Broadly put, the surgery to remove all or part of the colon (the large intestine) is called a colectomy. However, there are different types of colectomy surgeries. People with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may have colectomy surgery to treat their disease. The type of surgery done, and how much of the colon is removed, is going to be different based on which form of the disease is present, and how extensive the damage is to the large intestine....
Active release technique (ART) is a manual therapy for relieving tension in the soft tissues. Healthcare providers such as physical therapists use this technique to improve range of motion and muscle pain. This article will provide an overview of active release technique, including the conditions it treats and what to expect. It will also help you to determine if ART is right for you. What Is Active Release Technique? Active release technique is a specialized soft tissue release technique that involves identifying muscle and fascia knots and mobilizing them with a combination of pressure and patient movement....
Appendectomy is surgery to remove the appendix, a small tube-shaped organ located in your lower right abdomen. This procedure can be done laparoscopically by inserting tools through very small incisions, or it might require an open procedure (open appendectomy) with a larger incision. This article discusses techniques used for appendectomy, why it is performed, potential risks and complications, and what to expect during the recovery process. Appendectomy Techniques Appendectomy can be performed laparoscopically or as an open procedure using a larger incision....
Donor tissue is used for many different orthopedic procedures. Often, this tissue comes from the cadaver of a deceased person who had agreed to have specific parts of his or her body donated for medical need. These donor tissues are called allograft tissues. After obtaining and sterilizing the allograft tissues, they are sent to hospitals for implantation. Everyone, both healthcare providers and patients, are concerned that these allograft tissues are safe....
Braxton-Hicks contractions can be felt during the third trimester of pregnancy. While it is possible to experience Braxton-Hicks contractions before labor begins, they are not labor contractions. The average pregnancy is 280 days or 40 weeks in length. It is common to go into labor between weeks 38 and 41 of pregnancy. Braxton-Hicks contractions are often uncomfortable but are not as painful as true labor. This article discusses Braxton-Hicks contractions and how to differentiate them from labor contractions....
A person’s level of consciousness is a measure of how alert and aware they are. Consciousness is a spectrum with many shades and can range from coma to an overly awake and alert state, known as hypervigilance, as seen in mania or amphetamine intoxication. Ways of Describing Consciousness Because altered levels of consciousness can be associated with worse outcomes, some experts have even suggested that a patient’s level of consciousness be considered another vital sign, like heart rate and body temperature....
Ejaculation is the climactic point of male sexual arousal. During ejaculation, semen is ejected from the penis. How ejaculation occurs, what makes up semen, and how semen is produced are common questions. This article looks at ejaculate, its composition and production, and its role in male fertility. How Semen is Produced and What it’s Made Of Ejaculation occurs when semen is released from the penis. It typically takes place during orgasm....
Genetic testing in Parkinson’s disease can play an important role in diagnosing the illness. Scientists hope that the knowledge provided by genetics will ultimately help slow or stop its progression. Genes are carried in our DNA, units of inheritance that determine the traits that are passed down from parent to child. We inherit about 3 billion pairs of genes from our mothers and fathers. They determine the color of our eyes, how tall we may be and, in some instances, the risk we have in developing certain diseases....
I know what life was like as a 20-something and what life as a middle-aged woman is like now. I know what life was like before I was diagnosed with schizophrenia and what life has been since. No matter where a dart may land in the span of my life, I’m proud of how I’ve constantly reinvented my definitions of joy, peace, and balance. I’m also honest with myself and others that there have been seasons when the cards I’ve been dealt have been mangled or simply hard to play....
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disease of exclusion, meaning that a diagnosis of IBS is often given after no other cause for the symptoms can be found. This also means that IBS is frequently misdiagnosed, and treated, as other conditions. Some people may see several different doctors and undergo many tests before finally arriving at a diagnosis of IBS. There is some research that indicates there are genes associated with IBS, making IBS potentially inheritable....
