Health

Updated: 10:44 EDT

Plymouth woman had 24 operations on her dislocating joints

Rebecca Hempsell (left), 40, from Plymouth, has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which affects the connective tissue that supports her skin, bones, blood vessels and other organs in the body. Ms Hempsell, a former primary school teacher, has undergone numerous operations, including painful reconstructive surgery on her feet (right) to help her walk.

Researchers from the University of Hong Kong discovered that banknotes are covered in bacteria, one third of which can cause disease. Banknotes are even home to deadly strains of Escherichia coli.

Eleven areas of the UK have been identified as 'high risk' of a shortage. In seven of these areas, more than 20% of doctors are over 55. Experts warn the NHS is 'fighting a loosing battle'.

Researchers from VU University Medical Centre, the Netherlands, found people who are overweight as children are more at risk of depression than those who become obese in middle age.

Researchers from the American Cancer Society say the rate of rare cancers is set to increase - mainly down to better testing methods which can classify cancers. But survival rates remain low.

Why you should NEVER let your child pick their nails: Mother films toe-curling video of her pulling nail bits out of her son's GUMS using tweezers

Sara Guidry, of Larose, Louisiana, was shocked when she pulled more than 30 fingernails out of her son's gums (pictured). He had been biting his nails and shoving the bits in his mouth. The mother-of-two shared the video on Facebook to caution other parents not to let their child bite their nails, as studies show it can lead to dentistry problems down the line.

Researchers from the University of Navarra, Spain, found eating just 380g less meat a week – the equivalent of two large chicken breasts - was linked to a cut in the risk of obesity by 43 per cent.

The Royal Society of Public Health said social media use is fuelling rising rates of anxiety, depression and sleeplessness among teenagers and young adults.

Researchers from Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and University College London have discovered insufficient protein levels may prevent eggs dividing properly.

Researchers from the University of Cambridge studied 30,000 people over 10 years and found staying the same weight cuts the risk of diabetes, which affects 414 million adults worldwide.

Devina Smith, from Mississippi, shocked her family when she was born with a mane of snow-colored hair. The newborn's silvery locks are caused by partial albinism.

The HPV vaccine does protect against infection, preventing genital warts, and possibly oral cancer in men, according to new studies. These are the first studies completed on the effects of the vaccine.

Matlock man suffered 2 year infection after ant bite

Geoff Stevens (left), 74, was helping to set up a Christmas fair in Matlock, Derbyshire, in 2014 when he accidentally trod on an ant hill and was bitten. After suffering flare-ups of extreme swelling (right) and high temperatures, which lasted two years, he was diagnosed with a life-threatening skin and tissue infection, known as cellulitis. He has since been given the all clear.

Researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston also revealed that eating nuts prevents colon cancer from returning by 42 percent, yet this does not apply to peanuts.

WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: California-based dermatologist Dr Sandra Lee removes a 400g lipoma from the back of a man's neck with her bare hands in her latest viral video.

The results of a 15-week trial by North Carolina State University revealed the mindfulness group lost an average of 4.2lbs - seven times the other group's average weight loss of 0.6lbs.

Report reveals the bottles LYING about their SPF levels

One-third of sunscreens have the incorrect SPF labels on their bottles, according to Consumer Reports. One of the best sunscreens was Trader Joe's $6 spray (left) and the worst was the Babyganic lotion at $10 (right) The researchers said 'natural' and mineral-based sunscreens consistently under-performed compared to their competitors. Out of the 60 sunscreen lotions, sprays and sticks tested, 23 had SPF labels that were less than what they claimed.

Twenty-five percent of people confessed they would still swim in pools even if they had diarrhea, causing concern at the CDC due to the growing outbreak of infections because of the condition.

The results published in Sleep Health suggest that in office environments, being exposed to daylight or electric lights that are rich in short wave 'blue' light may be important for the health of workers.

Global researchers led by the University of Adelaide's Robinson Research Institute found the technique is significantly more effective that water-based solutions.

To the surprise of researchers in San Diego, candles - touted as air cleaners - also had a significantly damaging effect on the air pollution, driving up home owners' risk of health problems.

Study: Charlie Sheen inspired people to get tested for HIV

Charlie Sheen saved lives by revealing that he is HIV positive, a study claims.   On November 17, 2015, the actor publicly disclosed his HIV status on NBC's Today Show. Last year, researchers at San Diego State University published a study showing Sheen's TV appearance sparked millions of online searches for HIV prevention and testing.

