The thing we’re most likely to not know when filling out a government form—our blood type—might mean the difference between life and death following a traumatic injury, a new study published Tuesday in Critical Care suggests.
One of fiction’s most commonly used plot devices—a knock on the head used to render someone momentarily unconscious—is a lot more harmful in the real world. A new study published this week in The Lancet Psychiatry reaffirms that traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), even those that are relatively mild, are linked to a…
When it comes to hoverboard injuries, it’s tempting to think a good portion of them are severe burns caused by those overheating battery packs. New research shows this is very much not the case, and that each year around 13,500 kids are treated in US hospital emergency rooms after falling from their hoverboards. That…
During the latter stages of the American Civil War, the H.L. Hunley made history by becoming the first combat submarine to sink an enemy ship. The Confederate crew never returned from its mission, sparking a mystery that’s lasted for over 130 years. An exhaustive new analysis suggests these pioneering submariners…
A re-evaluation of JFK’s health history and medical records paints a portrait a man who had to endure a surprising amount of physical discomfort throughout his short life. As president, he did his best to hide his misery from the public—no small miracle, given just how much pain he was forced to endure.
New research from Nationwide Children’s Hospital shows that around 12,500 kids are treated in US hospital emergency departments each year for injuries caused by cotton tip applicators. That’s about 34 each day. In most cases, the swabs were used for cleaning, but as this study shows, it’s simply not worth the risks.…
Diagnosis is hard. Especially when it comes to joint injuries. Doctors can make educated guesses based on your symptoms, to be really sure, they’ve got to look inside. While MRI is the most popular option, it’s expensive, time-consuming, and not particularly accurate. That’s why this new, miniaturized camera that can…
Santa Claus, bless his magical heart, somehow makes it safely onto millions of icy roofs every Christmas. But us mortal humans are not so lucky. Every year, 15,000 Americans end up in the emergency room thanks to Christmas decorating accidents—a decidedly unhappy start to the holidays.
Did you know July 4 is the busiest day of the year for firefighters and emergency rooms? Here's how to treat fireworks-related injuries. Everyone should read this by Friday.
When large chunks of muscle are lost in severe injuries, they don't grow back. But now, scientists have discovered a way to regenerate some lost muscle with material from pig bladders—a technique actually quite common in medicine.
When you're faced with a sports-related injury, half of your friends will be adamant that ice is the only way to treat it. The other half will tell you that heat is the way to go. The problem is that most of your friends are idiots. So, which of your idiot friends are you supposed to listen to?
Don't watch this video. No, seriously, it's really rough. The best thing is that Matthew Gough, the guy who plummets while base jumping, actually survived the fall with only minor injuries. He hit the ground at 40mph from a 1,000 foot cliff because his parachute malfunctioned. The footage is taken from his helmet cam.
Happy holidays, guys: last year, 13 kids died while playing with toys, and over a quarter of a million children were sent to the ER by their own toys. The biggest lesson here? Scooters are time bombs.
If you've taken so much as one psychology course, you've probably heard of Phineas Gage, the man who survived having a railroad spike driven through his skull. It sounds like a one-of-a-kind thing, but a Brazilian construction worker just survived a similar injury.
So, uh... cat bites are pretty bad, as it turns out. I was in the ER yesterday, after my sweet cat Franny sunk a tooth into the top of my left hand, causing it to swell up like a balloon. I'm now on a strong antibiotic and some stronggg painkillers, but it's still a baseball mitt-sized mit that hurts like hell in any…
You've might have heard the story of Phineas Gage, the 19th century construction foreman who was impaled through the brain with a tamping rod, but lived a relatively normal life. Researchers at UCLA have a new twist: Gage's brain was damaged far more severely than we thought.
In a horrifying real life cross between Happy Gilmore and a Bon Jovi song, a New Jersey man accidentally shot himself in the heart with a 4-inch nail while trying to un-jam a nail gun. Somehow, he survived.
If you've ever had a broken bone, it's not just about dealing with the pain. It's about dealing with how confusing the whole healing process can be. This is a cast that could take some of the mystery out of what your body's doing.
Like any ordinary orthopedist, Mark Drakos treats patients, performs surgeries, and prescribes medicines. But if you catch him in his lab, you might be surprised by what you'd find: the doctor twisting dead human legs until they snap.
Who knew a machine with razor-sharp blades spinning at 200RPM you're supposed to sit on top of might cause injury or death? Here are gruesome tales of mowing mishaps—from this past month alone!