Treatment

Getting traditionally administered drugs into the brain can be challenging, due to the body's protective blood-brain barrier. There may be new hope, however, in the form of a patch that gets shoved up the patient's nose.

Microneedle patches already show a great deal of promise as a painless alternative to hypodermic needles. A new one, however, could find use as a more effective means of treating serious bacterial infections of the skin.

Although we may all get a dry mouth from time to time, for some people it can be an ongoing debilitating condition. There could be new hope for such folks, however, thanks to a recent accidental discovery.

Although the drinking of hydrogen-gas-infused water can help treat rheumatoid arthritis, the effects are limited. Scientists have developed what could be a better alternative, though, in the form of tiny injectable gas-emitting "micromotors."

Chronic skin wounds such as pressure ulcers can become very serious if left untreated, potentially even leading to amputations. A new "smart" bandage could help, by changing color before such wounds occur in the first place.

Five years ago, we heard how a team at UCLA had used ultrasound to seemingly "jump start" a patient out of a coma. At the time, the scientists wondered if such results could be repeated. They have now done it two more times.

Presently, glaucoma is treated via daily-administered eye drops, surgery, or implanted devices – none of which are guaranteed to be successful. In the future, however, it's possible that a twice-yearly injection could do the trick.

While snakebite antivenom is certainly a lifesaver, it's also expensive, time-consuming to produce, and must be administered by trained clinicians. A new low-cost type of antivenom, however, could conceivably be self-applied right away, on the spot.

When someone has experienced a stroke or brain injury, it's not uncommon for them to lose their ability to swallow. A new study, however, suggests that a throat-zapping system could help correct the problem faster than traditional treatments.

In a recent video message Donald Trump attributed his rapid COVID-19 recovery to a new experimental therapy he called ‘Regeneron’ and subsequently referred to it as a “cure”. What do we know about this new experimental drug? Is it safe? And what does it actually do?

Three years ago, scientists from the University of Arizona reported that exposure to green light appeared to reduce neuropathic pain in rats. Now, the researchers believe that such light could also be used to treat migraine headaches in humans.

For some time now, bacteria-killing ozone gas has been used to help heal chronic wounds such as diabetic skin ulcers. Such treatment could soon be a lot more practical and effective, thanks to an experimental new wearable system.