Courtney Stodden reveals miscarriage drove her to pills

 Courtney Stodden, 22, (right) said she has resorted to prescription drugs to cope with her emotions after suffering through a miscarriage last year (left). The Hollywood girl revealed she mixed her anxiety medication with champagne (inset) in order to 'numb' her emotions. Stodden said it was 'crazy' to marry 56-year-old actor Doug Hutchinson when she was 16 years old and he was 50 years old. Now Stodden said she is moving forward in her battle against her 'demons' of anxiety and depression, and is trying to focus on finding herself.

A video shows a tick doused in oil crawling out of a woman's skin in just 20 seconds. Yet, an expert from Western Connecticut State University warns against this removal method.

One-year-old Arlo Newcombe struggles to breath due to a rare lung disease. His family, from Bromley, London, have never taken him home as he permanently needs a ventilator.

Exercising makes us crave healthier food – rather than seeking a high-calorie reward, research shows. Experts say activity already provides us with a kick – so there’s no need to look for a boost elsewhere.

A new Chinese study claims that children who live closer to their grandparents are more likely to be obese than those who live further away.

Yorkshire woman shows off her curved spine

Liz Barton (left), 47, from Richmond, Yorkshire, was just 16 when she had emergency surgery to remove a golf-ball sized tumour from her spine. She woke from the operation to find her spine was twisted 100 degrees (right). Unable to work, she relies on her children (inset) to help her do simple everyday tasks, such as cooking and washing. She also suffers from a genetic disorder that leaves her body covered in non-cancerous tumours, which she has passed on to her children.

The findings, presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Portugal, showed giving up one 330ml bottle of beer a day and drinking water instead cut the risk of obesity by 20 per cent.

UK chef Jamie Oliver's 30 Minute Meals book proved more popular among women than E.L. James's bestselling erotica Fifty Shades of Grey, according to a new study.

Personal trainer Nicola Addison - who's trained celebrities such as Elle Macpherson, Erin O'Connor and Daisy Lowe - says you can overdo it. Take this quiz to find out if you're suffering burn-out.

Just 14 days of lounging around on a beach affects your muscle mass and produces metabolic changes that drastically affect your heart health, according to a study by the University of Liverpool.

For more than three decades, women in their late 20s had the highest birth rates, but that changed last year, according to preliminary data released Wednesday by the CDC.

A new CDC and FDA report released on Wednesday warns all four of the standard tests may give results that are too low when used to measure lead levels in blood drawn from a vein.

Val Kilmer claims prayer healed his oral cancer

Val Kilmer claims love and prayer cured his cancer.  The 57-year-old actor, a devout Christian Scientists, was diagnosed with oral cancer in 2016, a battle he kept under-wraps until last month.  Now in remission, Kilmer answered fans questions on Reddit on Tuesday - and insisted prayers from friends, family and fans defeated the incurable disease. 

Two more NFL stars pledge their brains to CTE research

Retired NFL defensive lineman Leonard Marshall (left) said he will donate his brain to CTE research along with Matt Hasselbeck (right), a retired quarterback for the Seahawks. The news comes just after supermodel Gisele Bundchen revealed in an interview that her husband Tom Brady (inset) suffered multiple brain injuries from his football career with the New England Patriots. Marshall, a two-time Super Bowl winner with the New York Giants, said the sport has left him struggling with short-term memory loss and erratic behavior at age 55.

Researchers from Lund University in Sweden found infertile men are likely to suffer from a deficiency of the hormone testosterone. This may increase the risk of testicular cancer.

Nutritionist Haleh Moravej said the surge in 'Victorian' diseases could be explained by the Manchester diet being high in processed meats and beer, but low in fruit and vegetables.

Researchers from the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville found that 92% of e-cigarette users' urine tests positive for two of the five chemicals linked to bladder cancer.

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh found that 20.8 percent of bypass patients develop symptoms of alcohol abuse compared to 11.3 percent who have a gastric band.

Nutritionist reveals secrets to a fat burning metabolism

Nutritionist Steph Lowe (left) has shared her tips for a fat burning metabolism. The triathlete suggests a 13 hour overnight fast for a recharged metabolism. Eating vegetables and healthy fats and exercising before eating breakfast will set you up for the day.

Maria Fischer, 23, was an avid supporter of extensions, at least until her hair began to fall out. The New Yorker shared her story to inform others about the damage extensions can cause.

Blue Tobin, 8, from Dover, was declared a hero by the families of other young cancer sufferers when he became the first to trial a potentially lethal chemotherapy drug.

Researchers from the University of Hertfordshire found that people with higher than average blood pressure don't eat enough magnesium. Magnesium may ease hypertension by aiding blood flow.

