Health treatment
Front Porch: Camano Island Chamber benefit
The Camano Island Chamber of Commerce is set to host a benefit from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday in the Commons at Terry's corner, 848 Sunrise Blvd., Camano Island. The event is free.
Date: 05/29/2012 | Local News
Free 'Beyond Cancer' event June 2
Experts from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center are hosting a daylong free program for cancer survivors.
Date: 05/21/2012 | Life
FDA review favors first drug for HIV prevention
WASHINGTON -- A pill that has long been used to treat HIV has moved one step closer to becoming the first drug approved to prevent healthy people from becoming infected with the virus that causes AIDS.
Date: 05/08/2012 | Nation & World
State to get $7 million in drug settlement
OLYMPIA -- Washington state will receive $7 million from multistate settlements with Abbott Laboratories over allegations the company illegally promoted an anti-seizure drug.Abbott has agreed to pay $1.5 billion over the illegal off-label marketing of its anti-seizure drug Depakote.
Date: 05/07/2012 | Northwest
Living with psoriasis, Bothell teen is ready to help others
BOTHELL -- Annie Herrera used to believe she had to hide having psoriasis.Red blotches and flaky skin made for judgmental stares from adults and children and escalated to bullying from her peers. The 13-year-old wore long sleeves during the summer and became withdrawn and shy.
Date: 05/03/2012 | Local News
Hangover wagon rolls in Vegas
LAS VEGAS -- He had a Las Vegas wedding to attend, but Bryan Dalia was hung over from some marathon partying the night before.
Date: 04/23/2012 | Nation & World
Stroke ID program at Valley General
MONROE -- Skykomish Valley patients will be able to get a quicker answer on whether their symptoms signal the onset of a stroke through a program beginning next month at Valley General Hospital.
Date: 04/23/2012 | Local News
Have skin checked before summer sun returns
With spring technically here and summer not far behind, we might be thinking about our pale, Pacific Northwest skin and how best to protect it.Why not start with a thorough examination?
Date: 04/17/2012 | Life
Cascade Valley, Skagit Valley hospitals join forces
SMOKEY POINT -- The recognized strength and efficiency of health-care industry mergers is proving itself once again with the opening of the new Cascade Skagit Health Alliance medical center at in Arlington.
Date: 04/16/2012 | Business
Safety, jobs at issue in Bothell annexation
BOTHELL -- The paramedics at Fire Station 22 must be feeling rather popular these days.For the second time in six months, their jobs seem to be the most hotly debated issue facing Bothell-area voters.
Date: 03/28/2012 | Local News
Lower death risk with heart bypass vs. angioplasty
CHICAGO -- Older patients with clogged heart arteries may have a little lower death risk over time if they get bypass operations instead of angioplasty and stents to fix the problem, new research suggests.
Date: 03/27/2012 | Nation & World
Aide says Dick Cheney had heart transplant
WASHINGTON — Former Vice President Dick Cheney, a 71-year-old with a long history of cardiovascular problems, had a heart transplant Saturday and is recovering at a Virginia hospital. Not even Cheney knows the donor's identity.
Date: 03/24/2012 | Nation & World
Chavez going to Cuba to begin radiation treatment
CARACAS, Venezuela -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said he's flying to Cuba to begin radiation therapy on Sunday, one month after undergoing surgery that removed a cancerous tumor.
Date: 03/24/2012 | Nation & World
Merck ponders next step for troubled heart drug
CHICAGO -- Officials at drugmaker Merck & Co. say they will take more time to decide what to do about an experimental blood thinner that gave disappointing results in a second big study.
Date: 03/24/2012 | Nation & World
Drug-resistant TB blamed on Indian treatment flaws
NEW DELHI -- India's inadequate government-run tuberculosis treatment programs and a lack of regulation of the sale of drugs that fight the disease are responsible for the spiraling number of drug-resistant cases that are difficult to treat, health activists said Friday.
Date: 03/23/2012 | Nation & World
Health expert Piscatella to host program locally
Joe Piscatella, the health and lifestyle expert often seen on television, is hosting a low-cost, good-health program in Lynnwood.
