Category: Health

Trigger warning: this article includes references to infant death and institutional abuse If you’ve been to a museum about the history of medicine or surgery you’ve probably seen loads of preserved human remains that have been used as teaching aids or in scientific research. At London’s Hunterian Museum at the Royal College of Surgeons you […]

Listening to women and providing supportive care at the start of labour sets a woman up for a positive birth experience. Prostock-studio/Shutterstock The Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust report has identified serious failings in care at one of England’s largest maternity services, with lessons for maternity units nationally. Among its findings was a repeated problem […]

DTD can make navigating even familiar settings difficult. Vectorium/ Shutterstock Think about the last time you used your phone to find your way somewhere. What would happen if, halfway through the journey, the route instructions vanished or your phone battery died? You might find yourself starting to panic. But once you notice something familiar or […]

An empty wheelchair represents the "empty chair" and missing representation in climate change negotiations. Bubbers BB/Shutterstock Imagine a global political summit that shapes the future of our planet where one of the most populated countries in the world does not have a voice? This may seem unlikely, but currently 1.3 billion disabled people (nearly the […]

voronaman/Shutterstock For most people, a hot summer’s day is uncomfortable. For someone with scarred lungs, it can become a medical risk. People living with interstitial lung disease (ILD) are especially vulnerable during extreme heat. As climate change drives more frequent and intense heatwaves, people with ILD will need better protection from hot weather and related […]

Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock.com When my colleagues and I asked autistic people and parents of autistic children in Sweden how they feel about genetic research in autism, one response stood out: “I hope genetic research finds new ways to help us, not erase us.” It captures a tension that has shaped debates about autism genetic research for years. […]

Robert Kneschke/Shutterstock Disease-modifying drugs for Alzheimer’s offer a meaningful glimpse of hope for many people who fear dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, but dementia itself is an umbrella term for symptoms such as memory loss, confusion and changes in thinking. Unlike older dementia drugs, which help with symptoms but do […]

Brain changes that can eventually lead to dementia may begin many years before anyone notices symptoms such as memory problems, missed appointments or difficulty finding words. This is where blood biomarkers are becoming important. Biomarkers are measurable signs of biological activity in the body. In dementia research, some blood biomarkers can give clues about biological […]

PeopleImages/Shutterstock We have all heard it: “It’s just in your head.” When work deadlines pile up, financial worries linger or an unexpected public speaking obligation looms, we often treat anxiety as a purely psychological challenge – something to be overcome with a bit of willpower. But our bodies don’t separate the psychological from the physical. […]

Ibuprofen is shown to be more effective at reducing period pain. fizkes/ Shutterstock For something that affects millions every month, period pain remains surprisingly poorly treated. A recent analysis of supermarket transaction data from over three million shoppers found that paracetamol is the most purchased painkiller for menstrual cramps – despite being a less effective […]