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Long-term care in a nursing home can be expensive. In 2020, the average cost for a semi-private room was $7,756 per month, increasing to $8,821 per month for a private room. When you consider the average Social Security payout in June 2020 was about $1,500 per month, this leaves seniors to struggle to afford the care they need. It’s no surprise that so many people turn to Medicaid for help. Medicaid pays for nursing home care more than any other type of insurance....

Though your anatomy may predispose you to have obstructive sleep apnea, there are other factors and risks that might actually make the condition worse. Some of these potential contributors are within your control and others are not. What makes sleep apnea worse and what can you do about it? Discover the roles of anatomy, sleep position, sleep stages like REM, alcohol, menopause in women, prescription medications and muscle relaxations, aging, and weight gain....

Your menstrual period comes to visit about once a month. It’s not the most enjoyable of physiological functions, but it’s necessary for normal reproductive health. You might find that your cravings for certain foods increase for a few (or many) days before your period begins. The most common culprits are sweets and salty foods. The problem is that indulging too heavily might increase your caloric intake and the excess sodium can make fluid retention—a common symptom of premenstrual syndrome (PMS)—worse....

Contrast bath therapy is a physical therapy treatment in which all or part of the body is immersed first in hot water, then in ice water, and then the procedure of alternating hot and cold is repeated several times. The contrast bath can help improve circulation around your injured tissue. This is one of many whirlpool treatments physical therapists use to help decrease pain and muscle spasm, increase range of motion and strength, and improve functional mobility....

If you’re wondering how to stop eye twitching, it depends on the cause and how severe it is. You can stop most eye twitching by: Lowering stressTaking in less caffeineGetting plenty of sleepTaking frequent screen breaksApplying a warm compressGently massaging the eyelid If those approaches don’t work, you may want to talk to your healthcare provider about whether your eye twitching has a medical cause, such as a medication side effect or medical condition....

The brain has two hemispheres (sides) that are two identical-appearing halves. The functions of the right hemisphere and the left hemisphere virtually mirror each other, with the right side of the brain controlling the left half of the body’s movement, sensation, vision, and hearing, while the left side controls the right half of these functions. The Dominant and Non-Dominant Hemispheres There are a few differences between the functions of the left and right hemispheres of the brain....

When the upper esophageal sphincter doesn’t function properly, the acid that has backflowed into the esophagus enters the throat and voice box. When this happens, it’s called laryngopharyngeal reflux, or LPR. Although they are each caused by a malfunction of esophageal sphincters, LPR is not the same thing as heartburn. Heartburn occurs when the lower (rather than the upper) esophageal sphincter malfunctions. In addition, LPR symptoms are concentrated in the throat and voice box, while heartburn is felt more in the chest....

Whether or not someone loses their hair during chemotherapy depends largely upon several factors, not least of which is the type and dosage of chemotherapy drugs used. Certain chemotherapy medications, such as those belonging to the taxane group, are known to cause hair loss (alopecia) while others may not affect hair follicles all that much. In the end, different people respond to chemo differently, even if they’re on the same medication and dosage....

A pulmonary infarction, also called lung infarction, occurs when a section of lung tissue dies because its blood supply has become blocked. While several medical conditions can cause a pulmonary infarction, the most common cause is pulmonary embolus. Depending on its size and location, the symptoms of a pulmonary infarction can vary from person to person, from being quite mild to extremely severe. However, whatever its symptoms, when a pulmonary infarction occurs it always means there is a serious underlying medical problem, and aggressive evaluation and treatment is needed....

New research has identified risk factors that are the most likely to trigger a heart attack, also known as an acute myocardial infarction (AMI), for men and women aged 55 and under. The study also teased out important sex differences in risk factors associated with heart attacks. Key Takeaways The proportion of heart attacks in young women is increasing.Researchers have found the top risk factors for young women to develop a heart attack....

A concussion can be caused by a bump or jolt to the head directly. Another way a concussion can occur is if the body is hit hard and the head and brain move rapidly back and forth. When a concussion happens, it can cause chemical changes in the brain. Depending on the severity, it can also damage brain cells. When a toddler experiences a concussion, it is difficult to diagnose because they can’t clearly communicate how they are feeling....