Date: 03/20/2012 | Life
Snohomish class to explain acupuncture
So acupuncture, that's just someone poking you with a bunch of needles, right?Here's a class that will help clarify the point of acupuncture.
Date: 03/20/2012 | Life
Everett firefighters place at stairclimb challenge
Everett firefighters were among the top finishers at this year's Scott Firefighter Stairclimb.
Date: 03/13/2012 | Sirens
Local clinics offer free breast cancer risk assessments
Sky Valley Healing Arts in Snohomish and the Hope Clinic in Langley are offering free breast cancer-risk assessments for women ages 18 to 65 using a new noninvasive procedure.
Date: 03/13/2012 | Life
U.S. spending on genetic tests jumps
LOS ANGELES -- Spending on genetic tests has reached $5 billion annually and could top $25 billion within a decade, according to an insurance industry study published Monday.
Date: 03/13/2012 | Business
Military considers some consolidation of health services
Defense officials have asked Congress to approve a new structure for the military health care system that, as with higher Tricare fees, would help to curb runaway medical costs.
Date: 03/12/2012 | Business
Cutting costs, improving health care starts with learning from errors and talking with patients
Law enforcement and medical care have a lot in common. The people in these fields make life and death decisions that most of us will never face; and they both work in complex environments where mistakes are easy to make but carry serious, even lethal, consequences.
Date: 03/02/2012 | Business
Meet the new Mr. Yuk before Poison Prevention Week
Check out the new Mr. Yuk poster.Mr. Yuk has been a mascot of sorts for the Washington Poison Center since 1974.He even has his own Twitter account, which is actually pretty fun to follow.
Date: 02/24/2012 | Sirens
Bill proposes unused prescription collection
SEATTLE -- Hoping to stem what they say is a rising tide of prescription drug abuse and accidental poisonings, Washington legislators want to require drug makers to set up and pay for a statewide program to collect unused prescription drugs and other medicine.
Date: 02/07/2012 | Northwest
Study questions proton therapy for prostate cancer
A warning to men considering a pricey new treatment for prostate cancer called proton therapy: Research suggests it might have more side effects than traditional radiation does.
Date: 01/31/2012 | Nation & World
How to tell the difference between colds and the flu
Do you have a cold or the flu?Dr. Susan Rehm, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, says the difference between cold and flu symptoms spell FACTS:F: The flu commonly results in fever.A: Muscle aches are more common with the flu.
Date: 01/24/2012 | Life
Stanwood benefit planned for woman with rare form of cervical cancer
STANWOOD -- Jen Bell-Burgess is fighting a rare form of cervical cancer, but her community is behind her.Friends and family have organized a benefit concert set for 7 p.m. Friday at Amigo Mexican Restaurant, 6996 265th St. NW, in Stanwood.
Date: 01/23/2012 | Local News
Genetic mutation shown in some with prostate cancer
Researchers at Johns Hopkins and the University of Michigan have discovered an inherited mutation linked to significantly higher risk of prostate cancer development at a younger age.
Date: 01/17/2012 | Life
A safe harbor for health
Volunteers at Stanwood clinic care for the uninsured
Date: 01/17/2012 | Local News
Providence's newest tool
Hospital adds 2 hyperbaric chambers in Everett
Date: 01/14/2012 | Local News
Study: Statins linked with small Type 2 diabetes risk
WASHINGTON -- A new side effect seems to be emerging for those cholesterol-lowering wonder drugs called statins: They may increase some people's chances of developing Type 2 diabetes.
Date: 01/09/2012 | Nation & World
Mukilteo may renew temporary pot law
MUKILTEO -- The city's unusual temporary law allowing collective medical marijuana gardens could be renewed for six months Tuesday.The public will have a chance to speak on the issue at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 11930 Cyrus Way.
Date: 01/02/2012 | Local News
Why chicken soup is good for you
Ingredients in chicken soup typically include carrots, celery, parsley and a lot of homemade love.Turns out it's more than just the tender loving care that works to make this brew a perfect weapon in the fight against winter illnesses.
Date: 01/01/2012 | Life
What you can do for a cold
Until there's a cure for the common cold -- and sorry, no, there isn't a cure -- the best thing people can do is avoid getting sick, experts say.
