Osteoporosis Archive

Genes that helped people survive during the time of the Black Death are more likely to be found in people with autoimmune diseases alive today. Does this tell scientists anything about what surviving the COVID-19 pandemic might mean for the world's population?

A 2022 study found that high blood pressure more than doubled the risk of being hospitalized from an Omicron-variant COVID-19 infection regardless of full vaccination, including a booster dose of an mRNA vaccine.

An estimated 30 million Americans experience some level of hearing loss, but only about 20% of them seek hearing aids. Many people can't accept they can't hear well, or won't act on symptoms. People should seek help if they have trouble hearing conversations, TV, and other sounds, and should see a doctor quickly if they have hearing loss in only one ear, pain, ear drainage, or vertigo. Visits with an audiologist and otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat doctor) are typically needed to get prescription hearing aids. Over-the-counter hearing aids are expected to be available online and in stores starting in late 2022.

Each year, millions of couples face one partner's serious diagnosis with a condition such as cancer, heart or kidney failure, or neurological illness, among others. People can support their partners through a difficult diagnosis and treatment by keeping communication open, maintaining daily routines, becoming informed about the medical condition, attending doctor visits, adding assistive devices in their home, getting wills and other legal documents in order, and seeking and accepting help from others.

Many people say they feel joint pain that arrives with cold or damp weather. While research hasn't confirmed why, changes in barometric pressure can place pressure on joints that may lead to aches.

In August 2022, the FDA approved a new category of safe, regulated hearing aids to be sold over the counter. The devices are meant only for people with perceived mild-to-moderate hearing loss who need to amplify the volume of sounds around them.

A 2022 study found that people with chronic kidney disease were less likely than similar adults without the condition to eat fruits and vegetables. Researchers said more studies are needed to determine if this dietary pattern is a cause or a result of the disease.

People may relieve anxiety by cracking knuckles or other joints. Usually it's a harmless habit, but people with joint problems like arthritis should refrain, since doing so might worsen symptoms.

A 2022 study found that physical therapy works as well as surgery for degenerative meniscal tears in the knee, an injury related to tissue aging that can lead to osteoarthritis. This approach offers an alternative for people concerned about surgery's costs and possible complications.

In recent years, treatment options for inflammatory bowel disease have expanded rapidly, with new types of drugs, new medications within existing classes, and new combinations of treatments for some patients.