Just thinking that a medicine will relieve pain is enough to prompt the brain to release its own natural painkillers, and soothe painful sensations, a new study finds. It's the first direct evidence that the brain's own pain-fighting chemicals play a role in the phenomenon known as the placebo effect.
When women, not their surgeons, have control over the type of surgery they receive, they are more likely to choose a more aggressive surgery that removes the entire breast, even though survival rates are the same for surgery that removes only the tumor.
What do laboratory mice at the University of Michigan Medical School have in common with millions of overweight Americans? Like many of us, these mice just can't stop eating. U-M scientists blame the absence of a signaling molecule called SH2-B.
In thousands of people each year, the body's immune system suddenly attacks the delicate structures of the inner ear - - leaving patients deaf. New research helps explain why, and may lead to a test that will tell patients if rapid steroid treatment might restore their hearing.
Before patients get their clogged heart arteries re-opened, they may want to ask their doctor just how many such procedures he or she has done, a new study finds. The answer may make a big difference in a patient's risk of suffering a major setback before leaving the hospital.
Researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center have been awarded a $6-million grant from the National Cancer Institute to discover and develop new drugs that target cancer cells that do not respond to current treatments.
Patients who trust their doctors are more likely to stick to their prescription drugs, even if they face high out-of-pocket costs, a new study finds. But patients who have lower levels of trust in their physicians, or depression-like symptoms, are much more likely to skip doses or refills when costs become a problem.
A new study has identified another factor preventing or even delaying women from getting a colonoscopy: the colonoscopist's gender. The study found that 43 percent of women preferred a female colonoscopist in a primary care setting - and most would be willing to wait and pay more for one.
The oldest of the Baby Boomer generation will turn 60 this fall, and unlike their predecessors, they aren't afraid to visit the doctor. In fact, their interest in staying healthy coupled with their sheer numbers are taxing the health care system more than any group in history.
Far too many people suffer from chronic pain without receiving adequate treatment. If something is not done about the pain epidemic, it's going to significantly impact society.
It is surprising what a little amount of force it takes to sustain a TBI. Most people probably don't recognize the danger signs of a concussion or a mild TBI or realize that a brain injury may have profound effects on someone's life.
Despite life-saving immunization programs, some children still are not getting vaccinated according to the recommended schedule, putting themselves and their communities at risk. Fortunately, there is a way for kids to catch-up on necessary vaccinations they may have missed.
It seems that American kids today have a full calendar every day of the week. And for families with two or more children, and parents who work outside the home, it can get pretty hectic trying to get everyone to the right place at the right time. It's hectic for the parents. But what about the kids?
Carbon monoxide, a poisonous gas that kills thousands of Americans every year, could turn out to be a life-saver for patients recovering from organ transplants, strokes or heart attacks, according to new research from the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center.
Millions of hospital patients could be spared the humiliation and infection risk that come with a urine-collecting catheter, a new study finds, if hospitals used a simple reminder system to prompt doctors to remove the devices after two days.
Researchers at the University of Michigan Health System have found that showing patients an educational video about their condition teaches them the facts about their disease even better than when their doctor tells them about the condition, but doctors are better at soothing fears.
Despite the fact that 45 million Americans are infected with the herpes simplex virus, scientists don't fully understand how the virus infects us. Now, new research has identified a crucial cell receptor for that process; a potential Achilles' heel that could lead to new treatments.
Nothing in life is free, the old saying goes. But maybe some things should be, a new study shows. Specifically, a group of medicines called ACE inhibitors should be available at no cost to people over age 65 who have diabetes, to prevent costly heart and kidney problems.
A compound derived from cottonseed could help improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy at treating head and neck cancer, researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center have found.
A common chemical used in the manufacturing and pharmaceutical industries can repair damage to cardiac muscle cell membranes and prevent heart failure in mice with the genetic mutation that causes Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Each year, 200,000 Americans find out that the largest blood vessel in their body may burst at any time because of a weak spot called an aneurysm. Now, two new studies shed light on the mystery of why aneurysms form -- and point to the white blood cells that are the body's "first responders" against infection.
With a flash of UV light, pharmacists at the Univ. of Michigan Mott Children's Hospital are getting instant verification that high-risk medicines have been prepared correctly. They're the first anywhere to use the technology in this way.
A new four-year study shows that children who snore regularly are far more likely to later show signs of hyperactivity, giving greater strength to the building evidence of a link between breathing during sleep and daytime behavior.
Scientists at the U-M Medical School have discovered the biological equivalent of a grocery store bar code on the surface of primitive, blood-forming stem cells. Called hematopoietic stem cells, they give rise to all the different types of specialized cells in blood.