Date: 01/01/2012 | Life
Over 40? Why you should consider vitamins
Mehmet Oz, Dr. Oz to most, has told millions of viewers that people over 40 should take four vitamin supplements.The television doctor says it's a good idea to add a multivitamin, vitamin D, calcium and magnesium and fish oils to a daily diet.
Date: 01/01/2012 | Life
New fee to aid medical research
WASHINGTON -- Starting in 2012, the government will charge a new fee to your health insurance plan for research to find out which drugs, medical procedures, tests and treatments work best. But what will Americans do with the answers?
Date: 12/27/2011 | Nation & World
Massage can improve quality of life for elders
The woman -- in her 80s -- hadn't spoken in months. The nursing home staff figured she had lost the ability. But after six silent months of regular massage sessions, massage therapist Dawn Nelson heard a soft voice utter: "That feels good."
Date: 12/27/2011 | Life
Dentists on wheels provides care to kids in need
LYNNWOOD -- Before last week, 12-year-old Kateara Utley had a phobia about going to the dentist.After two visits with SmileMobile staff and volunteers, Kateara, a sixth-grader at Meadowdale Elementary School, has changed her outlook even after her teeth were pulled.
Date: 12/23/2011 | Local News
Medical authorities recommend opting to track, not treat, early prostate cancer
WASHINGTON -- John Shoemaker visited six doctors in his quest to find the best treatment for his early stage prostate cancer -- and only the last one offered what made the most sense to the California man: Keep a close watch on the tumor and treat only if it starts to grow.
Date: 12/19/2011 | Nation & World
A survivor's heart
A year after lung transplant, Mukilteo man counts blessings
Date: 12/18/2011 | Local News
Class teaches how to give care to loved ones
Powerful Tools for Caregivers is a six-week class that helps teach people how to provide care for loved ones while taking care of themselves.
Date: 12/13/2011 | Life
Class teaches how to give care to loved ones
Powerful Tools for Caregivers is a six-week class that helps teach people how to provide care for loved ones while taking care of themselves.
Date: 12/13/2011 | Life
Marysville may extend moratorium on medical marijuana gardens
MARYSVILLE -- The city's moratorium on collective gardens for medical marijuana could last another six months.
Date: 12/12/2011 | Local News
Oregon winemaker fighting elements and cancer to make gorgeous Pinot Noirs
Winemakers throughout the Pacific Northwest struggled with weather during this fall's trying harvest, but the winemaker for Willamette Valley Vineyards had a much bigger battle: cancer.
Date: 12/07/2011 | Northwest Wines
VA comes up short on mental health care
Despite adding billions of dollars for mental health care to Department of Veterans Affairs budgets over the past four years, and the hiring of 7,000 more mental health professionals at VA clinics and hospitals, many veterans with severe combat-related stress still face long waits to get needed...
Date: 12/03/2011 | Business
Study: Transfer of heart attack patients too slow
HARTFORD, Conn. -- In an overwhelming number of cases it takes longer than it should to transfer heart attack patients between hospitals for emergency artery-opening angioplasty, Yale School of Medicine researchers reported in a study published this week.
Date: 11/29/2011 | Nation & World
More kids skip school shots in 8 states
ATLANTA -- A rising number of parents in more than half of states are opting out of school shots for their kids. And in eight states, more than 1 in 20 public school kindergartners do not get all the vaccines required for attendance, an Associated Press analysis found.
Date: 11/28/2011 | Nation & World
Mukilteo struggles to comply with conflicting pot rules
MUKILTEO -- City officials are encountering pitfalls as they try to come up with a way to regulate medical marijuana collective gardens.
Date: 11/28/2011 | Local News
Five foods that can boost immunity
1. Nuts: Snack on almonds, cashews or walnuts, which are packed with vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps kick pesky free-radicals out of your body and creates antibodies that fight the bacteria that make you sick.
Date: 11/28/2011 | Life
Save a Buck Online, tips to cut health care costs
Health care gets more and more expensive. Still, there are things you can do to limit costs, starting with staying healthy. These sites have tips for keeping a handle on drug and doctor bills:
Date: 11/20/2011 | Business
FDA revokes approval of Avastin for breast cancer
WASHINGTON -- The government delivered a blow to some desperate patients Friday as it ruled the blockbuster drug Avastin should no longer be used to treat advanced breast cancer.
