Health Journal Online

Category: Diseases & Conditions

  • Eyeing A Sunny State For Retirement? You Might Experience Accelerated Aging

    Eyeing A Sunny State For Retirement? You Might Experience Accelerated Aging

    Many people dream of retiring to warmer climates, seeking the comfort of sunny skies and milder temperatures. However, there’s an unexpected twist to the plot: living in hotter environments may accelerate the aging process.

    Studies have shown that exposure to extreme heat can have adverse effects on health. In the latest study published in the journal Science Advances, the researchers explored how environmental heat affects biological aging.

    The study involved over 3,600 participants from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), all aged 56 and older, from across the U.S. Over a six-year period, researchers collected blood samples from the participants at various points to analyze epigenetic changes. These changes occur when certain genes are turned ‘on’ or ‘off’ through a process called DNA methylation.

    Using mathematical tools known as epigenetic clocks, researchers studied methylation patterns and estimated the participants’ biological ages at different times during the study. They then compared these changes in biological age with the heat index history and number of heat days recorded by the National Weather Service from 2010 to 2016 based on each participant’s location.

    Since the study used the heat index, it took into account the combined effects of heat and humidity, rather than just air temperature, to analyze its impact. The researchers highlighted that this is especially important for older adults, as they do not sweat as effectively.

    “People in neighborhoods that experience more days of high heat show greater biological aging on average than residents of cooler regions,” said Jennifer Ailshire, senior author of the study in a news release.

    For example, just seven days of heat could result in aging about 1 year faster. Longer exposure to extreme heat, such as a year, had an even stronger effect, making aging faster by nearly 2.5 years.

    “Participants living in areas where heat days, as defined as Extreme Caution or higher levels (≥90°F), occur half the year, such as Phoenix, Arizona, experienced up to 14 months of additional biological aging compared to those living in areas with fewer than 10 heat days per year,” co-author of the study, Eunyoung Choi said.

    “Even after controlling for several factors, we found this association. Just because you live in an area with more heat days, you’re aging faster biologically,” Choi added.

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  • AI-Assisted Wearable Device ‘Speaks’ For People With Dysfunctional Vocal Cords

    AI-Assisted Wearable Device ‘Speaks’ For People With Dysfunctional Vocal Cords

    Speech-language pathology is an area of medical science based on the mechanics of voice production and the evaluation, treatment and prevention of communication. AI-assisted technology has played a crucial role in developing treatment options for conditions that affect speech, such as stuttering or the inability to control specific muscles after a stroke.

    UCLA bioengineers have created a device that translates larynx muscle movements into speech with incredible accuracy. This small, non-invasive device offers a promising alternative for those with voice disorders, providing an effective way to communicate during recovery.

    Speech Pathology, AI & Wearable Devices

    Everyone from healthcare professionals and medical researchers to students and graduates of institutions like the Ithaca College online SLP program can attest to the wonderful advances the ethical use of non-generative AI models has facilitated.

    AI’s unique ability to rapidly and efficiently analyze, compile, and produce results according to trends within the data analysis may come in handy with a unique magnetic phenomenon, magnetoelasticity. Magnetoelasticity describes the change of a material’s magnetic properties under strain. Using this concept and AI-assisted technology, a research team at UCLA led by Assistant Professor of Bioengineering Jun Chen has developed a promising breakthrough.

    The wearable device consists of biocompatible silicone and copper induction coils that generate electrical signals from muscle movements. When people talk, the movement of the vocal folds and throat muscles distorts the magnetic fields of the device, resulting in magnetoelasticity. When this happens, sensors in the device detect larynx muscle movements and produce electrical signals that an artificial intelligence model can read, interpret, and then produce output from. This output results in effective speech, allowing those with dysfunctional vocal cords to regain their voice function.

    Tested on eight adults so far, it demonstrated nearly 95% accuracy in translating sentences.

    The research team plans to expand the device’s vocabulary using machine learning and test it on individuals with speech disorders. This non-invasive technology offers a promising alternative to current solutions and will be further tested and expanded to help those with speech disorders.

    AI Applications Speech Therapy

    In recent years, speech pathology technology has been developing rapidly. Automated speech recognition software and applications have been a highlight and have been around for years. However, a huge advantage of AI models in speech pathology (as well as in general medicine) is the sheer volume of data they can draw from.

    To work, AI has to be “trained” on input fed to it by the user. The AI can then store and remember all of this information and produce relevant data or output based on the data used to train it. Of course, humans are also capable of this, but it requires hours, perhaps even days, of sorting through test results, noting down the relevant data, and then comparing and checking it against itself.

