Untreated Hearing Loss Can Be Costly for Seniors

THURSDAY, Nov. 8, 2018 -- Having hearing loss and not knowing it might translate into higher medical bills and other health problems for many seniors, two new studies suggest.

In one study, researchers analyzed data from more than 77,000 U.S. patients with untreated age-related hearing loss, and compared them to people without hearing loss.

Trying to Get the New Shingles Vaccine? Join the Crowd

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 31, 2018 -- For weeks, Donna Greene got the brush-off when she asked the pharmacist about getting her second dose of Shingrix, the sought-after but scarce new shingles vaccine.

Check back next week. Check in two weeks. We just don't know, she was told at last. Finally, in mid-October, Greene got lucky.

Think Genes Dictate Your Life Span? Think Again

TUESDAY, Nov. 6, 2018 -- Your life partner has a much greater influence on your longevity than the genes you inherited from your family, according to a new analysis of the family trees of more than 400 million people.

"While it is a widely held belief that life span heritability ranges from approximately 15 to 30 percent, the findings discussed in this paper demonstrated that the heritability of human longevity is likely well below 10 percent," said lead researcher Cathy Ball. She is chief scientific officer for Ancestry, the popular genealogy website.

Diabetes, Dementia Can Be Deadly Combination

TUESDAY, Oct. 2, 2018 -- The risk of death from dangerously low blood sugar is much higher among seniors who have both diabetes and dementia than those with diabetes alone, a new study finds.

Researchers analyzed data from nearly 20,000 people aged 65 and older with type 1 or type 2 diabetes who were followed for up to five years after their first recorded low blood sugar episode.

Study Supports Oxygen Therapy for Sudden Hearing Loss

THURSDAY, Sept. 27, 2018 -- Viruses and blood flow issues can, in rare cases, trigger sudden and profound hearing loss. Now, South Korean research supports the use of hyperbaric oxygen treatments to restore hearing in these patients.

A review of the collected evidence suggests that -- added to standard drug therapy -- hyperbaric oxygen treatment "is the most beneficial treatment option" for what doctors call "sudden sensorineural hearing loss," according to a team led by Dr. Tae-Min Rhee. He's a specialist in hyperbaric medicine at the National Maritime Medical Center in Seoul.

More Americans Are Recording Their Doctor Visits

FRIDAY, Sept. 21, 2018 -- Have you ever left a doctor's appointment with only a vague idea of what was said? You're not alone: A new survey finds many Americans, and their doctors, are turning to recordings for help.

Researchers found that almost 30 percent of the doctors they surveyed had ever recorded a visit for a patient's use. And about 19 percent of U.S. adults said they'd done so themselves -- usually after asking the doctor's permission.