Health News Archives

If you're a man, there's a 50 percent chance you'll be diagnosed with some form of cancer. For women, it's one in three.

A 3D scan that will help with early detection of breast cancer has been developed. The machine is at the University of Texas-Southwestern in Dallas, and is making the detection of breast cancer easier, and doctors say potentially earlier.

The prescription drug arrived in the early 1990's and proved to be the most potent appetite suppressant ever to hit the market.

The treatment involves no diet, no exercise, no pills and no surgery.  A device inserted beneath the skin emits electronic impulses that essentially block the signals that tell you you're hungry.

A spinach salad, some sweet potatoes, even a piece of cherry pie - all these foods have one thing in common. They can help people who suffer from arthritis.

Doctors said between 1999 and 2004, 19 children taking ADHD medications have died suddenly.

"...He's a joy to be around, he's mine and I’m going to make sure he gets whatever he needs."

An x-ray technician often heard patients complain about the hospital gowns they wore during mammograms.  So she designed a gown especially for the procedure.

"What we are doing is a new method of pushing the old valve aside and putting the new valve inside the old valve so that heart surgery is not necessary and so they don't have to have open heart surgery with the chest open and they don't have to be placed on cardiac bypass."

Two large studies have singled out seven genes that are associated with osteoporosis.

The study found that traditional Mexican foods like soups, cheeses, and tomato based sauces could actually prevent breast cancer.

The rate of diabetes in reproductive-age women has doubled in the span of just six years. Teenagers had a 500% increase during that time. Diabetes increases a pregnant woman's risk for having miscarriages, stillbirths, and babies with birth defects.

Lower back pain is so common, after colds and coughs it's one of the main reasons people visit the doctor. In cases where the problem is severe, a new less invasive surgery is available to patients. The new technique  called "extreme lateral interbody fusion" or XLIF puts two tiny incisions in the patient's side rather than entering through the abdomen or back.

It happened just last month in Jacksonville, Florida to high school lacrosse goalie James Hendrick.  "It's still so surreal for me. I don't think it's hit me yet, but I was dead."

Not everyone is a good candidate for Lasik eye surgery and the government plans to take a closer look at complaints including lost vision, dry eye and night-vision problems.

"It's rare that we get to take a kid who was for all practical purposes dead, and he's not going to walk out of the hospital; he's going to run out of the hospital today.”

A hormone naturally produced by women during pregnancy, decreases symptoms as much as 80 percent.  The goal in testing this and a number of other experimental drugs, is to get someone with MS to a point where he or she is walking and mobile without a wheelchair.

A recent study found that people who don't smoke, get regular exercise, eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day and keep alcohol to a moderation live an average of 14 years longer than their peers with none of those behaviors.

Drinking 3 to 5 cups of coffee a day triggers a process in which UVB damaged cells are killed off.

"Rather than treat his disease, we tried to treat the cause of his disease, and if you can correct the disease at its cause you can remove the disease."

In the new procedure, stem cells are harvested from a patient's bone marrow and then carefully separated and injected into the heart.

"I've never taken a patient off of Ortho Evra. I've had one patient in 27 years of practice who had a pulmonary embolism on a birth control pill."

Prostate cancer patients now have a new treatment option that can treat them in just five days. It's called the Cyberknife, and it's a non-invasive way to combine surgery and radiation.

A new report on pregnancy rates from the C.D.C.

A new study says that the 78 million Baby Boomers will overwhelm the Medicare system ... there aren't enough specialists in geriatric medicine.

Severe headaches, like migraines which constrict vessels, can destroy white matter in the brain. Other causes include heart and vascular problems.

Hundreds of people shaved their heads in Colorado Springs last Friday in the world's largest observance of St. Baldrick's.

Officials are appealing for calm after news of the deaths was released.

Not getting enough sleep not only makes kids grouchy, two new studies say it can put them at risk for serious physical and mental disorders.

A growing body of evidence suggests women who take care of their teeth are more likely to have a healthy pregnancy.

Michele Sweeney underwent in-vitro fertilization twice, without success. Then she tried acupuncture and that did the trick.

No one claims that swimming with the dolphins cures autism or any other ailment, but the activity has benefits for the children and their parents. "The dolphins are just a way to bring out the best in people...It gives those kids and those families unbelievable memories."

"It's like a nice petri dish for them. Until relatively recently we didn't realize that there were a lot of organisms - bacteria, viruses, and protozoa - that live in the ocean, and this is really a soup of these organisms."

Many soldiers don't even realize something's wrong with them. They're returning home with only half their visual field, not knowing that they're missing their entire left field of perception. Without treatment, blast injuries can lead to long-term problems, even blindness.