    AI can be fed the data and produce the relevant stats, figures, or results in minutes. Also, since AI can be connected to audio equipment, it can recognize impairments and anomalies at much earlier stages than a human might be able to. There are even examples of some companies utilizing speech pathology AI with clients.

    Finally, as it has been for the last few decades, AI can miraculously help develop and plan treatment for speech therapy clients. With its tremendous power of collecting, storing, remembering, recalling, sorting, and summarizing statistics and data, AI can look through patient records with unparalleled speed and efficiency and determine accurate and applicable treatment plans, considering the entirety of a patient’s history.

    The Future of AI in Medicine

    Although AI has garnered much recent attention, it is important to understand the context of this criticism. The use of generative AI models (AI that utilizes original works to produce something else) is a controversial topic in many sectors, but it is important to remember that the AI we see being used here and in the medical industry is not generative, it is simply a tool used to streamline an otherwise extensive process.

    This is not an AI that takes information and then attempts to produce an original work; it is an AI that takes data and then rapidly analyzes and delivers the results of that data. It’s a smarter version of making a chart or table in Excel. More importantly, this AI is helping people. AI in medicine has led to more accurate and faster treatments and improved efficiency in hospitals and medical facilities.

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  • Mystery Disease Claims Dozens of Lives, Including Children Who Died After Eating a Bat

    Mystery Disease Claims Dozens of Lives, Including Children Who Died After Eating a Bat

    More than 50 people have died in the northwest Democratic Republic of Congo from a mystery illness that first appeared in three children who ate a bat.

    The disease has an alarming fatality rate, infecting at least 419 people since its outbreak on January 21, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and local doctors. Many victims die within 48 hours of showing symptoms, as reported by the Associated Press.

    “That’s what’s really worrying,” Serge Ngalebato, the medical director of Bikoro Hospital, told AP.

    The outbreak began in the town of Boloko after three children reportedly consumed a bat and died shortly afterward from hemorrhagic fever symptoms. A second outbreak followed in the nearby town of Bomate on February 9.

    Samples from 13 cases have been sent to Congo’s National Institute for Biomedical Research, but tests for Ebola and other hemorrhagic fevers, such as Marburg, have so far come back negative. Some patients tested positive for malaria, but its connection to the illness remains unclear.

    Congo has battled an overlapping series of disease outbreaks, including typhoid, malaria and mpox. The most recent mpox outbreak surged to 47,000 suspected cases and is thought to have caused over 1,000 deaths. Another unidentified flu-like illness killed more than 143 people in 2024 before health authorities determined malaria was the likely cause, CBS News reported.

    Zoonotic diseases—illnesses that jump from animals to humans—have long been of concern to health officials, particularly in regions where wild animals are commonly consumed. WHO has reported a 60% increase in such outbreaks in Africa over the past decade.

    Originally published by Latin Times.

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  • Just 5 Minutes Of Daily Exercise Reduces Dementia Risk By 41%

    Just 5 Minutes Of Daily Exercise Reduces Dementia Risk By 41%

    Staying active is one of the most effective ways to support long-term health and lower the risk of dementia. However, not everyone has the time, ability, or motivation for structured workouts every day. Here’s some good news- new research suggests even small amounts of movement can still give significant protection against dementia.

    A recent study published in the Journal of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine found that just 35 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week, which is about 5 minutes a day, lowered the risk of developing dementia by 41% compared to those who never exercised.

    “Our findings suggest that increasing physical activity, even as little as five minutes per day, can reduce dementia risk in older adults. This adds to a growing body of evidence that some exercise is better than nothing, especially with regard to an aging-related disorder that affects the brain that currently has no cure,” said lead author Amal Wanigatunga in a news release.

    The findings were made after following up nearly 90,000 adults with an average age of 63, for about 4.4 years. During the study period, the researchers tracked the physical activity levels and health of the participants and noted that 735 of them developed dementia. On average, participants engaged in 126 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week.

    The study found that for every additional 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week, the risk of developing dementia decreased by 4%. While even small amounts of movement help, the researchers noticed a clear pattern, a dose-response relationship between exercise and reduced dementia risk. This means that more people exercised, the greater the benefits.

    Those who engaged in 36 to 70 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per week saw their dementia risk drop by 60%, while those who exercised for 71 to 140 minutes experienced a 63% reduction. The biggest impact, however, was among individuals who exceeded 140 minutes per week, slashing their risk by an impressive 69%.

