Unraveling the Mystery of Hiccups

SATURDAY, Feb. 2, 2019 -- Most everyone gets them, but no one really knows why.

Hiccups are a reflexive spasm of the diaphragm, and they can happen to anyone from newborns to the elderly. It's even common for babies in the womb to be seen hiccuping on ultrasounds, according to Dr. Stacey Milunic. She is a family medicine physician from Penn State Health.

'Poop Transplants' May Help Ease Painful Colitis

TUESDAY, Jan. 22, 2019 -- Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease triggering pain and bloody stools, and it can raise the odds for colon cancer.

But now, research suggests that fecal transplants -- basically, delivering a healthy person's stool into the colitis patient's digestive tract -- may be an effective treatment.

Connecting the Dots Between Heartburn Drugs and Kidney Damage

THURSDAY, Jan. 24, 2019 -- Just because a medication is available over the counter doesn't mean it won't have side effects or pose other dangers. One example is PPIs, a popular type of heartburn medication that can harm the kidneys, especially when taken long-term.

Heartburn is the result of stomach acid backing up into the esophagus, the tube that goes from your mouth to your stomach. Weakness in the muscle at its base is often to blame. If it flaps open, acids can rise up, causing a burning feeling in the chest.

Foot Stools Move Human Stool Along

THURSDAY, Jan. 10, 2019 -- A simple potty stool under your feet might help cure constipation, researchers say.

"These toilet stools became popular through things like viral videos and social media, but there was really no medical evidence to show whether or not they are effective," said researcher Dr. Peter Stanich. He is an assistant professor of gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition at Ohio State University.

More Proof High-Fiber Diets Help Prevent Cancers, Heart Disease

THURSDAY, Jan. 10, 2019 -- A large, new analysis helps confirm that eating lots of grains, vegetables and fruit lowers your risk of dying early from cancer or heart disease.

When compared with those who consume very little fiber, people at the high end of the fiber-eating spectrum saw their risk for dying from heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and/or colon cancer plummet by 16 to 24 percent, investigators reported.