Researchers from the University of Iowa found the risk is considerably higher when temperatures hit 32°C (90°F) compared to less than 4.4°C (40°F). Why weather has this impact is unclear.

An estimated 4.7million people over 45 in Britain have osteoarthritis in their knee, causing severe pain which encourages many to seek relief using steroid jabs.

The study found doctors over 60 who saw high numbers of patients were no less safe than younger ones. But overall, elderly patients were more likely to die within 30 days if treated by an older doctor.

Parents have $200,000 hospital bill after insurance issue

Amy Jay (left) and her husband were hit with a nearly $200,000 hospital bill (inset) in March after their daughter Evelyn (left and right) was born prematurely in January. Amy said although they had insurance they didn't add the newborn in time to cover the expenses. Now the Jay family, of Huntsville, Alabama, is facing bankruptcy and are desperately searching for a way to come up with the enormous sum.

Dr Rishi Caleyachetty, who is to be presented today at the European Congress on Obesity in Portugal, said: 'The idea of being healthily obese is a myth.'

By law, those in the UK can only have an abortion at a clinic in the presence of a doctor or a specialist nurse, and only after two doctors have given consent (stock photo).

British teenagers have become ‘slaves to hand-held devices’, experts warn today as a major report puts the UK near the top of a European league table for gadget use.

Having four hours of sleep – the amount famously taken by Margaret Thatcher – makes women appear less attractive and more unhealthy, according to a new scientific study.

How NFL star Antonio Cromartie is having ANOTHER baby

NFL star Antonio Cromartie and his wife are expecting another baby - making it his 14th child despite the fact that he underwent a vasectomy. The former New York Jets player, 33, openly discussed getting his tubes cut in 2013, after fathering 11 children, including three with his current wife Terricka. But just two years later, in 2015, fans were left stunned when the couple announced they were expecting twins. They insisted they did not plan on it happening again.

Dr Meg Arroll, a psychologist specializing in health, outlines some of the classic stressors that she is seeing at the moment, and how they differ for each age group.

Experts claim that during the last hot months of the year in the United States, hair begins to shed more frequently but it is nothing to worry about.

People with vascular dementia who walked three hours a week for six months had improved reaction times, the Canadian team reports in British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Eddie Huai, 23, of New York, claims to have found the cure for hangovers with his pill Flyby. The concoction of vitamins and supplements were put together with the help of a PhD in biochemistry.

An unnamed boy was born at just 28 weeks in Udaipur in the state of Rajasthan in India. He was suffering from a condition that caused his two major blood vessels to be connected.

EXCLUSIVE: Survey reveals 26% of people are conscious of how much sugar is in their food and drink, 32% of over 55 year olds never exercise and 46% have tried a fad diet.

Miss USA contestant reveals she had skin cancer at 25

Brittany Winchester, 27, learned she had skin cancer at age 25 while she was competing for the Miss Indiana crown. When getting her annual skin check by her dermatologist in 2015, Winchester's biopsy showed three basal cell carcinoma skin cancers on her stomach and back (right). Now after competing in the Miss USA pageant on Sunday (left), the beauty queen is warning others of the dangers of fake baking.

Scotland-based nutritionist Dr Carrie Ruxton claims eggs contain high-quality protein and fatty acids, as well as vitamin D, B vitamins, selenium, iodine and choline.

Researchers from across the US, including Cleveland Clinic's Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute, found the new test more accurately determines disease severity, compared to the current PSA test .

A glass of fruit juice landed Helen Gilbert in hospital when her faced swelled up and she had an itchy throat. Allergy tests came back negative, suggesting something else is at fault.

Map reveals where heart and brain attacks are worst 

Although rates of cardiovascular disease have substantially decreased over the past 50 years, it is still the leading cause of death in the United States. Medical researchers found those living along the Mississippi River and nearby areas in the South are more likely to die from a heart disease. Areas least likely to suffer from heart disease are the San Francisco Bay area, central Colorado, northern Nebraska, central Minnesota, northeastern Virginia, and south Florida.

Alice Ring, 25, from Essex, stopped taking her psoriasis medication after it suppressed her immune system and gave her headaches. Although her skin reacted initially, it is now totally clear.

Researchers from the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston also linked lack of sleep with urinary problems and erectile dysfunction. One in eight people in the UK work nights.

Researchers from the University of Birmingham have developed eye drops that target age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of sight loss in the UK and US.

EXCLUSIVE: Women living in the south of England are the most likely to have breast cancer, while those living in Yorkshire and London are the least likely to be diagnosed.

