Tag: medicine

Long Covid is neither psychological nor physical

OPINION: We don’t believe there is one single way out of Long Covid – we believe there are several.

This bacterium outsmarts our defences, but we are on its heals

Share your science: Meet Staphylococcus aureus, the ultimate microscopic escape artist that invades, adapts, tricks, and thrives within our bodies.

Only one in four people with migraines receives prescription medication. For Lisa, it took 20 years

"I'm quite shocked at how low the number is," says a neurologist.

A new medicine for almost everything – is it too good to be true?

Alzheimer's, addiction, cardiovascular diseases, kidney disorders, sleep apnoea, diabetes, obesity, and overweight. Researchers are finding almost no limits to what the active substances semaglutide and tirzepatide can treat.

Senior physicians are sceptical of rapid tests for chlamydia

Sexually transmitted infections are on the rise among teenagers, with many opting to purchase rapid tests online or in stores. However, several senior physicians are critical of these tests.

Free and more accessible contraceptives did not lead to fewer teenage pregnancies

Birth control pills have been free for girls in Norway since 2002. But according to a new study, this has not led to fewer abortions among teenage girls.

Dementia researcher: “A medical scandal”

This summer, it was revealed that a drug capable of slowing the early progression of Alzheimer's disease would not be approved in Europe. Here are some reactions to this decision.

New report: One in four 10-12-year-olds takes painkillers weekly

A recent survey reveals that 26 per cent of Norwegian children in 5th to 7th grade take painkillers at least once a week, with the highest percentage, 34 per cent, among girls in 7th grade.

How do HIV medications work?

As long as HIV-positive individuals consistently take their medications, they are not infectious.

Vaccination protects against long Covid

Researchers have looked at Covid-19 data from 3.9 million Norwegians. The risk of getting long Covid after you first fell ill was 36 per cent lower in people who were vaccinated.

What actually happens when medicines expire?

Some medications can become dangerous to use after their expiration date. However, we likely also discard a lot of medicine that is perfectly fine.

Bacterial membrane satellites prove important testing ground for new antibiotics

SHARE YOUR SCIENCE: The membrane is the bacteria’s most important line of defense against our antibiotics. When it sheds part of that defense, the discarded leftovers now prove to be key players in our fight against antibacterial resistance.

MRSA bacteria: The Sneaky and Sometimes Dangerous Tenant in Your Throat

SHARE YOUR SCIENCE: One of the most common bacteria hiding in the human throat can sometimes be a menace to our health. To get rid of it we need a brand-new treatment strategy, and we just might have found the right tools to make that strategy.

Physical activity may prevent chronic pain

Being just a little more active seems to be able to reduce the risk of pain later in life, a Norwegian study shows.

One in ten Norwegians has undergone cosmetic surgery – doubling in 16 years

10 per cent of participants in a Norwegian study report having altered their appearance with surgery, a significant increase since 2008. Many struggle with chronic pain afterwards.

Telemedicine: How new technologies can bring medical care to people in remote areas

SHARE YOUR SCIENCE: The introduction of AI and smart technology is paving the way for more proactive, personalised, and accessible medical services.

Weight loss medication is very useful for many individuals. However, expert believes things are moving too fast

General practitioners experience a significant increase in demand from patients week by week. But there is still a lot we don't know about the medicines, doctors warn.

Is it possible to prevent ageing and should we even be pursuing it?

Many more people are getting older. This presents some challenges both for the pension system and our healthcare system. At the same time, scientists are now researching drugs in many places around the world that might enable us to live even longer.

The history of anaesthesiology is full of bitter conflicts and deadly experiments

In their eagerness for fame, doctors exposed their patients to mortal danger. Often, things ended tragically.

We’re eating ourselves into obesity and spending a fortune on weight loss pills

The demand for weight loss medicine is rising, but it only addresses the symptoms, not the causes. “We face intense commercial pressure to eat and drink more,” says a professor of public health.

Some children are born with cells that age faster than normal. A new study suggests that a dietary supplement might help them

The vitamin supplement offers hope to children with this rare disease for which there is no treatment.

He got one of the fastest-growing brain disorders. A new research approach is looking to slow down the disease's progression

Researchers in Bergen have adopted an entirely new approach in Parkinson's research, which might make them the first to slow the disease’s progression. Frans Olaf Borge is a participant in the study, which is nearing a conclusion.

After she got long Covid, Christel can't even walk the dog. How common is it?

She forgets to eat, loses the thread of conversations, and needs to lie down for several hours after doing puzzles with her four-year-old. How common is it to feel this way after Covid-19?

New drug stopped aggressive brain cancer in mice

The mice treated with the new medication had a 100 per cent survival rate. But many promising studies have ended in almost as many disappointments in past years, according to one Norwegian researcher.

The beauty of a swirl: We continuously reveal the secrets of the heart

SHARE YOUR SCIENCE: The heart is perhaps the most romanticised, and most studied human organ. The blood flow in the heart has fascinated physicians and researchers for decades, and our understanding of the cardiac mechanics are ever evolving.

