Health Headlines - April 5

Children Who Watch TV More Likely to Bully

The more television 4-year-old children watch the more likely they are to become bullies later on in school, a U.S. study said Monday.

Garlic May Ward Off...a Lung Condition

An ingredient in garlic appears to prevent a potentially deadly type of high blood pressure affecting the lungs, at least in rats, according to new research presented Saturday.

Oral Sex Safe and Not Really Sex, Say U.S. Teens

One in five U.S. teenagers say they have engaged in oral sex, an activity that some adolescents view as not sex at all and certainly less risky than intercourse, a report released Monday said.

Ginger Seems Safe for Easing Nausea in Pregnancy

Ginger appears to help pregnant women who suffer from morning sickness, without side effects to the unborn child, according to a review of the medical literature.

Set Aside Funds Now for Bird Flu, WHO Expert Says

The world's governments should set aside 5 percent of their spending on influenza vaccines to help get ready for the next big flu epidemic, a World Health Organization expert proposed on Monday.

Morphine May Help Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

For people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) who have not been helped by standard drug treatments, a weekly dose of oral morphine may ease their symptoms, according to a small pilot study.

Therapy Said Good as Drugs for Some Depression

Psychological therapy and counseling can be just as effective as drugs in the early stages of treating moderate to severe depression, a study released on Monday found, contrary to current practice.

Lidocaine Patch Curbs Osteoarthritis Pain

A patch containing the local anesthetic lidocaine appears to be as effective as the painkiller Celebrex for treating painful osteoarthritis in the knee researchers reported at the American Pain Society Meeting in Boston.

Willing Organ Donors Need to Document Wishes

Although the majority of Americans support organ and tissue donation and are willing to become donors themselves, many have not taken the steps required to ensure that their wishes will be carried out after their death.

Nasal Filters Prevent Hay Fever Symptoms

Filters worn in the nostrils and designed to trap inhaled pollen are useful for preventing hay fever symptoms during allergy season, according to a report from Australia.

Rankings Aim to Boost State Health Care

Which state ranks highest in giving flu vaccines to the elderly? That would be Minnesota. And which state ranks last in the percentage of women receiving prenatal care in the first three months of pregnancy? That would be New Mexico.

Older Air Bags Could Increase Risk

Children wearing safety belts who are exposed to older air bags in frontal crashes face a higher risk of serious injury compared with those in vehicles with newer versions of the safety devices, a study released Monday found.

Health Benefits Help Peanuts Shed Stigma

Peanuts, a dietary outcast during the fat-phobic 1990s, have made a comeback, with consumption soaring to its highest level in nearly two decades and more doctors recommending nuts as part of a heart-healthy diet.

Doctors Group Condemns Use of Steroids

Doctors, parents and coaches should take a stand against young athletes using steroids and other performance-enhancing substances, the American Academy of Pediatrics says.

'Moon-Walk' Chamber May Speed Orthopedic Rehab

A positive air pressure chamber that provides buoyancy equal to that of "walking on the moon" may enable patients with hip or other lower-extremity orthopedic surgeries to begin rehabilitation sooner.

Drinking During Pregnancy May Upset Child's 'Body Clock'

A study in rats suggests fetal exposure to alcohol may upset the body's circadian clock as children mature into adulthood.

Testosterone Behind Men's Higher Aneurysm Risk

Male sex hormones may explain why men are four times more likely than women to develop abdominal aortic aneurysms, researchers say.

Pregnancy Complication Linked to Hypertension in Kids

Children of mothers who had the dangerous blood pressure complication preeclampsia during pregnancy are also at high risk for a type of hypertension themselves, researchers report.

Health Tip: Bipolar Disorder in Children

Bipolar disorder (also known as manic-depression) is a serious but treatable medical illness. It is a disorder of the brain marked by extreme changes in mood, energy, thinking and behavior.

New Hope Against Inoperable Liver, Lung Cancers

The phrase "we can't operate" may sound like a death knell to many cancer patients, particularly the hundreds of thousands of Americans diagnosed each year with lung or liver malignancies.

U.S. Parents Exposing Children to Cigarette Smoke

Too many American parents are ignoring health warnings and letting their children be exposed to cigarette smoke at home, in cars and in public places, a new report finds.

Zinc Hones Teens' Thinking Skills

Zinc may give your teenager a mental edge.

Marburg virus toll in Angola hits 155, fear intensifies in Luanda

An outbreak of the deadly Ebola-like Marburg virus has intensified in Angola, claiming more than 29 lives over the past four days and taking the nationwide toll to 155, heightening fear of the disease in the capital Luanda, authorities said.

No praise for pope from AIDS campaigners

AIDS campaigners sounded a jarring note over the papacy of John Paul II, describing his ban on condom use, abhorrence of homosexuality and conservatism on women's rights as bleak failures in the fight against HIV.

Woman tests positive for bird flu in Vietnam

A 27-year-old woman in central Vietnam has tested positive for bird flu and was in a stable condition in hospital, doctors said.

Cholera 'epidemic' strikes in DR Congo displaced camps

A cholera outbreak has been given epidemic status at a displaced persons camp in the northeastern Ituri region as the death toll reached 20 from the 430 people suffering from the it, UN officials confirmed here.

No Marburg-virus cases in DR Congo: health minister

No cases of the deadly Ebola-like Marburg virus currently ravaging Angola have been found in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, the DRC's health minister.

Kuwaiti health minister to resign after hospital assaults

Kuwaiti Health Minister Mohammad al-Jarallah announced he would submit his resignation amid intense pressure from lawmakers following a spate of assaults and rapes in hospitals.