Category: Health

Sudden confusion in an older person needs urgent medical assessment, even when a urine test finds bacteria. Inside Creative House/Shutterstock Urinary tract infections can cause sudden confusion, known as delirium, in older people. But finding bacteria in someone’s urine does not necessarily explain their confusion, and the real cause may lie elsewhere. An older person […]

Humans and domesticated animals have lived together for millennia, and this relationship has shaped their destinies in countless ways. Animals offered people food, companionship, traction (pulling ploughs), clothing and transport. They also provided something less obvious but extraordinarily important: parchment to write on. This robust, plentiful and portable material enabled many people to record and […]

BRUSSELS — The European Commission has launched the inaugural EU Screening Week (running from September 28 to October 4), urging member states to expand routine cardiovascular health checks. Coinciding with World Heart Day on September 29, the initiative forms a key pillar of the European Union’s broader “Safe Hearts Plan”. The initiative targets condition markers […]

Close contact, shared accommodation and nights out help meningococcal bacteria spread quickly among new university students. Xavier Lorenzo/Shutterstock Freshers’ week is designed to bring new students together. But the same close contact that helps friendships form can also help infections spread. Most cases of so-called “freshers’ flu” are relatively mild. Meningococcal disease is different. Although […]

Videnskab.dk/Lærke Slot For decades, Denmark and the UK have been known as countries where alcohol plays a big role in people’s social lives. In this way, the two countries make an interesting comparison when it comes to alcohol consumption because they both have a strong drinking culture. For years, Denmark has appeared near the top […]

PeopleImages/ Shutterstock Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced that the UK government is extending statutory bereavement leave entitlements to include early pregnancy endings. Currently, the statutory entitlement to parental bereavement leave is limited to parents whose child under 18 has died, or who experience a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy. This enables them to […]

Pickadook/Shutterstock.com When residents living near a chemical plant in Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire, recently had their blood analysed, many were found to contain high levels of Pfas (so-called “forever chemicals”). So what does this mean for their health? I have worked on that question for more than a decade, as more and more contaminated sites have been […]

Me dia/Shutterstock.com High blood pressure is easy to detect – it takes only a few minutes and doesn’t require needles or laboratory tests. Relatively cheap, easy-to-use machines let people check their own blood pressure at home, and many high street pharmacies offer free checks. Yet new research suggests many adults in England are still walking […]

CAMBRIDGE, UK — The University of Cambridge has announced the establishment of the Cambridge Mind and Brain Institute, a landmark initiative dedicated to understanding and improving brain health across the entire human lifespan. Bringing together world-class researchers from across the University, the United Kingdom, and international partner institutions, the new Institute establishes a collaborative hub […]

PeopleImages/ Shutterstock If you’ve ever pushed yourself through a hard workout, you’ve probably “felt the burn.” It’s that familiar sensation of pain and exhaustion in the muscles, where they almost feel like they’re on fire. This feeling has long been said to be caused by a build-up of lactic acid in the muscles. In fact, […]