If you are having difficulty with movements due to an injury or an illness, your physical therapist (PT) may fit you with an orthotic to help align your feet, legs, spine, or another area of your body properly. So what exactly is an orthotic? An orthotic is a device used to support, align, prevent, or correct deformities to help you move and function better. There are several different types of orthotics that your physical therapist may use....
The perineum is the area between the genitals and the anus. During labor, the vaginal opening must dilate, or stretch, sufficiently enough to allow the baby to pass through. If the muscles surrounding the vagina are too tight, there is a risk of tearing the perineum and vaginal muscles during the process of giving birth. Massage to the perineum may help decrease tightness and increase blood flow. This can be helpful in a vaginal delivery, decreasing the risk of tearing, surgical cutting, and repair of the perineum....
Today, roughly four of every 10 deaths in America involve cremation, which represents a significant increase in the past few decades. There are many reasons contributing to why a growing number of people choose cremation versus the more traditional casketed ground burial, including greater religious acceptance, less adherence to family traditions, and an increasingly mobile society. This article explores three significant aspects of cremation to help you decide if this form of final body disposition is right for you or someone you love....
Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, is a common psychiatric disorder in which a person experiences recurring, uncontrollable thoughts (obsessions) as well as behaviors they feel they have to do over and over (compulsions). There are several subtypes or themes within OCD, including scrupulosity. This subtype involves religious anxiety and moral perfectionism. It is not the same as having a healthy religious practice or being spiritual. Read on to find out more about scrupulosity and its symptoms and treatment....
The blood-brain barrier is made up of tightly packed cells in the brain’s capillaries that prevent harmful substances from entering the brain. It protects your brain from injury and disease while also letting in substances that your brain needs, like oxygen and water. While it performs an important function in keeping your brain healthy, it can also cause challenges in treating some brain conditions when medications can’t cross the blood-brain barrier....
Though emergency contraception is not a new idea to society, it is still igniting many debates just as it did when it was first introduced to the United States. The controversy stems from people’s beliefs about whether or not Plan B One-Step (the main brand of emergency contraception), Plan B One-Step’s generic alternatives (Next Choice One Dose, My Way, Take Action, and AfterPill) or Next Choice (the generic equivalent of Plan B) terminates a pregnancy....
Menstrual Molimina is a term used to describe the cluster of symptoms that you may experience in the latter half of your menstrual cycle. You do not hear this term used very often to describe this phase of your menstrual cycle. The symptoms that you experience during some part of these roughly 14 days of a typical 28-day cycle are all the result of hormonal changes that are preparing your body every month to get pregnant....
Tracheitis is an infection of the trachea (breathing tube or windpipe) that is caused by bacteria or viruses. The most common bacteria involved include Staphylococcus aeureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Tracheitis most frequently occurs in small children and can make it very difficult to breathe. The condition may also be known as tracheobronchitis, bacterial croup, or laryngotracheobronchitis. Causes of Tracheitis Predisposing factors include: Prior viral infection that affects the upper airwaysMost commonly occurs between the ages of 3 to 8 years Tracheitis is rare, only occurring in about one in one million cases....
Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is a category of rapid cardiac arrhythmias that originate in the heart’s atrial chambers. Supraventricular means “above the ventricles,” and tachycardia is a fast heart rate. This article explains the symptoms, causes, and most common types of SVT. Symptoms of SVT There are several different kinds of SVT, but to a person who has SVT, all of them tend to feel the same. While SVT is rarely life-threatening, any type of SVT can be pretty difficult to tolerate....
Cough suppressants, also called antitussives, work by blocking your cough reflex. Products containing dextromethorphan and diphenhydramine are available over the counter (OTC), while codeine and hydrocodone require a prescription. Understanding how they work, which are appropriate for different age groups, and when they might be useful can help ensure you are using them safely. If you have a severe or chronic cough that lasts longer than three weeks, it should be evaluated by your healthcare provider....
Frequent skin-checkers may now be on the lookout for mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) rash, a visible symptom of the mpox virus, which is spreading through the United States. On November 28, 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended using the term “mpox” instead of “monkeypox” in order to avoid racist and stigmatizing language when discussing the disease. Both terms will be used for the next year as WHO phases out usage of “monkeypox....
Median survival is a statistic that refers to how long patients survive with a disease in general or after a certain treatment. It is the time — expressed in months or years — when half the patients are expected to be alive. It means that the chance of surviving beyond that time is 50 percent. It gives an approximate indication of survival as well as the prognosis of a group of patients with cancer....
Each week, Verywell explains a term from health, medicine, science, or technology. Prodrome How to say it: Prodrome (pro-dro-m) What it means: An early sign or symptom of a disease. Where it comes from: From Greek “pro” meaning before and “dromos” meaning the act of running. Where you might see or hear it: Everything from serious medical events like heart attacks to simple colds can have signs or symptoms leading up to them....
Face masks are here to stay—at least for now—and tools are emerging to make the experience more comfortable. A device that can be worn under masks, known as a face mask bracket, is growing in popularity. Brackets are increasingly hailed for making mask-wearing more comfortable, but experts are questioning the safety of these unstudied add-ons. Key Takeaways Face mask brackets go under masks to keep the fabric from resting directly on skin....
You may be hesitant about taking pain medication due to concerns over side effects or possible addiction. However, many people find that pain medication helps to manage acute or chronic pain conditions. Whether pain medication is appropriate for you should be decided after you discuss your concerns with your healthcare provider. How Pain Medications Are Administered Pain medication may be given orally (by mouth), through the rectum, through the nose, as an injection, as an intravenous infusion, or sometimes using a PCA (patient-controlled analgesia) pump....
Abortion is a procedure that ends a pregnancy. There are different abortion options available depending on how far along you are in your pregnancy. These options include both medical and surgical abortion methods. Update On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade—ending the constitutional right to abortion. Each state now has the power to regulate or prohibit the procedure. President Joe Biden has since signed an Executive Order to help protect some abortion access in the country....
Rehabilitation after surgery for an ACL tear is a lengthy process. Return to sports and activities takes months. There are many variations of ACL rehabilitation, and the information provided here is simply an overview. Specific rehabilitation must focus on each individual athlete, and you must adhere to your own protocol. It is also important to note that timelines are a guide — progression depends on completion of one step, before advancing to the next step....
What are the advantages and disadvantages if you or a loved one enters hospice care? Hospice services are a specialized form of medical care that seeks to provide comfort and maintain a patient’s quality of life (to the greatest extent possible) for those facing a life-limiting illness, disease or terminal condition. While this care generally attempts to provide holistic comfort and dignity as death approaches, hospice might or might not be the right choice for you or a loved one depending on your unique needs and/or situation....
“Please don’t pick me, please don’t pick me, please don’t pick me,” I murmured to myself, hunched down in a hard tubular plastic seat. “Ashley, why don’t you go ahead and recap what last night’s chapters were about. Better yet, what were your thoughts on the written assignment about the gruesome villain?” This article is part of Health Divide: Skin Conditions and Darker Skin, a destination in our Health Divide series....
Avocado allergies are rare, and currently, the prevalence of avocado allergies is unknown. However, if you have an avocado allergy, you may also have a birch pollen allergy and/or a latex allergy. Avocados are a great source of fiber, and, despite their high-fat content, they help improve LDL cholesterol. Its oil can be used for cooking, but it’s also an ingredient in many cosmetics, including facial and body moisturizers, soaps, and shampoos....