It's Friday, oh-so-close to the weekend. You're at your desk, when you have a snack attack. Will grabbing one of those 100 calorie packs satisfy your appetite and help you lose weight?

The Food and Drug Administration is investigating a possible link between the allergy drug Singulair and suicide. FDA said it is reviewing reports of mood changes, suicidal
behavior and suicide in patients who have taken the drug.

"I began to experience inflammation in all the ligaments and tendons in my joints."

Children who regularly eat a nutritious diet full of fruits and vegetables are more likely to pass standardized exams six months later than those who have a fattier diet.

Families with autistic children often face a sharp drop off of government assistance once their children become adults.  Recognizing the need, a local autism non-profit organization wants to help high functioning autistic adults to live independently. 

The FDA is says cantaloupe from a company in Honduras is believed to be linked to a salmanella outbreak in the U.S. and Canada.

The National Center for Health Statistics reports that carpal tunnel syndrome leads to more lost days of work than any other injury.  Local family doctors are testing patients using a new method that is faster and cheaper.

The device draws rapid heat from radio frequencies and uses nanoparticles to take out cancer cells.

It's certainly a worry for those caring for loved ones with alzheimers.  What if they wandered off and got lost?  It can lead to tragic outcomes, as one family in Fremont County knows all too well.

Pueblo Community College opened a dental clinic Tuesday for uninsured and low income families.

Members of a local citizens group say they've scrutinized El Paso county sheriff's office and the health department and they're concerned.  Efforts to fight infectious disease, inspect restaurants, and respond to calls may be understaffed.

Imagine turning on the faucet at home and instead of clean, clear water coming out, it runs pink.  A Peyton resident says she's had pink tap water for nearly a week and her family is afraid to drink it.

Easter chicks are a popular gift, especially for kids, this time of year. However, the El Paso County Health Department says they carry salmonella.

The chemical is called bisphenal, or BHA, and is found in many plastic baby bottles. Health officials warn hormone-disrupting chemicals can leach from certain hard plastics into baby formula.

A new report warns that users of one specific pacemaker could be at risk of identity theft. The report by two doctors says that it is possible to hack into the Medtronic implanted defibrillator Maximo.

Researchers out of Canada say their new study has linked television watching and computer time to childhood obesity.

Workplace etiquette.  Should you stay home if you're sick, so you don't get your co-workers sick? Or should you come to work sick so your co-workers aren't straddled with your work?

The Centers for Disease Control says at least one in four teenage girls has an STD.  For some girls, the risk is double that.

Tests of drinking water supplies across the country revealed a pharmacological surprise ... your glass of tap water could include traces of antibiotics, sex hormones, mood stabilizers and over-the-counter pain medicines.

MRSA sickened 100,000 people in the U.S. last year, one-fifth of whom died. 

People wrote "Warm Wishes" to be sealed in the walls of the new St. Francis Medical Center on Woodmen and Powers.

Eight year employee, forty-seven year old John De La Rosa recently died. “He left on Thursday and died on Sunday,” according to store owner, Pete Fowler, “from complications resulting from the flu.”

Soldiers caught in roadside bombings and firefights in Iraq and Afghanistan are coming home in epidemic numbers with permanent hearing loss and ringing in their ears.

Researchers now know that cavity causing bacteria, the bugs that turn sugar into enamel-eating acid, don't originate in the mouth. They are transferred from one person to another

Government officials have ruled childhood vaccines exacerbated a rare disorder in a 9-year-old girl and caused the symptoms of autism. It is the first time the government has admitted the possibility of a link between vaccines and autism.

Randy and Milissa Golob set goals and fully expected to enjoy middle age and retirement. They built  a modest house in Pueblo West, took out a thirty year loan and enjoyed summer weekends with their  two girls fishing on Lake Pueblo. But two years ago, Randy started having health problems.

Frozen chicken entrees sold at Whole Foods stores are being recalled because of possible Listeria contamination.

Baxter International has found signs of a possible contaminant in the recalled blood thinner heparin that caused hundreds of serious side effects - further pointing suspicion at ingredient suppliers in China.

Gathering medical records can be an expensive hassle, so some doctors are putting the records directly into the hands of her patients on USB drives.

The National Sleep Foundation says Americans are working more and sleeping less. Drowsiness doesn't just pose a productivity problem: It could put your life and others at risk.

The side effects of radiation and chemotherapy can often leave a cancer patient’s appearances drastically changed. Not only does hair fall out, but so do eyebrows and eyelashes. Add to that skin discoloration and suddenly the everyday task of putting on makeup is much more challenging. So, the American Cancer Society has a created program to help female cancer patients them look and feel like themselves again.

Computer Vision Syndrome, or CVS, is a relatively new, medically defined ailment, and it's growing.  "I have seen some data to suggest that 90 percent of the people who just stare at a computer screen all day long will have some part of it."

