Talk Back: A knife in the head ... you take it from here

A knife in the head ... who doesn't want to talk about that? Perhaps the resident of Yunnan province in China who actually suffered the knife in the head -- for four years.

Patrick Swayze's widow calls for more research into pancreatic cancer

Patrick Swayze's widow, Lisa Niemi Swayze, spoke in Washington this week about a bill that would make pancreatic cancer a federal research priority, according to a CNN report.

Another TV reporter who had an on-air migraine tells his story -- with video of the episode

Los Angeles KCBS-TV reporter Serene Branson appeared on "The Early Show" on Friday to discuss publicly what everyone else has been discussing: what happened during her very public migraine at a live Grammy broadcast last Sunday. Now another local TV reporter describes how an on-air migraine stopped him in mid-sentence -- and posts a clip of what happened on the station’s website.

Stretch before a run or don't -- a study finds it may not matter, injury-wise

To stretch or not to stretch before a workout--that is the question many athletes ponder. A study finds that for runners, the pre-stretching versus not pre-stretching argument may be a 50/50 thing, neither doing any harm nor providing any benefits.

Your mother may be to blame for your relationship woes (though choosing a better mate could improve matters)

The strength of the bond you formed with Mom during the first two years of life strongly affects how efficiently you and your partner will move beyond a fight and join forces to accomplish mutual goals, a new study finds.

Heart attack patients and fast food -- some people never learn

Heart attacks might not be such a big wake-up call for some. Sure, many people turn their lives around, but consider this study that tracked fast-food habits among patients who had been hospitalized with heart attacks. Six months after having an attack, researchers say some cut back on their frequent fast-food habit -- but more than half didn't.

Rodent of the Week: A single gene's role in learning and memory

Understanding how certain genes function is a key to finding treatments that could reverse disease processes and abnormalities including, perhaps, mental retardation.

Knee replacement surgery -- is it as grueling as you think?

Knee replacements last -- and last and last. We now know this thanks to a study presented Wednesday at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons annual meeting. But that doesn't mean the prospect of such an operation isn't scary.

Premature baby born at 23 weeks had time on her side [Updated]

Eight days doesn't sound like a long time. But for these twin girls born far too early, eight days became the difference between life and death.

Soldiers sustain serious injuries with long-lasting consequences

Soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan are sustaining a significant rate of complex musculoskeletal injuries that will require medical care well into the future, according to a study presented Friday at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Two Guys Lose Weight: Tony will turn into Elvis Presley

The following is a blog documenting two Los Angeles Times editors' attempts to lose weight. It all began on Jan. 10.

Two Guys Lose Weight: Vegas Awaits

NOTE: This is a blog about two guys attempting to lose weight over a six-week period.  They kicked off their weight-loss "strategies" on Jan. 10.

Bret Michaels talks about life with diabetes

Yes, he's had numerous stints on reality TV and millions of records sold -- but singer Bret Michaels may be best known as the star of a real-life medical drama.

CBS reporter Serene Branson suffered 'migraine aura,' doctor says

KCBS-TV Channel 2 reporter Serene Branson suffered "migraine aura" when she began speaking what appeared to be gibberish during a live report following the Grammys on Sunday evening, Dr. Andrew Charles, director of UCLA’s Headache Research and Treatment Program, said in an interview Thursday. Some previous reports had indicated she was suffering from "complicated migraine" or "complex migraine." Those are really laymen's terms that have fallen out of favor with physicians, Charles said. "All her symptoms fall within the definition of migraine aura," he said.

Man discovers a knife blade lodged in his head. It happens.

If you have stabbing pains in the head, maybe it's because you were stabbed in the head.

Serene Branson had a 'complex migraine,' not a stroke, doctor says [Updated]

[Updated, 8:02 p.m. Feb. 17: This post, based on information supplied by a UCLA publicist, said Dr. Neil Martin diagnosed Serene Branson with "complex migraine." UCLA has since said that Martin and Dr. Andrew Charles, director of UCLA's Headache Research and Treatment Program, diagnosed Branson with "migraine aura." Click here for the latest on the story, including an interview with Dr. Charles.]

Weight-loss surgery -- who should have it? Join this Web chat Friday to learn more

Have questions about the Lap-Band? (Small wonder considering the news this week.) But here's a chance to get some answers about weight-loss surgery in general. Sure, you may know that for some obese people, it could add years to their lives. But sorting out who's eligible and for what procedure can be confusing. Here's an expert ready to help.

FDA warns against using asthma drug terbutaline to delay premature births

The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday issued its strongest warning against the use of a drug prescribed off-label to prevent preterm labor, saying it appears to be ineffective at delaying premature births and poses serious health risks for pregnant woman who take it for longer than 72 hours.

Studies find that losing weight may help knee osteoarthritis, but some damage may linger

Doctors often advise overweight patients that losing weight may go a long way in alleviating pain from knee osteoarthritis, but the information can fall on deaf ears. Two small studies presented recently at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in San Diego this week find that dropping pounds may influence the condition.

Lap-Band seems bound for wider use -- now what?

Many more people are about to get the now-famous Lap-Band, it's probably safe to assume. Thus it's worth giving some thought to the implications.