Date: 11/18/2011 | Nation & World
Free drugs can help ... if you take them
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Say you've had a heart attack and your insurer offered you free medicines to help prevent another one. Doctors did that in a major study and were stunned to find that only about half of patients took them.
Date: 11/14/2011 | Nation & World
Deep-chilling trauma patients may help save them
WASHINGTON -- Suspended animation may not be just for sci-fi movies anymore: Trauma surgeons soon will try plunging some critically injured people into a deep chill -- cooling their body temperatures as low as 50 degrees -- in hopes of saving their lives.
Date: 11/14/2011 | Nation & World
Vatican, biotech firm host adult-stem-cell meeting
VATICAN CITY -- The Vatican has entered into an unusual partnership with a small U.S. biotech company to promote using adult stem cells for treating disease, rather than focusing research on embryonic stem cells.
Date: 11/08/2011 | Nation & World
Creation of Snohomish County mental health court recommended
EVERETT -- Sitting around a table last month, about a dozen men and women from different backgrounds came to the same conclusion:It's time for a special court that will focus on helping, instead of punishing, people in Snohomish County who are living with mental illness.
Date: 11/02/2011 | Local News
Zoe, caught in the middle
A question of funding complicates child's education
Date: 10/19/2011 | Local News
Study: Gates Foundation project spared 100,000 in India from HIV
An estimated 100,000 people in India may have escaped HIV infection over five years thanks to one of the world's biggest prevention programs, an encouraging sign that targeting high-risk groups remains vital even as more donors focus on treatment, a new study suggests.
Date: 10/11/2011 | Nation & World
Update: Feds announce medical marijuana crackdown
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Federal prosecutors announced an aggressive crackdown against California pot dispensaries Friday, vowing to shut down dozens of operations and saying that the worst offenders are using the cover of medical marijuana to act as storefront drug dealers.
Date: 10/06/2011 | Nation & World
Pregnancy drug, DES, raised daughters' cancer odds
A drug that millions of pregnant women took decades ago to prevent miscarriage and complications has put their daughters at higher risk for breast cancer and other health problems that are showing up now, a new federal study finds.
Date: 10/05/2011 | Nation & World
For some, free medical clinic is the only Safe Harbor
There are 39 free medical clinics in Washington state.Our state picks up the tab for malpractice insurance for the doctors and nurses who donate their time to care for patients at these clinics.
Date: 10/05/2011 | Local News
Invisible injuries are plaguing war veterans
Sixty-six percent of the most seriously wounded soldiers returning from Afghanistan and Iraq have "invisible" injuries of brain trauma or post-traumatic stress, which their families and society will live with at great cost for decades, said Gen. Peter Chiarelli, the Army's vice chief of...
Date: 10/01/2011 | Business
Mission: Dominican Republic
EvCC nursing students will provide medical aid in the country
Date: 09/22/2011 | Local News
Study: Whooping cough vaccination fades in 3 years
ATLANTA -- The whooping cough vaccine given to babies and toddlers loses much of its effectiveness after just three years -- a lot faster than doctors believed -- and that could help explain a recent series of outbreaks in the U.S. among children who were fully vaccinated, a study suggests.
Date: 09/19/2011 | Nation & World
Course covers help for youths with mental illnesses
Caring for youngsters with mental illnesses is a special challenge. Parents and caregivers need all the help they can get. NAMI Snohomish County is there to offer that help.
Date: 09/19/2011 | Life
Woman pleads not guilty to chemo fraud charges
JACKSON, Miss. -- A former cancer clinic worker pleaded not guilty Tuesday to 11 federal charges alleging that old needles were used on multiple patients and they were given less chemotherapy or cheaper drugs than they were led to believe.
Date: 09/14/2011 | Nation & World
Study: Older pills often are safer
CHICAGO -- Many consumers mistakenly believe new prescription drugs are always safer than those with long track records, and that only extremely effective drugs without major side effects win government approval, according to a new study.