Gene testing might provide more precise treatment of arthritis, bowel disease and psoriasis

Many people with chronic inflammation have had good results using a biologic medicine. However, for some the effect gradually wears off. Now Norwegian researchers have made discoveries that could provide a more genetically tailored treatment.

Experts are changing their views on the treatment of obesity in children

Aggressive treatment with medication and surgery is now being recommended in the United States if lifestyle changes do not produce results. Norwegian experts have also changed their views in line with this.

The obesity drugs are here: Major shift in treatment, according to experts

After decades of unsuccessful obesity treatment, researchers are now optimistic. New medicines can probably help many who suffer from the chronic disease.

Which smokers and ex-smokers are at greatest risk for lung cancer?

Researchers at NTNU are developing a new method for more accurately calculating the individual risk of lung cancer in smokers. A number of risk genes are baked into the model.

Herring roe will be used in medicine to treat psoriasis

Medicines are not just chemistry - many come from animals and plants.

Patients are being forced to take regular breaks from effective migraine medicine. But how do these expensive injections really work?

Forty years ago, researchers discovered a protein that dilated blood vessels in the brain. It led to a whole new type of migraine medicine.

Are repeated attacks from the mono-virus making MS-patients sicker?

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disorder in which most patients experience periodic worsening of their symptoms. A Norwegian professor suggests that recurrent flareups of the virus that causes mononucleosis could be a driver of MS.

Patient activism is not behind the British guidelines for CFS/ME

OPINION: The patients, like NICE, want scientific, rigorous research.

New medicine can stop autoimmune disease in mice

A new substance causes the immune system to stop attacking its own cells. An experiment with mice now shows that the drug prevented diseases similar to arthritis and type 1 diabetes.

65 536 shades of grey can help us understand our geological past

SHARE YOUR SCIENCE: When medicine met geology - detecting the invisible traces of volcanic eruptions with CT scans.

High prices should not be a barrier to combat the COVID-19 pandemic

OPINION: Here are four principles which could ensure equitable access to COVID-19 tools and health products, particularly for low and middle-income countries.

COVID-19 vaccines pave the way for new types of medication

Patients suffering from cancer, heart attacks, haemophilia or a torn meniscus might soon be treated using RNA.

Surviving cancer in the Nordics: Norwegians with lung cancer live longer than in neighbouring countries, but are more likely to die from melanoma

While mortality due to melanoma has been stable in the rest of the Nordic countries, it has increased somewhat in Norway . “It’s important to go to the doctor early,” says Tom Børge Johannesen from the Cancer Registry of Norway.

Promising treatments for COVID-19 were reported early on. So why haven’t there been bigger breakthroughs?

The whole world is looking for solutions. But while vaccine researchers seem to be storming ahead, it’s been much more chaotic for researchers studying COVID-19 treatments.

Small additives can make old antibiotics work again

Norwegian researchers have created several promising additives for old antibiotics. But even if they were to reach the market, they would only be a short-term solution. “We can never win the battle against bacteria,” says professor Dag Berild.

Anabolic steroid use reported by a third of male substance users

A third of male patients seeking treatment for substance abuse had also used anabolic steroids, according to a new study from Oslo University Hospital. This puts them at greater risk for health problems.

How long does sex normally last before climaxing?

For sure not all night, in case you might have thought so.

Concealing results from medical studies on humans will be banned

Norwegian researchers will soon be legally required to share the results of medical research on humans. But will the law be followed? In the United States, six out of ten studies break the law, without penalty.

Greater risk of dying from a hip fracture if you live in the city

One to two years after a hip fracture, patients in urban areas had up to a 20 per cent greater risk of dying compared to those who lived in rural areas.

Radiation treatment for prostate cancer increases risk of bladder cancer

Prostate cancer patients who have received radiation have more than twice the risk of getting bladder cancer compared to those who received only hormone therapy. Nevertheless, radiation patients have a much better chance of living longer, according to a new Norwegian study.

Nine per cent of Norwegians newly diagnosed with HIV have viruses with resistant mutations

Researchers have recently released the sixth annual Resistance against antivirals in Norway report. 2018 saw no cases of resistant viruses for influenza, hepatitis B or Herpes, but 9 per cent of newly diagnosed HIV cases had viruses with resistant mutations.

Researchers find evidence of anxiety and alcohol use in wastewater

Norwegian and Australian scientists can now learn more about people's health from what they find in our untreated wastewater.

Some people are more prone to blood poisoning than others. Gry Hege was affected, and lost her hands and feet.

A tiny cut on your finger or having your wisdom teeth pulled can have serious consequences if you get blood poisoning, more properly called sepsis. Researchers say health care providers need better awareness of the disease.

What’s the lasting effect of surgical knee repair?

For the first time, a researcher has looked at how different surgical methods affect knee function 5-10 years after treatment.

Asthma or EILO: Are misdiagnosed breathing difficulties making children and adolescents less active?

EILO is a breathing problem that can be confused with asthma. Doctor believes many people don’t know they can get help.

