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A ridge expansion, also known as ridge splitting, is a type of surgical procedure that is performed to restore the natural form of the bone width following a tooth extraction. It is often used to help re-form the gums to prepare them for a bone graft or dental implant. This article reviews what you can expect from a ridge expansion procedure. What Is Ridge Expansion? After a tooth extraction, the empty space can collapse, making it difficult to fit a new tooth implant....

The rotator cuff consists of four muscles that surround your shoulder blade. Each muscle has a tendon attaching it to your upper arm. These tendons allow you to lift and rotate your arm. When a tendon is injured, inflamed, or worn down, it can cause rotator cuff pain. This article discusses the symptoms of rotator cuff pain and the three main causes—a tear, tendinitis, or tendinosis. It also explains how different types of rotator cuff injuries are diagnosed and treated....

Anxiety can sometimes make sleep apnea worse—and vice versa. Sleep apnea is a common medical condition that causes your breathing to stop intermittently during sleep. The most common type is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), in which the upper airway gets blocked during the night. Around 22 million people in the U.S. have sleep apnea. Untreated sleep apnea can lead to serious medical complications and even sudden death. An estimated 38,000 people die each year from heart disease complicated by sleep apnea....

What Is Taltz? Taltz (ixekizumab) is an injectable medication used to treat adults and children aged 6 years or older with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. This treatment is for people whose condition may benefit from systemic therapy (injections or pills) or light therapy (phototherapy). Taltz can also treat active psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis. These are autoimmune diseases that cause damage to the joints. Taltz is a type of biologic drug called a monoclonal antibody....

Thanksgiving and other holidays that center on sharing an abundance of food can be a challenge for someone who has diabetes. Many of the traditional foods on the table, such as mashed potatoes, stuffing, and cranberry sauce, are rich and laden with calories and carbohydrates. But with creative thinking and careful planning, a person with diabetes can eat, drink, and celebrate along with friends and family while still keeping blood sugar under control....

During the COVID-19 epidemic, people dealt with many unknowns and confusion about disease and vaccination side effects. For people with breasts, these include concerns about the COVID vaccine, mammogram timing, and worries about breast cancer. Despite what you may have read or heard, neither COVID-19 nor the vaccine has been shown to cause breast cancer or any other type of cancer. The vaccine can cause harmless, temporary swelling of lymph nodes under the arm where the shot was received....

The total triiodothyronine (T3) test is one of several tests used to diagnose thyroid disorders. T3 is an active thyroid hormone that your body creates by converting thyroxine (T4) into triiodothyronine. The 3 and 4 in the names represent the number of iodine atoms it has. The T3 test simply measures how much of this hormone is present in your blood. If the level is either abnormally high or abnormally low, it can be an indicator of thyroid disease....

Vital capacity (VC) is a measurement of the maximum amount of air you can fully inhale and fully exhale out of your lungs. If you have asthma, you may need to have your vital capacity measured periodically to help guide your treatment and assess the severity of your condition. VC can be assessed with a spirometer, which is a device used for measuring a variety of pulmonary functions. Spirometry is simple and non-invasive: When you inhale and exhale into the mouthpiece of the spirometer, it measures airflow right then and there....

Nasoorbitoethmoid (NOE) refers to the anatomical complex involving the nasal, orbital, and ethmoid bones of the face. NOE fractures usually result from high-impact blunt trauma to the nasal region forcing depression of the nasal bones into the orbital and/or ethmoid bones. While the NOE complex typically refers to these associated bones, NOE fractures may include damage to bones, blood supply, nerves, and other supporting structures of the mid-facial region. The force and point of impact determine the extent of injuries....

Divorce is often difficult. Even in the most amicable situations, there are losses to acknowledge, cope with, and move through. The process of experiencing the emotions that come with those losses, expressing feelings, and eventually learning and growing from them is divorce grief. Though grief may not always feel pleasant, it’s an important part of working through a divorce in a meaningful, healthy way. By addressing the losses that come with divorce, it is possible to work through the ongoing and often conflicting emotions that arise and find ways to get through the most painful parts....

