August 3, 2020

Repeat Bone Density Tests Might Not Be Needed, Study Finds

TUESDAY, July 28, 2020 -- Bone density tests are often touted as a way to predict the risk of fracture in postmenopausal women, but a new study casts doubt on the value of repeating this commonly used test.

The research was led by Dr. Carolyn Crandall, of the division of general internal medicine and health services research at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine. Her team collected data on more than 7,000 postmenopausal women aged 50 to 79 years.

August 3, 2020

Less Smoking, Drinking Means Fewer Hip Fractures for Americans

TUESDAY, July 28, 2020 -- In a rare bit of good health news for Americans, a new government study finds that hip fracture rates have fallen substantially since the 1970s.

Between 1970 and 2010, broken hips dropped by two-thirds among Americans in a decades-long health study. The likely reason? Researchers say drops in both smoking and heavy drinking played a significant role.

July 15, 2020

People Die When Hospital Bed Shortages Force Patients Out

WEDNESDAY, June 17, 2020 -- When patients are pushed out of the hospital after hip surgery to make room for others, the odds of dying increase, according to a recent study from Norway.

When beds are in short supply, patients are forced out, researchers say. Fridays, the day before holidays and times when hospitals are overbooked are prime times for patients to be discharged, they report.

July 14, 2020

Muscle Relaxants for Back Pain Are Soaring: Are They Safe?

WEDNESDAY, July 1 , 2020 -- Back pain plagues many Americans, and new research shows that doctors are doling out muscle relaxant prescriptions to treat the pain -- often along with an opioid painkiller.

Experts worry that muscle relaxants may not help much and could cause troubling side effects, especially in older patients.

July 12, 2020

In Many Cases, Hip Replacement Also Eases Back Pain

THURSDAY, July 9, 2020 -- If you have a bad hip and lower back pain, a new study suggests that hip replacement surgery may solve both issues at once.

Researchers at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City focused on 500 patients who underwent hip replacement surgery and followed up with them one year after the operation.