or anxiety are far more likely to receive an unverifiable diagnosis of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) than players without those mental health conditions, a new study reports.

    Players with depression are 9.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with CTE, while players with both depression and anxiety are 12 times more likely, th...

    Brain Trauma Could Help Trigger Heart Troubles

    While the neurological impact of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) has long been studied, new research suggests TBIs are also hard on the heart.

    The research team took a closer look at connections between the two organs, finding that nervous system dysfunction, neuro-inflammation, changes in the brain-gut connection and post-injury health issues may increase risk of both cardiovascular and ...

    Even a Mild Head Injury Raises the Odds for Stroke

    Any head injury -- even a mild one -- raises a person's risk of later having an ischemic stroke.

    Having multiple injuries increases that risk, even more so than the severity of a single traumatic brain injury (TBI), researchers report.

    "Our study found that those who experience two or more head injuries, including even mild head injuries, are at higher risk of subsequent ischemic s...

    Autopsy Study of Athletes Who Died Young Shows Many Had Signs of CTE

    The degenerative brain disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) may be striking some at much younger ages than thought possible: New research has uncovered early signs of the condition in amateur athletes who died young after playing contact sports.

    The troubling finding was discovered during the brain autopsies of 152 athletes. All had engaged in the type of sports, such a...

    Suicides Among U.S. Veterans Jumped 10-Fold in Decades After 9/11

    Suicide has become an urgent issue among American military veterans, with rates increasing by more than 10 times in nearly two decades, a new study reveals.

    "Suicide rates for post-9/11 veterans have steadily increased over the last 15 years and at a much faster pace than the total U.S. population, and post-9/11 veterans with TBI [traumatic brain injuries] have a significantly higher suic...

    Playing Football Might Raise Parkinson's Risk

    The link between pro football and the risk for a neurodegenerative disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is well known, and now a new study suggests that football may also up the risk for Parkinson's disease, even among past high school and college players.

    "Parkinson's disease has been commonly reported in boxers, but we have not explored this link in great detail in foot...

    Here's How to Make Summer Sports Camp a Safe Adventure for Your Kid

    If your child is in sports camp this summer, you'll want them to have fun and stay safe.

    The National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) offers some tips on dealing with existing medical conditions, staying hydrated and heat safe, avoiding weather dangers and protecting skin from the sun.

    "Just as parents don't drop off their children at a pool without a lifeguard, they shouldn't...

    New Ways to Spot Risk for CTE in Boxers, MMA Fighters

    Autopsy is currently the only way to definitively diagnose chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease often seen in athletes who've suffered repeated blows to the head.

    But there may be a way to predict which athletes are likely to develop CTE, researchers report June 28 in the journal Neurology.

    They outline criteria for a condition called traumat...

    Obesity Could Slow Recovery From a Head Injury

    Obesity is a known contributor to a host of health risks ranging from diabetes to cancer, but new research suggests it may also delay recovery from a mild traumatic brain injury.

    Why? The systemic inflammation that being obese can cause in the body may be a driving factor, according to researchers.

    "This is a very understudied population related to obesity impacting outcomes,"said l...

    Head Injury Outcomes Could Take Years to Unfold

    A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can have long-term effects, much like a chronic condition, a new study says.

    Looking at hundreds of patients, researchers found that problems related to traumatic brain injuries can last for years, with people improving and declining at different time points. These problems encompassed memory, thinking and everyday functioning.

    "TBI is essentially a ...

    Women's Gymnastics Brings High Risk for Concussion

    Gymnasts make it look easy, but mastering those floor exercises and balance beam moves can take a toll on the brain.

    Researchers studying preseason and regular season concussion rates in college sports found that women's gymnastics led all others for its concussion rate in the preseason. The rate was 50% higher even than that for college football players.

    Unlike soccer and football,...

    With Training, Soccer Headers Might Be Safe for Teen Players

    Limited "heading" of a soccer ball in youth sports may not cause irreversible harm, as long as players are properly trained, a new study finds.

    This study from concussion researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) looked at the consequences of repeated head impacts shortly after the impact. They did this using six different tests.

    They found that having a small ...

    New 'National Sports Brain Bank' Will Boost Head Injury Research

    A new brain bank is accepting future donations from living athletes, in an effort to perform long-term research into the effects of sports-related concussion.

    The National Sports Brain Bank (NSBB) at the University of Pittsburgh will track the health of living participants on an annual basis, and...

    For NHL Players, More Fighting on the Ice Is Linked to Shorter Lives

    Fighting is par for the course in professional ice hockey, but a new study raises the question of whether it is shortening some players' lives.

    The study, of hundreds of National Hockey League (NHL) players, found that those who were "enforcers" on the ice -- that is, did a lot of fighting -...

    Multiple Head Injuries May Raise Alzheimer's Risk for Veterans

    People who repeatedly suffer traumatic brain injuries (TBI) may be more apt to develop Alzheimer's disease, new research shows.

    TBI can result from direct hits to the head or from indirect sources such as shockwaves from battlefield explosions.

    The brains of otherwise healthy military personnel who were exposed to explosions were found to have an abnormal accumulation of amyloid-bet...

    Dog-Walking Downside: Fractures, Head Injuries

    Walking your dog gets you moving and out in the fresh air, but head injuries and fractures are very real possibilities, especially for older dog owners, researchers say.

    The most common injury from walking a leashed dog that sends folks to the ER is fractured fingers, a new study from Johns Hopkins University found.

    But traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are the second-most common inj...

    Concussion's Effect on Brain Can Last 6 Months or More

    A significant number of patients take far longer to recover from a concussion than expected, and they may not be getting the care they need, according to a new study.

    Researchers from the United Kingdom who studied concussion patients found that almost half had changes in how regions of the brain communicate with each other. This may cause long-term symptoms, including fatigue, and impair...

    Sen. Mitch McConnell Leaves Rehab, Heads Home After Concussion

    Sen. Mitch McConnell is back home more than two weeks after he fell at a private dinner and was hospitalized with a concussion and broken rib.

    The Senate Minority Leader spent five days in the hospital and the remainder of the 2-1/2 weeks following his fall in inpatient physical therapy.

    "I'm in frequent touch with my Senate colleagues and my staff,"McConnell said in a

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • March 27, 2023
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  • Dementia Risk Rises for Elite European Soccer Players

    It's well-established that American football players can suffer significant brain impacts as they age.

    Now, new research shows that elite European soccer players are also more likely than the average person to develop dementia.

    Men in the Swedish top soccer division between 1924 and 2019 were 1.5 times more likely to develop neurodegenerative disease than those in a control group.

    Falls Can Be More Dangerous for Older Men Than for Women

    While older women are treated for falls more often than elderly males, men are more likely to sustain skull fractures when they topple over, new research suggests.

    This is a serious concern because more than 3 million people aged 65 and older are treated in U.S. emergency departments each year for falls.

    "The high incidence of head injury and subsequent skull fractures due to falls...

    Breathing Exercises Might Speed Concussion Recovery in Teens

    Combining breathing exercises with gradual aerobic activity may benefit teens who are recovering slowly from a concussion.

    New research found that while the two therapies each offer benefits, together they led to even greater improvement in thinking and memory skills, depression and mood.

    The findings are scheduled for presentation in Boston and online at the meeting of the American...