Health & Medical

Some private clinics are charging UK patients thousands of pounds for unproven and unregulated treatments using the "healing powers" of stem cells, the BBC has found. And experts are warning some of these "therapies" can cause significant harm. Stem cells can become many types of cells in the body, from muscle to brain, and can repair damaged tissue. But they are approved only for treating some blood conditions, for skin grafts and the repair of damaged corneas. There is growing evidence stem cells may help other conditions, including multiple sclerosis - but only after full clinical trials can these procedures be declared safe, effective and better than existing treatments. Until then, they are experimental. The Autism Regenerative Centre, in London, however, is currently offering stem-cell treatments for autism for children over the age of two. Bone marrow cells are taken from the child under general anaesthetic and re-injected into a vein or their spinal c...

Something upbeat, like Abba or Shakira, can help Along with losing weight, one of the most popular new year's resolutions is "to do more exercise". Although any form of exercise is better than none, "brisk" exercise seems to be particularly good for the heart and brain. So if you are one of the millions who made the resolution to be more active, perhaps up-tempo music can help you achieve that beneficial "briskness"? In an experiment for Trust Me I'm A Doctor, we looked at if it can work. Unlike a gentle stroll, a brisk walk is more likely to increase blood flow to your brain and also to lead to the release of a hormone called BDNF (brain derived neurotrophic factor). BDNF helps stimulate the production of new brain cells, something which is certainly useful as you get older. Brisk walkers would also appear to live longer than those who prefer a more leisurely stroll. A large study of more than 50,000 British walkers in the British Journal of...

Phaedra says she is now more resilient to the symptoms of her skin conditions "I felt very ashamed and I still do if I'm going through a bad flare." For Phaedra Longhurst, 27, the effects of skin-picking disorder dermatillomania, eczema and acne are more than just skin deep. And she's not alone. Each year, about 13 million people in the UK visit their GP with a skin complaint and a recent survey of dermatologists suggests there is insufficient access to related mental support. The Royal College of GPs in Wales said while appointment times meant mental aspects may not always be discussed, an ongoing relationship with a doctor helped ensure they're picked up. Phaedra has had eczema since she was a child, had acne in her early 20s and at university she developed dermatillomania or excoriation disorder - a condition creating the urge to compulsively pick your skin. "It really affected me psychologically more than I realised at the time," she said. ...

Scientists say metal brake dust particles might be contributing to illnesses like pneumonia and bronchitis Dust from worn-out brake pads could have the same harmful impact as diesel emissions, according to scientists. Tests carried out by King's College London, show metallic abrasion dust can cause inflammation of the lungs and reduce immunity, increasing the risk of respiratory infections. Scientists said the metal particles could be contributing to serious illnesses like pneumonia or bronchitis. They added brake dust could be behind a condition known as "London throat". Sufferers experience intermittent bouts of runny noses, and the low-level illness can lead to more serious infections. The scientists found that vanadium, a metal present in both brake dust and diesel exhaust fumes, might be responsible for harmful effects on immune cells. Bacteria infecting a macrophage Macrophages - the lungs' front-line defence system which kill bacteria by engulfing and d...

Sandy Patience's mother died of Huntington's, his sister is in a care home because of it and now he knows that he has also got the degenerative condition. Sandy, who was diagnosed three years ago, says the disease has had a massive effect on his family. "Everyone I have ever loved has been affected by this illness," he says. The 57-year-old is one of the first people in Scotland to take part in a clinical trial which aims to find out if a new gene-blocking compound can slow the progression of the disease. Sandy, originally from Avoch on the Black Isle and now living in Inverness, is among only nine people in Scotland and 801 globally to be taking part in the Generation-HD1 study, being led in Aberdeen by Professor Zosia Miedzybrodzka. Huntington's disease - often known as HD - is a rare inherited condition that damages nerve cells and stops parts of the brain working properly over time. Sandy undergoes tests as part of the trial Sandy's mother died almo...

About half of primary school children in the UK have a packed lunch. But unlike school dinners, there are no official rules about what should be in them to make them nutritious. And a new study from Leeds University found 98 in every 100 packed lunches eaten by children at primary school failed to meet nutritional standards. Some schools set their own standards and even inspect lunchboxes and remove "contraband" unhealthy foods such as sausage rolls. And one academy, in Norwich, recently suggested scrapping packed lunches for infants entirely to get more pupils eating their healthy school meals. So what does a healthy packed lunch look like? Experts say the "main event" should be something filling, such as bread, rice, pasta or potatoes. Choose wholegrain where you can. When it comes to the filling of a sandwich, wrap or bagel, always add salad if you can because it will count towards your child's recommended five a day of fresh fruit and veg. The study,...

Sleep apnoea can cause loud snoring and noisy breathing at night A sleep disorder that can leave people gasping for breath at night could be linked to the amount of fat on their tongues, a study suggests. When sleep apnoea patients lost weight, it was the reduction in tongue fat that lay behind the resulting improvements, researchers said. Larger and fattier tongues are more common among obese patients. But the Pennsylvania team said other people with fatty tongues may also be at risk of the sleep disorder. The researchers now plan to work out which low-fat diets are particularly good at slimming down the tongue. "You talk, eat and breathe with your tongue - so why is fat deposited there?" said study author Dr Richard Schwab, of Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia. "It's not clear why - it could be genetic or environmental - but the less fat there is, the less likely the tongue is to collapse during sleep." Sleep apnoea is a common disorder that ca...

