Health

Pain is the top reason people see a doctor, and there's no way to quantify how bad it is other than what they say. A big quest in neuroscience is to find tests or scans that can help diagnose ailments with mental and physical components.

A new study estimates that the direct cost of treatment and care for dementia patients cost the United States $109 billion in 2010, topping heart disease's $102 billion and cancer's $77 billion.

A new strain of flu has killed three and sickened nine people in China. The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention shared the genetic sequence of the virus with other scientists to help study the virus.

Governors' rejection of Medicaid expansion will leave large swaths of Americans without coverage because they make too much money to qualify for Medicaid as it exists but not enough to get subsidies to buy insurance in the exchanges.

Boone Hospital Center has extended its 2013 flu vaccination season through the end of April. Flu cases nearly doubled this year and people are still being diagnosed daily. 

The identification of new genetic markers for breast, ovarian and prostate cancer could potentially help patients make more informed decisions about their treatment.

The number of people who voluntarily sign up for the program will largely depend on the state's political culture.

Susan Cohen shared the story of her son, who died after being struck by a car driven by an 82-year-old. The driver didn't seem to be aware that someone was trapped under her car, Cohen said. The cognitive process slows as people age, which could affect driving

A state study has found no evidence of a cancer cluster in an area of St. Louis County where nuclear waste was produced during the Cold War. The study is being criticized by former residents.

MU Health Care held an open house on Tuesday for the new Ellis Fischel Cancer Center at University Hospital.

University Hospital unveiled a new $50 million treatment facility. Patients will stay in "smart rooms" surrounded by electric devices and monitors that allow doctors to get a “snapshot” of patients' vital information.

Ellis Fischel Cancer Center will host an open house of its new home at University Hospital from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday.

New research shows that radiation can make arteries more prone to harden and clog, leading to an increased risk for cardiac problems.

At a forum hosted by the Missouri Foundation for Health, the expansion of Medicaid in Missouri was discussed.

It is one of many decisions women with breast cancer must make — whether to remove a healthy breast. It's a choice more women are making, even though doctors believe it's often unnecessary.

The second installment of the One Health, One Medicine forum series focused on comparative oncology clinical trials held at MU, in which researchers treat dogs with cancer to gain insight for human treatment.

The chance to win or lose $20 a month enticed dieters in a yearlong study to drop an average of 9 pounds.

Tai chi can be beneficial to the health of older men and women, its practitioners say. The exercise can improve balance and physical performance, ease fibromyalgia and lead to better lifestyles.

The latest research found that women age 75 and younger are dying at higher rates than previous years in nearly half of the nation's counties — many of them rural and in the South and West.

Employee wellness programs might not save money for businesses but could provide other benefits, according to the study.