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The middle cerebral artery (also known as MCA) is the main blood vessel that brings the majority of oxygen and nutrients to important areas of your brain. These areas are primarily the frontal, parietal and temporal lobes. The MCA is a large artery that arises from the internal carotid artery and is the one that is often blocked or damaged if you have a stroke. Anatomy of the Middle Cerebral Artery At the base of the brain, the carotid and vertebrobasilar arteries form a circle of communicating arteries known as the Circle of Willis....

What are the differences between a nursing home and an assisted living facility? Many people would be surprised at how these two have become more similar than different over the past 15 years, with assisted living facilities accepting residents with more physical, psychiatric, and cognitive problems than they have in the past. Overview In 2015 about 1.3 million U.S. adults lived in about 15,600 skilled nursing facilities. That same year, there were approximately 29,000 licensed assisted living facilities in the U....

A new October study found that a significant number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 also have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) suggesting that the condition could be associated with poor outcomes and severe illness for those with the virus. The study was published in Sleep Medicine and Disorders: International Journal. Key Takeaways People with obstructive sleep apnea who are diagnosed with COVID-19 may suffer from more severe illness symptoms leading to poor outcomes including hospitalization, and mechanical ventilation....

The Food and Drug Administration approved the use of the antidepressant Prozac (fluoxetine) as a treatment for children and adolescents 7 to 17 years of age with depression (major depressive disorder) or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in 2003. That new indication followed studies that showed that Prozac was safe and effective for children with these disorders. But just because a medicine isn’t FDA approved for children and adolescents doesn’t mean that it isn’t safe....

One of the characteristics of multiple sclerosis (MS) is the sometimes-frustrating way in which symptoms can suddenly appear out of nowhere, last for just a few minutes (or even mere seconds), and then disappear just as quickly. These types of symptoms are known as paroxysmal symptoms, which simply means that they come on suddenly and don’t last long. Symptoms Paroxysmal symptoms can appear as a one-off event or in repeat cycles over the course of minutes, hours, or days....

Patients with orthostatic hypotension, also called postural hypotension, may feel lightheaded (or even fall or faint) when they stand up after sitting or laying down for a period of time. This debilitating illness is relatively common and primarily affects older adults. The diagnosis of orthostatic hypotension requires a decrease in blood pressure of 20mmHg systolic, or 10mmHg diastolic, within three minutes of rising from a seated or lying position. While most people with orthostatic hypotension experience symptoms immediately upon changes in body position, a small number of patients might not have symptoms until five to ten minutes later....

While some studies have suggested that mobile phone use causes migraines and not other headaches, there is strong evidence to the contrary. Using a phone may cause a headache for a variety of reasons, from eye strain to poor posture and more. Mobile phone use can cause increased headaches in adults, teenagers, and young children, which means that limiting your time looking at your mobile phone can be beneficial at any age....

During the winter, people often turn to vitamin D supplements to improve their mood and fatigue. Vitamin D deficiency has also been linked to depression, bone softening, and even severe COVID. Key Takeaways A new study found that 2,000 IU of vitamin D per day, taken with or without omega-3s, may help prevent autoimmune disease.Currently, there are no known interventions to cure or prevent autoimmune diseases.Since the study only included adults age 50 and over, additional research is needed to confirm if the results are applicable to the general population....

Inflammation occurs when your body’s natural immune system, composed of white blood cells and other factors, reacts to a foreign substance in an attempt to protect your body from a perceived threat. Unfortunately, sometimes your body’s inflammation response gets triggered inappropriately and causes your immune system to react to your own tissues and cells. Understanding Inflammation This inflammatory response can cause different symptoms such as swelling, pain, fatigue, and headaches. Inflammation isn’t just associated with the joints and muscles, as is commonly seen in rheumatoid arthritis or gout; it can also occur in the internal organs....

Prevalence is the proportion of a population identified as having a certain condition. The prevalence figure is determined by comparing the number of people found to have a condition with the total number of people in that population group. Prevalence is most often reported as a percentage. Prevalence is among the HIV statistics used by public health officials and policymakers to identify the burden of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in certain regions and/or population groups....

