Health Tip: Pack a First Aid Kit

(HealthDay News) -- A first aid kit may come in handy when you're traveling, so stash one in your car or bag before you leave home.

Health Tip: Ease Hammertoe Pain

(HealthDay News) -- A hammertoe is an abnormal bending of a toe at the joint, which often causes pain when footwear touches the top of the bent toe. Women are affected more often than men.

New Blood Test for Colon Cancer Developed

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Seeking to increase screenings for colorectal cancer, scientists say they have developed an inexpensive and effective method that uses less than one milliliter (mL) of a patient's blood.

Not All Chest Pain Treated Equally in U.S. Hospitals: Study

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Black and Hispanic patients who seek care for chest pain in U.S. emergency departments are less likely to be classified as needing immediate care than white patients with similar symptoms, new research reveals.

Leaving Hospice Prematurely May Hike Health Expenses

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Terminally ill cancer patients who choose to leave a hospice center incur significantly greater health-care costs than patients who remain in hospice care until death, new research shows.

Chest Scans May Incidentally Help Spot Heart Disease Risk

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Chest CT scans taken for routine diagnostic purposes -- even those not related to cardiovascular disease concerns -- can be used by radiologists to screen for signs of heart disease risk, new research suggests.

Tamiflu May Thwart Pneumonia in 'Swine Flu' Patients: Study

TUESDAY, Sept. 28 (HealthDay News) -- When taken shortly after the onset of symptoms, the antiviral drug Tamiflu seems to have protected otherwise healthy swine flu patients from contracting pneumonia during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, Chinese researchers say.

IUD Proposed to Treat Uterine Cancer

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 29 (HealthDay News) -- An intrauterine device that releases a progestin hormone may be an effective treatment for younger women with early-stage uterine cancer, Italian researchers report.

Experimental Test May Spot Prostate Cancer Earlier, More Accurately

TUESDAY, Sept. 28 (HealthDay News) -- A new blood test to spot a cluster of specific proteins may indicate the presence of prostate cancer more accurately and earlier than is now possible, new research suggests.

Health Highlights: Sept. 29, 2010

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Anti-Inflammatory Helps Treat Bacterial Meningitis: Study

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Using the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone along with antibiotics increases the chance of surviving a bout with bacterial meningitis, Dutch researchers report.

Novel Drug Eases Osteoarthritis Knee Pain

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 29 (HealthDay News) -- A new painkilling drug called tanezumab appears effective in relieving knee pain from osteoarthritis, researchers are reporting.

Clinical Trials Update: Sept. 29, 2010

(HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of ClinicalConnection.com:

Gene Disorder Linked to ADHD

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Many who suffer from attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) appear to have a genetic abnormality that may predispose them to the condition, British researchers report.

Mammograms Save Lives for Women in Their 40s, Study Says

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Another study evaluating the value of mammograms for younger women finds that screening can lower the risk of dying from breast cancer for women in their 40s.

Infant Sleep Positioners Dangerous, U.S. Health Officials Warn

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Driven by reports of infant deaths, U.S. health officials warned Wednesday that infant sleep positioners are dangerous and should not be used.

Experimental Drug Aids Kids With Nervous System Tumor

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Adding an experimental immunotherapy drug to the standard regimen of care extended the lives and decreased the risk of a disease recurrence in children with high-risk neuroblastoma, a new study says.