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Menopause is the point in a person’s reproductive cycle when they stop menstruating and therefore are no longer able to conceive a child. Perimenopause is the stage leading up to menopause, during which time the hormones estrogen and progesterone start declining. Though menopause traditionally marks the end of fertility, there has been some success with experimental treatments to temporarily reverse this process, allowing the body to restart menstruation. If proven to be safe and effective in the future, such treatments could be promising for people who are exploring reproductive options during perimenopause....

Financial burdens are a common source of stress for those with cancer. It’s especially tough for people with little or no insurance. But it can put strain on any cancer patient, their families, and caregivers. Fortunately, there are several financial assistance programs that help with cancer-related costs. They include government-subsidized programs, community-based services, and organizations founded by families of cancer patients or by patients for patients. This article reviews many organizations that help with cancer-related financial assistance....

The ictal phase is the most symptomatic and recognizable aspect of a seizure. While it may be the shortest seizure phase—lasting only a few seconds—the ictal phase of a seizure is often associated with involuntary movements or a decreased level of awareness. There are a number of seizure types, and they are typically identified based on the effects that occur during the ictal phase. Generally, during this phase, there are changes in brainwave activity that can be detected with an electroencephalogram (EEG)....

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the fourth most prevalent cause of death in the world and the third leading cause of death and disability in the U.S. Currently, there is no cure for COPD. However, with many medical breakthroughs and improvements in treatment in development, here’s hope a cure may be coming someday soon. This article discusses the challenges related to finding a cure for COPD, research on treatment advances, and how the outcomes and prognoses for those with COPD are improving....

If you have arthritis or another joint condition, you may be looking for supplements that can help with joint pain. There are a variety of nutritional supplements for joint pain on the market, and often it may be hard to separate those that may be effective from those that likely aren’t. If you’re currently on prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medication or regularly take other nutritional supplements, consider that even “natural” remedies could interact with these....

If your lower back hurts when you lie down, it could be caused by a number of different problems. You may have an injury such as a strain. Or you may be dealing with a health condition like arthritis or sciatica. Lower back pain can be mild. It can also be so severe that it keeps you from functioning in your daily life. Nighttime pain can make it hard to get enough rest....

Malnutrition refers to getting too little, too much, or having an overall imbalance of energy and/or nutrients. You can easily find online quizzes that are aimed at identifying if you are malnourished or not. However, it’s best to rely on diagnostic tests and criteria from licensed medical professionals for this type of screening. Online quizzes may not take your individual circumstances into account or could miss important signs or symptoms, leaving you at risk for health problems....

The medial (inner) compartment is an extremely significant part of the knee joint. Along with the lateral (outer) and patellofemoral (behind the kneecap) compartments, this area plays an influential role in your ability to do everyday activities like standing and walking. Many important structures are contained in this inner area. Anatomy The medial compartment of the knee includes everything within the inner half of the joint and is located where the tibia (shinbone) and femur (thigh bone) meet....

Penile implant surgery is an operation in which a prosthesis is implanted into the penis for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) that isn’t improving with nonsurgical treatment. This is a major surgical procedure that’s done to help regain sexual function. Though there are less-invasive treatments, such as vascular (artery or vein) repair or the use of vacuum erectile dysfunction devices, this surgery is considered the gold standard approach for difficult cases....

Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer death in the United States, taking more than 130,000 lives in 2021. Someone is diagnosed with lung cancer every two and a half minutes, roughly 646 people per day. The symptoms of lung cancer—cough, shortness of breath, hemoptysis, pallor, and fatigue —are often insidious and non-specific, so they are easily confused with other medical conditions. This article discusses the variety of tests used to make a diagnosis....

Having a special vascular access device (VAD) called a port-a-cath (port) allows chemotherapy to be administered safely. A port is a device implanted under the skin to give access to a large vein. It can be used to deliver chemotherapies that are too dangerous to give through small veins. The port can also be used for blood draws, other intravenous (IV) medications, and special imaging tests like CT (computed tomography) scans or PET (positron-emission tomography) scans....

​Symptoms of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) can interfere with a person’s job performance and their ability to perform some of the simplest daily activities, such as getting dressed, putting on their shoes, cleaning house, or driving. Research shows a third of people with PsA will claim short-term or long-term disability due to their loss of joint function. If your symptoms are starting to severely impact your ability to do your job, you might consider applying for disability....

A quad marker test, also referred to as a quad-screen, is one of the tests you may have if you are pregnant. It is a blood test that can approximate the risk of problems that could affect your growing baby, such as Down syndrome, spina bifida, and miscarriage. Purpose of Test The quad test is recommended for all pregnant women during the early portion of the second trimester of pregnancy, between 15 to 20 weeks....

What Is Renvela? Renvela (sevelamer) is a medication that is used to control high phosphorus levels (hyperphosphatemia) in people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) who are on dialysis. Dialysis is a medical treatment that manually filters your blood when the kidneys can’t do it independently. Phosphorus is an important electrolyte that helps with energy levels, bone growth, and muscle contraction. But having too much phosphorus in your body can damage the heart, bones, and muscles....

Common side effects of the shingles vaccine, called Shingrix, are mild pain and redness at the injection site. Some may experience fatigue, headache, and fever. Shingles vaccine side effects may last for a few days but are not serious. More serious side effects, like an allergic reaction, are rare. It’s important to be aware of the potential side effects of the shingles vaccine, but the benefits of vaccination almost always outweigh concern about side effects....

Coping with small cell lung cancer goes far beyond the physical aspects of the disease and affects all aspects of life: emotional, social, and practical well-being as well. If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with the disease, you may wonder where to even begin when it comes to coping with so many complex concerns at the same time. Problem solving experts tell us that seemingly enormous problems are best addressed by breaking down the problem into individual issues and concerns, and we will do just that....

Sun blisters are small fluid-filled bumps that appear on seriously burned skin. They are caused by a sunburn, which is a type of radiation burn due to overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. There are three degrees of sunburn that are based on the size and depth of burned skin. The higher the degree, the more severe the burn is. Sun blisters are second-degree burns, which affect the epidermis (outer layer of the skin) and dermis (layer below the epidermis that includes blood capillaries and nerve endings)....

A tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) is an elective cosmetic surgery to remove excess skin around the abdomen (belly or tummy). The goal is to tighten and slim the tummy area. It may also involve tightening or sewing abdominal muscles back together. Tummy tucks are not weight loss surgery. If weight loss is your goal, you may also need liposuction or other types of surgery to achieve your desired outcome. Long-term results are not guaranteed, but avoiding weight gain after surgery can help maintain results....

Type 2 diabetes, formerly known as adult-onset diabetes, accounts for up to 95% of diabetes cases and is mostly the result of obesity and a lack of exercise. However, there are other causes and risk factors that contribute to this form of diabetes. This article explains what type 2 diabetes is and lists the seven common factors that can increase the risk of a disease that currently affects over 34 million adults and children in the United States....

Hearing loss is a condition where you can’t hear sound completely in either or both of your ears. Hearing loss is a progressive disorder, which means that it occurs gradually and spreads over time. About 25% of seniors between 65 to 74 years old experience hearing loss. However, hearing loss is not limited by the age of a person; a lot of things can lead to it. Other names you may see for hearing loss include:...