If you find using an insulin pen injector to be painful, you may be able to eliminate this problem by switching to a different needle size. Studies have found short, thin needles deliver insulin as effectively as longer, thicker ones and may be more comfortable to use. Your healthcare provider can help you make an informed decision about whether using a different needle is an option for you and which size to switch to....
Halloween candy season is ramping up and sugary treats are available everywhere. Eating a few pieces of candy might not make a difference, but overindulging could lead to a host of mood and behavioral disruptions. Key Takeaways A sugar crash, or hypoglycemia, refers to a sudden drop in blood sugar level.Individuals react to hypoglycemia differently, but some symptoms include irritability, shakiness, anxiety, and lightheadedness.Consuming excessive sugar on a regular basis can overstimulate the brain’s reward system....
People who sleep with their eyes partially or completely open usually have no idea their eyelids aren’t closing during the night. But this condition, known as nocturnal lagophthalmos, isn’t uncommon. About 5% of adults sleep with their eyes at least somewhat open. People with nocturnal lagophthalmos may experience daytime issues as well since some don’t have a full blink and the eyelids do not fully close day or night. That means that at least part of the eye never receives enough tear lubrication, and it’s continually exposed to the open atmosphere....
As a concerned parent, you want your child to perform well at school. As you prepare your child for each new school year, make sure you don’t forget one of the most important school supplies—good vision. The American Optometric Association warns that school vision screenings may not accurately measure your child’s overall eye health. Even though a good part of learning is visual, the only eye test many children receive is a vision screening at school....
An oxygen concentrator—a device that pulls oxygen from the air around you—is a helpful option for those who use oxygen therapy, as it eliminates some of the tasks you have if you use an oxygen tank, such as monitoring remaining levels and getting timely replacements. But one notable downside of concentrators is that they require electricity to work. In the case of a power outage, and depending on the severity of your respiratory problem, this could make a method of convenience suddenly turn life-threatening....
Injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) often require surgery followed by physical therapy to alleviate pain and swelling, restore range of motion (ROM) and strength, and improve mobility. Physical therapy for the knee joint is divided into four phases. By following this protocol, or one similar, you should be able to walk by the end of the third week after ACL surgery. Of course, everyone heals and responds to treatment at different rates....
A physician’s assistant (PA) is a licensed clinician who practices medicine in partnership with doctors. In the United States, the role was created to respond to a shortage of doctors during the mid-1960s. Today, PAs play an essential role in areas with limited medical access. They work semi-autonomously and must work in association with a physician. This may be a medical doctor (MD) or a doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO). The physician doesn’t necessarily need to be on-site when the PA performs tasks, but most states require them to be readily available through telecommunications....
Plaque psoriasis is the most common form of psoriasis, accounting for as many as 90% of all cases. It is an autoimmune disease in which skin cells rapidly build up, forming scales and dry, itchy patches that flake off. While the underlying cause of the disease remains a mystery, there are factors that can often trigger or worsen an outbreak, including obesity, stress, and smoking. Symptoms can be difficult to manage, but there is an ever-widening range of drugs that can temper the immune response and provide significant relief....
Pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, involves taking medication to reduce your risk of acquiring HIV. It’s called pre-exposure because people ideally take it before they are exposed to the virus. While not a perfect form of HIV prevention, PrEP can substantially reduce an individual’s risk of becoming infected during sex with an infected partner, as well as reduce the risk of becoming infected through shared needles. Unfortunately, to date, most of the research on PrEP has been in serodiscordant heterosexual couples, cisgender men who have sex with men, and transgender women who have sex with men....
If the body is like a machine, then why don’t we live forever? There are many theories of aging, and programmed theories of aging help explain why death is an inevitable part of being human. Programmed theories of aging assert that aging is an essential and innate part of the biology of humans and that aging is programmed into our body systems. Otherwise, we would live forever. The three main systems that are connected with aging are the endocrine (hormonal) system, the immune system, and our genes....
