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The immune protection from a tetanus shot doesn’t last forever. That’s why it’s recommended that older children, teens, and adults get a tetanus booster shot every 10 years to stay protected. Tetanus shots are also given on demand if you get a deep, dirty cut—such as from stepping on a rusty nail—as a standard precaution if you haven’t had a tetanus shot in the past five years. This article reviews what tetanus is and why vaccinating against it is so important....

Retinoblastoma can only be diagnosed by a qualified clinician, usually an ophthalmologist (medical eye doctor). Ophthalmologists use several diagnostic tools to determine whether a patient has retinoblastoma, including an ophthalmic (eye) examination, imaging, and blood tests. Sometimes they also perform genetic testing to determine if the retinoblastoma was inherited or occurred spontaneously. This article will provide an overview of the different methods ophthalmologists use to diagnose retinoblastoma, signs of retinoblastoma you may notice at home, and other potential diagnoses....

Knowing how to get rid of canker sores can help reduce pain and speed the healing process. There are various home remedies and over-the-counter (OTC) treatments for canker sores, such as: Mouth rinses, like a saltwater or hydrogen peroxide rinseNatural products, such as honey OTC medicines, like Benadryl or milk of magnesia When such remedies aren’t enough, a prescription canker treatment like tetracycline may be needed. This article will go over ways to get rid of canker sores....

Hyphema is the medical term for bleeding in the anterior chamber of the eye—the space between the cornea and the iris. Most often a hyphema is the result of an injury such as a blow to the eye, although there are a number of diseases and conditions that can increase the risk of a spontaneous hyphema. The pooling of blood is almost always visible to the naked eye and painful. It can interfere with vision and cause a dangerous increase in eye pressure, in which case a hyphema is considered a medical emergency that requires urgent medical attention to protect overall eye health and minimize the risk of permanent vision loss....

Inflammatory arthritis refers to any type of arthritis where your body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue, causing inflammation. It often affects multiple joints at the same time, including those in the spine, hands, and feet. This article describes the types of inflammatory arthritis, as well as symptoms, causes, treatment options, and more. Types of Inflammatory Arthritis Inflammatory arthritis typically affects the joints. But it can also be systemic, with symptoms that affect other areas of the body—such as the skin or digestive system....

The signs and symptoms of liver cancer are most often the result of liver damage and may include yellowing of the skin (jaundice), right-sided abdominal or shoulder blade pain, or a lump in the right upper abdomen. However, many of the warning signs are non-specific, such as weight loss and fatigue. Sometimes the complications of liver cancer, such as a bile duct obstruction, anemia, or bleeding are the first symptoms. Since there’s no screening test for liver cancer, having an awareness of the potential signs and symptoms is the only way to find the disease early....

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has three stages: early, intermediate, and late stage. Vision loss usually happens in the last stage of AMD. However, not everyone with AMD progresses through all the stages. Many people with AMD do not lose their vision. Even people who do reach late-stage AMD are often able to keep their normal vision for most of their life. This article will go over what research has shown about the progression of vision loss in macular degeneration....

Opioids are a type of pain-reliever made from the opium poppy plant that prevent pain signals from reaching the brain. They are frequently prescribed for chronic pain. While they are effective, these drugs are highly addictive. There is an opioid epidemic in the United States. According to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), opioid-related overdoses cause more than 130 deaths every day. Fortunately, there are non-opioid alternatives that are effective for managing chronic pain....

An important component of any physical therapy examination or treatment session is touching. Physical therapists often use their hands to examine, mobilize, and perhaps massage your body. Touching may be used to help you understand how to move properly, and it can be a helpful component in getting your muscles contracting the way that your PT wants them to maximize your functional mobility. But what sort of touching is acceptable in physical therapy, and what if your PT touches you and it feels bad or violates your personal comfort or space?...

It takes about 40 weeks for a pregnancy to go from conception to delivery. In the United States, there were 3,659,289 live births in 2021. That’s up 1% from 2020, the first increase since 2014. This article highlights some important facts and statistics you should know about pregnancy. Overview of Pregnancy Counting from the first day of your last period, pregnancy is expected to last about 40 weeks. A term pregnancy is when delivery occurs between 37 and 42 weeks....