New medicine for multiple myeloma shows promising results

A new drug reduced the risk of relapse and increased survival by five months, according to a recent study. The results were presented at a cancer conference in Chicago in June.

Cancer drug doesn’t work for chronic fatigue

Cancer drug rituximab has no effect on chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), according to a Norwegian study.

Common painkiller may substantially increase the risk of heart disease

Painkillers like Voltarol and Voltaren may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease by as much as 50 per cent, according to a new study.

How do we make sure that all have access to personalized medicine?

Personalized medicine demands much from the patient. But researchers warn that tomorrow’s health care, with all its promise, is at risk of unfairly excluding people unless we take steps to prevent this.

Kids might get ADHD if their mothers have taken a lot of paracetamol

Heavy use of the common pain and fever reliever paracetamol during pregnancy could have an effect on the development of ADHD. Norwegian researchers found genetic changes among the offspring of women who took paracetamol at least 20 days of their pregnancies.

Migraines eased by chiropractic? Probably the placebo effect

A visit to the chiropractor might help your migraine. But other treatments work equally well, a new Norwegian study shows.

Promising remedy for rheumatism

Researcher and Doctor Anita Kåss has found a medication that could be used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. It supresses a sex hormone which appears to be involved in the disease. The new drug might also be relevant for the treatment of other autoimmune diseases.

A mathematician in the operating room

Mathematician Mathias Barra looks at hospitals as if they are health factories. His goal is to find the safest, most efficient way to organize surgery and the use of shared resources.

Should pneumonia be treated with antibiotics?

Many children are given antibiotics for pneumonia unnecessarily. Antibiotics only work for bacterial infections and most cases of pneumonia are caused by viruses.

Peptide found that predicts heart failure

Patients who have relatively high concentrations of secretoneurin in their blood run higher risks of a premature death. But this compound might be just what can save patients in the future.

Norway fights back against superbugs

A new national strategy on antimicrobial resistance aims to cut antibiotic use in Norway. But not enough is known about cutting use without compromising treatment, experts say.

Getting rid of headaches by cutting out headache pills

Half of all people with chronic headaches can be getting their throbbing heads from over-use of pain-relievers. This means many can get much relief very easily.

Children taking unapproved sleep meds for several years

More children are being prescribed melatonin as a sleep medication, although it is not approved for this use and little research exists on its long-term side effects.

Genetic variant protects against hepatitis C

Thanks to a genetic defect, quite a few of us have a better than average chance of overcoming the liver disease hepatitis C.

Brain-controlled prosthetic arm connected to nerves

A just-published study in Science Translational Medicine describes the success of a new kind of prosthesis, used by a Swedish truck driver for more than a year. The researchers say the device moves us one step closer to more natural control of artificial limbs.

Listening in on doctor-patient consultations

Nearly 200 consultations in doctors’ offices have now been transcribed and made available for extensive research. Early studies show the difficulties doctors face discussing existential issues with their patients.

No improvement in chronic fatigue with new medicine

Researchers hoped they had found the first effective drug against CFS, but the patients ended up just as exhausted as before.

Expectant mothers neglect their medications

One-third of all pregnant women with chronic disorders fail to take their medicines as prescribed by doctors.

Weak antibiotic doses undermine our body’s defences

Swedish scientists have found how an insufficient treatment can make cholera bacteria resistant to our immune system.

Insurance firm ponders nanoparticle risks

International experts on nanoparticles were recently invited to a symposium by the insurance company If. The firm wants to know whether nanoparticles could lead to some unpleasant surprises in the future

Gastric injections of Botox might curb obesity

Rats have lost weight after receiving Botox injections in the stomach. Researchers think such treatment could provide a less drastic alternative to current weight-loss surgery.

Norwegians more willing to get cancer check-ups

On the whole, Scandinavians have better attitudes than Brits, Australians and Canadians when it comes to making medical appointments to check out signs of cancer.

Slipping past slime with sneaky biological medicine

Researchers need to find a way to plow through a mucous barrier to deliver biological medicines to the right place.

Sleeping pills can double risk of traffic accidents

The risk of getting involved in a traffic accident is twice as high within a week after filling out a prescription for some of the most popular sleeping pills.

Edible vaccines can be grown everywhere

In the future, local farmers the world over could be growing broccoli, potatoes or lettuce that can protect against diseases such as rabies and dengue.

Cancer patients with high vitamin D levels live longer

The risk of dying from cancer is more than 2.5 times higher in patients with low vitamin D levels compared to patients who have high levels of the same vitamin.

Hospital describes experiences after last year's Oslo terrorist attack

On 22 July 2011, an extreme right-wing domestic terrorist car-bombed key government buildings in Oslo and shot down dozens of youths at a nearby Labour Party camp. A recent report explains how smart decision-making and interaction between the staff of hospital ERs and emergency services saved many lives.

A farewell to Asperger’s syndrome

As of next year the diagnosis of autism types will be simplified and nobody will be diagnosed with Asperger’s.