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Chronic back pain, in which symptoms are persistent and disrupt daily activities, is very common; about 16 million American adults, or 8% of the population, experience this condition. Though spinal injection and surgery are both effective treatments for back pain, there are key differences. Injection is the less-invasive option, though results are temporary and multiple treatments are needed. Spinal surgery, correcting the causes of pain, is only attempted after other therapies have been tried....

Pain and swelling in the finger joints typically results from inflammation. Joint inflammation that causes sudden pain and swelling can be caused by several conditions, including acute injury to the hands or fingers or from a chronic, systemic condition that causes widespread joint inflammation. Causes A number of conditions can affect your hand and finger joints and cause sudden pain, from an injury and infection to arthritis and autoimmune diseases....

For the first time, researchers have measured the chances of transmitting an infectious disease such as SARS-CoV-2 to another person at a range of distances and in various settings. Key Takeaways Researchers at Colorado State University have calculated the chances of respiratory disease transmission risk in different situations. Over a long time, whether you are indoors or outdoors is a bigger predictor of risk than your distance from another person. Being outside for interactions is safer than being inside because the wind is present to scatter respiratory particles....

If you’re living with type 2 diabetes, you may wonder how the disease will affect your life expectancy. While type 2 diabetes can impact your life expectancy, effectively managing the condition can help you avoid serious health problems. Understanding the risk factors that affect survival can help you take action to reduce these risks. Type 2 diabetes is a disease that causes high blood sugar due to the body’s inability to use insulin effectively....

There are several types of cerebral palsy, distinguished by the affected body parts, movement, and symptom severity. The five major types of cerebral palsy are spastic, ataxic, athetoid, hypotonic, and mixed. Cerebral Palsy Symptoms and Causes The symptoms of cerebral palsy can vary from one person to another. The condition also can affect motor control in one or more parts of the body. For example, a child with cerebral palsy might have a weak foot that drags when walking but no other motor problems or intellectual disabilities....

What Is Valcyte? Valcyte is an oral medication used to prevent and treat cytomegalovirus (CMV) in high-risk children and adults. It is considered a prodrug of ganciclovir. This means that once processed in the body, valganciclovir is converted into ganciclovir. Ganciclovir has antiviral effects, which prevent the viral cells from growing. Valcyte is available in tablet and liquid solution form. What Is Valcyte Used For? Valcyte prevents cytomegalovirus (CMV) in children and adults at high risk, including those who have received kidney, heart, and kidney-pancreas transplants....

Because obesity is a significant risk factor for heart failure, weight loss can be an effective way to help prevent this life-threatening condition. Weight-loss surgery, which clinically is known as bariatric surgery, should not be the initial strategy for losing weight. But when other methods (such as decreasing calories and increasing physical activity) aren’t adequate, it is a viable option for many people. However, weight-loss surgery is, after all, surgery, and the benefits don’t always outweigh the potential risks....

When it comes to caring for children, Medicaid defines what it takes to keep them healthy. In 1967, the federal government established the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) program, with the following effects: Early and periodic screening: Each child has access to preventive and well care that occurs on a set schedule. The goal is to detect problems early so that they can be corrected sooner. Services include but are not limited to dental care, hearing tests, immunizations, lead screening, mental health services, and vision screening....

What Is Zepzelca? Zepzelca (lurbinectedin) is a prescription, intravenous (injected into the veins) medication that’s used to treat a type of lung cancer in adults called small cell lung cancer (SCLC). SCLC is the most aggressive type of lung cancer, affecting over 30,000 people each year in the United States. Lurbinectedin works by disrupting the DNA and the function of cancer cells, causing the tumor cells to die. Zepzelca is not on the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) list....

Adjunctive therapy for epilepsy, also referred to as add-on therapy, is the use of more than one anti-epileptic drug (AED) to prevent seizures. Often, the only way to obtain adequate seizure control is by using adjunctive therapy. There are pros and cons to taking adjunctive therapy, and you can talk to your doctor to discuss the best options for your epilepsy care. This article will review the available adjunctive treatments and how they are used....

