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Anorectal manometry is a diagnostic procedure that measures the muscle tone of the sphincters and other muscles in your anus and rectum. This information can be used by your healthcare provider to better understand and treat any problems you may be having with your bowel movements. A rectal balloon expulsion test may accompany the anorectal manometry procedure. Specifically, these tests assess: The coordination of the rectal and anal musclesThe reflex action of the rectal and anal musclesSensations within the rectumThe strength and weakness of the anal and rectal muscles Anorectal manometry is considered to be a safe, low-risk procedure, but there are some questions about its clinical usefulness....

There are several known causes and risk factors of stroke. Strokes are the result of an interruption of blood flow to the brain. They are often caused by existing conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, and infection. This article discusses these and other common causes of stroke. Common Causes of Stroke Often, the cause of a stroke is known and can be identified with a medical history or with diagnostic testing....

As people age, their dentures don’t change, but their mouths do. If you have false teeth, they should fit and you should be wearing them. Proper care and regular dental visits are important factors for keeping your mouth healthy and your dentures in good shape. Problems From Poor Fitting Dentures With age, the gum ridges in our mouths can shrink, causing dentures to become loose. Bone can also shrink, causing jaws not to line up properly....

Carbon dioxide is a colorless, odorless gas that is retained in the blood when sleep disorders occur. Its chemical compound consists of one atom of carbon covalently bonded to two atoms of oxygen. Carbon dioxide is represented by the chemical formula CO2 and is commonly referred to as such instead of by its full name. How Does Carbon Dioxide Form? It may form by the burning of carbon or organic materials and is sometimes referred to as the greenhouse gas, with a role in climate change....

Cymbalta (duloxetine) is FDA-approved for fibromyalgia, depression, diabetic neuropathy, and chronic musculoskeletal pain. Its 2008 approval made it just the second drug approved for treating fibromyalgia. A generic form is available in the U.S. Cymbalta and the other approved drugs, Lyrica (pregabalin) and Savella (milnacipran), are considered first-line treatments for fibromyalgia. That means they’re recommended before any other drugs. They work well for some but not for everyone. For some people, they cause side effects that are either dangerous or unpleasant enough to make people go off of them....

Strokes aren’t common in younger people. But new data has found that young women are significantly more likely than their male counterparts to have a stroke. Key Takeaways A new study found that young women were 44% more likely than young men to have a ischemic stroke.The exact reason for the difference isn’t clear.Experts recommend following a healthy lifestyle to reduce your risk. The meta-analysis, which was published in the journal Stroke, analyzed data from 16 studies of stroke incidence in 69,793 young adults between January 2008 and July 2021....

An accommodative spasm is a condition that causes the eye muscle to accommodate or focus constantly and automatically. For example, a person may be concentrating on a close task, such as reading. When they look up, their vision is blurry. Their eye is still focusing on a close-up or near task, even though they are now looking at a distance. Thus, a person with an accommodative spasm has a difficult time relaxing the focusing muscle when looking at a distance....

Artificial tears are meant to help keep your eyes healthy when your own eyes aren’t producing enough tears. Your eye health professional may recommend them for dry eye symptoms that arise from several conditions, including computer eye strain, medication use, and the aging process. While it’s impossible for over-the-counter artificial tear brands to substitute perfectly for natural tears, many are formulated to provide at least some benefits that are similar to real tears....

It sounds really gross: swallowing an intestinal parasite on purpose in an effort to treat your celiac disease. But researchers in Australia actually are having some luck using the human hookworm to figure out how to help celiacs tolerate gluten again. It’s not quite what you’re thinking, though. Yes, the research may be showing some promise (although it remains extremely experimental and unproven), but it’s pretty unlikely your physician will ultimately prescribe a vial of hookworm larvae to treat your condition....

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease affecting water and salt flow into and out of cells. This causes mucus to build up in the airways and digestive tract, causing lung damage, growth problems, and severe symptoms. CF complications also include infertility and problems in pregnancy. Continue reading to learn more about CF and fertility, including the treatments that may help you conceive. Cystic Fibrosis Fertility in Men About 97%–98% of males with CF are infertile....

