Does a strong, dark line on a COVID-19 rapid test mean you’re more infectious than a faint line? According to experts, both the darkness of the line and how long it takes to appear are indicative of how sick you are, and how likely you are to transmit COVID-19 to others. Key Takeaways COVID rapid tests can indicate if a person is infectious and contagious at the exact time of testing....
Although interpreting services are frequently available, specialized mental health services for deaf and hard-of-hearing people appear to be relatively hard to find. From time to time, I get an e-mail request for information about such programs for deaf people in need of such services. A long time ago, I myself needed such services locally and the only program I could find was a small county-run program that had therapists who could sign....
Editor’s note: Below you’ll find the week 2 release of the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Tracker, originally published Feb. 2, 2021. Visit the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Tracker homepage for the latest data. While the United States is inching forward in its COVID-19 vaccine distribution to the states, the states are getting a better handle on administering those vaccines to their citizens. This time last week, only half of the vaccines allocated federally had actually made it into arms—a process which falls largely to each state....
If you and a healthcare provider have decided you need weight loss surgery (also referred to as bariatric surgery) to improve your health, you’ll soon start the journey to prepare for surgery. But surgery won’t happen immediately. In fact, most insurance companies require a six-month period where you’ll learn the lifestyle habits you’ll need to adopt now and maintain beyond surgery to help ensure a successful outcome. Once you’ve completed this, you’ll get the green light for surgery from your insurance company....
From the quiet of rest, an intense leg cramp leaves you grabbing at your calf and shouting, “Ouch!” What causes leg cramps at night? Sometimes called a charley horse, learn about these painful muscle contractions and the most common associated conditions and likely causes. What Is a Leg Cramp? A leg cramp is defined as an intensely painful sensation in the leg or foot that is associated with a sudden, involuntary muscle contraction....
There’s a new health trend on TikTok: taping your mouth shut at night to sleep better. It’s called mouth taping and videos using the hashtag #mouthtaping already have more than 39 million views on the social media platform. Key Takeaways A new viral trend on TikTok that involves taping your mouth shut at night claims to improve sleep and other health conditions like bad breath, cavities, and brain fog. Experts say that while nose breathing while you’re sleeping can have health benefits over mouth breathing, taping your mouth shut is not the answer....
It may not be what your mother told you, but the spine is not meant to be straight. Because of its position, the spine has to take pressure, weight, and force from structures that, by comparison, tend to be heavier and bulkier. An example is your pelvis, which is a large bone into which the spine wedges. As if that weren’t challenging enough, as part of its job, the spine must help keep your whole body balanced in both stillness and movement....
It’s a good idea to learn sign language when your deaf child uses it as his or her primary means of communication. You might be hesitant at first and you’re not alone because many parents feel the same way for one reason or another. The key thing to remember, however, is your child’s happiness. A communication gap between hearing parents and deaf children has been known to harm both familial relations and academic progress....
Many Americans felt that a “return to normal” was imminent in the spring. But since then, the pandemic has stagnated. Key Themes From Our Survey Vaccines for children aged 5-11 have arrived, and parents are ready to get their kids vaccinated.The rollout will look a little differently for kids than it did for adults—shots will mainly be available at pediatrician offices and schools.Parents largely expect schools to eventually mandate COVID-19 vaccination....
If you have ever wondered whether you’ll be able to have an erection after prostate cancer treatment, you are not alone. Many men who are facing a prostate cancer diagnosis, or who have undergone prostate cancer treatment, are worried about whether or not they will be able to have an erection after prostate cancer. What Is Prostate Cancer? Prostate cancer develops in the prostate—a small gland that makes seminal fluid. It is the second most common type of cancer in men....
Canker sores are very painful sores found inside the mouth that often appear out of nowhere, leaving you wondering what might be causing them. Canker sores (aphthous ulcers) are not contagious and are not related to the herpes simplex virus, also known as cold sores. The exact cause of canker sores is still unknown. They happen when your immune system reacts to attack the lining of your mouth. This may be triggered by mechanical irritation or trauma, as an allergic reaction to something you ate, or exposure to chemicals in toothpaste or mouthwash....
Following bowel surgery for colon cancer, you may have a permanent or temporary colostomy. The boxes of supplies and care instructions that accompany your new colostomy may not inspire confidence, but changing your pouch is not as complicated as it may look. Once you are proficient, changing your appliance may only take 15 minutes or less. How Often Do Colostomy Bags Need to Be Changed? How often you need to change your colostomy appliance is dependent on several different factors:...
Deciding to undergo a breast augmentation is a big decision that requires you to make a lot of choices. Choosing the best implant size for your body is particularly important, especially because a large percentage of all breast revision surgeries are performed just to change the implant size. In a study published in 2019, researchers found that: 41% of revision surgeries were performed on women who regretted their chosen implant size38% wanted bigger implantsJust 3% wanted smaller implantsIn 26% of revisions, the primary reason was complications but the women also opted for bigger implants The Rice Test A simple experiment called the rice test can help you figure out which size breast implant, by cubic centimeters (cc), is the best fit for you....
Editor’s note: Below you’ll find release of the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Tracker originally published March 30, 2021. Visit the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Tracker homepage for the latest data. Nearly 24 million COVID-19 vaccine doses were delivered by the government in the past week—only a slightly higher weekly cadence we’ve seen over the last month. As a result, over 16% of the population is fully vaccinated, compared to 14% this time last week....
It’s one thing to learn you have a sexually transmitted infection (STI). It’s quite another to learn you have an STI while you’re in a monogamous relationship. If you have been totally faithful, you may assume that your partner acquired the infection while being unfaithful. Though it’s possible they may have been intimate with someone else, it’s also possible they never cheated at all. This article explains two scenarios in which a partner could have an STI even though there was no infidelity in the relationship....
Osteoarthritis can affect joints in any part of the body, including the elbow. Early diagnosis and treatment help people with elbow osteoarthritis manage their symptoms. Cause of Elbow Osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease. Over time, cartilage — a tough but flexible tissue that covers the ends of the bones forming a joint — wears away gradually. Elbow osteoarthritis can also be caused by the previous injury, such as elbow fracture or dislocation....
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set new advisory limits for four common perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances in drinking water, warning that the chemicals can pose health risks even at undetectable levels. Key Takeaways The EPA announced stricter limits on certain PFAS in drinking water and the environment. The agency said that exposure to even tiny amounts of the two most prominent PFAS is unhealthy.The “forever chemicals” are strongly linked to an array of health harms, including cancers, reproductive issues, and various diseases....
An eyelid is a thin layer of skin that covers and protects the eye. The eye contains a muscle that retracts the eyelid to “open” the eye either voluntarily or involuntarily. Human eyelids contain a row of eyelashes that protect the eye from dust particles, foreign bodies, and perspiration. Main Functions One of the main functions of the eyelid is to protect the eye and keep out foreign bodies. Another important function of the eyelid is to regularly spread tears on the surface of the eye to keep it moist....
Ask people with some health challenges if they’d like to live in a facility or their own home, and the answer for most is easy: home. But, when one of their health challenges is dementia, it can become a little more difficult to live at home safely. Alzheimer’s disease and other kinds of dementia can affect memory, judgment, communication, behavior and physical ability, all of which can complicate living at home....
Most headaches, while painful and disruptive to our lives, are not indicative of a more serious medical condition. In unusual circumstances, though, your headache may be the first sign that something dangerous is going on in the body. Pituitary tumor apoplexy is one example of a rare but potentially life-threatening condition that causes a severe, sudden headache. Pituitary Basics The “pituitary” part of this condition refers to the pituitary gland, an organ that sits at the base of the brain....
