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The treatment of non-small cell lung cancer depends on the stage of the disease, as well as the subtype and molecular profile. Early-stage cancers may be treated with surgery or a specialized form of radiation therapy if surgery is not possible. Advanced lung cancers are most often treated with targeted therapies, immunotherapy (checkpoint inhibitors), or chemotherapy. In addition to these treatments, local treatments designed to eradicate the sites of spread (metastasis) are sometimes used....

If you have had a heart attack (also called a myocardial infarction, or MI), you likely have coronary artery disease (CAD). (Talk to your healthcare provider to confirm that you have CAD.) While heart attacks can be caused by other conditions, CAD is overwhelmingly the most common cause. CAD is a chronic disorder that most often affects the coronary arteries in more than one location, and that tends to progress over time....

Though benign multiple sclerosis (MS) might sound like an oxymoron, it’s not—it’s the mildest form of MS. There’s no consensus on what exactly makes MS “benign,” but it’s always a diagnosis that’s given retrospectively, usually 10 to 15 years after disease onset, once your healthcare provider can see how the disease has impacted you. This is because it’s impossible to predict the twists and turns MS may take in each individual....

As COVID vaccination rates stall, and the Delta variant spreads across the U.S., the Biden administration announced in early July that it will implement several strategies to encourage more people to get vaccinated. Key Takeaways The Biden administration has announced that it will increase community outreach efforts to promote COVID-19 vaccination and increase uptake.As vaccination rates decline and the Delta variant continues to spread, vaccine mandates may become necessary.Although mandates may increase vaccination rates, they fail to address other barriers to vaccination....

Ketamine, also called ketamine hydrochloride, is an injectable medication that is given for surgical anesthesia. Ketamine is usually used along with other anesthetic medications during surgery, but it can be used alone for pain control during certain procedures that don’t require muscle relaxation. During your operation, you would have your vital signs monitored while you are receiving ketamine to minimize the risk of medication-induced side effects. Aside from its medical use, ketamine is also a drug of abuse, and it can cause dangerous health issues when it is used for illegal, non-medical purposes....

The spine has a number of ligaments that help bind the column as a whole. These ligaments connect the individual bones together, and they help form the intervertebral joints. Spinal ligaments also provide stability to the column. They do this by limiting the degree of movement in the direction opposite their location. For example, your anterior longitudinal ligament (see below for details) is located in front of your vertebral bodies. When you arch back, it prevents you from going too far....

People living with Parkinson’s disease may be at an increased risk of developing severe illness and have more difficulty recovering from a COVID-19 infection. They are not, however, at an increased risk of developing COVID-19 infection. Parkinson’s Disease and COVID-19 Risk At this time, people living with Parkinson’s disease do not seem to be at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19. However, there may be an increased risk of developing more severe disease from a COVID-19 infection, particularly respiratory complications, especially for those in later stages of Parkinson’s disease....

Arthritis includes several conditions that affect the joints. There are more than 100 types of arthritis. Many different types of arthritis can affect the hands, wrists, and fingers, including osteoarthritis (OA) and inflammatory arthritis types like rheumatoid arthritis (RA). There’s no cure for arthritis, but there are things you can do to reduce the likelihood of getting arthritis in your hands, preventing arthritis flare-ups, and reducing joint damage. Causes of Arthritis in the Hands Arthritic conditions can cause pain, stiffness, swelling, and tenderness in the small joints of the hands and fingers....

Growing evidence shows that psychedelics like psilocybin are effective at treating depression, and scientists may finally understand why. Researchers found psilocybin works differently from traditional antidepressants by stimulating and rewiring brain pathways that are less active in the depressed brain. Key Takeaways New research suggests psilocybin improves depressive symptoms associated with emotional avoidance and rumination. Brain scans of people with depression revealed that two doses of psilocybin strengthened underactive brain areas, allowing for flexible thinking and less negative thinking patterns....