    “Our results suggest engaging in any additional amount of MVPA [moderate to vigorous physical activity] reduces dementia risk, with the highest benefit appearing among individuals with no MVPA. These associations are not substantially modified by frailty status,” the researchers concluded.

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  • Feeling Groggy After A Full Night’s Sleep? A Doctor Explains Simple Math To Find Your Ideal Bedtime

    Feeling Groggy After A Full Night’s Sleep? A Doctor Explains Simple Math To Find Your Ideal Bedtime

    You get a full night’s sleep but still wake up feeling groggy, while a short nap leaves you feeling refreshed. Ever wondered why? It could be because your sleep schedule is disrupting your body’s natural rhythm, either by going to bed at the wrong time or waking up in the middle of a sleep cycle.

    It’s not just about going to bed earlier; it’s about syncing your sleep schedule with your body’s natural sleep cycle, suggests Dr. Charles Puza, a New York City dermatologist who shares sleep tips on Instagram.

    “Ever wake up from 8+ hours of sleep and still feel groggy? It’s because you’re going to bed and waking up at the wrong time. You should be timing your sleep to align with natural sleep cycles of around 90 minutes,” Dr. Puza wrote in a recent Instagram post.

    While getting eight hours of sleep is important, researchers also suggest that the timing of your bedtime and waking up after completing natural sleep cycles are key to feeling truly rested.

    Natural sleep cycles last around 90 minutes, and throughout a typical night’s sleep of 7.5 hours, we go through about five full cycles. Each cycle includes different stages, from light sleep to deep rest. To feel refreshed after a night’s sleep, a person needs to have complete undisturbed stages of these cycles.

    However, when you go to bed late and depend on an alarm to wake up at a set time, you might be interrupting the cycles, preventing you from reaching deep sleep stages, essential for feeling truly rested. This disruption results in fragmented sleep, which has been linked to a range of negative effects, from increased stress and mood swings to poor overall health and well-being.

    To avoid this, it’s crucial to understand your body’s ideal bedtime that aligns with the natural sleep cycle. Dr. Puza offers a simple formula for those looking to get a restful night’s sleep:

    “You need to decide if you need five cycles or six cycles of sleep overnight. Factor in about 15 minutes to fall asleep,” he said.

    For those wanting five cycles need to simply subtract 7h45m others or 9h15m from your wake-up time to find your ideal bedtime.



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  • Woman’s Skin Turns Yellow, Develops Flu-Like Symptoms Before Shocking Terminal Diagnosis

    Woman’s Skin Turns Yellow, Develops Flu-Like Symptoms Before Shocking Terminal Diagnosis

    For years, 38-year-old Laura Wharam, led an active, healthy life, believing she was in remission after a hard-fought battle with breast cancer. But when she recently developed strange flu-like symptoms and noticed her skin turning yellow, little did she imagine that it would lead to a devastating diagnosis. Her cancer has returned aggressively at stage 4, leaving her with no cure and only months to live.

    Wharam from London, in the U.K., was initially diagnosed with breast cancer that led to a double mastectomy in 2021. “We thought it was all going well from there. She was feeling super strong – she was active. But then it all changed at the start of this year,” said her partner Jake Watt.

    But Wharam began feeling unwell last month, experiencing fatigue and losing her appetite. Soon, she noticed her skin turning yellow and was rushed to the hospital, suspecting an infected appendix. Instead, what awaited her was a life-changing diagnosis.

    “It was the worst possible news. It’s such a shock to the system. I’ve cried every day since the diagnosis. It’s been such a whirlwind,” Watt recollected.

    Wharam’s cancer has now spread to other parts of her body with little treatment left. “Laura’s cancer is incurable, but she’s having chemotherapy to try to slow it down. Doctors have said the worst-case scenario is a couple of months, the best-case scenario is a couple of years,” said Watt.

    Now, the couple faces an unimaginable situation where Wharam cannot continue her work and should start thinking about her end-of-life care. In an effort to support her during this difficult time, Watt has set up a GoFundMe page.

    “She can’t work at the moment and London is expensive. We also have to start preparing for end-of-life care. We just want to alleviate that financial burden,” Watt said.

    While many are familiar with the typical signs of breast cancer, such as changes to the nipple or a lump, it’s important to remember that not all forms present these obvious symptoms. In many cases, mammograms are the best way to detect breast cancer early, when it is easier to treat.

