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TheraBand Loops are thick elastic bands that provide a way to strengthen muscles at home. By using the resistance that Therabands provide, muscles can be strengthened easily. TheraBand resistance bands are made of latex rubber, but there are non-latex varieties available for those people who are allergic to latex. If you have an injury or illness that results in problems with functional mobility, your physical therapist will likely prescribe specific exercises for you to do....

There are several different types of coughs. Each has distinct characteristics that we can use to help identify its cause. Home treatments may be used for an uncomplicated cough, but you will need to know when to see a healthcare provider. Noting any other other symptoms you may have will be important to help them find a diagnosis. In this article, you’ll learn about the types of coughs you may experience and how to treat them with over-the-counter medications—and when it may be time to go to the doctor....

Ocular melanoma, or melanoma of the eye, is a rare type of cancer that affects various parts of the eye, specifically the choroid, ciliary body, and the iris. Choroidal melanoma is the most common type of eye malignancy. What It Is Many people are confused by the melanoma aspect of this type of eye cancer, as melanoma is most commonly associated with the skin. Melanomas develop from melanocytes, cells that contain the dark pigment (melanin) that defines our skin coloring....

If it seems like the perfect, ideal posture, where the upper back is straight and not rounded, and the lower back has a gentle sweeping curve that neither slouches nor over arches, is more the exception than the rule, you may not be too far off from the truth. Most people don’t know that getting good posture takes work. Without making daily efforts towards an ideal posture, you may over time find that moving around without pain requires even more work than would a preventative program....

Something fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) have in common is a lack of energy. That’s different from fatigue or the lack of motivation that can come with depression. We can want to do something yet be physically unable to do it. First, it’s not like being tired and needing to sleep. It’s more of a bone-weary, can’t move a muscle feeling. If you’ve ever worked out to the point that you can’t do anymore, no matter how much you want to, that’s what we’re talking about....

When pain hits, whether from arthritis, menstrual cramps or muscle strains, you want fast and effective pain relief. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, are the most common tools for over-the-counter pain relief. Naproxen (Aleve) and Ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) are two common NSAIDs that are both effective for relieving pain. Naproxen is longer lasting, while ibuprofen often provides faster pain relief. This article will detail the differences and similarities between naproxen and ibuprofen....

New York City will require proof of vaccinations for indoor activities including dining, fitness, entertainment and performances, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday. Key Takeaways New York City will require proof of vaccination for indoor dining, gyms, nightclubs, and performance venues starting on September 13. The city has not reinstated its indoor mask mandate despite the new policy to require vaccination proof.Around 68% of adults in New York City are fully vaccinated....

The syndesmotic ligament connects the two bones of the leg; this is often referred to as the ankle sydesmosis, or just syndesmosis. These bones, the tibia, and fibula are between the knee and ankle joints. The tibia is the larger shin bone that supports most of the weight of the body, and the fibula is the smaller bone on the outside of the leg. Connecting these bones is a ligament called the syndesmotic ligament....

For Aaron Epstein, MD, the medical director of emergency medicine at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital near Chicago, Illinois, time outside of the hospital was no reprieve from the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. He’d find himself even more worried at home than at work, mentally preparing for what the next shift would be like for him and his staff. Key Takeaways A poll from the American College of Emergency Physicians shows nearly all emergency physicians are more stressed and 70% are experiencing professional burnout due to COVID-19....

Each week, Verywell explains a term from health, medicine, science, or technology. Word of the Week: R₀ How to say it: “R naught” or “R not” What it means: R₀ is a term that scientists who study how diseases spread (epidemiologists) use when they are talking about how many susceptible people 1 sick person is likely to infect. Where it comes from: The R₀—or basic reproduction number—was first used by modern scientists in the 1950s....

Pseudogout or calcium pyrophosphate dehydrate deposition (CPPD) disease, occurs when calcium crystals collect in joints. It is a painful joint condition that can be treated, though not cured, and is often mistaken for gout or another rheumatic condition. Hence, it is important to get an accurate diagnosis. Untreated pseudogout can result in severe joint degeneration, chronic inflammation, and chronic disability. Here are 10 important things to know about this condition and how it differs from gout....

