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Mastoiditis is a rare infection of the mastoid bone of the skull, which is located behind the ear. It is usually the result of untreated ear infections. When ear infections are left untreated for too long, the infection can spread to the mastoid bone. The cells inside this bone are filled with air and have a honeycomb-like structure, and the infection causes it to deteriorate. Today the incidence of mastoiditis is very low, and life-threatening complications are even rarer....

In five major U.S. cities, researchers are exploring mobile health clinics as a possible solution to the continuously growing opioid epidemic. Key Takeaways A new clinical trial will evaluate the effectiveness of delivering care through mobile clinics for people with opioid use disorder who inject drugs.The NIH-funded trial comes as the Biden Administration doubles down on efforts to curb the opioid crisis. People who inject drugs may be reluctant to get appropriate health care due to stigma and cost....

Nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL) is a type of Hodgkin disease, a cancer of lymph cells. It is one of the less frequent types of Hodgkin lymphoma, comprising about 5% of all cases of this cancer. However, it has several distinctive features that set it apart from other types of Hodgkin disease called the classical Hodgkin lymphomas. Who Gets Nodular Lymphocyte Predominant Hodgkin Lymphoma? NLPHL can occur at any age, although most patients are usually in their thirties....

Over half of ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed when it has metastasized (spread to distant organs). One of the structures it may spread to is the omentum, a layer of fatty tissue that hangs off the middle of your colon and drapes over the intestines inside the abdomen. When this occurs, it is referred to as ovarian cancer metastatic to the omentum. Cancer may also originate in the omentum, where it is referred to as primary omentum cancer....

Outcome measurement tools are specific tests and measures that your physical therapist may use to quantify your overall function. These tools are important, as they provide your therapist with a simple and effective way to measure your mobility. Purpose Functional outcome measurement tools may serve many purposes. These include, but are not limited, to: To help in goal settingAs a means to provide motivationTo help guide treatmentTo provide a prognosis for your specific conditionTo provide justification for treatment Your physical therapist may use many other measurements to help assess your progress in physical therapy....

Resetting a broken brone involves placing the bone ends and fragments into their proper positions so that the bone can heal properly. This process is also called a fracture reduction. Your healthcare provider may either perform a closed reduction (in which the skin is not cut) or an open reduction (in which an incision is made to reset the bone with pins, screws, and other appliances). A fracture reduction requires a bone specialist known as an orthopedist who knows how to manipulate the broken ends into their original position and fix them securely into place....

Affording the dentist is a big problem for many families. Dental insurance may be a great option to ensure that you and your family always have access to the dental treatment you need. With the rising cost of going to the dentist, many people are struggling with the decision of whether or not to purchase dental insurance. Whether you are considering buying dental insurance through your employer or independently, be sure to investigate several different plans and ask questions about several factors, including network policies and coverage types....

Acephalgic migraine, or “silent migraine,” is a form of migraine that occurs without an actual headache. Symptoms There are four phases of a migraine attack. While an acephalic migraine can go through the prodrome phase (when symptoms warn of an impending attack), the aura phase (visual disturbances that precede an episode), and the postdrome (or post-headache) phase, it skips the headache phase, which is considered the hallmark symptom of all other types of migraine....

Tamoxifen, which is prescribed for the treatment of breast cancer, can interact with some commonly used drugs, including over-the-counter and nutritional supplements. You may be taking tamoxifen for at least five to 10 years, so it’s important that you discuss its potential interactions with medications that you are taking now—as well as any new medications that you start to take while you’re still taking tamoxifen. Why Drug Interactions May Occur Tamoxifen, as well as many other medications, interacts with the CYP2D6 enzyme....

Sunlight has a profound effect on the skin that can result in premature aging, skin cancer, and a host of other skin-related conditions. Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light accounts for around 90% of all symptoms of skin injury. The Facts About UV Radiation The sun emits UV radiation that we divide into categories based on their relative wavelength (as measured by a nanometer, or nm): UVC radiation (100 to 290 nm)UVB radiation (290 to 320 nm)UVA radiation (320 to 400 nm) UVC radiation has the shortest wavelength and is almost completely absorbed by the ozone layer....

