wug7a Evolution has not been kind to millions of back pain sufferers. The physical stress of modern life as a biped is often more than the spine is engineered to handle, leading to painful spasms that range from irritating to debilitating. The odds an adult has had lower back pain in the past 3 months are 1 … Read more
Television loves its medical dramas and every TV medical drama loves its AED, or automated external defibrillator. Aside from nurses yelling “Stat!” the most common exclamation on ER or Grey’s Anatomy or House is the command to “Clear,” as a doctor uses those two metal paddles to shock a patient back to life. But, as with … Read more
We often think of medical science as being cutting edge, focused on exploring the unknown and uncovering the most deadly secrets of the human body. More mundane conditions can fall by the wayside, with doctors and patients falling back on diagnoses and treatments that may be decades old. Such was the case with peptic ulcers, … Read more
“Phoenix’s problem: he seemed to see flashes like lightning in his eye, mostly the right. And when he had suffered that a short time, a terrible pain developed toward his right temple and around his whole head…” reads an account of ancient Hippocratic medical writings. Not until the late 19th century did these symptoms come … Read more
By now you’ve probably heard a lot about the benefits of complementary and alternative medicine. Everything from meditation and acupuncture to vitamin supplements and herbal extracts have been shown to make documented, and often quite dramatic, inroads against conditions as varied as high blood pressure, arthritis, depression, and even cancer. How far out would you go … Read more
Take a moment to think of the names of any 5 prescription drugs. Your list may read something like: Viagra®, Nexium®, Vioxx®, Zyrtec®, and Lunesta®. Or, if pressed for another 5, maybe Yaz®, Xyzal®, Elidel®, Prozac®, and Paxil®. Notice anything unusual? Topomax®, Prevacid®, Oxycontin®, Celexa®, Botox®. Flomax®, Valtrex®, Zoloft®, Zantac®, Xanax®. How about now? If … Read more
A football is often referred to as a “pigskin,” though it’s been a long time since that term was accurate. Modern day footballs are made out of cow leather, which is manufactured from the hides of slaughtered cattle. That got us at Book of Odds wondering: Forget human beings, what are the odds a cow will … Read more
The world of dating is fraught with perils—from ill-conceived blind dates to the risk of rejection. But it’s not only egos that can get bruised. As if the psychological stress of dating weren’t enough, real violence happens all too often, and problems can start early. The odds a female high school student will be a … Read more
It’s a long-perpetuated stereotype: women are bad drivers. In popular culture they are seen as erratic, nervous, and distracted, and they just plain can’t handle a large piece of machinery like a car. But statistics show otherwise. According to a large 2007 study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, women are actually much safer drivers … Read more
How exasperating sleep can be. Home in your comfortable bed, you may toss and turn, unable to find slumber. But on the road driving, when you need to be alert to survive, staying awake can be a brutal struggle. It’s depressingly common for drowsy drivers to lose this battle: According to the National Sleep Foundation’s … Read more