With the holidays fast approaching, COVID-19 safety planning is probably on your mind if you’re planning get-togethers with family and friends. However, these gatherings can serve as hot spots for the virus to spread. Key Takeaways The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that vaccinated people get tested between five and seven days after a known or suspected exposure to COVID-19. People who are unvaccinated should get tested immediately after being exposed to the virus....

For those who have a chronic condition such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), there needs to be a close relationship with healthcare providers and other caregivers. But, chronic conditions are just that, chronic. The health of a chronically ill person will have its ups and downs, and sometimes it’s not clear how “down” one needs to be before calling a healthcare provider. Which signs and symptoms, other than those that happen on a regular basis, should prompt a to call the gastroenterologist?...

There are several digestive organs that assist in the digestive process but are not considered part of the actual digestive tract. The digestive tract runs from the mouth to the anus, in one long, continuous tube. There are several organs that have a role in the digestive process, yet are not part of the digestive tract. Learn about these organs in order to better understand how digestion works, and how your digestion can be affected by inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)....

Hyperkyphosis is a condition in which the thoracic spinal curve is excessively angled. The risk of hyperkyphosis increases with age, and it is more common in elderly adults. Hyperkyphosis is described as a hunchback type posture of the mid-back. Types of Hyperkyphosis Kyphosis is abnormal spine curvature. Hyperkyphosis is a type of kyphosis. The most common type of kyphosis, postural kyphosis, develops due to chronic body positioning, such as when you round your shoulders and upper back day in and day out....

Bioprinting (also known as 3D bioprinting) is combination of 3D printing with biomaterials to replicate parts that imitate natural tissues, bones, and blood vessels in the body. It is mainly used in connection with drug research and most recently as cell scaffolds to help repair damaged ligaments and joints. Bioprinting has been used in medicine since around 2007 and has been employed to help study or recreate almost every tissue, cartilage, and organ in the body....

Tests to screen for celiac disease are mostly designed to detect immunoglobulin (Ig), an antibody produced by the immune systems of people with celiac in response to the gluten in wheat and other grains. Other blood tests look for different indicators, including fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP) and certain genetic markers. When a celiac blood test is positive, further testing is necessary. The only way to definitively diagnose celiac disease is with a biopsy of the small intestine to look for damage to the tissue....

The colon, which is another name for the large intestine, is an important part of the digestive system. Many people think of the large intestine as simply a storage organ, a conduit for carrying indigestible nutrients from the small intestine to the anus to be discharged, yet this organ has many very important functions in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, including: Reabsorbing water and maintaining the body’s balance of fluidsAbsorbing some vitaminsProcessing undigested food material such as fiberStoring waste before elimination (converting food remnants to feces) Anatomy Location The colon extends from the cecum (where the small intestine meets the large intestine) to the anus (where waste exits the body), and comprises four main regions that are labeled in the image above:...

With the rise of the Delta variant, some experts say COVID-19 is transforming into a series of regional epidemics rather than one global pandemic. Key Takeaways People who are not vaccinated could be vulnerable to hyper-local COVID-19 outbreaks caused by the Delta variant, a highly transmissible strain of the virus.Vaccinated and unvaccinated people have contracted the Delta variant, though most vaccinated individuals do not get severely ill. Health experts express concern about the variant, but advise to evaluate its impact by the severity of cases, not numbers....

It is perfectly natural to want to scratch an itch, but doing so when it’s caused by psoriasis can make the condition worse, leading to infection and scarring. In some cases, it can cause new lesions to form, a phenomenon known as the Koebner response. Unlike some rashes, which you may be able to tolerate for a short period of time, psoriasis is a lifelong condition. It can flare up at any time and lead to changes in the skin that can be uncomfortable, aesthetically undesirable, and embarrassing....