Indian family refuse surgery on their webbed hands

Members of the Kannathu clan (top right) from a small village in in Alappuzha, southern India, suffer from a finger-fusing condition known as syndactyly (left and bottom right). The family refuse surgery, arguing their disorder has not stopped them from working or cooking like normal people.

Researchers from the National Cancer Institute in Maryland found deaths from Alzheimer's, liver and kidney disease, deadly infections and diabetes are all linked to red meat.

Psychologists based in Missouri, USA, have found our personalities barely change at all when we drink alcohol, and that we simply lose our inhibitions and become more extroverted.

Researchers from Cornell University found benzocaine-laced wipes desensitize the penis and delay ejaculation, allowing for a significantly longer erection over placebo wipes.

Researchers from Queen Mary University found that offering women a specific time and place for a breast cancer screening improves attendance by more than 22%.

US women's soccer star Lauren Holiday post-surgery selfie

Olympic gold medalist and champion soccer player Lauren Holiday has shared her first selfie seven months after undergoing surgery to remove a benign brain tumor.  The 29-year-old was about four months away from giving birth when doctors discovered a benign tumor, known as a meningioma, on the outer layer of her brain. Her husband Jrue Holiday, 26, a professional basketball player, took an indefinite leave from the New Orleans Pelicans to help his wife through her recovery. Now, she has spoken out about her ordeal for the first time, sharing a selfie of her bandaged-up eye on Sunday to mark Mother's Day.

One in ten women in the UK has sex only once a year at most, while two thirds make love once a month or less. Just 10 per cent said they had sex at least once a week, the survey found.

When his 20-month-old son Tahmeed died in the Royal London Hospital after a series of catastrophic errors, the last thing his devastated father wanted from the NHS was money.

The treatment involves using ultrasound to destroy one of the smallest organs in the body, the carotid bodies. There are two of these bodies in the neck, near the arteries.

Researchers at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, have released a study that suggests being upset, angry, shameful and disgusted may boost your memory.

How a bump on the head can trigger seizures YEARS later

When Kerry Howard (pictured left and inset, with her brothers), then aged ten, found her twin Daniel (left and inset) shaking uncontrollably in a seizure, she thought he was dying. As the actress, best known for BBC Three comedies Him & Her and Witless, recalls, it was Remembrance Day and the family — Daniel, Kerry, their elder brother, comedian Russell (left in inset), and their parents — had been at church. ‘We came home early as Dan had a terrible headache,’ says Kerry, now 35. ‘I thought he was resting but when I walked into his room he was bolt upright in a catatonic state, not responding to anything.'

Nurses with dementia should be allowed to continue treating patients, their union says. The Royal College of Nursing claims the move would set an example to society.

Five months ago. I began to feel an intense burning pain on the outside curve of the upper edge of my right ear. This was followed by a tiny blister, writes KAREN HOGAN.

A 61-year-old reader does a weekly boxercise class. For short periods he hits a peak heart rate of 202 beats per minutes. He asks DR MARTIN SCURR if exercise is the source of the problem.

The surprising foods that could put you in hospital

Not long ago the only warning symbols you were likely to find on a restaurant menu were an ‘N’ for nuts, and perhaps a ‘V’ to indicate a dish suitable for vegetarians. But at gastropubs and food chains alike nowadays, it’s a different story, with some menus carrying a long list of ingredients in the dishes that could potentially cause problems. So, are these restaurants playing into the hands of the worried well, gripped by some new food fad, or are we in the midst of a new allergy epidemic?

Two people in a vegetative state, and another 13 in a minimally-conscious coma, were able to show new signs of awareness after receiving brain stimulation in a trial in Belgium.

Researchers from Vanderbilt University analysed Russian astronauts and found that, despite drinking less water, they still produced similar urine amounts, suggesting they burnt fat.

Researchers from the University of California in San Francisco found women who don't have children are 70 per cent more likely to suffer from heart failure during old age.

Almost a third of British mothers-to-be pay for extra private ultrasoundsm which could cause harm to the foetus. Anxiety over the baby's health may be doing more harm than good, experts warn.

Just looking at pictures of striped objects such as zebras or deckchairs can trigger migraines and epileptic seizures in sensitive people, it was reported last week.

In the first of a new weekly series, in association with Lloyds Pharmacy, a trained pharmacist answers your common medicine queries...