    When breast cancer spreads to other parts of the body such as the bones, lungs, or brain, the symptoms can be very different. Secondary breast cancer often brings a range of general symptoms, including overwhelming tiredness, difficulty sleeping, loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss, nausea, and pain. Yellowing of the skin can be a sign that cancer has spread to the liver.

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  • Common Mistake While Swimming To Blame

    Common Mistake While Swimming To Blame

    A New York lifeguard lost her eyesight after contracting a rare amoebic infection caused by a common mistake many people make while swimming. For all contact lens wearers, this is a crucial warning—always remove your lenses before entering the water to avoid serious risks.

    Maureen Cronin, a 53-year-old lifeguard and swimming instructor, can no longer continue her work after losing her eyesight to acanthamoeba keratitis, a rare infection caused by parasites burrowing into her cornea and permanently damaging her right eye.

    Since last June, Cronin had been giving swimming lessons to kids in her backyard pool, but she never removed her contact lenses during the sessions.

    “I didn’t know this [that you shouldn’t wear them] but I had my contacts in and I would take my goggles off and show them how to go underwater and how fun it was,” she said.

    The signs of infection began with an eye irritation during one of her swimming sessions, which Cronin describes as feeling like she “had a piece of sand” in her eye. However, the discomfort soon escalated into “excruciating” pain. She then consulted a doctor who prescribed eye drops, but the symptoms persisted. After several misdiagnoses, first as a corneal laceration and later with a herpes infection, she was eventually found to have acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) in August of last year.

    Cronin underwent a cornea transplant the following month, but her body rejected the procedure, leaving her completely blind in her right eye. As she awaits a second transplant in hopes of restoring her vision, she feels anxious about the outcome. “It feels like it’s never-ending, and I’m nervous,” she shared.

    “AK is not well known and it is often misdiagnosed. I would say anyone who wears contact lenses shouldn’t wear them near any body of water. Don’t even wear them when it rains,” she added.

    Contact lens wearers are at the highest risk of developing acanthamoeba keratitis, making up at least 90% of cases. The infection often occurs due to a combination of factors, such as wearing contacts for too long, improperly storing them, and not cleaning the lenses or storage cases correctly. Additionally, wearing contact lenses while swimming or showering, or using contaminated contact lens-related items like cases or solutions also raises the risk.

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  • Common Artificial Sweetener In Diet Sodas May Raise Risk Of Heart Attacks, Strokes

    Common Artificial Sweetener In Diet Sodas May Raise Risk Of Heart Attacks, Strokes

    Are you considering sugar substitutes as a safer alternative to sugar? Think again. Recent research has found that a common artificial sweetener used in diet sodas and other zero-sugar food items may actually increase your risk of heart attacks and strokes.

    In a recent study published in the journal Cell Metabolism, researchers evaluated mice fed aspartame, a common sugar substitute, for 12 weeks and compared them with mice without a sweetener-infused diet. The amount of aspartame the mice consumed (daily doses of food containing 0.15%) was equivalent to about three cans of diet soda per day for humans.

    The results revealed that mice fed with aspartame had increased inflammation and “larger and more fatty plaques” in their arteries, two main factors that could raise the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

    The researchers also noted that the mice’s blood had an insulin surge after aspartame entered their system. They then determined that elevated insulin levels may be the key link between aspartame and cardiovascular health.

    “Aspartame triggers increased insulin levels in animals, which in turn contributes to atherosclerosis—buildup of fatty plaque in the arteries, which can lead to higher levels of inflammation and an increased risk of heart attacks and stroke over time,” the researchers noted in a news release.

    The study identified a specific immune signal, CX3CL1 that gets activated under insulin stimulation as the key factor for inflammation and plaque buildup.

    “Because blood flow through the artery is strong and robust, most chemicals would be quickly washed away as the heart pumps. Surprisingly, not CX3CL1. It stays glued to the surface of the inner lining of blood vessels. There, it acts like a bait, catching immune cells as they pass by,” said senior author Yihai Cao.

    Cao believes that the same immune signal, CX3CL1, could be a potential target for treating other chronic conditions that involve blood vessel inflammation, like stroke, arthritis, and diabetes. Developing agents that block the functions of this immune signal could provide a new way to treat and prevent common and deadly diseases in humans.

    “Artificial sweeteners have penetrated almost all kinds of food, so we have to know the long-term health impact,” Cao cautioned.