If you have ever wondered how much people are seeking an alternative to using their continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines to treat sleep apnea, you need not look any further than the interest generated in a new product called Airing. What is the Airing Micro-CPAP device? Learn about the potential promise of this technology and the many lingering questions about its viability as a new treatment option. What Is Airing Micro-CPAP?...

Anal skin tags are growths of excess skin around the anus. They are often caused by straining or inflammation. They are not cancerous. Still, they can be itchy or sensitive to the touch. These common skin growths can be diagnosed and removed easily. Depending on the cause, some may be prevented with simple lifestyle changes. This article will help you learn to recognize anal skin tags. It also looks at possible causes, how anal skin tags are identified, and what can be done to treat them....

Antihistamines are a class of drugs primarily used to relieve allergies. They do so by blocking a chemical known as histamine that is released by the immune system whenever the body is confronted by an allergy-causing substance (allergen). By preventing histamine from attaching to cellular receptors in the skin and mucus membranes of the eyes, nose, and respiratory tract, symptoms of allergy—such as sneezing, itchy eyes, postnasal drip, and, hives—can be temporarily relieved....

The muscles of the arms attach to the shoulder blade, upper arm bone (humerus), forearm bones (radius and ulna), wrist, fingers, and thumbs. These muscles control movement at the elbow, forearm, wrist, and fingers. When affected by injury or neuromuscular disorders, everyday tasks that require hand and arm use can be challenging. Anatomical Structure and Location There are 24 different muscles that make up each arm, and they control movement of the elbow, forearm, wrist, and fingers....

Buspar (buspirone) is an oral medication prescribed for reducing symptoms of anxiety and for treating anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). It is classed with other anxiolytics, or anti-anxiety medications, but it is not chemically related to benzodiazepines, sedatives, or any other anti-anxiety medications. Buspar is available in tablet form. It is believed to increase serotonin activity in various regions of the brain by acting as an agonist (activator) to serotonin 5-HT1A receptors....

Bydureon BCise (exenatide) is a once-weekly injectable medication prescribed to help manage blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. It belongs to a class of drugs known as GLP-1 RAs (also called incretin mimetics) that work by stimulating the secretion of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA). Bydureon BCise is only available with an auto-injection pen. Previously Bydureon came only as a preloaded pen that required you to first insert the needle into your skin, then press a button to deliver the medication....

Due to the recent coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, many questions have arisen regarding the use of masks in preventing the spread of viral infections. When may a mask be effective for this purpose? What types of masks can be used? You may be surprised that the CDC does not recommend routine use of any type of respirator or medical face mask by the general public outside of the healthcare setting to prevent the spread of any viruses—even those which may be airborne....

Anyone having joint replacement surgery expects to have individuals in the operating room other than their surgeon. Nurses, anesthesiologists, and surgical technologists are all people we probably expect to encounter in the moments before we go under. But would you expect a representative from the company who made the implant device? Well, the truth is, they are often there. Representatives from device companies that may have a financial interest in what is used during your surgery may be in the room while you are having surgery....

An FEV1 test measures your ability to expel air from your lungs. During this test, you breathe forcefully into the mouthpiece of a spirometer machine. The machine measures the amount of air that is exhaled in the first second of purposefully trying to breathe out as much air as possible. (FEV1 stands for “forced expiratory volume in one second.”) Your FEV1 value can be used to help diagnose and monitor lung diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)....

Hepatitis and pregnancy is a complicated topic because there are many different types of hepatitis. Hepatitis just means any disease that causes inflammation of the liver. It can be caused by a virus or a noninfectious cause. Viral hepatitis can be caused by a number of different viruses, including hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. Nonviral hepatitis can also occur during pregnancy. Treatment, prevention, and effects on the pregnancy vary significantly between the types of hepatitis....