If you had surgery and now have a urinary tract infection (UTI), you may wonder whether these two things related. It is entirely possible that your surgery may have played a role in your urinary tract infection. Why UTI Is Common After Surgery Many patients have a catheter inserted into their bladder to drain urine during and/or after their procedure. The presence of a catheter, even a temporary catheter, increases the risk of contracting a urinary tract infection....

One of the many joys of a newborn baby is witnessing the development of the senses. A baby is born with the eye structures needed for vision, but must learn how to use them together to actually be able to “see.” Although newborns can’t see very well, they can see quite a bit. How Newborns See Colors Young babies can make out objects with high contrast, such as black-and-white patterns, checkerboards, and other contrasting color pairs....

Having a low cholesterol level is often thought to be a good thing for health. But familial hypobetalipoproteinemia is a rare, inherited condition that causes mild to extremely low LDL cholesterol levels, fat malabsorption, liver disease, and vitamin deficiencies. It can produce symptoms that may need to be treated by a special diet and supplementation. (Another disease possibly indicated by low HDL levels is familial alpha-lipoprotein deficiency or Tangier disease.)...

If you’re wondering if it’s time for you to get a COVID-19 booster shot, it depends on whether or not you meet eligibility criteria set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as how much time has passed since you received the final dose of your initial vaccine regimen. Key Takeaways COVID-19 vaccine booster shots are now authorized for everyone 5 years and older in the U....

Learning that you have been exposed to a sexually transmitted infection (STI, previously referred to as a sexually transmitted disease, or STD) such as herpes or HIV can be frightening. Whether a former sexual partner calls to tell you they’re infected, or you hear from the health department that you need to be tested, it’s scary to learn that you may be at risk.​ Although it’s possible to test for some STIs, such as chlamydia and gonorrhea, relatively quickly after infection using a highly sensitive urine test, this is not the case with all STIs....

Sponsored posts and social media ads abound for the internet’s newest glow-up of an existing product: fiber supplements. Key Takeaways The dietary fiber supplement ColonBroom claims to speed weight loss and increase energy.ColonBroom features the same active ingredient as Metamucil at a much higher price.Fiber can help relieve constipation and keep your stomach full without adding calories.The Food and Drug Administration does not regulate supplements. Ads for products like ColonBroom are populating Instagram and TikTok with claims of weight loss, increased energy, and detoxification....

Iron deficiency is a common problem for women athletes. Studies have routinely found that athletes, especially female athletes, are often iron-deficient or anemic. Iron is essential for athletic performance. It is the component of hemoglobin in your red blood cells that transports oxygen to your cells and carries carbon dioxide away. The brain also relies on oxygen transport, and without enough iron, you will find it hard to concentrate and feel tired and irritable....

While cats are generally safe, contact with cats, including cat bites and scratches, can cause infections in humans. If you are exposed to a cat, it is important that you understand the potential infections and how to stay safe. Ringworm Cats can get ringworm (dermatophysis)—which is a fungus (not a worm at all). The clearest and most common clinical signs of feline ringworm include the following: circular areas of hair loss, broken and stubbly hair, scaling or crusty skin, alterations in hair or skin color, inflamed areas of skin, excess grooming and scratching, infected claws or nail beds, and dandruff....

When it comes to having trouble falling asleep, people the world overall have their remedies for drifting off. Some swear by a glass of milk while others count sheep. For those of you not familiar with the counting sheep method, know that it does not require real sheep. It is a mental exercise used in some cultures to put you to sleep. In most versions of the sheep sleep aid, people are told to imagine an endless stream of white sheep jumping over a fence, counting each as they go....

Dry eye is one of the most common reasons that people visit the eye doctor; in fact, it is estimated that more than 16 million Americans have been diagnosed with dry eye. Dry eye occurs due to a lack of adequate tear production or it can also occur when tears are absorbed too quickly. Because tear production tends to diminish as you get older, dry eye is more common in people over 50 years old....