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  • Man Hospitalized With Fever, Recurrent Falls Diagnosed With Rare Infection Linked To Lake Swimming In Iowa

    Man Hospitalized With Fever, Recurrent Falls Diagnosed With Rare Infection Linked To Lake Swimming In Iowa

    A 77-year-old man’s mysterious symptoms, fever, and frequent falls due to fatigue left doctors puzzled for days until they diagnosed him with a potentially fatal Legionnaires’ disease, linked to his vacation swimming in an Iowa lake.

    According to the case published in CMAJ, the unidentified patient was admitted to a Winnipeg hospital with fever, cough, and multiple sudden falls due to fatigue. Tests showed an elevated blood cell count, indicating an infection, along with high levels of creatine kinase, suggesting potential kidney damage. Further testing revealed that the patient had developed severe pneumonia.

    The patient was initially treated for five days with antibiotics piperacillin-tazobactam, a broad-spectrum antibiotics for pneumonia but his condition did not improve. Doctors then performed a bronchoscopy but could not identify the specific bacteria from the sample.

    Although doctors initially requested Legionella testing of the bronchoalveolar lavage culture, the laboratory declined due to a lack of clinical justification. However, after the doctors highlighted the patient’s risk factors including recent travel, exposure to stagnant water, and pneumonia unresponsive to standard antibiotics, the lab proceeded with the test.

    While the bronchoalveolar lavage culture tested negative, a urine test confirmed the presence of Legionella. The negative culture result was likely due to recent antibiotic use.

    Once Legionnaires’ disease was confirmed, doctors prescribed a 10-day course of antibiotics levofloxacin (750 mg daily). By the fourth day of treatment, the patient had improved significantly and no longer needed supplemental oxygen, allowing him to be discharged from the hospital to continue his recovery at home.

    Legionnaires’ disease develops within 10 days after exposure to Legionella bacteria, which enters the body through inhalation from water or soil. Outbreaks have been linked to various water sources, including hot tubs, whirlpools, cooling towers in air conditioning systems, hot water tanks, heaters, decorative fountains, swimming pools, birthing pools, and drinking water.

    The initial signs of the infection include headache, muscle aches, and a high fever. Within three days, additional signs may appear, including cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, gastrointestinal issues, and confusion. Though it primarily affects the lungs, it can sometimes lead to infections in other parts of the body, such as wounds or the heart. If left untreated it can lead to life-threatening complications including septic shock, and lung and kidney failure.

    A milder form of the infection from the same bacteria causes Pontiac fever, with similar symptoms but doesn’t affect the lungs and generally resolves in a few days.

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  • Rare Water Allergy Causes Excruciating Pain For Woman—From Drinking To Showering, She Shares Her Daily Struggle

    Rare Water Allergy Causes Excruciating Pain For Woman—From Drinking To Showering, She Shares Her Daily Struggle

    You may never realize how often water touches our lives until you have a disorder like the 25-year-old young mother from the U.K. who describes simple daily activities such as washing hands, drinking water, or taking a bath as “excruciatingly painful”.

    An extremely rare condition called aquagenic urticaria makes the life of Kendall Bryce, from Durham, UK, a real struggle. As a young mother of one, pregnant with her second child, she finds it difficult to take care of herself and or her child while battling the condition.

    “I’ve never been able to give my one-year-old son a bath. My mom has to do it for me. And I even feel my throat burning when I drink water,” she said.

    “It really is a daily struggle. I can only have a bath or take a shower twice a week because of how excruciating the pain is, so I constantly worry I stink,” said Bryce.

    Bryce’s condition began when she was just 15 when she started noticing hives after she took a bath. But little did she realize that was the beginning of her battle with water allergy until she was diagnosed with the condition four years back.

    “The GP didn’t have a clue what to do. It’s just such a rare condition, so not many people have it and not many people know about it,” Bryce recalled, still living with the constant pain. The pain is so severe that her body sometimes goes into shock.

    “My life is dictated by the weather as I have to avoid rain — and even hot humid days. I check the forecast every day and stay home if it’s raining or going to rain, but if I get caught out by surprise, my body reacts and it’s really painful,” she added.

    There is currently no cure for water allergy, but treatment options are available to manage the symptoms. Treatments include the use of oral antihistamines, topical medications like creams or emulsions, phototherapy using artificial UV light, and sometimes other medications like asthma drugs, anabolic steroids, or SSRIs.

    While pregnant, Bryce’s treatment options are however limited. “They’ve tried lots of different medications but I kept reacting. I still haven’t found something that helps,” Bryce said. However, she hopes that by sharing her story, she might connect with someone who knows how to treat her condition.

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