Caring for a friend or family member with arthritis can be a challenging—yet rewarding—experience. Your loved one may have difficulty managing various components of the disease process, and being available as a trusted ally in their care can make a positive difference. But what are the best ways to help someone with arthritis? If you have arthritis, then you know how the stiffness and pain can limit your ability to move and function properly....
Contrast dye is a solution that is used to accentuate specific structures when looking at a body image. Radiocontrast agents are substances that are used in studies such as X-rays, fluoroscopy, and computed tomography (CT) scans. MRIs use other agents that help to accentuate the magnetic properties of a part of the body. Radiographic Agents In X-ray and CT studies, radiocontrast agents are substances that absorb the X-ray photons allow them to be detected by the X-ray film or CT scanner....
The cornea is the clear dome of tissue at the front of the eye. It connects smoothly to the sclera (the white part of the eye). The cornea refracts light through the lens below it, which allows the eye to process images. Injuries to the cornea can impair a person’s vision. Anatomy In most people, the cornea is somewhat oval in shape, and it is thicker at the edges than it is at the center....
Public health officials have made it clear that going anywhere these days comes with some risk of contracting COVID-19. But not every activity outside your home has the same level of risk, and how you approach each one matters. Key Takeaways Outdoor dining is an option in many areas now, but it comes with some level of risk of contracting COVID-19.Experts say the longer amount of time you spend at a restaurant, even outdoors, the higher your risk....
Menstrual cramps are the result of hormone-induced muscular contractions of the uterus. Cramping pain in the lower abdomen can start a day or two before you get your period. They usually last one to three days. Cramps are a normal part of your cycle as your uterus sheds its lining each month, but significant pain or heavy flow should not be dismissed. They may have other causes and are always treatable....
There are a number of different types of skin rashes that present to the allergist’s office. A good number of these represent an allergic process, while many other skin rashes are not caused by allergies. The following rashes are common to see in the allergy office. Depending on the type of skin rash, there are a number of different treatments available. Treatment may include the use of topical steroids, oral antihistamines, or topics anti-fungal creams....
The duodenal switch weight loss surgery is known by multiple names, including DS and biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch. This procedure is a type of combined malabsorptive and restrictive weight loss surgery. This means that the procedure decreases the number of calories that can be absorbed by the intestines by decreasing the amount of intestine that comes into contact with food and also decreases the quantity of food that can be accommodated by the stomach and used by the body....
Floating rib injuries are caused, in part, by a vulnerability in human anatomy. That’s because the rib cage, made up of 12 pairs of ribs, doesn’t fully attach to other bones in the same way at all points. Seven pairs of ribs attach directly to the sternum, at the front of the chest, through cartilage that forms at the end of each rib. But the next tier attach only to the cartilage of the rib above and the last two pairs of ribs do not attach to the sternum at all, making them more prone to injury....
Aging takes its toll on your feet as it does with the rest of your body. Given the amount of stress we place on our feet over a lifetime, it’s easy to see why these problems occur. In addition to general wear-and-tear, there are physiological changes that will affect how your joints, bones, and tendons function. These changes tend to develop gradually as cell turnover and collagen production begin to slow....
Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by a type of yeast called Candida. While Candida is naturally found both on the skin and within the body, it becomes a problem when it overgrows. There are many species of Candida, but the most common is Candida albicans. Infections involving this type of yeast are quite common, but they are also easily diagnosable and treatable. Infections caused by other strains, however, are more serious....
You may have noticed that as you age, your sense of taste begins to change. No, we aren’t talking about the growing appeal of comfortable shoes or really stretchy sweatpants, but the sensory structures inside your mouth. Maybe that chili recipe needs more cayenne than it used to, or green vegetables just don’t taste right. You may also notice your sense of smell changing with age. What’s happening? Taste and Aging First, a bit of taste physiology: the raised bumps, or taste papillae, you see when you stick out your tongue in the mirror are made up of specialized epithelial cells....
The annulus fibrosus is the strong wrapping that makes up the outside portion of the intervertebral disc. Its job is to contain and protect the soft material located in the center of the disc. This soft center is called the nucleus pulposus. The nucleus pulposus (and the entire intervertebral disc) provides shock absorption for the spine. The annulus, as it is called for short, consists of several concentric rings of fibrous cartilage oriented on a diagonal angle....
Traveling to a different time zone can be exciting—but the time change can take some getting used to. Depending on how far you travel, it may be necessary to take specific steps to adapt to a new time zone and avoid the symptoms of jet lag, which can make your journey less enjoyable. Jet lag can cause you to feel ill as well as tired, and it can ruin a trip....
Researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health are beginning the enrollment process for a study to determine if vitamin D can prevent severe disease and death from COVID-19. Key Takeaways Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to severe cases of COVID-19 and death from the virus. A new study is examining whether taking high doses of vitamin D can prevent severe COVID-19 and lower transmission risk....
Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection that, if left untreated, can be fatal. This condition, caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, typically affects the lungs. However, it can affect other parts of the body, including the bones. Spinal tuberculosis—also called Pott’s disease—is the most common type of TB affecting the bones. This article discusses spinal tuberculosis—symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis for this condition. Symptoms of Spinal Tuberculosis Spinal tuberculosis typically affects the thoracic spine in the upper back and the lumbar spine in the lower back....
Splenectomy surgery doesn’t require a lot of long-term care on its own, but you will have to make some accommodations to a life without a spleen. Your spleen plays a significant role in your immune system, removing bacteria and debris from your bloodstream, so there are steps you should take to avoid complications long after your surgery. Benefits of Surgery After surgery, you should be relieved of the problems you were experiencing before your splenectomy....
Stomatitis is inflammation of the mucosal tissue of the mouth (inner cheeks, tongue, and/or gums). It can be caused by an infection, irritation, trauma to the mouth, or allergies. Stomatitis can be painful and may lead to canker sores or cold sores, which may make talking and eating uncomfortable or even difficult. Aphthous stomatitis is a common condition in which canker sores caused by stomatitis come back on a fairly regular basis....
Amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone) is the most effective, and certainly, the strangest, antiarrhythmic drug ever developed. (Here is a review of the unusual efficacy and the unusual side effects of amiodarone.) One of the strangest aspects of the drug is its history. It is a history that explains much about why, to this day, many of the more unusual features of the drug are poorly understood by many doctors who prescribe it....
Effective blood pressure control is an important goal if you have diabetes. The dangers of high blood pressure in diabetes are so serious that the combination of well-controlled blood sugar and well-controlled blood pressure makes a powerful impact on long-term health (quality of life, number of complications, ultimate lifespan). As you aim for your blood sugar goals, make sure that maintaining your target blood pressure is an essential goal too....
Each week, Verywell explains a term from health, medicine, science, or technology. Benign How to say it: Benign (beh-nine) What it means: It describes something that is not harmful. In medicine, the term benign is often specifically used to describe something (like lump or lesion) that is not cancerous. Where it comes from: From the Latin word bene, which means well (it’s also the root for words like “beneficial”). Where you might see or hear it: If you go to your doctor because you are concerned about a lump, bump, or spot on your body, they will want to look at it and might even take a sample to test it....
