There is a myth that older people need less sleep. That is simply not true. All adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. As we age, it gets more difficult to get a good night’s sleep. That doesn’t mean we don’t still need seven to nine hours. One of the challenges to healthy aging is troubleshooting sleep to ensure that we are getting enough rest for good health....
In the earlier stages of Alzheimer’s disease, the disease affects cognitive processes (thinking, memory, orientation, judgment) and behavior more than physical functioning. However, in late-stage Alzheimer’s disease, the disease begins to considerably affect parts of the brain that control bodily systems, such as motor coordination, bowel, and bladder function, and even breathing. The late stage of Alzheimer’s usually requires rigorous, around-the-clock care, and it can last from several weeks to several years....
Nitrates have been a mainstay in the treatment of angina for over 100 years. Today, nitrates are used both to treat acute episodes of angina (in the form of sublingual nitroglycerin or nitroglycerin oral spray), and chronically (in pill form or as a skin patch) to help prevent angina. How Do Nitrates Work? Nitrates work by dilating arteries and veins, both in the heart and elsewhere in the body. This general dilation of blood vessels reduces stress on the heart muscle, and thus reduces the amount of oxygen the heart requires....
Meredith McGraw first noticed that her hair was thinning dramatically in March, around three months after she was diagnosed with COVID-19. Key Takeaways Many people have experienced hair loss after recovering from COVID-19 because of a stress-induced condition called telogen effluvium.This type of hair loss has also affected people who haven’t contracted the coronavirus.Telogen effluvium isn’t permanent, and hair will typically grow back as long as stress levels are reduced. The hair loss didn’t happen gradually or subtly; it was sudden and alarming....
There is no substitute for proper training. However, emergencies wait for no one. Use these steps to provide CPR to children 1 to 8 years old. For babies under 1-year-old, do infant CPR. Steps Stay safe. Children may be infected with contagious diseases. If you are concerned about possible exposure to a contagious disease, practice universal precautions and wear personal protective equipment, if available. Try to wake the child. Gently tap or shake the child’s shoulders and call out their name in a loud voice....
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) usually is caused by a genetic mutation. In most cases, this is an inherited genetic mutation. In other words, at least one parent passes the genetic mutation to the child. But sometimes the genetic mutation can happen at random. Read on to learn more about the causes and risk factors for PKD. Common Causes PKD usually is caused by a genetic mutation, primarily as an inherited genetic mutation....
Psychodynamic therapy is a type of talk therapy (or psychotherapy) and is useful in many settings for various types of patients. Approaches to psychodynamic therapy are based on a person’s diagnosis and the goals of treatment, including reducing symptoms of mood disorders and improving functioning in personality disorders. Psychodynamic psychotherapy is derived from psychoanalytical theory and psychoanalysis (theories that explain how our personalities develop) and is one of the oldest of modern therapies....
A septic hip is an infection within the hip joint. This is an uncommon problem, but it can occur in infants and young children. Septic hips are also called septic arthritis and infectious arthritis. Children with a septic hip have bacteria within the hip joint. The bacteria accumulate as pus and becomes painful. Children with a septic hip generally require surgery to cure the infection. Treatment must proceed quickly to ensure there is no permanent damage to the hip joint....
A vaginal yeast infection, also known as candidiasis, is a common infection, and most women will have one at some point in their lives. A yeast infection occurs when there is an overgrowth of the Candida fungus in the vagina. Symptoms include burning, itching, and a thick, white discharge that affect the vagina and vulva. Using certain types of birth control can put a person at higher risk for developing a vaginal yeast infection due to their effect on the vagina’s balance of bacteria and yeast....
Both prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) can cause an enlarged prostate, but beyond causing common symptoms, the similarities end there. During your yearly physical, your healthcare provider might do a rectal exam or request you get a blood test to check your prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level checked. If your prostate is enlarged or your PSA test comes back high, your healthcare provider may do a biopsy to determine if your abnormal results are caused by prostate cancer or BPH....
A thyroid storm is a rare but dangerous and potentially life-threatening condition where the thyroid gland produces extremely high levels of thyroid hormone. It’s most often due to an existing hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) disorder like the autoimmune condition called Graves’ disease. Other factors, like infection, also may contribute to the risk. Symptoms of a thyroid storm include uncontrolled hypertension (high blood pressure), a racing heart rate, and a high body temperature....
A hysterectomy is a treatment option for adenomyosis, a condition where the inner lining of the uterus (endometrium) breaks through the muscle wall of the uterus. Because it removes the uterus completely, a hysterectomy is a definitive cure for adenomyosis. But it’s the last resort after other treatments haven’t been effective enough. Understanding Adenomyosis Adenomyosis is not a life-threatening condition but one that can seriously impact a woman’s quality of life....
What can parents do when they are not sure whether to use only the oral method or only sign language with their deaf child? They can use total communication and get the benefits of both. What Is Total Communication? Total communication is using any means of communication — sign language, voice, lipreading, fingerspelling, amplification, writing, gesture, visual imagery (pictures). The sign language used in total communication is more closely related to English....
There is a lot of hype about magnesium deficiency and its connection to migraines—and certainly, the idea of taking a natural supplement to prevent your migraines appeals to many. That being said, what do the experts say about taking magnesium for migraine prevention? Does it work? Magnesium can be found in foods, so if you and your migraine doctor decide to try magnesium, is it better to take a magnesium supplement or simply increase the magnesium in your diet?...
Carpal bossing is the name given to a bony lump on the back of the hand. The carpal boss is a bump occurring at the junction of the long hand bones and the small wrist bones. A carpal boss is most commonly seen as a bump on the back of the hand at the middle or index carpometacarpal joint—where the hand bones meet up with the wrist bones. The word boss comes from the French word bosse, which means a bump or swelling....
As it’s commonly used, the term “gluten-free” does not mean free of all gluten. Instead, it means that a particular product is free of almost all gluten. But almost may not be good enough for many of us. Unless precisely defined, the term “gluten-free” is misleading. I don’t care how much the term is thrown around by manufacturers and writers, most “gluten-free” products are not really gluten-free — they just contain far less gluten than other products in their categories....
The brachialis is a muscle located in your arm near the crook of your elbow. This muscle works to flex (or bend) your elbow when your hand and forearm are in a pronated position with your palm facing down. It works closely with your biceps brachii and brachioradialis muscles to ensure that your elbow bends properly. Injury to the brachiails muscle may cause pain and limit your ability to use your arm normally....
“Morning wood” is when the penis engorges with blood and you wake up with an erection. Clinically known as nocturnal penile tumescence, it is a perfectly normal occurrence. Despite what some think, morning wood is not so much associated with “sex dreams” as it is with certain parts of the sleep cycle—namely, REM sleep. Most morning erections tend to last for a few minutes after awakening but can persist for longer....
If you’ve had eczema your entire life—as I have—you know how to manage pain. This article is part of Health Divide: Skin Conditions and Darker Skin, a destination in our Health Divide series. Meet the Author Chi Villines is a skin health advocate who speaks on topical steroid withdrawal and eczema. Itchy, dry, flaky rashes have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Because I was in and out of the hospital trying to manage the irritations, I failed third through fifth grades....
The Pap smear is a routine gynecological test typically performed during your annual exam. The test checks for abnormal cells that could indicate cervical cancer. Women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) are not at an increased risk for having abnormal Pap smears or cervical cancer and do not need to have the test performed more frequently. That does not mean that you can skip your yearly exam and regular Pap smear, however....
