Medical Minutes with WISH-TV

It’s becoming more common for people under 50 to be diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, rates increased by more than 2% per year between 2012 and 2021. Could our everyday choices play a role? It affects people from all walks of life. The evidence does show that diet changes can help prevent the disease in all ages. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.co...

A routine cancer screening led to a shocking diagnosis, now an Indianapolis man warns others to get the same screening. People over 50 are at a higher risk for colon cancer, but now its becoming more common in younger adults . The American Cancer Society says early detection is key to survival. Todd Carlson’s routine colonoscopy turned into a life-changing moment for him when he was 47-years-old....

Every day, children are exposed to harmful chemicals in toys, personal care products, food, furniture items, clothes, and building materials. Even the air they breathe can be full of pollutants. One study found that air pollution accounts for 20% of newborn deaths worldwide. Everywhere you look — there are dangerous chemicals that can affect your kids’ health! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.c...

Coffee consumption is increasing in the United States, with 67% of adults drinking coffee, according to the National Coffee Association. Researchers suggest that moderate coffee consumption can offer health benefits, including a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, and stroke. A recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that the benefi...

It seems like every week, there’s a headline about a plane crashing or a near miss. Many wonder if plane accidents are on the rise, and those without a previous phobia may find themselves becoming more fearful. Surprisingly, the National Transportation Safety Board data shows air accidents in the US have been on the downward trend over the past 2 decades, even with an increase in the number of fli...

February is American Heart Month , and what better time to talk about heart health? Heart disease claims a life in the U.S. every 37 seconds. Research from the American Heart Association has found that nearly half of all adults in the U.S. have some form of cardiovascular disease. The main culprits behind heart disease are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and a history of smoking, bu...

The Indiana State Health Department says 57 people have died from influenza related illnesses so far this year. 41 of those were people 65 or older. Now the CDC is saying that nationally there have been at least 24 million flu illnesses diagnosed, over 300,000 hospitalizations, and 13,000 deaths. WISH-TV medical expert Dr. Janelle Gordon breaks down all this information and tells us how long flu s...

Do you find yourself shifting from one task to another without completing either one? Or, do you routinely get lost in a conversation and forget what the other person was saying? Are you having difficulty managing the work project your boss gave you weeks ago, your child’s extracurricular activity schedule, social media and your social calendar? After realizing that you almost missed your son’s so...

Research shows that diet and exercise can impact the risk for dementia. But what about how much money someone makes, and the person’s educational level? News 8’s Brittany Noble reports on why dementia may not be so impartial when it comes to a person’s socioeconomic status. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-inf...

Norovirus outbreaks continue to rise, higher than seen over the past few years . Experts believe the rise may partially be due to lack of and less frequent intermingling of people during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in lower immunity to the virus. People can protect themselves and their families from getting norovirus this winter. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California...

The combination of physical activity and cold temperatures can strain the heart, causing blood pressure to spike or, worse yet, a heart attack. Doctors say heart-related risks are high in the wintertime because blood vessels constrict during cold temperatures. But for people with heart disease, winter can can add additional stress. Dr. Sandeep Dube is a cardiologist at Community Health Network tel...

Winter is here and with advisories across the United States, it is important that you know how to stay safe and well. WISH-TV Medical Contributor Dr. Janel Gordon gives us tips for common winter stress conditions and shares general winter weather precautions. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Extreme fatigue, memory problems, dizziness, shortness of breath, these are just a few of the 200 symptoms linked to long COVID, which is when the symptoms of COVID last longer than three months. There are no FDA-approved or even widely agreed upon treatments for long COVID. But now researchers are trying to get to the root of the problem, in hopes of helping these patients who are suffering the l...

he Indianapolis Colts and Versiti Blood Center of Indiana on Friday hosted the 25th annual Bleed Blue Blood Drive . Known as the largest single-day blood drive in the state it all took place at Lucas Oil Stadium. The holiday season is a time for giving, but for hospitals, it’s also a time of urgency. Blood donations typically decline this time of year, even as the need remains constant. Versiti Bl...

This Saturday is the winter solstice , marking the beginning of winter. Many look forward to the festive events taking place, but for the 10 million Americans struggling with seasonal affective disorder it can mean dark times ahead. What is seasonal affective disorder? Seasonal affective disorder is recurrent episodes of depression, mania, or hypomania with seasonal onset and remission. Typically,...

Chronic pain and treatment resistant depression — both impact millions of people — can be debilitating, and both can leave people feeling hopeless, impacting daily activities, relationships, and jobs. Now, scientists are turning to sonic relief, a drug-free way to relieve the pain of both chronic pain and depression. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at...

December is HIV/AIDS Awareness month , a time for raising awareness, celebrating advancements in medicine, and honoring those affected who are no longer with us and those living with it. Over 1 million people acquired HIV in 2023. This is down significantly in the past decade; however, many are infected and unaware. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at h...

Walking pneumonia cases in central Indiana have seen a steep increase in recent weeks , local physicians say. Walking pneumonia is generally considered less severe than pneumonia, but can have lasting impacts if not caught early on. The disease is caused by mycoplasma pneumoniae, which can damage the lining of the respiratory tract, according to the CDC . It is spread through droplets released whe...

Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide and stroke is the second . The American Heart Association and American Stroke Association are working to prevent this through their annual Leaders of Impact campaign. It is a 7-week campaign for hand-selected community leaders to raise money and awareness for cardiovascular disease, such as heart attacks and strokes. The money funds research an...

In 2023, around 2 million people were told they have cancer; 610,000 of them died due to it. Now what’s being considered the holy grail of cancer screening could diagnose some cancers earlier than ever and save thousands of lives. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

The American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association have updated primary guidelines to help people to prevent a first stroke. Every 40 seconds, an American has a stroke, and, every three minutes, an American dies from a stroke . Over 600,000 Americans will have their first stroke this year, a preventable event if underlying risk factors are controlled or eliminated. See Privacy Poli...

Walking pneumonia rates are higher than the past 7 years, rising since early spring and peaking in August. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned that many of the recent ER visits and hospitalization stays for pneumonia have a diagnosis of walking pneumonia , which is uncommon. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.c...

Liver cancer or hepatocellular cancer is the 6th most common cause of cancer and the 3rd leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. In the US, liver cancer is the 6th leading cause of death. Common risk factors of liver cancer: •Cirrhosis or liver scarring and it’s underlying risk factors (20% of cases of liver cancer form without cirrhosis present, yet in the presence of or more of the below condi...

The National Institute of Health’s All of Us Research Program is a federally-funded program on a mission to collect health data from one million or more diverse individuals across the U.S. over the course of many years, with the goal of improving precision medicine for us and future generations. The program has partner sites across the nation, as well as a mobile tour, which recently made a stop i...

Thursday is World Mental Health Day. Observed annually around the world on Oct. 10, World Mental Health Day draws much needed attention to our mental well-being. Historically, across many cultures, mental health has been seen as a taboo topic and discussions surrounding it were and at times still are discouraged. However, this cannot continue. In the United States, 40 million adults have depressio...