Breaking News

Health

The confusing state of foot supports

ESCANABA — Retail footcare products are big business, available in every convenience store and pharmacy in the land. Twelve billion dollars is spent annually on these items and that’s a lot of aching feet. But how often is an over-the-counter approach truly effective? When it comes to arch supports, the answer is both surprising and very complicated. These devices are intended to go inside a shoe and should serve some function or benefit our health in some way. A walk through the aisles of most stores will reveal some version of this item, including local pharmacies, department ...

Here’s what to know about summer colds, COVID-19 and more

ation is that COVID-19 will eventually settle into a winter seasonal pattern like other coronaviruses, but the past few years have brought a late summer surge, said Dr. Dean Blumberg, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at University of California Davis Children's Hospital. Other viruses circulating this time of year include the one that causes "hand, foot and mouth" disease — which has symptoms similar to a cold, plus sores and rashes — and norovirus, sometimes called the stomach flu. Do viruses spread less in the summer? Many viruses circulate seasonally, picking up as the ...

Here’s what to know about CTE, brain disease NYC shooter blamed

BOSTON (AP) — The degenerative brain disease that has besieged the National Football League for two decades with a billion-dollar lawsuit, congressional hearings, an A-list movie and an unrelenting cortege of ex-players' obituaries has now intruded on America's favorite sport in the most violent manner yet. The Las Vegas casino worker who killed four people in a New York City skyscraper that is home to the NFL's headquarters carried a note blaming the league for his mental health problems. Shane Tamura, 27, who played football in high school, said in a three-page note found in his ...

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health officials are warning Americans about the risks of an opioid-like ingredient increasingly added to energy drinks, gummies and supplements sold at gas stations and convenience stores, recommending a nationwide ban. The chemical, known as 7- hydroxymitragynine, is a component of kratom, a plant native to Southeast Asia that has gained popularity in the U.S. as an unapproved treatment for pain, anxiety and drug dependence. In recent months, dietary supplement companies that sell kratom have been urging the Food and Drug Administration to crack down on the ...

Clubfoot deformity remains a mystery

ESCANABA — The birth of a child, although highly anticipated, can be a stressful undertaking. This can be a challenging time emotionally and physically for the mother. But all concerned tend to have high stress levels around this event. Will the mother avoid some of the complications of childbirth? Will the co-parent stay upright throughout the process? Most importantly, will the infant be okay, possessed of ten fingers and ten toes. Another relevant and appropriate question: will everything be put on straight? When a foot isn’t, chances are good it is due to the presence of a ...

Health Matters: Why do hammertoes develop

ESCANABA — The human body is prone to an extensive list of ailments, some more benign than others. Some of the more deadly types aren’t as common as your everyday hammertoe, one of the most common developmental deformities of our species. They may be common but, surprisingly, most people haven’t a clue as to why or how they occur. Perhaps an appropriate question at this juncture concerns the definition of a hammertoe. Generally speaking (but not technically), it is a toe that is bent down or over in some fashion. For specialists, there are specific terms for every possible bend ...