CNN – Health

By Brenda Goodman, CNN (CNN) — Two new studies suggest that getting a vaccine to protect against a painful case of shingles may be beneficial for memory, too. An estimated 98% of US adults have had chickenpox and are at risk for shingles; both are caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which is in the herpes

By Jen Christensen, CNN (CNN) — The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Tuesday a $5 million initiative to offer seasonal flu vaccines to livestock workers in order to reduce the public health concern that a new version of the influenza virus could emerge among farm workers who are at a higher risk

By Deidre McPhillips, CNN (CNN) — Access to abortion facilities has become more restricted since the Supreme Court revoked the federal right to abortion in the United States, and new research suggests that self-managed abortions – often with unsafe and ineffective methods – have increased in the wake of those restrictions. The share of women

By Jacqueline Howard, CNN (CNN) — Suicide is a leading cause of death among young people in the United States, and new research suggests that the majority of young people who have died by suicide did not have a documented mental health diagnosis in their medical history. About 3 out of 5 young people who

By Jack Guy, CNN (CNN) — A man has died from an Ebola-like disease named Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) after being bitten by a tick in Spain. The 74-year-old died of organ failure on Saturday in an isolation unit at the La Paz-Carlos III Hospital in the Spanish capital, Madrid, a spokesperson for the hospital

By Meg Tirrell, CNN (CNN) — A small clinical trial suggests that drugs like Ozempic could potentially be used not just for diabetes and weight loss but to protect the brain, slowing the rate at which people with Alzheimer’s disease lose their ability to think clearly, remember things and perform daily activities. The results need

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN (CNN) — Perched at the pinnacle of achievement, Olympians have trained their entire lives to reach their goal of standing on the winner’s podium. Not only do Olympic athletes tone their bodies into near perfection; they hone their minds as well. “A winner’s brain is not about a quick fix. You

By Deidre McPhillips, CNN (CNN) — A growing set of evidence suggests that using semaglutide could lead to decreased substance use, and a large new study shows a promising link between the medication and tobacco use. But experts emphasize that much more research is needed before using the medications off-label for smoking cessation. In a

By Dana Santas, CNN (CNN) — Whether you’re a former athlete looking to get back into summer sports or someone just wanting to participate in the family kickball game, you don’t want to deal with an aching back for weeks afterward. Never mind the shame of not being able to hold your own in front

By Jacqueline Howard, CNN (CNN) — The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a blood test to be used for colorectal cancer screening among average-risk adults 45 and older. The maker of the test, Palo Alto, California-based biotechnology company Guardant Health, announced Monday that this is the first blood test to be approved by

By Maya Davis, CNN (CNN) — California’s wildfires have been increasing in size and frequency, producing vast amounts of smoke that contribute to what state boards call a “growing public health problem.” New research links the long-term exposure of this wildfire smoke to brain health, suggesting that it greatly increases risk of dementia compared with other sources

By Kristen Rogers, CNN (CNN) — As if people with anxiety don’t have enough to worry about, a new study is adding to that list  — suggesting the disorder may nearly triple the risk of developing dementia years later. The research, to the authors’ knowledge, is the first to look into the association between different severities

By Andrea Kane, CNN (CNN) — Can money buy happiness? It’s an age-old question with which many — including philosophers, economists and psychologists — have wrestled. Even rappers have gotten in on the act. “Mo Money Mo Problems,” a 1997 song by the Notorious B.I.G., contains the chorus “It’s like the more money we come across/

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN (CNN) — A combined blood test for cognitive decline has a 90% accuracy rate in determining whether memory loss is due to Alzheimer’s disease, a new study found. In comparison, neurologists and other memory specialists correctly diagnosed Alzheimer’s in 73% of their cases. Primary care doctors had even less success, with

By Maya Davis, CNN (CNN) — Just outside the perimeter of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Village was a special room, the only space near the village where athletes with young children were directed to care for their babies. The room had a few chairs and offshoots for breastfeeding mothers, according to Greg Polychronidis and Katerina

By Brenda Goodman, CNN (CNN) — Brittany Yeager was leading a troop of girls at Girl Scout camp in Idaho last summer when a mosquito bite upended her life. Once a runner, hiker and math wiz, Yeager, 30, now takes 23 pills a day to manage symptoms that include paralysis, pain, seizures, muscle spasms, depression

By Jacqueline Howard, CNN (CNN) — The company Boar’s Head has recalled ready-to-eat liverwurst products and some other deli meat products due to concerns that they may be contaminated with listeria. The US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced Friday that the company is recalling about 207,528 pounds of products. The agency

By Katia Hetter, CNN (CNN) — I’m riding a recumbent bicycle while wearing my smartwatch, hoping that tracking my fitness and health metrics will inspire me to exercise more. The smartwatch is no longer just for texting, music and the time (how old school) but instead has become an integral part of some people’s health

By Madeline Holcombe, CNN (CNN) — Becky Hayden and her husband, Seth, have spent 21 years of marriage being fully active members of their community in California. The Haydens have run a local scholarship program, they have kept a closetful of prom dresses to loan out to students in need, they are mentors in their

By Brenda Goodman, CNN (CNN) — More Americans own guns for personal protection than ever before, a new survey shows. Gun sales surged during the Covid-19 pandemic, as did gun-related deaths. In 2021, 48,830 people died from gun-related injuries in the US, the highest number on record. Roughly 7.5 million American adults became new gun owners during