Posts

Detox foot pads are an over-the-counter (OTC) product that claims to remove toxins from the body while you rest at night. The makers of these adhesive pads, which you stick to the bottom of your feet, also assert that they can improve various other medical conditions. These claims have never been proven, and the product is widely viewed as a scam. This article will debunk some of the claims made by detox foot pad manufacturers and discuss the body’s natural methods of detoxifying itself....

Euthanasia is when a doctor gives someone who is dying medication that will end their life. Some use the terms assisted suicide, physician-assisted death, physician-assisted suicide, and mercy killing as synonyms for euthanasia. But legal and medical experts define these differently. This article defines euthanasia, explains how it is distinguished from assisted suicide, and explores some of the legal limitations around this practice. What Is Assisted Suicide? Assisted suicide is when ill people kill themselves with someone else’s help....

Exercise is important for everyone, but if you have arthritis, it is considered essential. Exercise helps you: increase your energy level develop a better sleep pattern control your weight maintain a healthy heart increase bone and muscle strength decrease depression and fatigue improve self-esteem and self-confidence Exercise is important for healthy joints. Moving your joints daily helps to preserve or improve range of motion. Strengthening the surrounding muscles helps to support the joints....

Normal pressure hydrocephalus is an enlargement of the spaces in the brain, called ventricles, that contain cerebrospinal fluid — a clear fluid that bathes the brain and spinal cord and is often termed abbreviated CSF. Normal pressure hydrocephalus causes difficulty walking, thinking, and controlling the bladder. Symptoms can improve when a neurosurgeon places a drain called a shunt into the ventricles so that CSF flows into the abdomen instead of flowing down the spinal column....

Progesterone is well known as a primary female sex hormone. It is required to regulate the menstrual cycle, vital for a woman to get pregnant (and maintain pregnancy), and needed for the early development of a human embryo. Progesterone is also considered an “endogenous steroid,” belonging to a group of steroid hormones called progestogens. What Is Progesterone? The hormonal influence on the body is very complex. Hormones are molecules made up of chemical substances....

COVID-19 has introduced unprecedented challenges to health care. As people seek to manage their care in new and different ways during the pandemic, telehealth has proven to be a particularly successful innovation—something that comes as a pleasant surprise to some physicians. Key Takeaways As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s been an upsurge in telehealth visits.Reduced costs, reduced travel time, and increased access to care are some of the biggest advantages of telehealth....

The Donut Hole: What You Still Need to Know The donut hole refers to a period of time during the year when a Medicare Part D enrollee’s prescription drug expenses have reached a certain threshold and their out-of-pocket costs can change. The rules around the donut hole have changed over the years. And more changes are coming in the future, as the Inflation Reduction Act will greatly reduce Part D out-of-pocket costs for enrollees with high-cost medications....

All people 12 and older are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, and state and local health departments are determining how the COVID-19 vaccines are being distributed. Key Takeaways On May 12, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that all individuals 12 and older are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.State and local health departments are managing distribution.The first phase of COVID-19 vaccine distribution, which began in December 2020 and ended in April 2021, prioritized healthcare workers, residents of assisted living facilities, essential workers, adults ages 65 and older, and people ages 16 to 64 with high-risk medical conditions....

Ischemic colitis is when the blood flow to the large intestine is interrupted. Constant blood flow to the intestines is needed to keep those organs healthy, and when illness or injury causes blood vessels to be blocked or narrowed, it can cause ischemic colitis. Ischemic colitis can occur at any age but it is more common in people over 60. Ischemic colitis is usually treated in the hospital with supportive measures, but in some cases, surgery might be needed....

A monoclonal antibody (mAb) is a type of immune protein produced in a lab that binds to a specific protein on a cell called an antigen. As with naturally occurring antibodies, monoclonal antibodies stimulate the immune system to act against disease-causing agents. Matching a specific human-made antibody to a particular target has many applications in medicine. This includes the targeted treatment of diseases like cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and COVID-19. Monoclonal antibodies can also be used to type blood samples, detect pregnancy, and diagnose infectious and noninfectious diseases....

