Relief “In Sight” For Allergy Sufferers

For many of the nation’s 40 million contact lens wearers, seasonal ocular allergy symptoms such as itching, tearing, and redness caused by contact lens wear, often hit them during the time that they want to be wearing their lenses for outdoor sports, exercise, and socializing. This increase in incidences of lens discomfort causes many to use rewetting drops more often, wear their lenses less frequently, or switch back to glasses.
But, according Read more…

Discovery Of Genetic Factor In Stress Response Variability

Inherited variations in the amount of an innate anxiety-reducing molecule help explain why some people can withstand stress better than others, according to a new study led by researchers at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
"Stress response is an important variable in vulnerability to alcohol dependence and other addictions, Read more…

Reducing The Sting Of Summer Bug Bites

The arrival of summer brings with it an alarming increase of honey bees, wasps, yellow jackets and hornets, especially dreadful for those who experience severe allergic reactions to insect venom.
Many who have reactions like hives, breathing difficulty, coughing or a drop in blood pressure Read more…

Relaxation Training May Improve Control Of Hard-To-Treat Systolic Hypertension

Adding the relaxation response, a stress-management approach, to other lifestyle interventions may significantly improve treatment of the type of hypertension most common in the elderly. Among participants in a study conducted at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Hypertension Program and the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind-Body Medicine at MGH, those Read more…

Depression Ups Risk Of Complications Following Heart Attack

People who suffer from severe depression following a heart attack might be more likely to experience cardiac complications while hospitalized, according to a new study.
"There is good evidence that if a person has depression after a heart attack, they are more likely to die from cardiac causes in the following months and years," said lead author Jeff Huffman, M.D., assistant professor Read more…

St. Jude Medical Announces First Patient Implants In Clinical Study Evaluating Deep Brain Stimulation For Depression

St. Jude Medical, Inc. (NYSE:STJ) announced the first patient implants in a clinical study that is investigating whether deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy will help people who suffer from major depressive disorder, a severe form of depression. The patients, a 59-year-old woman and a 42-year-old man, were implanted at Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital in Chicago, with the St. Jude Medical Libra® Deep Brain Read more…