Date: 09/12/2011 | Nation & World
Front Porch: Course in Everett addresses mental illness
Brain disordersFamily-to-Family is a free program to help family members and friends of people who are living with mental illness. This includes major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and panic and obsessive compulsive disorders.
Date: 09/12/2011 | Local News
Addressing an epidemic of hearing loss injuries
One summer night outside of Fallujah, Iraq, in 2006, Marine Lance Cpl. David Goldich was at the gun turret atop a Humvee when a roadside bomb, rigged with a 155mm artillery shell, detonated beside him.
Date: 09/10/2011 | Business
New heart-starters for Fire District 21
Thanks to a donation, more Snohomish County Fire District 21 vehicles now are outfitted with automated external defibrillators. “AEDs” are the equipment that shocks a heart back into rhythm after a heart attack or similar event.
Date: 09/09/2011 | Sirens
Teen vaccinations against cervical cancer lagging
ATLANTA -- Only about half of the teenage girls in the U.S. have rolled up their sleeves for a controversial vaccine against cervical cancer -- a rate well below those for two other vaccinations aimed at adolescents.
Date: 08/25/2011 | Nation & World
Regulators approve Bothell firm’s cancer drug
Federal regulators have approved an innovative cancer drug from Seattle Genetics Inc. to treat two rare forms of cancer that attack the lymph nodes. The Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved Adcetris to treat Hodgkin's lymphoma and systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Adcetris uses a...
Date: 08/20/2011 | Business
Do-it-yourself medicine works in heat of battle
CHICAGO -- When Army Ranger Leroy Petry's hand was blown off by a grenade as he was saving his comrades in battle, he knew just what to do. He used his remaining hand to twist a tourniquet around his arm to avoid bleeding to death.
Date: 08/15/2011 | Nation & World
Botox shot to armpits being used to control excessive sweating
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Imagine sweating so profusely that you destroy your clothes and feel embarrassed in public.That's the curse of super sweaters, people suffering from a condition known as hyperhidrosis.
Date: 08/15/2011 | Nation & World
Chimpanzee attack victim reveals face after transplant
HARTFORD, Conn. -- The new face of a Connecticut woman who was mauled by a chimpanzee two years ago was revealed for the first time Thursday in photos showing a startling transformation.
Date: 08/11/2011 | Nation & World
Mukilteo council passes rules allowing medical marijuana gardens
MUKILTEO -- The Mukilteo City Council on Monday approved interim zoning regulations for medical marijuana collective gardens. The council at its last meeting July 18 rejected an emergency temporary ban on the gardens.
Date: 08/01/2011 | Local News
Medical marijuana shop leaves Everett, hoping to make a home in Mukilteo
EVERETT -- A hand-written sign posted Friday at 2212 Broadway read: "Sorry to all our patients. Sadly we are closed. See you in Mukilteo."The modest building housed the Medical Marijuana Patients Network, a collective started by Jeremy Kelsey.
Date: 08/01/2011 | Local News
An epidemic of fear
What drives parents' decision not to vaccinate kids?
Date: 07/31/2011 | Local News
County Council won't impose moratorium on marijuana gardens
The Snohomish County Council has decided to take no action toward imposing a moratorium on collective medical marijuana gardens.
Date: 07/28/2011 | Local News
Watch out for rusty nails -- tetanus can ruin your summer
Tetanus is that dangerous disease we adults always associate with summer.It's not a coincidence.The tetanus toxin can be introduced into our bodies through burns, splinters and deep puncture wounds.
Date: 07/26/2011 | Life
Teen who committed suicide had been in 22 foster homes
LYNNWOOD -- A boy who jumped to his death from a Lynnwood overpass in January had been on a waiting list for a bed at a state-run psychiatric hospital. He had been in 22 different foster homes since 1998.
Date: 07/21/2011 | Local News
Everett puts hold on pot gardens
EVERETT -- Everett leaders just said "no" to medical marijuana gardens -- at least for the immediate future.The Everett City Council voted 5-0 Wednesday night to allow the collective gardens with conditions and then promptly voted to put that law on hold for up to a year.
Date: 07/21/2011 | Local News
N.J. Gov. Christie says medical marijuana law can go forward
TRENTON, N.J. -- Gov. Chris Christie said Tuesday that he will allow New Jersey to move forward in implementing its medical marijuana law despite his concerns over whether federal authorities could prosecute state regulators.
