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Getting fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can feel like a ticket to freedom after more than a year of lockdowns and social distancing. But, given that the majority of Americans still haven’t received the vaccine, it can come with questions about what is and isn’t considered safe to do. Key Takeaways The CDC still recommends against attending concerts and sporting events.If you choose to go to one of these events, it’s important to follow COVID-19 precautions like social distancing and wearing a mask....

Physical therapists work in many different settings. Home care therapists come to your house to help you move and feel better when you are unable to leave the home. Other physical therapists work in schools. The outpatient clinic is another practice setting where you would find physical therapists. Physical therapists also work in hospitals. These therapists are usually called acute care physical therapists or inpatient physical therapists. They evaluate your functional mobility when you are in the hospital and offer techniques to help you improve your mobility....

Would you know if you were at risk of stroke? While there is no absolute way to know that you will or will not ever have a stroke in your lifetime, there are signs that you are at a higher risk of stroke. The good news is that you can do something about every one of these signs so you can significantly lower your stroke risk. 1. You Have High Blood Pressure Having consistently high blood pressure, a condition called hypertension, is a risk factor for stroke....

Yes, someone who has celiac disease can still be a blood donor, assuming that person passes the other screenings required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and individual donation centers. If you visit a center or attend a blood drive to donate blood, you’ll first be asked several questions about your health and your lifestyle. According to Debbie Bright, RN, medical assessment coordinator for the southern region office of the American Red Cross: “We don’t ask about every detail of a prospective donor’s health history....

Have you been told it is not safe to swim during your menstrual period? If so, you’ve been misinformed. Swimming is absolutely fine for you during your menstrual period. In fact, while you are menstruating you can pretty much do anything that you do at all other times of the month. And yes, that includes all activities from swimming to sex. Facts About Swimming and Menses Most of the information that you find recommending restricting your physical activity during your period is based on cultural beliefs, taboos, and myths about menstruation....

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with a number of health problems, including lung infections, heart disease, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). But the links between COPD and other illnesses are complex. Smoking, the main cause of COPD, independently causes a variety of other health conditions, such as congestive heart failure and lung cancer. COPD also exacerbates several health conditions, which increases the overall impact of the disease on your health and quality of life....

The experience of chemotherapy can be different for everyone. Some people may feel fine afterward, while others may feel very sick. It’s good to remember that chemotherapy is a medical treatment that can be mentally and physically draining. Though you may be able to drive yourself home, it may not always mean it’s a good idea. Read on to find out more about the topic of driving yourself home after chemotherapy....

Dysautonomia includes medical conditions characterized by a dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system controls involuntary movements of the digestive system, as well as blood pressure, heart rate, and more. Symptoms of the condition can include pain, fatigue, weakness, gastrointestinal symptoms, dizziness, and syncope (passing out). The effects of dysautonomia can be distressing, and the condition doesn’t usually cause abnormalities in the physical examination or laboratory tests. In general, it takes time to get a diagnosis of dysautonomia because other, more common conditions are typically considered first....

The benefits of screening for vitamin D deficiency in asymptomatic adults are still unclear according to a recent recommendation statement issued by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). USPSTF’s recommendation remains unchanged since the last update in 2014. Key Takeaways Experts don’t recommend screening the general population for vitamin D deficiency.More research is needed to determine what tools are the best way to measure vitamin D levels.Optimal levels of vitamin D may vary from person to person depending on many factors including; medical condition, race, ethnicity, sex, and geography....

Hairy leukoplakia (also known as oral hairy leukoplakia, or OHL) is a commonly seen an oral lesion in immune-compromised people, manifesting with white patches on the side of the tongue and a characteristic “hairy” appearance. It is one of several oral diseases that can regularly affect people with HIV, most often when a person’s CD4 count drops below 200. Causes and Symptoms OHL is caused by the Epstein Barr virus (EBV), a virus of the herpes family that affects almost 95 percent of the population....

