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Back pain is one of the many health risks of smoking. But exactly how does exposure to nicotine damage spinal structures? Blood Vessel Constriction One way is that it affects blood vessels. Smoking may constrict and/or lead to the degeneration of arteries that supply the vertebrae with blood. According to Dr. Jennifer Solomon, a physiatrist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, “When you decrease the blood supply you decrease the oxygen and nutrients to these living structures....

According to a new study, COVID-19 stay-at-home orders have had a negative impact on health behaviors, including sleep quality, physical activity, weight maintenance, and consumption of sweets. Key Takeaways The COVID-19 pandemic has led many countries to put stay-at-home orders in place.A new study shows that stay-at-home orders have led to changes in health behaviors, such as a decrease in physical activity, reduced quality sleep, and increased anxiety.While healthy eating behaviors have increased, more than 25% of the participants in the study reported gaining weight during the pandemic....

If you use continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) to treat your obstructive sleep apnea, you may be familiar with most of the ways to keep your CPAP clean. However, one key element often escapes people’s notice: how do you change the filters on the CPAP machine? Whether you are using the latest model from ResMed or Respironics, two major manufacturers of the equipment, learn how to find (and how often to change) these air filters to keep yourself healthy....

Many people who have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) also find that they have symptoms of abdominal bloating or distention. One cause of this uncomfortable problem may be gas in the digestive tract. Bloating and gas can be painful, embarrassing, and might limit your wardrobe choices to pants and skirts with elastic waistbands. Fortunately, there are several ways to deal with a bloated stomach. Causes Bloating in the abdomen is commonly caused by gas in the intestines....

Few can question the value of support groups in helping you transition from being a person with HIV to a person truly living with HIV. But finding one of value to you and your personal needs can sometimes be challenging. Ultimately, the aim of any support group is to provide a safe, non-judgmental environment where people can communicate freely and find the emotional support they need to better normalize HIV in their lives....

If you’ve been sneezing and coughing lately, fall allergies may be to blame. But as COVID-19 continues to circulate, it’s understandable to feel concerned when you feel these symptoms coming on. Key Takeaways Seasonal allergies are typically caused by allergic sensitization to pollen and mold spores.Although fall allergies appear like COVID-19 symptoms, they don’t cause muscle aches, fevers, or vomiting.The best you can do if you suspect you might have COVID-19 is get tested and self-quarantine....

Level of consciousness (LOC) is a medical term used to describe how awake, alert, and aware you are. It also refers to how well you respond to attempts to get your attention. A person with an altered level of consciousness may have decreased cognitive function or be difficult to arouse. A variety of medical conditions and drugs can affect your level of consciousness, from having dementia or lethargy, to being in a coma....

If your loved one has fallen out of a wheelchair while in the nursing home, this is a situation to address right away by advocating that the proper safety measures be taken. Up to a quarter of all nursing home falls requires admission to a hospital. Patients often fall more than once. The average is 1.5 falls per person per year. So, if one fall has occurred, it is likely to happen again....

It turns out if you’re following COVID-19 safety precautions, your friends and family probably are too. A recent study found that people follow pandemic guidelines the most when members of their close social circle do as well. Key Takeaways A recent study found that people follow COVID-19 guidelines the most when members of their close social circle do as well.In times of stress, like a pandemic, people look to their trusted close circle for information and guidance....

Staphylococcus aureus, also called staph, is an infection caused by bacteria that are commonly carried on the skin or in the nose of healthy people. Occasionally, normal staph can cause a minor skin infection such as a boil or pimples if the bacteria enter the skin through an open cut or sore. Typically, these infections are easily treated. In some instances, though, staph infections are more serious and need to be treated with antibiotics....

People who are diagnosed with prediabetes are often warned that their condition can progress to diabetes. But a new study has quantified just how likely that is to happen within a year. Key Takeaways Prediabetes is often a precursor to diabetes, but it doesn’t need to progress into the condition.Researchers found that one in 20 adults aged 65 and up progressed to diabetes from prediabetes within a year.Experts say it’s critical to act fast if you’re diagnosed....

Frequent COVID-19 testing increases the chance of early detection. Finding out that you have COVID sooner rather than later gives you a chance to get treated to avoid complications and lets you know that you need to isolate and take steps to prevent spreading the virus to others. Key Takeaways A new study found that sebum-based testing (using a skin swab) might be a potential way to diagnose COVID-19.Skin swab testing would be easier to collect than a saliva sample from someone’s mouth, nose, or throat....

Jaundice is an abnormal symptom characterized by the yellowing of the skin and/or the whites of the eyes (sclera). It is associated with a condition known as hyperbilirubinemia in which there is too much of a natural substance called bilirubin in the body. Jaundice is most commonly associated with liver diseases, including viral hepatitis, but can also be caused by alcohol abuse, medication overuse, and certain autoimmune disorders. How Jaundice Develops Jaundice is the consequence of having too much bilirubin in the blood....

A kidney infection, called pyelonephritis, can sometimes be confused with a urinary tract infection, but the diseases are different. A kidney infection can be a complication of a urinary tract infection. Some common symptoms of a kidney infection are pain with urination, back pain (particularly on one side), and chills or fever. This article covers kidney infection symptoms and how they differ from those of urinary tract infections. This article also explores how to recognize a kidney infection in young children and older people, and it will discuss kidney infection complications....

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are two forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). These conditions are considered immune-mediated, which means that they involve the immune system. There is a genetic component to IBD as well—hundreds of genes have been found which may be connected to IBD. These conditions last throughout your lifetime, although symptoms will come and go. There is no cure for any form of IBD, but it is often well-managed through medications, surgery, and complementary therapies....

On April 16, the Biden Administration announced the U.S. would share up to 60 million doses of its supply of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. Even though AstraZeneca has not applied for an emergency use authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. stockpiled the vaccine. Key Takeaways The Biden Administration plans to donate millions of doses of the AstraZeneca COVID vaccine to other countries.Because vaccine supply in the United States is stable and doses are now available to all Americans, donations won’t impact U....

An adnexal mass is an abnormal growth that develops near the uterus, usually in the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or surrounding connective tissues. The lump-like mass can be solid or cystic, which means fluid-filled. Most adnexal masses are benign (noncancerous). Sometimes, though, they can be malignant (cancerous). Adnexal masses may occur at any age. They are more typically seen in women of reproductive age, however. This article discusses the different types of adnexal masses and their causes....

Most surgery is scheduled in advance, with plenty of time to notify your insurance company, choose a surgeon, schedule time away from work and generally prepare for the procedure and the recovery following. If you are traveling and need surgery, the chances are that your procedure was not planned in advance, and may, in fact, be an emergency. If you are facing unexpected surgery while traveling in your own country or abroad, there are many things that you will need to do in order to have the best possible experience, both for your health and for your wallet....

Practicing safer sex doesn’t need to cost you an arm and a leg. A lot of times if you just look around you can get a condom for free. Some places that often have free condoms include: County Health Departments STD Clinics Planned Parenthood Campus Health Centers The Internet (search: “Free Condoms”) Bars, restaurants, tattoo parlors, salons, barbershops, and other locations that cater to sexually active high-risk clientele. Bathhouses and sex clubs Some cities, like New York, even put out lists of where you can find free condoms to make them more accessible....

A new blood test could be the first to detect early warning signs for preeclampsia—a serious and sometimes deadly condition during pregnancy, according to a study by researchers at Stanford University. Experts behind the research suggest the test could be lifesaving, since many preeclampsia diagnoses are diagnosed late. Key Takeaways A new blood test may be able to detect warning signs of preeclampsia as soon as 5 weeks into a pregnancy....