Toxic megacolon (also known as toxic dilation) is a serious complication of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This complication occurs more often with ulcerative colitis than it does with Crohn’s disease. The good news is that toxic megacolon is rare and occurs in less than 5 percent of cases of severe IBD. The condition occurs when the colon becomes severely distended, or inflated, and subsequently loses sufficient blood flow. Without adequate blood going to the colon, the tissue may become ischemic, which means that it is dying....

The vertebral arteries work their way along both sides of the neck, connecting the subclavian arteries in the shoulder up to the cranium. Running through the gaps in the vertebrae (foramen), they access the posterior fossa, a small space at the base of the skull near the brainstem and cerebellum, as well as the occipital lobes of the brain. These arteries not only provide blood to the neck but, along with the carotid arteries, they’re the primary source of blood to the brain....

Autism diagnoses are on the rise. According to the CDC, 1 in 59 American children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder —and many parents are trying to do whatever it takes to reduce the risk that their child will develop an autism diagnosis. It’s not so easy, however, to identify the risks. And some risks are simply unavoidable: The latest research supports autism as a whole-body system disorder that also affects the brain, and in those with an underlying genetic predisposition, it turns out that the disease can be activated by certain environmental triggers....

Each week, Verywell explains a term from health, medicine, science, or technology. Sequelae How to say it: Sequelae (see-quell-lay). What it means: Conditions or diseases that follow another. Where it comes from: From Latin sequela meaning “sequel.” Where you might see or hear it: Sometimes, one medical condition can lead to another. For example, if you have rheumatic heart disease, your doctor might have made a note in your medical record that the condition is the sequelae of a case of rheumatic fever that you had as a child....

Mutations are permanent alterations in the DNA sequence. They result from changes in the structure of an encoded protein—including a decrease or complete loss of its expression—as a DNA sequence is being copied. Mutations can either be inherited from a person’s biological parents, or acquired after birth, typically caused by environmental triggers. How Mutations Happen In order to understand how mutations work, it’s important to take a step back and revisit the basics of deoxyribonucleic acid—better known as DNA....

An enterostomal therapy nurse, or ET nurse, is a registered nurse (RN) who has specialized training in treating patients with ostomies (such as an ileostomy, colostomy, or urostomy). Sometimes, especially in Europe, these nurses are called stoma nurses. ET nurses also treat other conditions such as wounds or incontinence. What is Enterostomal Therapy? Enterostomal therapy is a specialized type of care provided to patients with: Stomas: When a patient undergoes ostomy surgery, the surgeon places a stoma that allows urine or stool to leave the body....

You have likely seen the Select Comfort mattress advertisements, but what is your sleep number? What factors and science go into selecting a sleep number? Learn what this means to your mattress comfort, the costs, and how it might aid sleep problems ranging from insomnia to sleep apnea. What Is the Select Comfort Sleep Number? It is reasonable to wonder if the Select Comfort features are simply a marketing ploy. Is it possible for a mattress to be optimally set to improve your sleep?...

Pre-menopausal people often enter menopause right after having a hysterectomy to remove their ovaries. The ovaries produce estrogen, a hormone that depletes during menopause, so removing them pre-maturely may trigger menopause. The ovaries are not always removed during a hysterectomy, though. If they are not removed, they will produce estrogen until menopause naturally begins. The decision to remove the ovaries hinges on the purpose of the surgery and your overall health....

Although yeast infections and urinary tract infections (UTIs) have similar symptoms, they are entirely separate conditions. Specifically, one is a fungal infection, while the other is a bacterial infection, requiring different treatments. This article discusses the differences between yeast infections and UTIs and why getting an accurate diagnosis is important. Symptoms While these infections are sometimes lumped together, each has distinct symptoms Yeast infections affect the vagina and UTIs affect the urinary tract....

Your coworkers might help you adopt a healthier diet, according to a new study published in BMC Public Health. Key Takeaways Coworkers might be able to influence your healthy food choices. Even if you work from home, your employer and coworkers could still sway your eating patterns and behaviors.Peer pressure, encouragement, and social norms may explain this relationship. For example, going to the office cafeteria with your coworkers who are more likely to eat fruit and vegetables may lead you to order a salad instead of a burger....