VR Effective In Educating Patients About Upcoming Procedures

TUESDAY, March 17, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Imagine a doctor offering you a virtual reality headset to help explain an upcoming procedure.

It turns out such an explanation might go farther to easing your worries than the usual handout leaflet, researchers reported Friday at a meeting in London of the European Association of Urology (E...

Prebiotic Eases Arthritis Pain, Trial Finds

TUESDAY, March 17, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Making your gut happy might help angry arthritis-affected joints, a new study says.

A prebiotic fiber supplement helped ease pain in people with knee arthritis, researchers recently reported in the journal Nutrients.

The results suggest that improving gut health could be a new...

Drug Protects Against Chemo-Caused Bleeding, Trial Shows

TUESDAY, March 17, 2026 (HealthDay News) — An already approved drug can help protect cancer patients against excessive bleeding caused by chemotherapy, a new study says.

Chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia occurs when chemo destroys platelet-producing bone marrow cells, increasing a person’s risk of dangerous bleeding.

...

Cholesterol Needs Lifelong Management, New Heart Guidelines Say

TUESDAY, March 17, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Heart experts are calling for a full-court press against cholesterol, including lifelong screening and treatment, a set of new guidelines says.

Blood testing for cholesterol should start in childhood, and take place at least every five years to track each person’s heart health risk, th...

Insurance Red Tape Delays Crucial Heart Failure Drug Prescriptions, Study Finds

TUESDAY, March 17, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Insurance requirements could keep people from getting life-saving heart medications in a timely fashion, a new study says.

Prescriptions for heart failure medications take two to six times longer to fill if insurance companies require prior authorization — a process that requires docto...

Officials Examine Deaths After Plasma Donations in Winnipeg

MONDAY, March 16, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Canadian health officials are investigating the deaths of two people who donated plasma at private clinics in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

The deaths happened about three months apart, one in October 2025 and the other in January 2026, according to Health Canada, the federal agency that regulates plas...

New Flu Strain Weakened This Year’s Vaccine Protection, CDC Says

MONDAY, March 16, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Flu activity in the United States is finally slowing down, but health experts say this year’s flu vaccine didn't offer as much protection as officials hoped.

New data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that the vaccine was only about 25% to 30% effectiv...

New EPA Rule Could Loosen Limits on Medical Device Sterilization Gas Emissions

MONDAY, March 16, 2026 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to loosen limits on emissions of ethylene oxide, a gas used to sterilize many medical devices that is also linked to cancer.

The proposal, announced Friday, would ease pollution rules for about 90 commercial sterilization facilities ...

Food Stamp Users Fight Restrictions on Soda and Sweets

MONDAY, March 16, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Five people who qualify for food stamps are suing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) because new rules stop them from using their benefits to buy sugary drinks and candy.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in federal court in Washington, D.C., argues the limits are illegal and make it harder...

Loneliness, Social Isolation Impact Brain Health Among Women Entering Menopause

MONDAY, March 16, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Loneliness can impact a woman’s brain health as she begins menopause, a new study says.

Loneliness and social isolation are both linked to the cognitive decline a woman feels as she begins to transition into menopause, researchers recently reported in the journal Menopause.

Poor Hearing Makes It Harder For Blind Folks To Navigate

MONDAY, March 16, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Poor hearing can dramatically impact a blind person’s ability to navigate and move around in their daily life, a new study says.

People who’ve gone blind can still use hearing to help them avoid obstacles and reach destinations.

But blind people who also have experienced hea...

Other People's Opinions Can Shape How You Feel About Pain, Mental Challenges

MONDAY, March 16, 2026 (HealthDay News) — You’re waiting for a vaccination. The person ahead of you stumbles out, groaning about how painful the shot was.

Could hearing that make your own injection hurt worse?

Yes, a new study says.

What others say about an experience – be it a vaccination, or a job interview,...

Exercise Promotes Release Of Brain-Boosting Protein, Study Shows

MONDAY, March 16, 2026 (HealthDay News) — It’s long been known that exercise improves a person’s brain health – and researchers now think they better understand at least one of the factors at play.

Just one 15-minute session of aerobic exercise floods the brain with brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protei...

One-Third Of U.S. Parents Worried Their Young Driver Could Cause A Car Crash

MONDAY, March 16, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Many U.S. parents are worried that their teen or young adult is going to cause a wreck through their unsafe driving, a new survey says.

About 1 in 3 parents worry that their young driver could cause a motor vehicle accident, according to the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children&rs...

Medical Debt Forces Many to Skip Essential Health Care

MONDAY, March 16, 2026 (HealthDay News) — People who’ve racked up medical debt are more likely to skip health care that could prevent future illnesses, a new study reports.

Folks weighed down by hospital and doctor bills are much more likely to delay medical, dental and mental health care, researchers reported in the Journa...