R.I.C.E. stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. It is a method of self-care to use right after you experience a minor injury. R.I.C.E quickly treats pain and swelling after an acute (sudden) soft tissue injury such as a sprain or strain, a minor bone injury, or a sports injury. It can also be used to relieve the pain of closed fractures and degenerative joint problems. This article will explain how to manage each step of the R....
Solaraze gel is a skin-use only (topical) prescription medicine used to treat actinic keratosis, a common precancerous skin condition caused by prolonged and repeated sun exposure. The gel can be used on all areas of the body. Solaraze is just one type of treatment for the dry, scaly lesions of actinic keratosis (AK). Options include cryosurgery (freezing), curettage (scraping), shave removal, laser therapy, chemical peels, photodynamic therapy, and topical (applied to the skin only) creams such as Aldara (imiquimod), Picato (ingenol mebutate) and Calcitrene (calcipotriene) combined with fluorouracil, and Solaraze (diclofenac, diclofenac 3% gel, diclofenac sodium)....
From the centrally located cord to the nerve roots that branch from it, your spinal column is resplendent with highly sensitive nervous tissue. This tissue is tasked with relaying messages about sensation and movement to your brain, and, as a key player in all aspects of your health, is housed entirely within the spinal column. When things are working as they should, the structure of the spinal column allows for unimpeded passage of the spinal cord, which descends down the center of the column, and the nerve roots which, having branched off from the cord, exit out the sides of the spinal column through holes called foramina....
A stool test is used to detect the presence of blood or other gastrointestinal abnormalities, such as colon cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, hemorrhoids, anal fissures or infections. There are two main types of stool tests to choose from. A fecal occult blood test (FOBT) detects the presence of blood in your feces. The second type, a stool DNA test, detects the presence of genetic material from polyps and cancerous tumors....
If you are like most people, there’s a good chance you have never heard of acute flaccid myelitis (AFM). It’s an extremely rare condition that can lead to paralysis and affects fewer than one in 1 million people in the United States. However, although AFM is rare, a substantial increase in the number of cases diagnosed in both 2014 and 2016 was noted. Interestingly, diagnosed cases were low in 2015. Because this condition is so unpredictable and the exact causes are unknown, we need to stay on top of it and know what to watch for....
Babies under 1 year old can choke when an object like food or a toy becomes stuck in their throat, blocking their airway. A choking baby won’t be able to cry or cough loudly. You may notice a high-pitched sound when trying to inhale, difficulty breathing as the ribs and chest pull inward, weak or ineffective coughing, or a bluish tint to the skin. To help a choking baby, call 9-1-1 and begin the first-aid steps below for a choking infant under 12 months old....
Vulvovaginitis is inflammation or infection of the vulva and vagina (the tissues closest to the vaginal opening) and is a common issue among people with vaginas. It usually shows up as irritation around the vulva and/or vagina as well as unusual vaginal discharge (some discharge is normal). The condition may also cause pain while urinating or during sex. Chances are that you or someone you know has had vulvovaginitis. Approximately one-third of people with vaginas will experience at least one form of vaginitis at some point in their lives....
Every time flu season comes around, thousands of people flood hospital emergency rooms with flu symptoms. In particularly severe flu seasons, we see everything from very long wait times to hospitals setting up temporary triage tents outside just to deal with the flu, to emergency departments turning people away who aren’t experiencing life-threatening illness or injury. Flu season always takes a toll on our hospitals and emergency rooms, but many of the people who rush there for treatment don’t really need to....
Dysarthria is a speech disorder that is caused by problems controlling the muscles used for speech. Anarthria is the most severe form of dysarthria. It results in the inability to produce clear, articulate speech. This article will go over what dysarthria and anarthria are. You will learn about the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of these speech disorders. Dysarthria and Anarthria Causes Dysarthria (also known as dysarthosis) and the more severe form, anarthria, are caused by brain damage....
Influenza strains are constantly mutating. A small change to the genetic makeup of influenza strains is referred to as antigenic drift, while a major change is called antigenic shift. While these designations are mainly relevant to scientists, they help explain why you can contract the flu more than once and why the influenza vaccine is changed annually (and may be less effective in some seasons than others). Antigenic Drift A minor change to a flu virus is known as antigenic drift....