When detected early, acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM) can be cured by surgical removal. This procedure, called a wide local excision, is performed by a surgical oncologist (doctor specializing in cancer diagnosis and treatment). It is the mainstay of treatment for most ALM lesions. If ALM has spread, additional treatments, such as chemotherapy, may be needed. Unlike most skin cancers, ALM has no association with sun exposure. ALM accounts for 70% of melanomas in Black people, 46% in Asian people, and less than 10% in White people....

Appendicitis is inflammation that happens in your appendix. If you have appendicitis, it is considered a medical emergency. You will want to receive a diagnosis as soon as possible. If your healthcare provider believes you may have appendicitis, they will do a physical exam, collect your medical history, and order tests. This article will explain more about the diagnosis process for appendicitis. Self-Checks/At-Home Testing There are no at-home tests available to diagnose appendicitis....

Virtually all people with autism have problems with spoken language. This is true even for those people who have no speech delays or difficulty with pronunciation. That’s because spoken language involves more than the use of words; we vary our pitch, loudness, tempo, and rhythm in our speech in order to convey different meanings. These changes are called “prosody,” and people with autism often find prosody difficult to hear, understand, or reproduce....

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a rare and chronic disease of the liver that causes inflammation and narrowing of the bile ducts inside and outside of the liver. It’s not certain what causes PSC, although it is thought to be an autoimmune condition. PSC is not thought to be directly inherited, but it is thought to have a genetic component. Bile is necessary for the digestion of fat and to carry waste out of the liver....

Morning sickness (also called nausea and vomiting of pregnancy) describes stomach upset during pregnancy. Morning sickness affects many people who are pregnant, particularly in the first trimester. Knowing what to expect and what treatment options are available can help you manage bothersome symptoms and get on with your day. When Does Morning Sickness Start? Morning sickness symptoms usually begin between five and six weeks of pregnancy and almost always before nine weeks....

For a long time, the food model most of us thought of for a healthy diet was the food guide pyramid—building up a healthy diet from the bottom up with healthy grains, fruits, and vegetables. The model was around for many years, but the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) replaced it in 2010 with a new model—a simple meal plan, called MyPlate. What Is MyPlate? MyPlate is based on a nutrition counseling method known as the plate method, which is used in nutrition counseling for both diabetes and general healthy eating....

Tension headaches are the most common type of headache. They usually cause a mild to moderate dull, achy pain. The pain can feel like a tight band around the entire head or occur in a specific area, such as the back of the neck or the base of the skull. Accompanying symptoms may include tenderness in the scalp, neck, and shoulders, fatigue, irritability, and difficulty sleeping. A number of factors can trigger tension headaches, including stress, insomnia, changes in sleep routine, depression, anxiety, skipping meals, poor posture, certain medications, physical inactivity, clenching or grinding teeth, or being in an uncomfortable body position for a prolonged time....

If you have recently had surgery, one of the most important questions you may have is how you can recover more quickly. While your recovery will take time, and a certain amount of recovery time is inevitable, there are things that you can do to reduce that time if you choose. Some of these suggestions may seem too simple, eating right after surgery just makes sense, but taken together your recovery will be well on its way utilizing these helpful hints....

Adhesions are a type of scar tissue that forms when collagen (a type of connective tissue) adheres to its surrounding structures. Scar tissue and adhesions usually form after a period of immobilization or after some type of tissue injury. They can form after surgery or trauma as the tissue heals. How Scar Tissue Forms When the body is injured, scar tissue can form as part of the multi-stage wound-healing process. Scar tissue and other substances help mend injured tissue....

Solar purpura is a skin condition that causes purple spots or bruises when small blood vessels leak under the skin. It is common in adults over 50. Excessive sunlight exposure is a main cause, so exposed areas like the limbs are most often affected. Solar purpura can also sometimes develop in the lining of the mouth and the mucus membranes due to the use of certain medications. While solar purpura is usually not serious, it can be....