Trouble With Math? Blame Your Lack of 'Numbers Sense'

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Some children are born with natural math ability, while others aren't, a new study contends.

Health Tip: Mouthguards Protect Your Smile

(HealthDay News) -- A mouthguard is a custom-made or off-the-rack device that protects your teeth and mouth from a potential blow during sports or exercise.

Health Tip: Look for Signs of Elder Abuse

(HealthDay News) -- Many seniors are frail and unable to fully care for themselves. They are particularly vulnerable to intentional abuse or neglect, the U.S. Administration on Aging says.

Drinking Patterns Affect Heart Health, Mouse Study Finds

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 14 (HealthDay News) -- How often you consume alcohol may be more important than how much you consume in determining the risk of heart disease, new research in mice shows.

Rural Stroke Victims May Benefit From 'Virtual' Care

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 14 (HealthDay News) -- For rural hospitals that don't have neurologists or stroke experts on staff, "telestroke" may be a cost-effective option to improve the level of care for stroke patients, researchers say.

Erectile Dysfunction May Be Linked With Cardiovascular Trouble

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Men who suffer from erectile dysfunction are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease, stroke and death, Chinese researchers suggest.

Pregnant Women Reminded to Get Flu Vaccine

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Pregnant women should get a flu shot to protect themselves and even their newborn from the flu, experts say.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest More Common in Poorer Neighborhoods

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Residents of lower income neighborhoods are more likely to experience sudden cardiac arrest, a new study finds.

Certain Risk Factors Could Spur Heart Failure in Normal-Weight People

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Normal-weight patients diagnosed with a cluster of factors known as the "metabolic syndrome" could face a higher risk for heart failure than even obese patients without such factors, new research suggests.

More Mammograms Equal More Mastectomies: Study

TUESDAY, Sept. 13 (HealthDay News) -- One of the goals of mammograms is detecting breast cancer early enough to avoid needing a mastectomy. But a new Norwegian study suggests that mastectomy rates climb higher as more women undergo the screening test.

Quitting Smoking May Improve Personality, Study Suggests

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Aside from the well-known health benefits of quitting smoking, new research suggests that people who kick the habit may improve their personalities as well.

Older Women Can Benefit From Sex Ed Campaigns

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Most campaigns designed to educate people about their sexual health target younger generations, excluding a large number of sexually active women over the age of 50 who need and want this information, a new study suggests.

Tailored Hepatitis C Therapy May Cut Treatment Time in Half

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Patients infected with hepatitis C virus who have an early favorable response to a new three-drug regimen can be cured of the disease in half the normal time, a new study says.

Health Highlights: Sept. 14, 2011

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

Health Experts Say HPV Vaccine Is Safe

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 14 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. health experts say the controversy triggered by Monday's Republican presidential debate over the human papillomavirus vaccine for pre-teen girls is generating misinformation about the shots' value.

Breast Cancer Rates Jump Worldwide, Study Finds

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 14 (HealthDay News) -- The number of new cases of breast cancer has jumped dramatically worldwide, from about 640,000 in 1980 to more than 1.6 million in 2010, University of Washington researchers report.