Reiki is a Japanese energy-based therapy. Among the reasons it is used is the possible reduction of certain symptoms related to cancer and its treatment, including fatigue, pain, and sleep issues. While research on its effectiveness is not considered conclusive, reiki is considered safe and a potentially helpful complementary cancer therapy—so much so that many major cancer treatment centers now offer it. How Reiki Is Performed Born in the late 1930s, reiki means “universal life energy....
Since biofeedback has been used to treat a wide variety of physical disorders, it seems natural to wonder if biofeedback is effective as a treatment for chronic constipation. What Biofeedback Is Biofeedback involves placing sensors on specific parts of your body in order to give you feedback as to how they are functioning. Depending on the treatment target, biofeedback measures such things as heart rate, muscle tension, and sweat activity. You can then use these measurements to bring about desired changes....
Birth control pills may cause side effects like bleeding between periods, irregular menstruation, and mood changes. Most people who take birth control pills, however, don’t experience side effects. When side effects do happen they tend to go away after a few months of use. While it is also relatively uncommon, people over 35 who smoke are more likely to get blood clots while taking birth control pills. This article discusses the side effects of birth control pills and when to see a healthcare provider....
Blood clots are a concerning complication that you may face during and after surgery. While a blood clot that forms in the leg can be a dangerous condition, blood clots can quickly become life-threatening. These complications are very serious and must be treated quickly to minimize the damage to your body. Causes A blood clot is more likely to form during or after surgery than it is during your routine day-to-day life....
If you need surgery, or your healthcare provider thinks you may need surgery, different tests may be ordered to determine the exact nature of the problem as well as your general state of health. These tests range from body scans to blood tests, from the invasive to the barely noticeable. Every surgery is different, just as every patient is different. So, the tests your surgeon orders may be different from the tests described here, or you may have more tests than the average patient....
Yoga may significantly lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes, according to a new study by the University of California’s Keck School of Medicine, which was the first to rigorously quantify the impact of mind-body practices on blood sugar. Key Takeaways Mind-body practices like yoga may help lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes, according to a new review of studies.The reduction in A1C levels from yoga was significant, only 0....
New research shows daily consumption of cinnamon may help control blood sugar in individuals with prediabetes, preventing type 2 diabetes down the road. Key Takeaways A third of a teaspoon of cinnamon a day may improve fasting blood glucose levels and glucose tolerance over time in people with prediabetes.Prediabetes is a precursor to developing type 2 diabetes. Diet and lifestyle changes can slow or reverse its progression. The data, published in the July issue of the Journal of Endocrine Society, looked at the effect of three daily 500 milligram (mg) doses of cinnamon over the course of 12 weeks....
Cysts and lipomas are two types of lumps that can be found under the skin. Cysts are enclosed sacs filled with fluid, pus, air, or other substances. Cysts are benign, meaning not cancerous. Lipomas are growths of fatty tissue usually found between the muscle and skin. Like cysts, lipomas are also benign. Cysts and lipomas can look and feel very similar but are very different types of growths. It can be difficult to tell them apart....
A deviated septum means that the cartilage and bone that divides the nostrils and the right and left sides of the nasal airway is essentially crooked. Small deviations typically don’t cause noticeable symptoms and can be left untreated. But if the deviation is bad enough, it may cause difficulties breathing, nosebleeds, a stuffy nose, and loud breathing that may prompt someone to have the issue evaluated and corrected. A healthcare provider can usually diagnose a deviated septum upon examination....
In the medical world, the term arrest is used often to describe a condition where something that should be happening has stopped. Though respiratory arrest and cardiac arrest mean specific things, the terms can be confusing for patients or laypeople. The difference between them is the presence of a pulse. During respiratory (also known as pulmonary) arrest, breathing stops. During cardiac arrest, blood flow stops. Technically, cardiac arrest means that the heart has stopped beating, but it’s really assessed by the fact that blood flow is no longer detectable, even if the heart might still be trying to beat....
