Age, Other Illnesses May Make Prostate Cancer Treatment Unnecessary TUESDAY, May 21 (HealthDay News) -- Aggressive treatment for prostate cancer may not be warranted for many older patients with underlying medical conditions, a new study finds. Treatments for prostate cancer, such as surgery, radiation and radioactive seed implants, can cause serious side effects, such as erectile dysfunction, urinary incontinence and bowel problems, explained researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (...

Scientists Map the Fungi on Your Feet WEDNESDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- Anyone who has ever wrestled with athlete's foot knows there is something about feet that fungi seem to like. But scientists now have the first detailed "map" of the fungal groups that live on your skin -- and, yes, your feet are the hottest neighborhood. It's no secret that the human body is awash in microscopic organisms, such as bacteria, viruses and fungi, both outside and inside. And it's mainly a friendly relationship that...

Many Can Blame Family for Their Bunions MONDAY, May 20 (HealthDay News) -- If you've got bunions, chances are others in your family suffer from the common foot disorder, with a new study finding the condition is often passed down from parents to children. Reporting in the May issue of Arthritis Care & Research , researchers found that people of European descent often inherit conditions such as bunions or other toe deformities. "Our study is the largest investigation of the heritability of common foo...

Sugar Injections for Knee Arthritis May Ease Pain: Study MONDAY, May 20 (HealthDay News) -- Injections of a sugar solution appear to help relieve knee pain and stiffness related to osteoarthritis, a new study suggests. The technique -- known as dextrose prolotherapy -- has been around for 75 years but is still considered an "alternative" therapy. "Our study suggests very strongly that prolotherapy is a safe and appropriate therapy for people with mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis that hasn't responde...

Health Tip: Before You Lift Something Heavy (HealthDay News) -- Lower back pain is among the leading causes of missed work in the United States. Fortunately, you can take steps to reduce your risk of hurting yourself. The American Council on Exercise suggests these techniques for proper lifting: Ask for help if you are trying to lift something that's too heavy. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, and stand as close as possible to the object you're lifting. Bend at the knees, never at the waist. Lift w...

Xofigo Approved for Prostate Cancer THURSDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug to help men with advanced prostate cancer whose disease has spread to the bones. The drug, Xofigo, is targeted to patients with late-stage, metastatic disease that has spread to the bones but not to other organs, the FDA said in a news release. It is meant for patients who have already undergone surgery and/or drug therapies such as hormone-based treatments. In a clinical tr...

Erectile Dysfunction Tied to Long-Term Narcotic Use in Men WEDNESDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) -- If you're a man, the pain-killing medications known as opioids may do more than relieve pain -- they may also put a damper on your sex life. A new study found that men who were prescribed medications for erectile dysfunction or low testosterone levels were more likely to be taking opioid (narcotic) medications for chronic back pain. "People who have persistent pain problems need to know that a potential side...

Some Types of Skin Cancer Linked to Lower Chances of Alzheimer's WEDNESDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) -- There's some good news for people who have had certain kinds of skin cancer: A new study suggests that their odds of developing Alzheimer's disease may be significantly lower than it is for others. People who had non-melanoma skin cancer were nearly 80 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than people who did not. The association was not found with other types of dementia. To understand th...

Public Funding Spurs Couples to Seek Fertility Treatment WEDNESDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) -- Public funding of assisted reproductive technology, including in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments, broadens the range of couples who seek treatment for infertility by attracting a more diverse population, according to new research from Canada. When the province of Quebec began to fund up to three cycles of IVF in August 2010, researchers compared patients who sought that treatment before and after the mand...

Materials in Some Household Products Tied to Lung Damage TUESDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- Inhaling ultrafine particles from so-called "nanomaterials" -- which are used in a growing number of household and commercial products, including sunscreens, ink in copy machines and lightweight sporting equipment -- can cause lung inflammation and damage, a team of U.S. scientists says. The findings of the study -- which looked at the two most common types of engineered nanomaterials -- are important because of...