Health

Back pain is an increasingly common problem that affects almost 80% of the population at some time in their lives and costs the NHS around £480m a year, making it the number two reason for long-term absence from work in the UK.

Health talk is hot news, with the Government’s latest initiative to give the over 40s a health ‘MOT’, and World Health Day upon us again.

Summer brings the promise of warm weather, holiday travel and the freedom of wearing fewer clothes and loving the sunny season. But what if you have varicose veins? Or suffer holiday tummy? Perhaps you are self-conscious about your bloated belly? Or are you one of those people prone to mozzie bites? Take heart, help is at hand from a variety of natural supplements.

On the day that all NHS hospitals should have completed a 'deep clean' in an effort by the Department of Health to tackle superbugs, new research shows that the British public lays the blame for MRSA squarely at the feet of hospital managers, rather than cleaners, doctors, patients or visitors.

Sixty-two percent of Africans do not have access to an improved sanitation facility - a proper toilet - which separates human waste from human contact, according to the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation.

Cancerbackup, the information and support charity, has launched the first online cancer social network in the UK at Whatnow.org.uk. Called What Now? because that’s the first question you ask when diagnosed with cancer, the website provides people affected by cancer with an unprecedented ability to connect, communicate and exchange information with one another.

Reports this week revealed that pregnant Cate Blanchett is experiencing cravings for pickles and ice cream, making her one of the estimated 68% of pregnant women experiencing similar unusual food hankerings.

Childhood obesity, infant mortality and keeping children safe in the home are three areas of research which will benefit from £42 million of government funding, it’s been announced.

Sixty thousand new doctors will be specifically trained in the next ten years to identify and treat people who are drinking too much. Medical schools have been allocated £650,000 to do a scoping exercise next financial year to see how alcohol misuse training can be added to the curriculum.

A new national breastfeeding helpline - backed by £150,000 a year - that will provide practical support and information to the 450,000 breast feeding mothers in England, was launched by Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo this month.