Posts

Monkeypox is now considered a public health emergency in New York, California, and Illinois. Key Takeaways New York, California, and Illinois have declared monkeypox to be a public health emergency.This often allows health officials to better coordinate their response to the outbreak, frees up resources, waives restrictions, and requires health providers to report relevant data. The federal government has yet to declare monkeypox a national public health emergency. The declarations came a week after the World Health Organization declared monkeypox a “public health emergency of international concern”—an alarm it has rung only seven times since the creation of the term in 2005....

People often ask about the most common causes of cancer in the United States, both for males and females. Yet this question could mean two different things. The answers will depend on whether you define it as the cancers that are most frequently diagnosed, or rather the cancers that most often lead to terminal illness and death. This article looks at the statistics behind those definitions and how the answers may differ depending on the sex you were assigned at birth....

Neuropathic pain, or nerve pain, is one of the most intense types of chronic pain, often described as sharp, stinging, or burning. It is pain caused by damaged nerves or a problem with the nervous system. While neuropathic pain can be debilitating, there are medications to treat it, and they work by changing the way the brain interprets pain. Symptoms Many terms are used to describe neuropathic pain, such as:...

Opioid use disorder occurs when an individual misuses or overuses certain medications or illegal drugs that are designed to relieve pain or cause feelings of euphoria or being “high.” More than 2.1 million Americans experience opioid use disorder. Deaths from opioid misuse have increased sharply in the last 20 years; over 68,000 people died from opioid overdose in 2020 alone. Opioid use disorder is a complex condition that can be difficult to treat....

Pimples can show up anywhere on the body, including the elbows. This is a common occurrence that usually is not serious and shouldn’t cause concern. This article will cover what may be causing pimples on your elbows. Causes Acne Acne is a skin condition that causes pimples. When a pimple appears, the hair follicles that are located under the skin are clogged. Pimples can form on most places of the body, including the neck, back, face, shoulders, and elbows....

Your eye is filled with a gel-like fluid called vitreous. The vitreous is attached to the retina, located in the back of the eye. Posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) is when the vitreous becomes detached from the retina. Posterior vitreous detachment usually isn’t dangerous to your vision, but it can cause stress and complications that need to be managed and followed by your eye doctor. Here is more information about posterior vitreous detachment (also called vitreous detachment), including symptoms, complications, and treatments....

Couples counseling is conversation-based support provided by a professional to romantic partners to address relationship challenges. Marriage counseling is couples counseling for married partners. Premarital counseling can be couples counseling for partners planning to get married. Premarital counseling can also be education and guidance focused on preparing for marriage and future conflicts that may arise in marriage. Learn more about what premarital counseling is, what to expect, reasons for going to premarital counseling, and more....

You might use eye drops for many different reasons, including ocular allergies, eye redness, and dry eye. Any eye drop bottle that you open and use more than once will contain preservatives. Preservatives can help prevent the growth of bacteria in the bottle that contains the drops. The most common preservative used in eye drops is called benzalkonium chloride, or BAK. Using BAK too frequently can irritate your eyes and may make dry eyes worse....

No single diet is right for all people with diabetes. In fact, a plan designed just for you might be best. Whichever meal plan you choose, cutting calories and carbohydrates can help you keep your blood sugar in a healthy range. Depending on your height, weight, age, and activity level, a 1,200-calorie meal plan may be a good fit. This article explains how to balance carbs, fat, and protein. It also shows you what a day’s worth of food looks like on a 1,200-calorie diet....

According to the Pew Research Center, in 2016, a whopping 77% of Americans owned a smartphone. This number is more than double what it was when the Pew Research Center first started tracking smartphone ownership in 2011. Back then, 35% of Americans owned smartphones. Furthermore, in 2016, there was a sharp rise in ownership among both older people and lower-income people. Smartphones are everywhere, and their coverage is growing. In addition to making phone calls, smartphones can do lots of other things....

An abscess is a pocket of pus—a collection of fluid produced by the body’s immune system when fighting an infection. Abscesses can occur anywhere but are commonly found just under the skin. A subareolar nipple abscess is a pocket of pus found on the breast in the nipple or beneath your areola. The areola is the ring of darker (pigmented) skin that circles the nipple. When the immune system fights the infection in the abscess, the area becomes inflamed and often swells....

Tendons and ligaments are connective tissues that help support muscles and bones. Tendons are attached to muscles and bones to aid their movement, while ligaments help support and stabilize joints. Tendon and ligament fibers can become damaged from trauma or overuse injuries and are slower to heal than muscle fibers due to their decreased blood supply. This article will compare the differences between tendons and ligaments, types of injuries, and treatment options....

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is a group of related hormones that act together to regulate blood pressure and control inflammation. It is called a system because each part influences the other parts and all are necessary for the whole to function correctly. The renin-angiotensin system, working together with the kidneys, is a vitally important part of the body’s blood pressure regulation system. More specifically, this is done through the classical renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) pathway....

Tamiflu (oseltamivir) is a popular oral antiviral drug used to treat or prevent the flu (influenza). Despite its popularity, the use of Tamiflu in children remains somewhat controversial. It’s not uncommon for parents to claim that it doesn’t always work, to read reports suggesting that overuse can lead to the development of treatment-resistant influenza strains, or to hear some warn that using Tamiflu causes hallucinations and suicidal thoughts in kids. It can be hard to separate fact from fiction, so here’s a look at what the research says....

Tummy time is the intentional practice of placing your baby on their tummy for brief periods while you are with them and they are awake. Tummy time is important for babies to develop strength and promote motor skills. It can also help to prevent flat spots on the head. This article explains what tummy time is, why it’s so important, and how to start practicing it with your baby. What Exactly Is Tummy Time?...

A urethral stricture is a narrowing of the urethra, the tube through which urine leaves the bladder and exits the body. A scar in the urethra from swelling, previous procedures, injury or infection may cause a urethral stricutre and block or slow the flow of urine in the urethra. This often causes difficulty with passing urine, including straining and pain in the urethra. Urethral strictures are most common in men, but can occur in women as well....

What Is Welchol? Welchol (colesevelam) is an oral prescription medication used to lower cholesterol and improve blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. Welchol contains the active ingredient colesevelam, a bile acid sequestrant drug. It works by binding to bile acids produced by the liver to help digest food. When Welchol binds to bile acids, it eliminates them from the body as waste. When bile acid levels are reduced, your liver converts cholesterol to make more bile acid, lowering your cholesterol levels....

The morning-after pill refers to several emergency contraceptives sold in stores to anyone of any age. It can be an effective way to help prevent unintended pregnancy if you’ve had unprotected sex, experienced contraceptive failure (like a condom accidentally slipping off or breaking), or if you’ve made a mistake with your birth control pills. The sooner you take the pill, the more effective it is. So knowing where you can get the morning-after pill is important....

U.S. health officials announced today that fully vaccinated Americans aged 18 and above will need a booster shot eight months after their second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine. Key Takeaways Federal officials say most Americans are recommended to receive a booster shot eight months after their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine.Distribution of booster shots will begin on September 20. Healthcare workers and seniors will be prioritized.Additional dose recommendations only include the mRNA vaccines by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna for now, while officials wait for more data on the Johnson & Johnson shot....

Your medical records are an important component of your care. You have the right to access the information contained in your records and, if necessary, make updates or corrections. Healthcare providers or insurance companies may share the information in your medical records when that information is needed for treatment. They may also share the information during attempts to collect payment. How to Request Your Medical Records Most practices or facilities will ask you to fill out a form to request your medical records....