July 2008
News Archive
News articles from July 2008
Alzheimer's: have researchers really found the answer? (31/07/2008)
It can be heartbreaking to have a friend or relative with Alzheimer's disease. When someone you love struggles to remember your name, it's natural to be hopeful about anything that might help. Several drugs have been highlighted in recent news reports as potential new treatments for Alzheimer's. Here, we take a closer look...
Frankincense extract shows promise as a treatment for arthritis (30/07/2008)
Frankincense has for centuries been treasured as a fragrance in perfumes and incense. Now new research shows that concentrated frankincense extract may reduce the pain and stiffness of osteoarthritis in the knee. But the study was small and more research is needed before we can know for sure...
Keeping safe in the sun (29/07/2008)
Everyone cheers up when the sun comes out. But there’ s nothing cheerful about sunburn, and it’ s easy to get caught out when you’ re not used to hot sunshine. More importantly, too much sun increases the risk of getting skin cancer. Here are some tips to keep you cool and safe now that summer has finally arrived...
New advice on recovering after surgery (28/07/2008)
If you've had an operation, you'll probably want to get back to normal as soon as you can. But you may also worry about injuring yourself by trying to do too much. New advice from the Royal College of Surgeons tells people how quickly they can expect to recover from seven common operations...
Avoid antibiotics for minor illnesses, doctors told (24/07/2008)
GPs have been advised not to prescribe antibiotics for minor conditions such as coughs, colds and ear infections. Antibiotics don't usually help with these illnesses, and may cause side effects. The overuse of antibiotics has also helped create superbugs...
New prostate cancer treatment tested (23/07/2008)
You may have read about a new treatment for prostate cancer, which has had promising results. Reports say it could save many thousands of lives every year. But the treatment is still being tested, and the research is at a very early stage. We take a closer look...
Newer epilepsy drug may also increase risk of birth defects (22/07/2008)
Taking an epilepsy drug called topiramate while pregnant may increase the risk of birth defects, according to a new study. But the risk with topiramate doesn't appear to be any higher than the risk with other epilepsy drugs...
Lyme disease: taking care in the countryside (21/07/2008)
As summer continues, millions of people will be visiting Britain's countryside. Anyone spending time in wooded or grassy areas needs to be aware of Lyme disease, a rare but unpleasant illness...
New Alzheimer's treatment tested (18/07/2008)
Researchers have reported promising results for a new Alzheimer's drug. We take a close look at the evidence, to see whether it might offer a new option for treatment...
Fibre linked to lower risk of pre-eclampsia (17/07/2008)
If you are pregnant or trying for a baby, you’ re probably keen to eat a healthy diet so that your baby gets the best start in life. New research suggests there may be an additional reason to eat plenty of fruit, vegetables and wholegrain - it may help protect against pre-eclampsia...
UK rates of oesophageal cancer among worst in Europe (16/07/2008)
Cancer of the oesophagus is on the increase in the UK, with rates much higher than in the rest of Europe...
Alternative diets as good as low fat for weight loss (15/07/2008)
For years, people wanting to lose weight have been advised to follow a low-fat diet. But a big new study shows that this type of diet may not be the best bet for long-term weight loss...
Can cycling affect men's sexual health? (10/07/2008)
Male cyclists should take care when choosing and setting up their bikes, or they could be at risk of groin injuries and possibly erection problems, according to a new study. However, the good news is that researchers have found no direct link between cycling and infertility in men...
Helping cancer patients cope with depression (09/07/2008)
Finding out you have cancer can be devastating. Not surprisingly, many people with cancer get seriously depressed, which can make coping during this difficult time even harder. Now new research has found that a one-to-one, short-term counselling programme may help improve depression among cancer patients...
Men, age and fatherhood (09/07/2008)
You may have read news reports about the effect of a man's age on their chances of fathering children. Some reports say that one in three pregnancies where the man is over 40 will end in miscarriage. But is that really true? We take a closer look at the research...
New study of antidepressants (08/07/2008)
Some commonly used antidepressants carry a small risk of causing bleeding inside your stomach, new research says. The risk is bigger when antidepressants are combined with other drugs that irritate your stomach, such as ibuprofen...
Can green tea help to keep blood vessels healthy? (03/07/2008)
Research extolling the virtues of green tea is rarely out of the news. Reports from the latest study suggest that this increasingly popular variety of tea might help to keep the blood vessels healthy. We take a closer look at the study...
How broccoli might protect the prostate (03/07/2008)
There are plenty of good health reasons to eat up your greens. Now new research suggests that eating broccoli regularly can produce chemical changes in the body that might protect men against prostate cancer...
Low levels of 'good' cholesterol linked to memory loss (02/07/2008)
People in their 50s are more likely to suffer from memory loss if they don't have enough 'good' cholesterol in their blood, a new study has found. But it's too soon to know whether treatments to improve your cholesterol level could protect against memory loss or Alzheimer's disease...
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited ("BMJ Group") 2007. All rights reserved
This information does not replace medical advice. If you are concerned you might have a medical problem please ask your Boots pharmacy team in your local Boots store, or see your doctor.