The prostate gland is a common source of medical problems for men. Surgery is one of the most common treatments for a variety of benign prostate problems. For prostate cancer the options may include surgery, radiation therapy, or active surveillance. What Is the Prostate? The prostate is a gland that is found only in men. It is located below the bladder and wraps around the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder and out of the body....
A splenectomy (surgery to remove the spleen) is performed in a hospital setting and requires a hospital stay. Some splenectomies are planned procedures when diseases that impact how well the spleen works can no longer be managed without surgery. Others are emergency surgeries performed after traumatic injury or rupture of the spleen. Before the Surgery Before a planned splenectomy to address a chronic disease, you will have had a number of tests and scans to help diagnose your condition and determine if surgery is your best option....
It can be confusing and frustrating to find the best treatment for your fibromyalgia. Often, some treatments don’t work, while others only work partially and don’t address all of your symptoms. Is there a best treatment for fibromyalgia? With the treatments that are available, there’s no way to say which single fibromyalgia treatment is “the best.” One of the few things healthcare providers tend to agree on is that they need to use several types of treatments and that the treatment regimen has to be tailored to each individual case....
If you have diabetes, even setting aside a little time for exercise can help avoid complications such as heart disease, strokes, and kidney damage. The more you exercise, though, the further you can reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications, according to a new study published in Diabetes Care. Key Takeaways A meta-analysis found that getting some physical activity helps reduce the risk of complications from diabetes.Getting some exercise helps reduce complications, but the level of risk reduction increases as you exercise more....
Atlantoaxial instability (AAI) is a common orthopedic problem seen in people with Down syndrome. Although it has a complicated name and sounds somewhat intimidating, for the most part, it causes no problems to those who have it. In order to understand AAI, it is important to understand a little about the function and structure of the spinal cord, nerves, vertebrae, and ligaments. Spinal Cord, Nerves, Vertebrae, and Ligaments The top of the spinal cord is a thick tube-like structure that starts at the base of the brain and runs all the way down the back to the lumbar region....
Each week, Verywell explains a term from health, medicine, science, or technology. Word of the Week: Adjuvant How to say it: Adjuvant (ah-JAH-vent) What it means: Something that helps prevent, treat, or cure a disease or condition. For example, an ingredient that makes a treatment work better or an intervention added to a treatment to enhance its effectiveness. Where it comes from: From Latin, adjuvāre, to aid or help. Where you might see or hear it: Your doctor may want you to start a new treatment (adjuvant therapy) to help the medication or treatment that you already use for your condition work better....
In the days following a person’s cancer diagnosis, their partner will usually be fully invested in seeing their loved one through the crisis. It’s not unusual for couples to attend healthcare provider appointments and chemotherapy sessions together. Partners often will take charge of medications, housework, childcare, scheduling, meal preparation, and other duties without hesitation or complaint. Eventually, however, even the most devoted partner can experience resentment, anger, and burnout. Fractures in the relationship can lead to doubts about whether the bond will survive the duration of the cancer ordeal....
Researchers have long tried to determine what causes cartilage degeneration associated with osteoarthritis. A breakthrough by scientists points to the loss of a specific protein from the surface layer of cartilage in joints. That protein, referred to as HMGB2, appears to play a key role in cartilage degeneration. What Happens in Cartilage Degeneration Articular cartilage is the hard but slippery tissue lining the bones within a joint, allowing smooth motion. Cartilage is produced and maintained by chondrocyte cells and includes fibrous collagen and mesh-like proteoglycans....
More than 2% of 8-year-old children in the United States are estimated to have been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That means that the prevalence of autism in American kids is now 1 in 44. Key Takeaways An analysis of data from 2018 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that an estimated 1 in 44 children aged 8 years old (2....
A defecography is a test in which a continual series of X-rays are taken during a bowel movement to identify any structural or functional problems in the anus, rectum or pelvic floor. To get a clear representation of a bowel movement, a thick barium paste will be inserted into the rectum of the man or woman with a device similar to a caulking gun. The barium ensures high contrast on the X-ray images as the paste is gradually expelled from the bowel....