If you buy your health insurance through the exchange in your state and a premium subsidy (advance premium tax credit, or APTC) is paid on your behalf to offset the premium amount you have to pay each month, it’s important to understand how this gets reconciled on your tax return. If your actual income for the year ends up being more than you projected when you enrolled, you might have to pay back part or all of your health insurance premium subsidy when you file your taxes....

There is no single organ system of the body in which cigarette smoking is anything less than harmful. While focus is often placed on the effects of smoking on the lungs, heart, and skin, the thyroid gland can be hurt just as much. On one hand, smoking can worsen symptoms related to hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s disease. But it can also increase the risk of developing disorders like Grave’s disease in the first place....

Sprains and strains are common soft-tissue injuries. Both are often caused by tissue being stretched too far. This can lead to tissue damage and even tearing. Though their names sound similar, sprains and strains are uniquely defined by the tissues they involve. Sprains are injuries to ligaments, bands of tissue that connect bones to each other and prevent abnormal movements. Strains involve muscles and/or tendons, tissue that attach muscles to bones and other structures....

The Take Action pill is the generic form of Plan B, a type of emergency contraception. Taking it within 24 to 48 hours of condomless sex or a birth control failure can help prevent unintended pregnancy. The Take Action pill is not regular contraception but is intended to be used as a backup when mistakes happen. However, Take Action may not be suitable in all situations and may increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy....

The sponge is a reversible, over-the-counter barrier method of birth control. The Today Sponge is a round device that is 1.57 inches in diameter and about half of an inch thick. It is made of soft polyurethane foam, which feels like natural vaginal tissue, and is coated with sperm-killing nonoxynol-9 spermicide. It also has a cotton loop attached to the bottom for removal. History The Today Sponge was first introduced in 1983 and became the largest-selling over-the-counter female contraceptive in the U....

Knee pain when you bend or flex the joint is often caused by arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis, or patellofemoral pain. If your knees hurt when sitting, it may be from sitting in the wrong position or sitting for too long. Most adults will experience knee pain when sitting on their heels or cross-legged. These positions put stress on the knee joints that can cause discomfort. However, if simply bending your knee or lowering yourself to sit in a chair causes pain, you should have your knee examined....

A spinal disc herniation occurs when a disc—the soft cushion between two vertebrae—pushes outward beyond the normal boundaries of a healthy disc. Medical professionals use several terms to describe the extent of a spinal disc herniation seen on an MRI examination, including disc protrusion, disc extrusion, and disc sequestration. A herniation’s classification depends on the condition of two disc parts: the annulus fibrosus (the disc’s tough outer covering) and the nucleus pulposus (the jelly-like center of the disc)....

Recovery from a vaginoplasty takes around six weeks. In order to help prevent complications and to ensure the success of the surgery, it’s important to follow all of your surgeon’s post-operative instructions. These instructions will include restricting certain activities, adhering to your vaginal dilation schedule, and carefully following hygiene protocols. Surgery Follow-Up After a vaginoplasty, you can expect to have follow-up appointments approximately one to two times a week for at least the first month....

Affective disorders, also known as mood disorders, are mental disorders that primarily affect a person’s emotional state. They impact the way they think, feel, and go about daily life. There are many types of mood disorders, including major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder, among others. Symptoms vary by condition and from person to person. It is estimated that 21.4% of adults in the United States will experience some type of mood disorder throughout their lives....

Your health insurance deductible and your monthly premiums are probably your two largest healthcare expenses. Even though your deductible counts for the lion’s share of your healthcare spending budget, understanding what counts toward your health insurance deductible, and what doesn’t, isn’t always easy. This article will help you understand what you need to know about health insurance deductibles and how your medical expenses are counted. The design of each health plan determines what counts toward the health insurance deductible, and health plan designs can be notoriously complicated....

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a life-threatening syndrome in which the immune system responds inappropriately to a triggering event, causing damage to healthy cells and organs in the body. It can affect infants, children, and adults. In the familial form of HLH, infants are born with genetic mutations that predispose their immune system to react inappropriately. This is very rare, occurring in 1 in 50,000 births. In acquired HLH, the immune system reacts inappropriately in response to a triggering event, which may be from an infection, cancer, or autoimmune disease....