Alzheimer's disease research at the University of Michigan is getting a $10 million boost: a major grant that will fund a broad array of efforts aimed at finding and fighting the causes of the disease and other memory conditions.
Researchers are investigating neuropathy as a warning sign of pre-diabetes. Their research also suggests that lifestyle modifications, including weight loss and regular exercise, may be able to prevent further nerve damage among patients with pre-diabetes and -- very possibly -- reverse the damage.
Potty training is an important milestone in a child's life. Training can easily turn aggravating, though, when a child isn't as responsive as hoped. Doctors have valuable toilet-training tips to help parents with the process, including signs that indicate when your child is ready to begin training.
There's no easy screening test, there's no splashy awareness month and there are few clues to its existence early on. But experts urge people to pay attention to the signs of bladder cancer, which will develop in some 63,000 Americans this year.
Heart disease can affect much more than just the heart. The most common cause of heart disease often causes erectile dysfunction in men. Erectile dysfunction can be a sign that someone has heart disease and can be a predictor of the leading cause of death in the United States.
Ginger has been used for thousands of years to prevent or treat nausea. Now researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center are leading a national trial to determine if this plant can help people with cancer avoid nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy.
It is estimated that in 25 years the number of people in the United States who are 55 years and older will rise to one out of every three Americans. This means more experienced workers in the field, but it can also mean more workplace injuries related to our bodies' natural aging process.
A new surgical technique offered at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center is helping people with early stage lung cancer recover more quickly with less pain.
A small sore on a toe may not seem like a major medical threat. But for the millions of people who have diabetes, it can be the first step on a road that leads to severe infection and the amputation of a foot -- or even a leg. Now, a new study may help more people save their limbs.
University of Michigan scientists have created the nanotechnology equivalent of a Trojan horse to smuggle a powerful chemotherapeutic drug inside tumor cells -- increasing the drug's cancer-killing activity and reducing its toxic side effects.
One of the downsides of summer can be the itchy skin that goes hand-in-hand with this season of bug bites, sun-related rashes and poison ivy. But researchers have some good news: People generally apply over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream in safe and appropriate amounts.
No one likes to have a bad mark on a report card. But a new study suggests that heart doctors who are publicly graded on their angioplasty results may be shying away from performing the procedure on high-risk patients who might drag down their averages.
When asked to estimate the lifetime risk of breast cancer, 89 percent of women overestimated their risk, with an average estimate of 46 percent "“ more than three times the actual risk of 13 percent, according to a study.
In just a few short weeks, 10 million American children will start heading off to summer camp. But before they go, health experts are issuing strong new advice to both parents and camp directors, and recommending new precautions to protect campers' health.
If the electrical system in your house was going haywire, you'd call an electrician right away to fix it. But what if the electrical system in your heart was on the fritz?
Do you think you're doing enough to reduce sodium by not adding extra dashes from the salt shaker to your dinner plate? That will help, but it's not nearly enough. The bigger problem is that salt hides in soup, cereal and frozen dinners -- and the result can be higher blood pressure.
Cancer that starts in the liver, is among the most serious and deadly types of cancer. About 17,500 people are expected to be diagnosed with this primary liver cancer this year, and 15,420 will die from it.
While sleep may seem like a natural process, it is one that can easily be taken for granted. A recent poll by the National Science Foundation found that only 50 percent of Americans get a good night's sleep a few nights each week.
Scientists have developed a way to block the signals responsible for neuropathic pain. The secret is a virus called herpes simplex -- the same virus that causes cold sores and genital herpes. A disabled form of the virus is used to deliver genes to the nucleus of neural cells.
The high cost of malpractice insurance for some medical specialties affects how many doctors are entering the field of obstetrics and gynecology, and where they offer their widely needed obstetric, prenatal and gynecological care, research says.
A new technique might allow women diagnosed with cancer the opportunity to have children when chemotherapy and radiation treatments rob them of their fertility, researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center have found.
People who took a type of cholesterol-lowering drug for five years had nearly half the risk of developing colon cancer, even when they had a family history of the disease or other risk factors, according to researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.
When asthmatics sleep, many of them continue to struggle with breathing -- and an understanding of their sleep-related problems may help doctors better diagnose and treat their patients' asthma, according to new University of Michigan Health System research.
New research reveals a clash between two of the biggest issues in health care today: protecting individual patients' privacy and improving the quality, safety and cost of medical care for all patients.
A study has reaffirmed the difference between the sexes - at least when it comes to colon cancer detection. It found that colonoscopy is the best colon cancer screening tool for women since other methods would miss most pre-cancerous polyps.
A new study from the University of Michigan Health System suggests that there may be better and more cost-effective means to prevent colon cancer in patients with ulcerative colitis than the current standard of care: statins.
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