A woman who would lose her vision if there was not enough male blood available to treat her condition is urging more men to donate. Jo Daniels, 39, from Bristol, has the autoimmune disease Sjogren's syndrome, which attacks her tear glands and leaves her with painful ulcers on her corneas. She uses a daily eye serum, made from male blood, to keep her sight. Only 41% of new blood donors in England last year were men. The high level of iron present in male blood makes it especially helpful to patients who rely on regular life-saving transfusions. Unlike men, women produce antibodies during pregnancy which makes their blood unviable for numerous specialist transfusions and blood-based products, such as complete blood transfusions in newborn babies. Mrs Daniels's life turned upside down when her sight began to deteriorate at an alarming rate. She told BBC News: "My eyes were itchy for a while before my vision suddenly became blurry and painful. "Over the course of ...

The researchers want to study speakers of many different languages There are differences in the way English and Italian speakers are affected by dementia-related language problems, a small study suggests. While English speakers had trouble pronouncing words, Italian speakers came out with shorter, simpler sentences. The findings could help ensure accurate diagnoses for people from different cultures, the researchers said. Diagnostic criteria are often based on English-speaking patients. In the University of California study of 20 English-speaking patients and 18 Italian-speaking patients, all had primary progressive aphasia - a neuro-degenerative disease which affects areas of the brain linked to language. It is a feature of Alzheimer's disease and other dementia disorders. Brain scans and tests showed similar levels of cognitive function in people in both language groups. But when the researchers asked participants to complete a number of linguistic tests, they picked up o...

People in the group "formed a bond" over their shared experience Faced with a wait for a GP appointment, would you choose a group session with the doctor instead? It is an idea some surgeries are investigating. Demand for appointments increasingly outweighs availability. In recent years, the number of GP appointments has risen by 13%, but GP numbers are up by less than 5%, putting huge pressure on surgeries. In addition, many of us are living longer and with multiple long-term conditions, which can make consultations extremely complex. The traditional one-to-one 10-minute appointment is arguably no longer fit for purpose. With no promise of increased funding, or a substantially increased GP workforce, primary care teams have to find innovative new ways of delivering routine care in general practice that simultaneously save time and improve quality. One such practice is Parchmore Medical Centre in Thornton Heath, Surrey. Anthony is a patient there. He says: "I'...

The NHS has revealed it is desperate for more male blood donations but the campaign has led some men to speak out about the difficulties they have experienced trying to donate. Only 41% of new blood donors in England last year were men. Certain factors mean only male blood is used in some specialist transfusions, such as with newborn babies. Prospective male donors are now urging the NHS to make it easier to donate. There are hopes for a 26% rise in first-time male donations in a bid to offset the current gender imbalance and end the possibility of a crisis in the future. However, some gay and bisexual men have voiced their frustration over not being able to lend their support to the cause. Prior to 2011, men who have sex with men (MSM) were not able to donate blood. This then changed, in 2017, when rules were relaxed in England, Scotland and Wales to allow them to give blood after abstaining from sexual activity for three months. Jamie Lambert, 29, from London, says many gay a...

The continuing dispute over pensions that has seen doctors stop working overtime is "making a bad situation worse", hospital bosses are warning. Some have been refusing to work extra hours because they were being landed with bills after changes to how much could be accrued in pensions tax free. A short-term fix, proposed in November by NHS bosses in England, will see the NHS pick up the tax bills. But NHS Providers said that move had not begun to solve the problems. Saffron Cordery, of NHS Providers, which represents NHS trusts, said the issue was still "making a bad situation worse" and adding to the "stress" on waiting times. Last week, official figures showed performance against accident-and-emergency, cancer and routine operation waiting times had sunk to its worst level since records began. Ms Cordery said: "It is still early days but it doesn't look like the fix is having anything like the desired impact. "The problem is that a d...

Concerns have been raised by inspectors about the leadership at a firm at the centre of a BBC expose over allegations of abuse at a mental health hospital. The Panorama investigation - aired in May - was based on undercover filming at County Durham's learning disabilities unit Whorlton Hall. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) followed this up with a probe into the management of Cygnet Health Care. The firm said it was addressing concerns that had been raised. The CQC found that patients under the firm's care were more likely to be restrained. Higher rates of self-harm were also noted by inspectors who quizzed managers and analysed records at the company's headquarters. Cygnet runs more than 100 services for vulnerable adults and children, caring for people with mental health problems, learning disabilities and eating disorders. The regulator found a lack of clear lines of accountability between the executive team and its services. It said directors' identity and ...

A twice-a-year injection that reduces bad cholesterol to protect the heart is to be pioneered by the NHS in England. Already, millions of people take daily statin pills to cut their cholesterol. But later this year, a "ground-breaking" large-scale clinical trial will offer NHS patients a new form of medicine, gene silencing, in an injection called inclisiran. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the initiative could save 30,000 lives during the next decade. Cholesterol is a fatty substance in the blood, produced by the liver, which can build up inside the walls of blood vessels, making them narrower and increasing the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. By "silencing" the PCSK9 gene, inclisiran can make the liver absorb more "bad" cholesterol from the blood and break it down. The first gene-silencing medicine was approved for NHS use last year for a relatively rare disease, hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis. Trials presented at the Eu...