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Occasionally after illness, injury, or surgery, you may have difficulty walking or moving around. Weakness, balance difficulty, or surgical weight-bearing restrictions may require that you walk with assistance or with a device to ensure safety. One such device that can help you walk safely and independently is a walker. There are many different types of walkers to choose from. The two main types of walkers are a standard walker and a wheeled walker....

New Year’s resolutions often revolve around healthier eating habits, but sticking to a specific diet or program can be tough—especially when you’re busy with work or rushing to pick the kids up from activities. Many people find it hard to eat healthy and balanced meals while on the road, or opt to skip lunch for a larger dinner out with friends. Key Takeaways Chrononutrition looks at the timing of when you eat....

Cytoxan (cyclophosphamide) is a common chemotherapy drug that prevents cancer cell division and cancer growth. It is used in combination with other medications to treat breast cancer and several other forms of cancer. When considering Cytoxan or any breast cancer treatments, it’s important to weigh the risks against the benefits and make an informed decision. Your oncologist can help guide you through this process. Indications Cytoxan is typically used: After surgery for early-stage breast cancer to reduce the risk of recurrenceBefore surgery to shrink advanced-stage tumorsAfter surgery to treat advanced-stage tumors This drug is also used to treat ovarian cancer, lymphoma, leukemia, multiple myeloma, mycosis fungoides, neuroblastoma, and retinoblastoma....

Both embryo and fetus are terms used to describe the stages of a baby’s development during pregnancy. Gestational age or the length of time a person is pregnant is the main difference between an embryo and a fetus. This article will explain more about an embryo and a fetus. What Is an Embryo? An embryo is the early stage of a baby’s development during pregnancy. The first stage is the fertilized egg (zygote)....

Cholesterol-lowering medications play an important role in keeping your lipid levels within a healthy range—and lowering your risk of heart disease. Although beneficial, there may be rare instances when you might experience side effects from your cholesterol drugs. These side effects also, referred to as adverse drug reactions, can typically start anywhere from a few minutes to a few weeks after beginning your regimen. While most side effects are fairly mild, others can be severe enough that you might consider discontinuing your medication....

An exploratory laparotomy—also called an “ex lap” or celiotomy—is a major surgery used to examine the organs and tissues within a patient’s abdomen and pelvis. Since the surgery requires that a large incision be made down the abdomen, patients need to stay in the hospital for several days afterward. If the laparotomy is emergent—for example, for internal bleeding from a car accident or for a perforated bowel—preparatory strategies are focused on the medical team administering life-saving therapies (e....

Arthritis often causes chronic pain, which is often defined as pain lasting for twelve weeks or more. Over time, it tends to be variable rather than constant. You may have long stretches lasting for weeks or months during which you can experience milder or more intense pain, and you may even notice a difference in intensity throughout the day. Treatment can often control or diminish the pain, but so can identifying some of the factors that can play into the chronic pain of arthritis so you can either address them or make modifications with them in mind....

Apple just made it easier to monitor atrial fibrillation (AFib), an irregular heart rhythm that increases the risk of stroke, with an Apple Watch feature. Key Takeaways The next Apple Watch update includes the AFib History feature that can help monitor heart rate and rhythm for people diagnosed with AFib.The feature sends weekly reports on how often a person was in AFib to be downloaded into a PDF and shared with a healthcare providerA study funded by Apple reported that 34% of Apple Watch wearers who received an irregular pulse notification were identified as having AFib on a subsequent ECG patch reading....

Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome is a condition in which bacteria, usually from a pelvic infection, spread through the abdomen and cause inflammation of the membrane lining of the stomach and of the tissue surrounding the liver. The diaphragm (the muscle that separates the stomach from the chest) may also be affected. Also known as gonococcal perihepatitis or perihepatitis syndrome, Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome is a rare disorder that occurs in 4% to 14% of women with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), and up to 27% of adolescents with PID....

If you are living with HIV, your doctor will order regular blood tests to check the status of your immune system (as measured by the CD4 count and the amount of virus in your blood (as measured by the HIV viral load). In addition to these tests, others will be performed to ensure that your body is functioning normally and there are no signs of illness or drug toxicity. Central to this is a panel of tests called the complete blood count (CBC)....

Common knowledge says that parents, upon receiving an autism diagnosis for their child, should run—not walk—to the nearest early intervention center. Early intensive intervention, it is said, is the key to “optimal outcomes” for children with autism. Scientists have long known that the brain grows quickly between the ages of zero and three, which suggests that early intervention would be an ideal way to treat a childhood disorder. But what does the science say about the outcomes of early intervention for children with autism?...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has not yet officially advised the general public to wear N95 respirators to protect themselves against the Omicron variant of COVID-19. But research indicates that N95 respirators are far better at protecting you from COVID than cloth masks and surgical masks. Key Takeaways N95 respirators provide excellent protection against the COVID-19 Omicron variant—better than other types of face coverings. However, reusable N95s are expensive, and the cost of replacing disposable masks can add up quickly....

Labor dystocia refers to abnormally slow labor. Clinicians disagree on the characteristics of dystocia, and as such definitions vary. Other terms used for labor dystocia include difficult labor, dysfunctional labor, failure to progress, prolonged labor, cephalopelvic disproportion (CPD), and obstructed labor. Learn more about the risk factors, prevention, and treatment for dystocia. What Happens in Labor Dystocia? There is considerable variation in the diagnostic criteria for labor dystocia. Given this, labor dystocia is an umbrella term that can include a number of circumstances during delivery....

After recommending weight loss and fertility drugs, your healthcare provider may suggest an Ovarian Drilling PCOS treatment to help you get pregnant if you have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). A polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) diagnosis may mean that your body has been producing too much testosterone and insulin, leading you to have problems with fertility. High insulin and testosterone levels can lead to an irregular menstrual cycle due to ovulation issues, hindering your pregnancy efforts....

There are certain medications you need to avoid if you have hepatitis C. There are many reasons why, since the effects of hepatitis C on the body are wide-ranging and serious. Hepatitis C affects the liver, which plays a big role in metabolizing drugs. That means that some medications are contraindicated or should be taken with caution if you have hepatitis C. Hepatitis C can also damage the liver and lead to liver cirrhosis (scarring), cancer, or liver failure....

Muscle rigidity, or hypertonia, occurs when there is too much muscle tone and the arms or legs become stiff and difficult to move. Muscle tone is determined by signals that travel from the brain to the nerves letting the muscles know when they need to contract. When the regions in the brain or spinal cord responsible for controlling these signals are damaged, muscle rigidity occurs. Hypertonia can occur for many reasons, including stroke, brain tumor, brain trauma, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, neurodevelopmental abnormalities (such as cerebral palsy) or toxins that affect the brain....

Insulin resistance affects as many as 70% of women with PCOS and is believed to be a main contributing factor to metabolic complications like high blood pressure, abdominal weight gain, and type 2 diabetes. The three best ways to improve insulin resistance are with diet, exercise, and medications and/or nutrition supplements. Diet Changes While weight loss can result in reducing insulin resistance, improving the way you eat can also help to lower your insulin levels....

Persistent depressive disorder, formerly known as dysthymia, is a mood disorder with chronic (long-lasting) symptoms that may be less severe than those of major depressive disorder but last longer. The exact cause of persistent depressive disorder is unknown. However, there are specific criteria that are used by medical professionals to diagnose persistent depressive disorder. You may also be able to conduct a self-screening as an initial step to seeking help and counsel from a professional....

Stretch marks and pregnancy often go hand in hand, as there is no magic pill or topical product proven to prevent them and still no cure. While it may seem like there is no rhyme or reason to which people will or won’t get stretch marks, there are some known contributing factors. This article discusses the risk factors, treatment, and prevention of stretch marks. What Are Stretch Marks? Skin that has been stretched by rapid growth either from pregnancy or weight gain or has shrunk because of weight loss can result in stretch marks, also called striae distensae....

Proptosis, also known as exophthalmos, is a bulging of one or both of the eyes. Some people naturally have eyes that appear to bulge due to normal variations in human anatomy. Others develop proptosis as a result of various health conditions. The most common cause of proptosis is a thyroid condition called Graves’ disease. Up to 50% of people with this condition develop Graves’ ophthalmopathy, or thyroid eye disease (with eye symptoms like proptosis)....