Anger is an emotional complication of multiple sclerosis (MS) that is believed to result, at least partially, from the disease itself. Keeping angry thoughts bottled up is also associated with a poorer quality of life, according to a study in Multiple Sclerosis. By understanding more about the role of anger in MS, and how it can be managed, you are already taking the first step to better controlling your physical and mental health....
A fracture of the ulnar styloid is a common type of wrist injury. This is a break at the end of the ulna, or the bony part of your wrist next to your pinky finger. This part of your wrist is also called the ulnar styloid process. This article discusses ulnar styloid fractures, what causes them, and how they are diagnosed and treated. Symptoms of an Ulnar Styloid Fracture The symptoms of a broken wrist, including an ulnar styloid fracture, include:...
The mobility scooter is one of the most popular mobility aids today. Each manufacturer of these scooters offers a variety of details that can help those with limited mobility achieve much of their independence back. Many scooter users have found that they do much more than they have in years thanks to their new-found increased mobility. Do You Need a Mobility Scooter? If you have trouble walking for extended periods of time, experience difficulty managing a walker, cane, or crutches, then a scooter may be for you....
In May 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a statement regarding higher-than-acceptable levels of a substance called N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in some preparations of extended-release metformin. Initially, two pharmaceutical companies—Amneal Pharmaceuticals and Apotex—were involved in the recall. The FDA then requested other drug manufacturers evaluate their products and test for NDMA. Subsequently, some lots of extended-release metformin from the companies of Marksans Pharma, Lupin, and Teva Pharmaceuticals were recalled as well....
If you have diabetes, you may wonder if you should drink alcohol. When consumed with food, an occasional drink is OK, and if you choose wisely, it may have some positive effects on health. However, excessive alcohol consumption increases the risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), liver disease, and more. This article discusses how alcohol can impact diabetes and related conditions and offers tips for safe drinking....
Amitriptyline is a popular antidepressant that’s available only in generic form in the U.S. It used to be sold under the brand name Elavil. Amitriptyline is classified as a tricyclic antidepressant. For years, some healthcare providers have considered it a front-line treatment for fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). However, this came about more from trial-and-error use than clinical studies. In recent years, especially with the advent of FDA-approved fibromyalgia treatments, use of amitriptyline for these illness has declined....
Joint replacement surgery is an effective treatment for severe arthritis. Most patients have a normal recovery following a joint replacement, but there are potential complications. One complication is the risk of developing blood clots after surgery. Blood clots can develop in the deep veins of the body, typically in the legs. These clots are called deep venous thrombosis (or DVTs) and can cause pain and swelling in the legs. In addition, a DVT can potentially break free from the veins in the legs, and travel through the bloodstream to the lungs....
When a patient has a dangerous headache, healthcare providers will order imaging of the brain. This imaging will reveal whether there is a serious condition going on inside or around the brain, like a bleed. But what type of imaging will your healthcare provider order? A CT scan or an MRI? Or a magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) of the brain, which is essentially an MRI of the brain’s blood vessels....
The majority of headaches are not worrisome, and while headaches can be especially burdensome (particularly a migraine or cluster headache), they usually go away eventually with time and/or medication. The headache of a brain tumor, however, does not go away. It’s constant (or becomes increasingly frequent) even when you are sleeping. It can also be accompanied by other alarming signs, like seizures and/or fainting. That being said, headache is sometimes the only symptom of a brain tumor....
Ultrasound therapy has a few known dangers and should not be used to treat certain conditions or certain parts of the body. If you have cancer, for example, if you’re pregnant, or if the injured part of your body contains a total joint replacement, the treatment may do more harm than good. If you are receiving ultrasound therapy, you should speak with your physical therapist to understand why it is being used and be sure to speak up if you feel that it should not be used for your condition....
