Socializing May Keep Elderly Minds Sharp

WEDNESDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- Being sociable can help keep your brain healthy as you age, researchers report.

Health Tip: Why am I Itchy?

(HealthDay News) -- If itchy skin is irritating you, figuring out what's making you scratch can help you find a solution.

Health Tip: Use a Lawnmower Safely

(HealthDay News) -- Proper care, maintenance and use of your lawnmower can help reduce your risk of injury.

Women in Their 40s Want Mammograms: Poll

WEDNESDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- A U.S. health task force stunned much of the medical world and many women in November 2009 by recommending that most women didn't need to get their first mammogram until age 50.

Simple Question Sheds Light on Teens' Hopes, Dreams

WEDNESDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- Adults often find it hard to fathom what teenagers are thinking, but simply asking teens about their wishes and hopes revealed some interesting trends, researchers report.

Obese Teens Lack Vitamin D, Study Finds

WEDNESDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- Low levels of vitamin D are common in obese adolescents, a new study finds.

Breast Shield Better for Women Getting Chest CT Scan: Study

WEDNESDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- Breast shields are the best way to protect the breasts of women from radiation exposure while they have a chest CT examination, according to a new study.

To Feel Better, Exercise Harder: Study

WEDNESDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- Vigorous exercise offers more of a mood boost than less strenuous exercise, a new study finds.

Football Legend Steve Young Urges Kids, Parents to Play It Safe

WEDNESDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- Parents who suspect their child has sustained a concussion while playing sports should immediately pull players off the field -- even at the risk of embarrassing their kid -- to avoid a potentially permanent brain injury, according to football legend Steve Young.

Secondhand Smoke May Trigger Nicotine Craving

WEDNESDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- Secondhand smoke could trigger cravings for nicotine and make it harder for smokers to kick the habit, a new study suggests.

New Gene Linked to Congenital Heart Defects

WEDNESDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- A gene essential to cardiac development has been associated with a group of congenital heart defects that cause a major proportion of childhood death from heart abnormalities.

Cotton Swabs Linked to Ruptured Eardrums, Study Shows

WEDNESDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- A new study has found a direct association between using cotton swabs to clean the ears and ruptured eardrums.

Treating Kids for Environmental Ills Costs U.S. $76B a Year

WEDNESDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- Children's health problems caused by air pollution, exposure to toxic chemicals and other environmental pollutants cost the United States $76.6 billion in 2008, a new study finds.

Asthma Pills Work as Well as Inhaled Steroids: Study

WEDNESDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- In a study that compared asthma pills against commonly prescribed inhaled steroids, British researchers found that the oral medications were as effective as the inhaled drugs.

Health Highlights: May 4, 2011

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

Study Finds Slight Risk of Rare Fractures From Bone Drugs

WEDNESDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- Bone-building drugs called bisphosphonates have been linked to rare fractures of the thigh bone, but Swedish researchers report that the risk is so small that most patients needn't worry.

New Defibrillator Shows Promise in Small Study

WEDNESDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- A new type of implantable defibrillator was able to rectify ventricular fibrillation, a severely abnormal heart rhythm, in all patients who received it, and none experienced sudden death, according to new research.

Aggressive Treatment May Be Beneficial for Early Prostate Cancer

WEDNESDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- Among men under 65 with early stage prostate cancer, those who have the prostate gland removed are less likely to die than those who adopt a "watchful waiting" approach, according to a new long-term study out of Europe.

FDA Issues Guidelines for Liquid OTC Medicines

WEDNESDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. health officials issued final guidance Wednesday for the production, marketing and distribution of liquid over-the-counter drug products that are measured and dispensed with provided devices such as spoons, cups and droppers.