Date: 07/19/2011 | Nation & World
Mukilteo council lacks votes for moratorium on medical marijuana gardens
MUKILTEO -- There will be no ban on collective gardens for medical marijuana in Mukilteo.The City Council late Monday came up one vote short of the supermajority required to pass a six-month moratorium.
Date: 07/19/2011 | Local News
Local moms organize screening of inspiring film about autism advocates
Two local mothers who have children diagnosed with autism wanted to help change some attitudes.They decided to do that with a documentary.Kristi Eisenkraft and Amanda Loaris saw the documentary by filmmaker Gerardine Wurzburg titled "Wretches & Jabberers."
Date: 07/19/2011 | Life
Wrong surgery down, close calls up at VA hospitals
CHICAGO -- Medical procedures and surgeries on the wrong patient and wrong body part have declined substantially at Veterans Affairs hospitals nationwide, while reports of close calls have increased, according to a study that credits ongoing quality improvement efforts.
Date: 07/18/2011 | Nation & World
Smoking Quitline a victim of cuts
More than a decade ago, Washington received millions as part of the national tobacco settlement. That money's long gone.
Date: 07/18/2011 | Local News
Everett moves to bar medical marijuana gardens for a year
EVERETT -- The city of Everett is pushing for an emergency one-year moratorium on medical marijuana gardens, joining four other Snohomish County cities that have already temporarily banned or plan to ban the cooperatives.
Date: 07/14/2011 | Local News
Lake Stevens, Marysville put moratorium on medical marijuana gardens
Two more cities have banned collective gardens for medical marijuana for now.The Lake Stevens and Marysville city councils unanimously adopted six-month moratoriums on the gardens on Monday. Snohomish did the same last week. And Mukilteo is looking at doing the same next week.
Date: 07/12/2011 | Local News
Firing for mistake at hospital also a mistake
I read a very sad news story about a person who committed suicide after losing her job. She had two children, age 16 and 18, who can only be completely devastated.
Date: 07/12/2011 | Life
Over 50 and looking for love? Try the Web
There are three common ways that people over 50 meet new companions.Church groups and clubs top the list.Second on the list is the set-up.Third is the Internet.
Date: 07/10/2011 | Life
Three cities put hold on gardens for medical marijuana
At least three cities in Snohomish County are moving to delay licensing of collective gardens for growing marijuana for medical purposes.
Date: 07/07/2011 | Local News
Colorectal cancer screenings making a difference, CDC says
LOS ANGELES -- Increased screening for colorectal cancer during the last decade has put a sharp dent in both the prevalence of the No. 2 cancer killer and in the number of deaths resulting from it, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday.
Date: 07/05/2011 | Nation & World
Doctor's trip to Kenya to open clinic eye-opening
MUKILTEO -- Steve Morris has traveled to Africa many times over the years to teach naturopathic medicine and to work with botanists.This spring's trip to Kenya was different.
Date: 06/30/2011 | Local News
Pedal for Parkinson's program at Mill Creek YMCA
Mill Creek YMCA has a program modeled on a Seattle woman's success in managing her disease.
Date: 06/28/2011 | Local News
Mental health court could help when jail isn't the right answer
EVERETT -- For reasons that are difficult to understand, he is compelled to talk to his ex-wife.He knows he shouldn't. He knows he's forbidden from calling her or showing up at her doorstep. He can't seem to help himself.
Date: 06/22/2011 | Local News
Man taken to hospital via rescue boat in Edmonds area
EDMONDS -- A man was taken to a local hospital by a rescue boat Tuesday afternoon after he had a medical emergency on the beach at Picnic Point Park in the Edmonds area.
Date: 06/22/2011 | Local News
Study shows stroke victims benefit from physical therapy, even if it's delayed
St. Petersburg TimesPLANT CITY, Fla. -- Hannah Bugg was only 27 when she suffered a stroke that left her paralyzed on her left side, unable to walk, talk or care for her two young children.Despite her youth, doctors were not encouraging about the Florida woman's prospects for recovery.
Date: 06/21/2011 | Nation & World
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