Are your shoulders stiff? You may be suffering from stiff shoulder syndrome. Could it be from Parkinson’s disease? Shoulder stiffness is, in fact, one of the conditions associated with Parkinson’s disease, a neurodegenerative disorder caused by a lack of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a chemical that helps you to have smooth, coordinated muscle movements. The bones, ligaments, and tendons that make up your shoulder joint are encased in connective tissues....

A stingray sting can be very painful and can also cause symptoms like nausea and fainting. In rare cases, you may have trouble breathing. In general, however, stingray stings aren’t fatal unless you receive multiple stings or they are in a vital part of your body. Stingrays have whip-like tails with barbed ends. The barbs contain a painful venom. Not much is known about the toxin in a stingray sting, other than it is protein-based and can be dangerous....

Spending time in the sun can increase the risk of sun damage. For proper sun safety, parents should make sure their kids are covered with a broad-spectrum sun protectant that has a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 or higher. Yet with so many products out there, what do you need to know about the difference between suntan lotion, sunscreen, and sunblock? What Is Suntan Lotion? You won’t find any products claiming to be suntan lotions anymore....

There may be many reasons why a child has difficulty sleeping at night, but two common causes are classified under a condition called behavioral insomnia of childhood. What are the symptoms and causes of difficulty falling asleep in children? Guardians especially might be interested in learning how bedtime routines can optimize sleep training in newborn infants, babies, toddlers, and even older kids. What Is Insomnia in Children? Insomnia refers to any difficulty falling or staying asleep, as well as sleep that simply is not refreshing....

Tethered cord syndrome, otherwise known as tethered spinal cord syndrome, is a progressive neurological disorder that limits spinal mobility. It develops when tissue attachments form either at the base of the spine or where an injury occurred. This article discusses the symptoms, causes, and treatment options for tethered cord syndrome. What Are the Symptoms of Tethered Cord Syndrome? Tethered cord syndrome can develop at birth or during fetal development but also occur later in life....

It is no fun being in debt, especially if you are running a debt of sleep. Sleep deprivation can have serious consequences to both health and well-being. Learn ways that you can pay off your sleep debt and avoid the adverse side effects of getting too little sleep. Why Do I Have a Sleep Debt? If you are feeling too sleepy, you might wonder why. The most common reason is that you are simply getting insufficient sleep to feel rested....

Dry eye (medically coined keratoconjunctivitis sicca) is a condition of the eye that can be caused by several problems, including the inability to make enough tears, production of poor quality tears, or tears that evaporate too fast. When tear production decreases or tears begin to evaporate too quickly, symptoms of dry eye can develop. These problems can occur due to a wide variety of underlying conditions and factors (such as a vitamin deficiency, hormone imbalances, aging, and more)....

During an exam, your healthcare provider may use the word “indolent” to describe your diagnosis. What does that mean? Essentially, it indicates that the disease is progressing slowly and does not pose an immediate threat. Yet, just because a medical condition is indolent, doesn’t mean it should not be treated. There are times when treating it at this stage is a better approach. As a step in understanding your diagnosis, let’s look at indolent diseases in further detail....

NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) combat arthritis by interfering with the inflammatory process. NSAIDs are a large group of drugs commonly used to treat arthritis because of their: analgesic (pain-killing) properties anti-inflammatory properties antipyretic (fever-reducing) properties NSAID Categories There are three types of NSAIDs: salicylates (both acetylated, such as aspirin, and nonacetylated) traditional NSAIDs COX-2 selective inhibitors NSAIDs Commonly Used for Arthritis Celebrex (generic name celecoxib) Ibuprofen (brand names include Motrin, Advil, Mediprin, Nuprin, Motrin IB) Mobic (generic name meloxicam) Nalfon (generic name fenoprofen) Naproxen (brand names include Naprosyn, Aleve, Naprelan, Anaprox) How NSAIDs Work In simple terms, NSAIDs work by reducing inflammation....