The extrinsic back muscles help control arm movements, and they also play a role in breathing. These muscles include a set of superficial extrinsic back muscles and a set of intermediate extrinsic back muscles. This article describes the structure and function of the superficial layer of the extrinsic back muscles. Function of the Superficial Extrinsic Back Muscles Extrinsic back muscles are one of two main sets of spinal extensor muscles. The other set is the intrinsic back muscles....

Alopecia areata often causes people to lose hair in chunks, leaving their head patchy or bald, or rendering eyebrows and eyelashes bare. Getting that hair to regrow can be challenging—existing treatments require patients to regularly visit their dermatologist, deal with painful injections, or risk uncomfortable side effects. Key Takeaways Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss on the scalp and body.The FDA approved the use of a daily drug by Eli Lilly to treat patients with severe alopecia....

Gestational diabetes is a kind of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy in people who had not been diagnosed with diabetes before pregnancy. In gestational diabetes, the body does not make enough insulin to prevent high blood sugar (glucose) levels. Typically, gestational diabetes develops midway through the 40-week gestational period, and often there are no symptoms. This is why people are screened for it between 24 and 28 weeks. Read on for more information about what symptoms may look like when there are symptoms, complications that can occur with gestational diabetes, and when to call a healthcare provider....

Warm or hot weather can be taxing for those of us with fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), even when temperatures are extreme enough to bother most people. You may find yourself overheated, sweating profusely, with your hands and feet puffing up and your pain and fatigue going through the roof. So what’s behind this symptom? Why does heat bother us and cause so many symptoms to kick up?...

Research shows that celiac disease—especially undiagnosed celiac disease—can affect many aspects of your reproductive health. Women suffer a wide array of reproductive disorders related to celiac disease, including increased risks of infertility, miscarriage, and other pregnancy problems. Although far less research has been done to document the reproductive health effects of celiac disease on men, what few studies there are indications that male infertility is higher among undiagnosed celiac men....

Most people have heard the term upper respiratory infection. It is often used interchangeably when describing a respiratory virus or the common cold. But do you know what a lower respiratory infection is? Lower respiratory infections are illnesses that affect the respiratory system below the throat. Any infection that affects the lungs and lower airways is considered a lower respiratory infection. The most common and well-known lower respiratory infections are pneumonia and bronchitis, as well as bronchiolitis in children....

All children who attend Los Angeles’ public schools who are aged 12 and up must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by January to attend in-person schooling. The Los Angeles Unified School District, which serves students in Los Angeles and surrounding areas, approved the order on Thursday. Key Takeaways All students aged 12 and up in the Los Angeles Unified School District must be vaccinated against COVID-19.The deadline for all students to be vaccinated is January 10, 2022....

Malnutrition after having a weight loss surgery is a potentially life-threatening complication that can develop in the months and years following surgery. This risk of malnutrition is well-known and is part of the pre-operative education given to patients. Certain procedures, particularly gastric bypass weight-loss surgeries, are more likely to lead to malnutrition. That said, it is easy for obese patients to ignore the potential risks associated with weight loss surgery. For many, hearing someone say that one potential risk of surgery is “losing too much weight” sounds like a dream come true, not a chronic and debilitating condition that can lead to hospitalization and even death....

Medicare covers more people over 65 years old than other insurance plans combined. In fact, it covers more than 59 million Americans—those who are healthy, those with chronic medical conditions, and those at the end of life. The unfortunate truth is that 1.9 million Medicare-aged people pass away each year. It would be irresponsible for Medicare to not address end of life issues. What exactly does Medicare cover and how can you benefit from those services?...

Treating lung cancer is a team effort. It is most effective when your care and treatment plan is discussed and analyzed by knowledgeable healthcare professionals. These professionals form a group that’s referred to as a lung cancer multidisciplinary team (MDT). You will most likely work with an MDT rather than just one healthcare provider to treat cancers that begin in the lungs. The two most common types of lung cancer are non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer....