In the US, ear infections are one of the most common reasons for children in visiting paediatricians. In fact, as high as 90% of children tend to have ear infections before they turn seven. Not just children, even adults face ear pain and ear-related disorders, and that number is as high as 20 million doctor visits every …
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The beta-blocker controversy: New evidence from the CHARISMA trials
Ever since beta-blockers were pharmaceutically introduced, there loomed a cloud of doubt over their therapeutic safety. Whether beta-blockers can be used liberally for a range of cardiovascular diseases or not has been a persistent question for physicians and cardiologists across the globe. Though research supports the use of beta-blockers in patients with a history of …
Medical gadget of the week: The mutebutton™ device that treats tinnitus
Editor’s note: Thank you for your overwhelming response to last week’s Medical Gadget of the Week, the Empatica Embrace smartwatch. Continuing the proliferation of technology in helping the diagnosis or treatment of niche medical conditions, this week we present a device designed to treat tinnitus. Tinnitus is a common medical condition affecting as high as 10-15% …
The Triclosan controversy: An overview for doctors
Triclosan is a chlorinated organic compound known for its antibacterial and antifungal properties, and is used widely in consumer products such as soaps, detergents and toothpastes. Interestingly, it is approved and registered by the U.S Environmental and Protection Agency as a pesticide. Of late, its widespread use in consumer products has caused serious health concerns …
Ebola update: The latest on the lethal bug
Ebola derives its name from the Ebola river situated near Yambuku in the Democratic Republic of Congo where the first documented Ebola cases were reported back in 1976 along with Sudan and Nzara. As of 2014, the resurgence of Ebola has caused widespread fatalities in the sub-Saharan continent with Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea being …
October 2014 Medical News Roundup
October saw its fair share of ground breaking research and outbreaks. Here is a bird’s eye view of the top 5 headlines in the medical world. 1. Ebola cases cross 10,000; experimental vaccine trials underway The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in the USA recently announced a travel-related case diagnosed at a hospital in Texas. Unfortunately, the patient passed …