Potiga (ezogabine, retigabine) is an anti-epileptic drug (AED) that was approved for seizure prevention by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The manufacturer discontinued this medication in 2017. Potiga was available in tablet form and was approved for adults ages 18 and over. It was reported to cause a number of side effects, including changes in the retina (an important region of the eye). There were several safety warnings issued by the FDA prior to its withdrawal from the market....

Pain in the outer portion of your ankle may be due to a condition called peroneal tendonitis, or peroneal tendinopathy. The pain may prevent you from walking or running normally. It may interfere with your work or recreational activity. Physical therapy (PT) for peroneal tendonitis may help you regain normal ankle mobility, strength, and function. This article will explore peroneal tendonitis and how a physical therapist can evaluate and treat the condition....

Eye complications are not uncommon in people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an inflammatory autoimmune disease where your immune system mistakenly attacks your joints. These attacks cause inflammation, which leads to painful, swollen, and stiff joints. Chronic inflammation might eventually cause joint damage and disability. RA is a systemic disease, meaning it can have whole-body effects. Systemic symptoms occur in people who have a more severe form of the disease. This could mean more inflammation to other parts of your body, including your skin, blood vessels, and eyes....

Shingrix (recombinant zoster vaccine) is a newer vaccination, approved in 2017 by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the prevention of shingles (herpes zoster). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a Shingrix vaccination is one of the most effective ways to protect against shingles, as well as a serious complication of shingles called postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). Recommendations Who Should Get Shingrix? According to the CDC, Shingrix is advised for adults who:...

Spirulina is a blue-green algae from the genus Arthrospira (“arthro” roughly means “joint,” and “spira” means “spiral”). The Aztecs in Mexico and people living in the Lake Chad area in Africa have used spirulina for centuries. Spirulina’s usually cultivated from lakes or farmed in ponds. Spirulina contains several nutrients, including fat-soluble vitamins (A, E, and K), fatty acids (DHA, EPA), beta-carotene, and minerals. It’s also a source of protein, but it lacks high enough levels of some of the amino acids that your body needs to function at its best (unless you have a medical condition where you need to avoid specific amino acids, like phenylketonuria or “PKU”)....

Tailbone pain is felt at the base of your spine. It is often caused by injury to the tailbone. Tailbone pain tends to occur when sitting, standing for long periods, and rising from a seated position. Pain during bowel movements and pain during sex are also common. Tailbone pain can vary from person to person. For some people, it’s a faint, throbbing pain. Others have severe, sharp pain that can radiate to other areas....

If you live with eczema, you might be wondering if there are any at-home treatments that are simple, safe, and effective. Some people with eczema use essential oils as a complementary therapy (in addition to traditional treatments recommended by their doctor) to soothe their symptoms. Essential oils are highly concentrated compounds that are extracted and distilled from plants. The oils are often used in aromatherapy, inhaled directly or in a mist created by a diffuser....

Though you may think that your teeth are set in place, they actually move and adjust position throughout your life. This is typically normal and unproblematic. However, in some cases, this movement can be more pronounced, causing crookedness (malocclusion) and sometimes pain in the teeth. There are many reasons that teeth change position, such as from wearing braces, having teeth removed, grinding teeth, growth of the jaw, and having gum disease....

In anticipation of a sleep study, the last thing that anyone wants to experience is a night of insomnia. The time it takes to get evaluated, the expense, and the importance of the results to diagnose sleep disorders can lead to some performance anxiety. Whether in a testing center or at home, how can you avoid insomnia during a sleep test? Consider tips to prepare for a good night of sleep, how the test experience can be optimized, and what to do if you need more help, such as a sleeping pill....

Tums is one of the most commonly used over-the-counter (OTC) antacid medications to treat heartburn, but drinking alcohol while taking Tums can undo its positive effects. Tums is an antacid manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline that helps lower the production of stomach acid. Its main ingredient is calcium carbonate. This compound works similarly to another popular active ingredient in antacids, sodium bicarbonate, in that it helps to neutralize excess stomach acid. Presently there are no studies that highlight a contraindication (reason not to take) or negative interaction between calcium carbonate and alcohol, but alcohol is a common trigger of acid reflux, so combining the two is not recommended....