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Spider angiomas (spider naevus or spider telangiectasia) are benign lesions that get their name based on their spiderlike appearance. Spider angiomas contain a body, legs, and surrounding reddened patches of skin caused by dilation of the capillaries. They are common and can occur in adults and children. Learn more about the symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment of spider angiomas. Spider Angioma Symptoms Unless there is an underlying health condition associated with the angioma (such as liver disease), there are no symptoms except its physical appearance....

Simple surgical excision (removal) is the most common method used to treat both primary and recurrent skin cancer tumors. The procedure involves surgically removing the tumor and a certain amount of normal-appearing skin surrounding it. This surrounding region is called the “margin” or “surgical margin.” Removing the margin maximizes the chance that all the cancerous cells will be removed. After the lesion is excised, it is sent to a pathologist who checks the margins of the excision to make sure they are clear....

If you’re unable to visit your healthcare provider in person, telehealth—the delivery of healthcare services remotely through various communication technologies—is a great option to explore. There are many times telehealth visits are appropriate, including visits for melanoma. When to Use Telehealth for Melanoma Telehealth visits for melanoma can be a convenient option for a visit with your cancer team, including the oncologist, nurse practitioner, or physician’s assistant. These types of visits may be for:...

All reimbursable medical payments are made to providers based on CPT codes, current procedural terminology codes. Each code represents a specific service, task, product, or procedure supplied to a patient which they can then bill to, and be paid to do by insurance or other payers. Sometimes services must always go together and when they do and are always billed together, they may be bundled into one code. How Bundling Works Here’s an example that is not medical but will help you understand how and why the bundling is done....

Tattoos are all the rage these days, with shows like LA Ink showing off tattoos and spotlighting tattoo culture. While tattoos allow you to express who you are in a permanent way, getting a tattoo carries a risk of developing an infection, especially if the tattoo artist doesn’t use strict safety procedures. Is There Really a Link? Research from the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases showed that out of 3,871 people studied (half with hepatitis C and half without), there was a significant association between having one or more tattoos and having hepatitis C....

A surplus of holiday activities means some people might want to be more mindful of alcohol consumption. But skipping the booze doesn’t mean you need to skimp on flavor or complexity. To help you get started, we crafted some mocktails that are as healthy as they are delicious. This story is part of a sober series that explores what sober curiosity means and how you can practice mindful drinking in your personal life....

Condoms can be an effective means of both birth control and of protecting against sexually transmitted infections (STIs). So if you’re already practicing this method of safe sex, good for you! But what else can you do to make your sexual experience even better? Might more lube help? Or if your condom comes pre-lubricated, does that mean you don’t need an additional form of lubrication? Are you covering all your bases?...

Each week, Verywell explains a term from health, medicine, science, or technology. Degenerative How to say it: Degenerative (dee-jen-er-ah-tiv) What it means: Relating to or causing degeneration (loss, decline, or deterioration) Where it comes from: The term degenerative comes from the word degenerate. In Latin, the word degeneratus meant “to be inferior to one’s ancestors.” Where you might see or hear it: Some medical conditions are considered to be “degenerative” because they cause a loss or breakdown of parts of the body....

Phlegm is the mucus secreted by the glands in the respiratory passages of the lungs. It is also called sputum. This article will go over what phlegm is, why your body makes it, and why you might have more or less of it than usual. What Is Mucus? There are three main parts, or layers, to the mucus in the airways. The bottom layer is called the sol phase or periciliary layer....

When you can drive after your surgery depends on a variety of factors and is different for every surgery patient because every patient is unique. The factors that can determine when driving is possible can vary, including the type of surgery performed, the type of anesthesia used, and your general health and age. The length of time varies widely because the individuals and their needs are so different. The person who breaks their right leg and has a cast placed for six weeks will be unable to safely drive far longer than the individual who has a colonoscopy and is expected to be back to normal the next day....

As of Friday, September 2, the White House will be suspending its free COVID-19 test kit program. Key Takeaways The federal program allowing people to order free COVID rapid tests from the government will end on September 2 due to lack of Congressional funding. For now, insurance providers must cover up to eight free tests per plan member per month.Even without health insurance, there are still several ways to find free or low-cost COVID tests....

At the beginning of the pandemic, as scientists learned more about COVID-19, safety measures and guidelines were constantly changing. Quickly, however, experts discovered that a few public health protocols offer the most protection against the virus: washing your hands, wearing a mask, and social distancing. Key Takeaways Scientists at The Ohio State University recently confirmed the protection social distancing offers against COVID-19.They discovered that participants who had adopted social distancing strategies in real life and in the simulation were less likely to have contracted COVID-19....

If you’ve been diagnosed with spinal arthritis, your healthcare provider or physical therapist may have given you an exercise program. Generally, this involves doing range-of-motion and strengthening exercises several times per day to help you manage symptoms. In the list below are instructions for and background about the most basic types of spinal arthritis exercises, which are range of motion and strength—in that order—for low back and neck. Note that these descriptions are meant to be informative only; please see your healthcare provider or physical therapist if you need to get started with a program that directly addresses your medical condition....

Scared of sushi? The Anisakis worm is a parasite that can cause nasty infections in humans who enjoy eating raw fish. It is 2 cm long and is sometimes coughed up after ingesting it in raw or undercooked fish. Species Name: Anisakis simplex Type of Microbe: Parasitic nematode (roundworm) How It Spreads Anisakis simplex has a complex life cycle in which humans are an incidental host. Adult worms are found in the stomach of marine mammals, and their eggs are passed in the feces....

Choriocarcinoma symptoms vary from person to person. A lot of symptoms are very similar to those of pregnancy, like pelvic pain and pressure, but it can also cause rarer symptoms like seizures, chest pain, and headaches. This article will explain more about choriocarcinoma symptoms and possible complications. Frequent Symptoms Symptoms can differ from person to person. In addition, many choriocarcinoma symptoms are similar to some normal pregnancy symptoms, so diagnosis can be difficult....

Choriocarcinoma is a type of cancerous tumor that originates in the uterus. During fertilization, when a sperm fertilizes an egg, the tumor forms from abnormal cells found in the tissues that make up the uterine wall. In a healthy pregnancy, the cells and tissues in the uterus would eventually become the placenta, an organ that provides nutrients to an unborn fetus. This article will cover the symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment of choriocarcinoma....

Knee injuries can happen for any number of reasons, causing pain and inflammation that can interfere with walking, exercising, or performing everyday tasks. Pinpointing the problem can be difficult. In many cases, it’s easier to describe when the pain happened—for example, when walking up steps or running—than where in the knee it is occurring. One of the more common knee injuries involved the tearing of internal cartilage surrounding the joint. For this type of condition, diagnosis can be made simple by performing what we call the McMurray test....

A quarter of Americans don’t get enough physical activity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But some people may not be able to get enough exercise simply because of where they live. Key Takeaways People living in exercise deserts face issues in their built environments that make it difficult to be physically active. Low-income neighborhoods are most likely to be considered exercise deserts.Experts are advocating for diverse solutions to make it safer and easier for Americans of all abilities to be physically active in their own neighborhoods....

The dorsalis pedis artery is the main source of blood supply to the foot. Running as a continuation of the anterior tibial artery, the blood vessel carries oxygenated blood to the dorsal surface (upper side) of the foot. A weak dorsalis pedis artery pulse may be a sign of an underlying circulatory condition, like peripheral artery disease (PAD). Anatomy There are three main arteries in the leg that supply blood to the foot: the peroneal (fibular) artery, the posterior tibial artery, and the anterior tibial arteries....

Drinking alcohol excessively (frequently or in large amounts) can have harmful effects on your body, including your eyes. Heavy alcohol use may cause problems with your vision and overall eye health. Some temporary effects occur when you drink, and other effects take time to develop and can be permanent. This article describes the potential effects of alcohol on your eyes. Decreased Visual Performance Your overall visual performance may be altered since drinking heavily impairs brain function....