Health Beat

"FAST" Signs of Stroke

5:37 PM, May 22, 2013

PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) - Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States suffers from a stroke. Every 4 minutes, someone dies from one. That fatality rate is extremely high, but some fatalities can be prevented, if caught in time.

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Experts test apps designed to improve sleep

1:31 PM, May 22, 2013

(WFLA) - Sleep experts estimate one in three people will suffer from insomnia at some point in their life. For those suffering from insomnia, it turns out, there's an app for that.

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Doctors approve cholesterol testing on younger children

2:41 PM, May 21, 2013

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (WTHR) - Do you know how old your kid's arteries are? They may be older than you think.

New limbs for Aimee

12:06 PM, May 17, 2013

Columbus, Ohio (WXIA) -- With a new set of prosthetic hands now in place, Aimee Copeland can wipe down tables, fold a towel, hang clothes, she can even flat iron her hair and do it all on her own.

Hoping for a kidney

10:37 AM, May 16, 2013

SULPHUR, Louisiana (KPLC) -- An old newspaper clipping brings now 37-year-old Amy Hastings McGee, of Sulphur, Louisiana back to a time of promise after a life-changing diagnosis of end stage renal disease.

Wet treatment can improve eczema in patients

2:37 PM, May 15, 2013

PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- It's considered one of the most common skin conditions among children, affecting one in 1 in 10 youngsters. Eczema is not dangerous but causes red, swelling and itchy skin.

Eat like a caveman

9:38 AM, May 15, 2013

TAMPA, Florida (WFLA) -- Humans have come a long way since the days of caveman, but a new diet is looking to the past for healthier inspiration.

Maine genetic counselor on Angelina Jolie

6:45 PM, May 14, 2013

(NEWS CENTER) -- We speak with a Maine-based genetic counselor about the kind of test that led the actress to make the decision to have a double mastectomy. 

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New treatment helps avoid joint replacement surgery

2:55 PM, May 14, 2013

LAKE CHARLES, Louisiana (KPLC) - Seven months have passed since Lake Charles firefighter Danny Zimmerman tore the meniscus in his knee. 

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New tool helps detect dangerous melanoma

1:36 PM, May 14, 2013

(KPRC) - Every hour, someone in the United States dies from melanoma.

Keeping people with autism safe

12:30 PM, May 10, 2013

YORK, Maine (NEWS CENTER) - Dozens of police departments and other law enforcement agencies around the state are handling calls involving people with developmental disabilities very differently than they did in the past.

Cost of procedures can vary greatly among hospitals

10:14 AM, May 10, 2013

AUGUSTA, Maine (NEWS CENTER) - New information released by the federal government shows some big differences in the prices that hospitals charge for the same procedures.

Autism training preparing first responders

8:04 PM, May 9, 2013

PRINCETON, Maine (NEWS CENTER) - They take an oath to uphold the law, but the role of law-enforcement continues to evolve with the times. That includes responding to calls involving people with developmental disabilities, like autism.

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BBQ brushes cause little known health hazard

1:22 PM, May 8, 2013

SEATTLE, Washington (KING) - It's often viewed as one of the first signs of summer - a backyard barbecue.  Now, a little known grilling hazard has re-surfaced, and even sent a local teen to the hospital.

Red Dye 40 possibly linked to ADHD

11:51 AM, May 7, 2013

(WZZM) - More than five million children in this country are diagnosed with ADHD, but how many of them truly have the disorder? Could some of those children be eating something that only makes them appear to have the condition?

Amputee realizes life's mission by walking in the shoes of others

4:44 PM, May 3, 2013

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- When Cory LaPlante was just 15 years old, he lost his left leg to bone cancer, but it wasn't until he was faced with the challenge of getting an emergency adjustment done to his prosthesis that he discovered his calling.

FDA examines use of caffeine as a food additive

3:38 PM, May 1, 2013

(NBCNC) - The growing number of foods infused with caffeine is getting the Food and Drug Administration's attention.

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In utero Spina Bifida surgery yields positive results

1:58 PM, May 1, 2013

HOUSTON, Texas (KPRC) - Spina Bifida is one of the most common birth defects in the United States, diagnosed in about 1,500 babies every year.  But thanks to research and support from the March of Dimes, doctors are now able to perform life-changing surgery on babies before they're even born.

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Girl born without windpipe saved with groundbreaking surgery

1:34 PM, May 1, 2013

PEORIA, Illinois (WEEK) - Hannah Warren is making history just by breathing.

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"Arm-lift" surgeries skyrocket in America

1:00 PM, Apr 29, 2013

(NBCNC) - According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons the number of brachioplasties, surgeries to get rid of excess skin on the upper arms, has skyrocketed over the past decade, up more than 4,000 percent.

Lyme disease in Maine: What you need to know

2:31 PM, Apr 26, 2013

(NEWS CENTER) - Here is a list of resources for Lyme Disease in Maine along with cause, symptons, treatments, prevention and also how to properly remove a tick.

CDC joins bird flu fight

4:21 PM, Apr 25, 2013

(NBC NEWS) -- The H7N9 influenza virus circulating in China has public health officials on edge.

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Born without bones

11:07 AM, Apr 25, 2013

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WSMV) -- The outlook is dramatically improving for a 6-year-old Tennessee girl who was born with no bones in her body, as her rare medical condition called for an even rarer treatment.

Run, Walk to Raise Awareness About Lyme Disease

8:37 AM, Apr 25, 2013

Second annual 5K for Lyme Disease set for Sunday, April 28, 2013 in South Portland

Focus on Lyme Prevention

7:12 AM, Apr 25, 2013

Lyme disease is on the rise in Maine. Prevention is the key to fighting the disease.

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Experimental drugs give girl without bones a new lease on life

2:27 PM, Apr 24, 2013

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WSMV) - The outlook is dramatically improving for a 6-year-old Tennessee girl who was born with no bones in her body, as her rare medical condition called for an even rarer treatment.

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Paralyzed teen smiling again thanks to special surgery

1:55 PM, Apr 24, 2013

IOWA CITY, Iowa (KWWL) - Teen paralyzed by surgery smiling again thanks to "facial reanimation" procedure.

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Air quality improving, but millions still breathe pollution

1:51 PM, Apr 24, 2013

(NBCNC) - The quality of the air we breathe has improved over the past 15 years, yet there are still over 100-million Americans breathing smog or pollution every day. 

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New treatment uses heat to fight asthma

2:06 PM, Apr 23, 2013

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (KARE) - A new procedure is offering significant relief to asthma sufferers.

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Looking for lung cancer

9:21 AM, Apr 19, 2013

LAKE CHARLES, Louisianna (KPLC) -- Early detection of lung cancer is incredibly difficult because most patients do not exhibit obvious symptoms until the disease has progressed. We talk to one lung cancer survivor about what brought him to the emergency room where an early diagnosis potentially saved his life.