Omnaris (ciclesonide) is a nasal steroid that has recently become available for the treatment of allergies. Omnaris joins many other nasal steroids available for the treatment of allergic rhinitis. GoodRx reports other popular nasal steroids include Flonase (fluticasone propionate), Nasonex (mometasone), Veramyst (fluticasone furoate), Rhinocort (budesonide), Nasacort (triamcinolone) and others. You may be wondering, with all those drugs, do we need yet another nasal steroid to treat allergic rhinitis? In my opinion, any nasal steroid needs to establish a niche that separates it from the rest of the pack....
Faith and spirituality are undeniably among the most elusive things to measure objectively. Age-old questions looking for whether there is a relationship between spirituality and health continue to echo with each generation. People have a gut feeling that faith and health might be related, but we really don’t know. Although the association between faith and serious medical problems is almost impossible to define with certainty, that hasn’t stopped scientists from around the world from trying to gather data to figure out whether there is a link between spirituality and serious illnesses such as stroke....
Your knees carry you through many journeys in life, but as we age or overuse these joints, they begin to show signs of wear and tear. Osteoarthritis, also called degenerative joint disease, is the most common type of arthritis, affecting 80% of those 55 and older. This disease is caused by damage or breakdown of joint cartilage between bones over time. Some cases can result in reduced function and disability, limiting affected individuals’ ability to perform daily tasks....
A recent study published by the American Cancer Society suggests that health insurance status may play a role in whether you have access to high-quality health care, particularly surgical care. This finding highlights the long-existing healthcare inequalities in the United States. Key Takeaways A recent study found that uninsured, Medicare, and Medicaid patients are less likely to have surgeries at high-volume hospitals.High-volume hospitals are associated with better patient outcomes. The ACA increased healthcare access, but millions of people remain uninsured or unable to access high-quality care for various reasons....
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a noninvasive imaging technology used to obtain high-resolution cross-sectional images of the retina. OCT is similar to ultrasound testing, except that imaging is performed by measuring light rather than sound. OCT measures the retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in glaucoma and other diseases of the optic nerve. The OCT During an Eye Exam Optical coherence tomography is a way for optometrists and ophthalmologists to image the back of the eye including the macula, optic nerve, retina, and choroid....
Platelet-rich plasma (abbreviated PRP) is a treatment used for a variety of common orthopedic conditions. PRP is a concentration of platelet cells taken from your blood, and these platelets have growth factors that may help in the healing process of chronic injuries. Growth factors are chemicals that signal the body to initiate a healing response. By injecting PRP into areas of an injury, the hope is to stimulate and optimize your body’s ability to heal the chronic conditions....
There isn’t a single definition for autism. It’s an umbrella term encompassing a broad spectrum of people. Yet TV and other pop culture media tend to rely on autistic stereotypes, creating inaccurate portrayals for autism spectrum disorder—from the genius Sheldon in “The Big Bang Theory” and the autistic savant portrayed by Dr. Shaun Murphy in “The Good Doctor” to Sia’s inaccurate and neurotypical view of autism in her movie “Music.”...
No one wants to feel dehydrated and fatigued after a night of drinking. That’s where popular hangover cures come in, whether it’s taking painkillers or drinking water. The latest remedy wants you to turn to a natural solution: asparagus. Key Takeaways One video on TikTok points to asparagus as a natural way to prevent or cure your hangover from drinking too much alcohol.The research backing up this claim is weak.There are other steps you can take to prevent a hangover like staying hydrated, staying away from darker drinks, and cutting down on the amount you drink....
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced this week that it will take steps to protect gay and transgender individuals against discrimination in healthcare settings. This marks a reversal in rules set by the Trump administration in 2020. Key Takeaways The HHS announced that the federal government will protect gay and transgender people against sex discrimination in health care.Several states have introduced or passed laws aimed at limiting health care for members of the LGBTQ+ community....
Medicare covers colonoscopy testing, but how much you will pay depends on how often the test is performed and whether the test is labeled as screening or diagnostic. Colonoscopies are one of the most common screening tests for colorectal cancer. As many as 19 million colonoscopies are performed every year in the United States. The procedure not only allows your doctor to see the inside of the colon, but also allows them to biopsy any abnormal findings, like colon polyps, to see if they are cancerous....