Hilary Marston, MD, MPH, is the chief medical officer of the Food and Drug Administration, serving as the primary clinical advisor for the commissioner of the FDA. She also oversees the Office of Clinical Policy and Programs (OCPP). Before joining the FDA, Marston was a senior advisor on the COVID-19 Response Team at the White House and served as director for medical biopreparedness and response at the U.S. National Security Council....
It isn’t completely clear whether juicing might be of help for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Juicing is enjoying some buzz lately, due in large part to the supply of juicing equipment and to the documentary on the topic, “Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead.” There is no research to date on the effect of juicing on IBS. So the discussion is limited primarily to the theoretical impact of juicing for IBS, including benefits and possible risks....
Electrical muscle stimulation, aka e-stim or electrostim, is an adjunct physical therapy modality often used to reignite muscles’ ability to contract. Enhancing muscle contraction may help you control pain, get stronger, increase physical functioning, retrain movements you may have lost, and/or manage inflammation. While it is the most well-known type of electrical stimulation, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) treatment, is not the only type of e-stim. TENS offers a pain relief strategy you can use at home or take with you on the go, Some types of e-stim provided in physical therapy settings stimulate muscles to contract as an approach to making them stronger and encouraging blood circulation....
Cholesterol is a fat produced by the liver. Too much cholesterol in your blood is considered high cholesterol and is the primary risk factor for cardiovascular disease, heart attack, and stroke. About 28 million (1.5%) Americans ages 20 and over had high cholesterol from 2015 to 2018. This article highlights important facts and statistics you need to know about high cholesterol. Overview High cholesterol occurs when too much fat (lipids) is in your blood....
In 2005, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a lengthy report recommending that, as part of a routine regimen to maintain our cardiovascular health, ideal body weight, and ideal body composition, we all (that is, each and every one of us) need to engage in 60 minutes of daily moderate physical activity. Furthermore, the experts over at the IOM made it crystal clear that they are not talking about merely accumulating the equivalent of an hour of exercise during one’s routine daily activities (such as climbing stairs or doing the laundry)....
You may think there’s nothing that could distract you from focusing on your chronic pain. But have you ever had a throbbing headache, sat down to watch a television program and then forgotten that you were hurting? It’s happened to many of us, and it is a great example of how powerful the mind is when it comes to pain control. A key strategy for managing chronic pain is to learn distraction techniques....
Medical marijuana has been touted to have some significant medical benefits, most especially pain control. Although it isn’t strong enough to treat severe pain (such as bone fractures or post-surgical pain), it can be effective in relieving different types of chronic pain in many people. Practitioners of alternative medicine will frequently include menstrual cramps as one of the conditions that medical marijuana can help treat. Insofar as it has been reported to help relieve symptoms of endometriosis and interstitial cystitis, it would seem reasonable to assume that marijuana can help treat the cyclical cramps and pelvic pain that can occur with menstruation....
Novavax is a Maryland-based biotech company that has taken a traditional approach to developing a vaccine against COVID-19. The company began a Phase 3 trial of its vaccine candidate, NVX‑CoV2373, in the United Kingdom in September 2020. This was followed by a second Phase 3 trial in the United States and Mexico in December 2020. These two late-stage trials enrolled a total of almost 50,000 people. This put Novavax behind its competitors, but early results showed promise....
If you have been referred to physical therapy after an injury or an illness, then you may have questions about what will happen. Most people visit a physical therapist because they are experiencing pain or difficulty with normal functional mobility. Your physical therapist may prescribe treatments and exercises to help you move better and feel better. One of the best ways to improve your overall mobility is with physical therapy exercises....
Psoriatic arthritis is a type of arthritis linked to psoriasis, and it is associated with immunologic, genetic, and environmental risk factors. As a progressive disease, psoriatic arthritis can cause permanent joint damage and reduced mobility if left untreated. It can occur on its own but is usually preceded by psoriasis in around 84% of cases, according to a 2014 review of studies in Psoriasis Forum. Immunologic Causes Psoriatic arthritis is classified as inflammatory arthritis, meaning that the joint damage is the direct result of intense, chronic inflammation....