Proof you DON'T have to go abroad to get skin cancer

As children (inset), Jacqueline Dacey and her sister Dawn spent most of their time outside. Summers involved playing in the fields around their home in West Sussex, jumping in and out of the family’s swimming pool and riding horses. It was idyllic — but there was one problem. No one thought to protect their delicate skin from the British sun. ‘We never, ever wore sunscreen,’ says Jacqs (right), as she calls herself. ‘If we got burnt we might put on a bit of after-sun, then go back out again.’ This was in the Sixties and Seventies and, like many people, the family didn’t realise the risks. But the sisters have paid the most terrible price.In 2008, when she was 47, Dawn (left), a mother of three, had what appeared to be a crusty brown mole, the size of a pencil eraser, removed from her back. ‘Tests revealed it was malignant melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer,’ recalls Jacqs, 57.

Neuroscientist and cognitive health expert Keiron Sparrowhawk explains that there are some lifestyle habits we can practice to alleviate our stress.

Researchers from he Oncology Research Center of Mercogliano, Italy, found that tomatoes prevent gastric cancer cells from spreading and developing, leading to their death.

Researchers from the University of Sydney found that pneumonia or bronchitis pose the biggest heart attack risk, but even a common cold raises your susceptibility by up to 13.5 times.

Researchers from the Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, France found treating penis cancer with radiotherapy may be a viable alternative to having parts of the genitals removed.

Woman used oxygen therapy to CURE her stage 4 mouth cancer

Sabrina Gauer (left and right in October 2015 ) learned a sore on her tongue was actually stage 4 mouth cancer. Now, the 28-year-old from Rochester, NY, has been cancer-free for 20 months after using a hyperbaric oxygen therapy tank (inset). The treatment is the breathing of pure oxygen in a pressurized tank. It has long been used to treat divers with 'the bends' or decompression sickness. Studies have linked the treatment to restoring function to damaged cells and organs.

Researchers from the Naval Medical Centre in San Diego found men that regularly watch porn are more likely to become disinterested in sex. Three per cent of men prefer porn to sex, study reveals.

Researchers from Northwestern University found that all men who are at a high risk of heart disease report sexual dysfunction, versus just 15% at a low risk of heart complications.

The vast majority of measles outbreaks in the US start with a person returning from vacation abroad. But more than half of those eligible for protection opted not to receive the vaccine.

Researchers at Boston University tracked the eating habits of nearly 1,400 adults for 10 years and found that one common takeaway ingredient improved scores in memory tests.

Could YOU knock years off your looks?

FaceGym in London’s Kings Road is Britain's self-proclaimed ‘only face gym’, promising ‘fast, effective, natural face-lift solutions’ and insisting customers will look younger after one visit. As improbable as it may seem, the theory is that by doing FaceGym’s exercises – a sort of face massage that involves having your face forced into all kinds of funny expressions – blood circulation, cell renewal and collagen production is boosted. This lifts and tightens the muscles in the face. And experts agree that this is not just futile grimacing.

Cheshire-based food scientist Richard Conroy says dismissing so-called 'traveller's diarrhoea' symptoms as just a 'dicky' tummy and not seeking help is dangerous.

Researchers from the Canadian Institute of Health Research found 7.7% of pregnant women exposed to temperatures of 24°C (75°F) or higher are at risk of developing the complication.

Scientists from the University of California, Berkeley, claim that a pill made from ingredients such as aloe vera, the vine of tomatoes, olives and grapes could be just as effective as Plan B.

The researchers at Northwestern University believe the correlation is tied to the stress of living in neighborhoods with high exposure to violence and fewer opportunities for social mobility.

HEALTH NOTES: Model Vogue Williams reveals her acne agony 

Vogue, 31, who is dating reality TV star Spencer Matthews, revealed: 'I had to go on acne tablets last summer. I didn’t want to leave the house some days.'

The prospect of new treatments for incurable bowel disorders has been raised by research identifying a key gene that helps to explain their underlying cause.

Researchers have found nine of the world's most threatening superbugs, including antibiotic-resistant ones listed as the greatest threat to human health by the WHO, on London's transport system.

Professor Catharina Svanborg, from Lund University in Sweden, made the chance discovery that the substance kills tumour cells when working on antibiotics.

The report from the University of Maryland also recorded that some people have hallucinations or altered consciousness.

Mum to sue GP for circumcision 'assault' on son

The doctor involved, Balvinder Mehat (left) of Bakersfield Medical Centre (right) in Nottingham, is alleged to have carried out the procedure when the baby, whose parents are separated, was taken to visit his father’s family. It is the first time legal aid has supported such an action and, if successful, campaigners claim the case could open the floodgates for a new wave of ‘male genital mutilation’ complaints from men who say they were subjected to the procedure as children, before they could decide for themselves.

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