Sensory processing disorder (SPD) is a condition in which a person does not respond normally to sounds, smells, textures, and other stimuli. They may be so sensitive to, say, a movie soundtrack they can’t sit in a theatre, or so insensitive to stimuli they go to great lengths to seek it out. Previously called sensory integration dysfunction, SPD is most common in children (although it can affect adults) and frequently affects people with certain developmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)....

What Is Singulair? Singulair (montelukast), a leukotriene receptor antagonist, is primarily used to prevent wheezing, difficulty breathing, chest tightness, and coughing caused by asthma in adults and children. It is typically added to additional medications when asthma is difficult to control. Singulair is an oral medication that comes in tablets, chewable tablets, and granules. What Is Singulair Used For? The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Singulair for the following main purposes:...

Deep sleep, or slow-wave sleep, is the kind that helps you wake up feeling recharged. If that doesn’t sound like the mornings you’re used to, there are a few strategies for how to get more deep sleep that are worth trying: Adjust the time you go to bedMaintain a set sleep schedule once you doMake changes to your habits and environmentUse prescription treatments, as recommended by your healthcare provider This article reviews how to sleep deeper at night and why getting more deep sleep can benefit your overall physical and mental health....

If you or a loved one are considering sobriety, you may wonder what it looks like and how to get there. Sobriety can be a particularly challenging pursuit for someone with an addiction like alcohol use disorder. Challenges in the process can include intense cravings, relapse, or a return to using the mind-altering substance. Staying sober may require several strategies and supports, including seeking professional and peer support. This article will describe sobriety in more detail, the challenges a person faces while working to stay sober, the options for treatment, and tips for building a sober lifestyle....

Facing a lung cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming and scary. Many patients experience a wide range of emotions, including fear, hope, sadness, anger, and uncertainty about the future. This article will explain what you can expect emotionally and physically if you have been diagnosed with stage 1 lung cancer, as well as some tips for coping. Stage 1 Characteristics Stage 1 lung cancer is when small tumors are contained within the lungs and have not metastasized (spread) to nearby or distant organs or tissue....

While states have made different choices regarding who’s considered high priority for the coronavirus vaccine, everyone seems to agree that healthcare workers should be at the top of the list. However, a new medRxiv study preprint—meaning a study that hasn’t gone through peer review—suggests that not every healthcare worker is willing to get the shot. The decision could be dangerous for healthcare workers who come into regular contact with people at high risk of developing severe COVID-19 infection....

If you’re congested during the day, having a stuffy nose at night is not uncommon. In fact, you may notice that your stuffiness is actually worse right when you’re trying to get some much needed sleep. A stuffy (or stuffier) nose at night can occur for a variety of reasons, including blood flow changes, prolonged exposure to indoor allergens, sleep position, and more. Treatment depends on the cause and can include strategies ranging from using a cool-mist humidifier to taking an antihistamine....

In the early hours of Thursday, June 24th, the Champlain Towers South condominium partially collapsed. Many of its residents were believed to be sleeping at the time. Key Takeaways The Surfside condo collapse will have profound mental health impacts for both victims’ loved ones and rescue workers, as they deal with grief and trauma.Leadership and policy that make room for personalized grieving processes can help individuals build resiliency. The building, which has been fully demolished to assist search-and-rescue efforts, was a 12-story beachfront condominium in Surfside, a town in Miami-Dade County, Florida....

What Is Sustiva? Sustiva (efavirenz) is a prescription drug used to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. It may be used alone or with other HIV medications. It is approved for use in adults and children at least 3 months old who weigh 3.5 kilograms, about 7.7 pounds, or more. Efavirenz belongs to a drug class called non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor. It blocks an enzyme called reverse transcriptase. This stops the HIV-infected cells from making new viruses and reduces the viral load count....

Seminoma is a highly-curable type of cancer that most often occurs in the testicles of males but can also affect other parts of the male body as well, such as the brain, chest, or abdomen. A painless lump or swelling within the testicle is usually the first sign of a seminoma. Seminomas originate in the germ cells of males. Germ cells are reproductive cells that form into sperm cells and testicles in males and egg cells and ovaries in females....