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Are you a caregiver charged with preserving the dignity of your residents? Or, perhaps you’re caring for your loved one who’s living with dementia at home. Sometimes, in the busyness or familiarity of caregiving, we can become insensitive to the little things that make a difference for the person receiving care. Being intentional in how you choose your words and actions can go a long way towards truly treating those you care for with dignity and respect....

Rashes, bumps, redness, and itching can indicate several skin conditions, including rosacea, psoriasis, and eczema. While the symptoms may seem generic—and perhaps in mild cases, not warrant much attention—it’s worth seeing a healthcare provider to get a formal diagnosis, particularly if they persist. While rosacea, psoriasis, and eczema tend to be chronic conditions, they’re rarely life-threatening. However, they can lead to complications if left untreated. This primer can help you distinguish psoriasis versus eczema versus rosacea....

Sciatica is nerve pain that travels down the legs. It has a misleading name because the sciatic nerve is not the cause of the pain at all. Sciatic pain is due to irritation of a spinal nerve root in the lumbar area, Pain can range from mild to severe and is often described as sharp, aching, or shooting from the low back, through the buttocks, and to the back of the thigh....

It had long been suggested that being overweight or obese might undermine the effectiveness of birth control pills and other hormonal contraceptives, leading to unplanned pregnancy. It is true that excess body weight can pose health concerns to women for many reasons, but more recent research suggests that decreased efficacy of hormonal birth control may not be one of them. Obesity and Fertility Body mass index (BMI) is calculated from a person’s weight and height and provides a reasonable indicator of obesity and its associated health risks....

Testosterone deficiency is frequently seen in both men and women with HIV. Endocrine abnormalities, which can affect testosterone production, have long been recognized as a complication of HIV since the earliest days of the pandemic (although it has generally been associated with late-stage disease). However, recent research has shown that nearly one out of every five men with HIV has documented testosterone deficiency, irrespective of CD4 count, viral load, or treatment status....

Common food staples in Latinx communities, like white or yellow rice and tortillas, are often some of the first dishes people in wellness spaces suggest cutting when striving toward a healthy diet. But some dietitians are trying to change that. Instead, they want people to maintain a healthy lifestyle without sacrificing their culture. Nutritionists and dietitians are speaking out on why a lack of representation can be harmful to Latinxs and other people of color seeking help to form a better relationship with food....

What Is Toviaz? Toviaz (fesoterodine) is a muscarinic receptor antagonist (MRA) that blocks the activity at muscarinic receptors in bladder smooth muscle to treat overactive bladder (OAB). Toviaz is also used in neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO), a bladder dysfunction disorder, in children 6 years and older. Toviaz works by blocking the activity of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. When these receptors are activated, they cause contraction of bladder smooth muscle, resulting in the desire to urinate....

Chondromalacia patella occurs when the cartilage at the back of the kneecap begins to soften and break down. This breakdown causes the kneecap to grind against the leg bones that join to form the knee joint, resulting in pain that worsens with activity. Chondromalacia patella is often referred to as runner’s knee since the condition is common among runners and other active individuals who endure repetitive stress to the knee joint....

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition that can affect many areas of health and alter overall life expectancy. The younger someone is when they are diagnosed, the more significant the impact of type 2 diabetes will be on their life expectancy. However, type 2 diabetes can be treated and managed with medication and lifestyle changes. Changing your weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar can increase your life expectancy with type 2 diabetes....

Living with and managing diabetes is often very stressful. People with type 1 and type 2 diabetes are at higher risk of developing mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and more. Additionally, the physical changes experienced by diabetics—such as hypoglycemic episodes—can affect a person’s mental well-being. In this article, learn how you can manage or prevent the mental health issues associated with diabetes. Connection Between Diabetes and Mental Health Mental health issues are more common among people who have diabetes than in the general public....

Vitamin D (calciferol) is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays a crucial role in maintaining strong bones and teeth and supporting the immune system, heart health, and mental well-being. Vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 are the two primary forms of vitamin D. D2 is typically synthetic and found in fortified foods, while D3 is found in animal-sourced foods and can also be produced by the body when the skin is exposed to sunlight....

It’s been a great weekend and now it’s time to settle into bed to get a good night of sleep before the busy week ahead. After waiting for a few minutes, you start to get a little anxious: You aren’t falling asleep. You start to worry about your function the next day. Then, you realize that trouble falling asleep seems to occur every Sunday night. What causes this? Anticipating the Week Ahead May Provoke Anxiety What makes Sunday night so special?...

Williams Syndrome is a genetic disorder characterized by developmental delays and certain medical conditions such as heart problems and low muscle tone. People with Williams syndrome also often have advanced language skills, outgoing personalities, and a love for music. It is caused by a chromosome abnormality and affects how a person grows and develops. Symptoms People with Williams syndrome often have certain facial characteristics that are distinct and unique to the syndrome....

Acid reflux and asthma may not seem like they’d have much in common, but these two conditions often occur together and can make each other worse in several ways. This mutual exacerbation commonly contributes to uncontrolled asthma; as many as 75% of people with hard-to-treat asthma frequently have heartburn, which is caused by acid reflux. This article delves into the connections between acid reflux and asthma, the symptoms to watch for, plus their causes, diagnostic procedures, and treatments....

In most cases, blurred vision is probably a sign that you need glasses. But if the blurred vision comes on suddenly, it can be a sign of a serious medical emergency. Any vision change is abnormal. But some causes are more serious than others. Often blurriness is the result of a temporary reaction, and it usually goes away on its own. If blurred vision is accompanied by other symptoms or isn’t getting any better, see a doctor right away—especially if the changes are sudden....

Taking a borderline personality disorder (BPD) test can help you better understand this condition. BPD affects a person’s ability to regulate (control) their emotions. Other core symptoms include an unstable self-image, impulsivity (acting or reacting without thinking first), and unstable interpersonal relationships. BPD is diagnosed based on the criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). This is the standard resource used by healthcare providers to diagnose mental health disorders....

A bowel resection is when a section of the small or large intestine (the colon) is removed. This is a surgical procedure that’s done in a hospital. It may be used to treat a bowel blockage, Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis, cancer, or bleeding. A bowel resection is a major abdominal surgery for which there may be a need for several weeks of recovery. This article will cover the reasons for having a bowel resection and how this surgery is most commonly done....

Pinched nerves in the neck are a common cause of headaches, muscle spasms, and other symptoms. They can be debilitating, but most of the time, symptoms clear up without medical treatment. This article goes over how nerves in your neck become pinched, the possible symptoms, causes and risk factors, the diagnostic process, and treatment options for pinched nerves. What Is a Pinched Neck Nerve? Nerves send messages between your brain and the rest of your body....

Bloating can occur for a variety of reasons, such as infrequent bowel movements, eating too quickly, swallowing air, and gastrointestinal virus or illnesses. It is physically uncomfortable, and sometimes painful, especially when it occurs with gas. It is common for some people to feel shortness of breath when they are bloated, but this varies widely. Shortness of breath (dyspnea) occurs when you have difficulty taking air into the lungs, which disrupts the ability to breathe normally....

Cancer-associated retinopathy is a progressive, autoimmune form of retinopathy, a disease of the retina, the layer of tissue in the back of the eye that detects light and sends images to your brain. It can cause vision loss and often precedes a cancer diagnosis. It appears to affect women more than men and generally affects individuals aged 40–85 years of age. The condition is considered an autoimmune disease, a disorder in which your immune system attacks healthy cells by mistake....