MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS: Flu Death + Help for Kidney Stones + New Liquid Health Check
The CDC reports flu activity continues to increase. The South and West are seeing the most cases, and another child death associated with the flu was reported this week, bringing the total to five this season.
Plus, new treatment could help ease the passage of kidney stones. Researchers at MIT and Massachusetts General Hospital found muscle relaxants delivered to the ureter, which connects the kidneys to the bladder, can reduce contractions that cause pain when passing stones. About one in ten people experience kidney stones.
Finally, researchers at the University of Cambridge said a simple check of proteins in your blood can assess your health and may predict the likelihood of developing a range of diseases. Scientists said this so called “liquid health check” could someday be used as a routine health screening tool.