The popular image of a person with autism is a quiet, isolated individual who prefers solitude to social interaction. This is often true, but by no means always the case. While autistic people, by definition, have challenges with social communication, many enjoy social interaction, group activities, and friendships. Because such activities can be exhausting for a person with social communications challenges, however, relatively few people with autism are likely to be described as “gregarious....

The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped organ located in the lower part of your neck. It sits a little below the Adam’s apple (the laryngeal prominence) and above the collarbone (clavicle). This gland is part of the endocrine system and plays an essential role in women’s health. It produces just the right amount of triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) hormones that are critical for: Normal growth MetabolismEnergy production ReproductionTemperature controlDigestive function Brain development Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid is underactive and doesn’t produce enough hormones....

If someone is diagnosed with breast cancer, radiation therapy is likely to be part of their treatment plan. Radiation therapy consists of high beams of energy directed at cancer cells to kill them. Side effects of radiation can include skin changes and feeling tired. Today’s radiation therapy is more advanced than earlier forms of radiation therapy that were known to cause lasting cell or organ damage, but risks exist and should be discussed with your healthcare provider....

Women who have sex with women (including lesbians) can be infected with human papillomavirus (HPV), as well as other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). HPV is known for its link to the development of cervical cancer and other cancers. HPV is also responsible for genital warts. It’s important to know that sexual minority people with vaginas often believe they are at less risk for HPV than heterosexual people with vaginas, and they may be less likely to receive preventive care such as vaccination and screening....

The carpal tunnel is an anatomical structure in your wrist and hand that protects the median nerve and several tendons. It is often the source of a common repetitive strain injury called carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). The bones, ligaments, and structures around your wrist and hand form an anatomical tunnel. Injury here may cause pain, tingling, and weakness in your wrist and hand and may limit functional use of your upper extremity....

The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain and it’s what most people envision when thinking of the brain. It is divided into two halves, or hemispheres, and its outer layer has large folds and creases of tissue that give the brain its characteristic wrinkly appearance. The cerebrum is responsible for processing sensory functions like vision, hearing, and touch; and it is involved in movement of your body. It’s also the source of intellect and enables you to think, plan, read, hold memories, and process emotions—among many other tasks....

Chorea is a type of involuntary movement characterized by brief, random, recurrent writhing or twisting of any part of the body that gives the impression of restlessness to the observer. It can occur due to certain neurological conditions, systemic illnesses that affect the brain, or as a side effect of medication. Chorea is considered a symptom of disease, and not an independent condition. It is generally one of several symptoms, and it rarely occurs on its own....

Social Security disability benefits, such as Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), are programs that provide financial assistance to people who meet the Social Security’s statutory standard for disability. The application process can take months or even over a year to complete, which can be problematic for those who are dealing with pain, discomfort, and/or disability, along with a loss of income from an inability to work as usual....

Constrictive pericarditis is a chronic condition in which the pericardium (the membrane-like sac that encloses the heart), becomes stiffened and inelastic. As a result, cardiac function deteriorates. This condition, which thankfully is quite uncommon, always has serious consequences. Unfortunately, constrictive pericarditis can “hide” from detection for a long time. The symptoms it produces can develop very gradually, and when they are finally perceived they tend to be similar to symptoms seen with other kinds of heart disease....

Researchers in several European countries have recently reported several COVID-19 cases that appear to be genetic hybrid of Delta and Omicron. Key Takeaways European researchers reported a few dozen cases of a COVID-19 variant which combines components of Omicron and Delta.The hybrid variant is extremely rare and it doesn’t appear more transmissible or severe than other variants so far.COVID-19 commonly mixes its genome, allowing it to create many new variants, many of which are not dangerous....