If you're a frequent sinus infection sufferer, it's likely you at times depend on antibiotics to make you feel better -- I know I do! It's not that I drop everything and hightail it to my doctor at the first sign of sniffles; but if I have severe cold-like symptoms that last for days and days, I'll ask him for a prescription (hopefully instead of missing work). But now a new study suggests this line of defense may not be as effective as we assume: It says that antibiotics, specifically amoxicillin, do not fight sinus infections any more effectively than taking an inactive placebo pill.

What? Waaaaa!

Imagine being diagnosed with early stage breast cancer ... but having no say in what kind of treatment you're given. As shocking as that scenario may sound, it's often the reality for women whose doctors take the reins in a big way. A new survey published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology found that about two-thirds of women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer want to be involved in decision-making about their treatment, but 46 out of every 100 reported that their doctor ended up making the decision. Yeesh!

Seems totally wrong, especially in an era when we're all being encouraged to act as our own health advocates and take an active role in our health care. After all, this isn't the 1950s, when we're blindly following every little tidbit of advice and taking every pill from the man in the white coat without question.

Still, the survey results beg the question: If women want to be participating more, what's stopping them? Thankfully, the researchers figured that out.

It's likely that everyone's first inclination after hearing the news that bedbugs were found this weekend at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis is: extreme panic. After all, hospitals are the ONE place we'd expect to be clean and safe from these pesky critters, right? But actually that assumption isn't correct. In fact, what happened at Riley -- a patient's parent reportedly found one of the bedbugs in his child's hospital room -- is actually much more common than you'd think. Ick!

Suzanne Somers discusses banking stem cellsSuzanne Somers has always been down with the most cutting edge health science -- some might argue going as far back as her Thighmaster days. E!'s The Soup may have hilariously teased her for it, joking that she's pawning edible organic tanning spray. But the woman knows what's up. She proved it again in her latest episode of Suzanne Somers Breaking Through on the CafeMom Studios YouTube channel.

In the most recent installment, Somers sat down with Robin Smith, M.D., the CEO of Neostem, a group that deals with cellular therapies and stem cell banking. Dr. Smith explained why someone might want to bank their stem cells and how it's done. And seriously, after watching her one-on-one with Somers, I feel like I've been personally ushered into the future of medicine! 

Most of us reacted to news of Whitney Houston's death on Saturday night with anything but surprise. Dismay perhaps, but shock, no. Despite a recent attempt at a comeback, the pop legend's battles with addiction have been well-documented. And sadly, we can guess it was likely only a matter of time before her demons got the best of her. Early speculation pointed the finger at Houston's off and on addiction to cocaine, but the L.A. County Cornoner's office says it's "too early" to know what actually happened and won't have an official cause of death from toxicology reports for six to eight weeks. Nonetheless, it sounds like the culprit may have been a deadly cocktail of prescription drugs and alcohol.

Common, legal pharmaceuticals Lorazepam, Valium, Xanax, and a sleeping medication were all found in Houston's hotel room.

It makes sense that most of us mistakenly believe that it's younger women who are more likely to die from breast cancer than any other group: They're not screened as aggressively as women in later stages of life and, therefore, aren't diagnosed until their cancer is in a later stage, which lowers their rate for survival. But actually that thinking has it backwards.

According to a new study, it's older women who are more likely to die from breast cancer. Specifically, it showed that women over 75 years old were 63 percent more likely to die of the cancer than women younger than 65. And the reasons for this disparity are more than a little alarming.

Women's reproductive health has certainly been a hot topic lately, which explains why a small university in Pennsylvania is suddenly making headlines for a "controversial" vending machine that has actually been in place for a couple years now.

The particular vending machine in question dispenses Plan B One Step emergency contraceptive to students who need it for $25. It's the opposite of shocking that some religious conservatives and activists are opposed to the machine simply because they are opposed to the "morning-after" pill in general. But in this case, there's not a lot they can legitimately complain about ...

Here's some great news for all the budget flyers out there: Many experts used to put a lot of stock in the myth of the "economy class syndrome" -- meaning that traveling in economy class on an airplane increases your risk for developing a blood clot. But a new report finds absolutely no evidence to support that theory. What a relief to know that those of us already subjected to cramped leg room don't automatically face a serious health risk just because that's all we could afford.

Still, there are certain seats you'd be wise to watch out for as far as your health is concerned ...