U.S. inspectors have found some problems at a Chinese factory that supplied the main ingredient for the recalled blood thinner heparin - but can't yet tell if they are to blame for serious side effects.

The Pikes Peak School of Expeditionary Learning was closed on Friday because too many students and faculty are battling the flu. The Falcon district charter school has 161 students.

A frightening medical scare out of Nevada that could have repercussions for the rest of the nation. Some 40,000 people who were treated at one medical clinic are being told they may have been exposed to Hepatitis C, A, and HIV after it was discovered that the clinic regularly reused syringes and vials.

County health departments are getting on board with a new recommendation concerning kids and flu shots.  A federal advisory board now recommends all children age six months to age eighteen be vaccinated.

Hispanic children who are overweight may have blood markers that put them at risk for developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

A new study underscores the need for psychotherapy in treating depressed teens.

Drug-resistant tuberculosis is at its highest rates ever recorded in some parts of the world, according to a new report from the World Health Organization.

If you end your daily commute with a stiff neck and a low back pain, your drive may be taking a toll on your body.

If you're prone to urinary tract infections, you may be picking up the bacteria from an unlikely source--the family pet.

A grandmother from Widefield has created a global business from her home designing and selling clothes for premature infants. Linda Dague says she started "ANNA’S Preemie" in part because of the frustration she experienced trying to find properly fitting clothes for her granddaughter when she was born prematurely.

New research finds both men and women can lower the risk of stroke by engaging in even moderate exercise. Previous studies on fitness and strokes have focused more on men. The new research says benefits apply to women, too.

The National Headache Foundation estimates 28 million Americans suffer from migraines, the debilitating headaches often with pain on one side of the head.  They can be triggered by many things like change in your daily schedule, hormonal changes in your body, and food.  Adding to those factors is our climate in Colorado. Some call this 'headache country'.  

"Looking at the effect of smoking on brain wave function, it turns out that when they looked at this group of smokers they actually had a lighter sleep pattern."

At a dance studio in Old Colorado City, they're teaching lessons in Bollywood style Masala Bhangra fitness dancing.  The traditional Indian folk dance turned fitness craze is a high-energy workout.

The flu virus is rapidly spreading throughout elementary schools in the region.  School District 11, in particular, is seeing the highest number of absences they've had in several years.

The most common cancers for men: Prostate, lung and colon. For women, breast, lung and colon.

Women who are exposed to a lot of artificial light at night may be at a higher risk for breast cancer.

Consumers trying to sue manufacturers of federally approved medical devices are going to have a harder time. The Supreme Court, in an 8-1 decision, has ruled against the estate of a patient who suffered serious injuries when a catheter burst during a medical procedure.

Here's a new reason to quit smoking--it's been linked to rheumatoid arthritis.

The study found that having all the necessary equipment doesn't mean it will be used properly, and hospitals should focus on personnel.

Thousands of children wind up in the emergency room each year because of cough and cold medications.

The nation's preeminent cancer treatment center, Memorial Sloan Kettering, has started a program to teach doctors communication skills.

Call it a juice jolt for your joints. Minute Maid has added glucosamine to a new line of orange juice. It says drinking it will help protect healthy joints.

After being closed for two days due to staff and student illnesses, a charter school re-opened today with more love - and fewer flu germs - in the air.  

Whooping Cough is hitting El Paso County. The health department reports five cases since the beginning of the year, two of them at Stratton Elementary School.

A new medical device can deliver a concentrated beam of radiation into the body, destroying cancer cells without making a single incision.

The Pueblo Health Department has completed an exhaustive investigation into the possible spread of tuberculosis and has concluded that there are no more active cases. However, 17 people tested positive for Latent TB. Three of the latent cases are in El Paso County, 14 are in Pueblo County.

Gov. Bill Ritter unveiled a broad-based plan to overhaul medical care in Colorado Wednesday. “Building Blocks for Health Care Reform” targets children, the elderly, people living in rural areas, even those with private health care. The plan will cost $25 million next year.

 High blood pressure is leveling off for men but getting worse for women, according to new research. A Harvard University team found rates of uncontrolled high blood pressure had been dropping for both men and women, until the 1990s.

An outbreak of the flu has prompted a Colorado Springs elementary school to close for two days. James Irwin Elementary School is being disinfected during the closure.

There are millions of prescription drugs on the market. When you pick up yours, are you sure there's no mix-up? Most people don't check, and it can cause serious harm.

When someone is having a heart attack, time is of the essence.  Thanks to a grant from Centura Health Systems, two Southern Colorado schools can now give emergency care to people having a heart attack much faster.

Heart disease is the number one killer of women in this country. There are several warning signs women should not ignore.