Where this pandemic flu came from — and where it might go

In a typical year, about 10% of Americans get the flu. Although many people think of the flu as a mild ailment, each year in the United States a couple of hundred thousand people get sick enough to require hospitalization, and between 20,000 and 40,000 die from the infection.

Already, 2009 is not a typical year. We're in the midst of a flu pandemic caused by a virus that first emerged in Mexico in mid-February. Billions are being spent on preparedness plans. And millions of Americans may ...

Violent and possibly addictive, video games have become a major part of American childhood. What should parents do?

It's been decades since the game Pong first bounced digital tennis balls across our TV screens. Since then, video games have become a ubiquitous entertainment phenomenon, as well as a major slice of the electronics industry's profits. Adults, especially parents, worry about the health effects, and there's lots of debate about the social and cultural ramifications of video games.

Not just for kids The stereotypical video game player is the solitary teenage boy. While teens are the most avid players, more ...

Harnessing the healing power of these blood cells is intriguing, but research is lacking.

Times have changed since the days of bloodletting, when doctors treated their patients by taking blood out of them. Now a procedure called platelet-rich plasma therapy has emerged that involves injecting a portion of the blood back into an ailing joint. You might say it's bloodletting in reverse.

More doctors are beginning to offer platelet-rich plasma therapy to their patients as a way to treat joint problems caused by damaged and inflamed tendons. It is being used as an alternative to surgery in some cases ...

Penlac didn't work to cure my toenail fungus. I took an oral medication, terbinafine, and saw some improvement, but my insurance company won't approve more than a few months of treatment. It's frustrating to finally have a solution and then be cut off.

I am currently on Coumadin because I had atrial fibrillation after my bypass, Plavix because of my stent, and a baby aspirin. Why do I need to take three blood thinners?