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Living with a headache disorder can be frustrating, but you aren’t alone. With the right healthcare team, healthy lifestyle habits, and support from your loved ones, you can learn to combat headaches. You can live a full and healthy life with a headache disorder. The key is finding emotional, physical, social, and practical strategies to help you cope. Emotional It can be daunting to manage a headache disorder. You might feel like your days are consumed by avoiding triggers, attending doctor appointments, picking up prescriptions, and navigating insurance....

When hip replacement surgery is performed, the damaged bone and cartilage of the hip joint are removed and replaced with prosthetic parts made of some combination of metal, ceramic, or plastic. These prosthetic parts recreate a healthy ball-and-socket hip joint that is painless and allows for normal hip function after proper recovery and rehabilitation. Before the Surgery On the day of your hip replacement surgery, you will first go to a pre-operative room where you will change into a hospital gown....

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can affect areas of the mouth and throat. Oral symptoms are common for people with HIV, with anywhere from 30% to 80% of individuals experiencing some type of mouth sore or lesion. In some cases, tongue or mouth issues are the first signs of an HIV infection. If these oral symptoms sound familiar, consider seeking your healthcare provider’s advice for early screening and treatment. HIV is a disease that attacks the immune system....

Holy basil is commonly known as Tulasi in Sanskrit or Tulsi in Hindi. Holy basil is a perennial flowering plant from the mint family called Lamiaceae. While this plant is native to the Indian subcontinent, it may grow throughout Southeast Asia. There are several different types of holy basil. The Ocimum tenuiflorum or Ocimum sanctum species consists of the following: Rama or Sri tulsi, which has green leavesKrishna or Shyama tulsi, which has purple-colored leaves Another species of holy basil is called Ocimum gratissimum....

Ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) is a rare genetic disorder affecting the nervous system and blood vessels that often shows symptoms in infancy or early childhood. It is diagnosed in a clinical setting, where your doctor will consider a combination of factors. Patient history, a thorough clinical evaluation, symptom identification, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and lab tests, including blood tests and karyotyping (a detailed evaluation of a person’s chromosomes), are typical in the diagnostic process....

You do not want to pay more than necessary, but if you don’t read your Medicare bill, you could do just that. Medicare Summary Notices outline what care you received, how much Medicare covers, and how much you will be billed. Learn how to read your Medicare statements to make sure they are accurate. It is the best way to protect yourself against Medicare fraud and abuse. The Medicare Summary Notice If you are on Original Medicare (Part A and Part B), you will receive a Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) quarterly, i....

Hypophosphatasia (HPP), also known as Rathbun disease, is a rare inborn disorder that affects the development of bones and teeth. In HPP, a genetic mutation impairs the ALPL gene, which regulates mineralization (or “calcification”), a process essential for bone and tooth strength. The severity of this condition varies. More severe cases, in which skeletal abnormalities are present at birth, are seen in about 1 in 100,000 newborns. Management of this condition ranges from taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and using orthotics to injections of the drug Strensiq (asfotase alfa)....

Noticing red bumps in your genital area can be alarming, especially if you aren’t sure what’s causing them. It’s not always easy to tell the difference between something like genital herpes and ingrown hairs. Although they can sometimes look similar, genital herpes and ingrown hairs have different causes and treatments. Read on to learn how to tell the difference between these two conditions, what to do to ease your symptoms, and when you should call your healthcare provider....

The larynx is the tube that connects the bottom of the throat to the windpipe (trachea). It is divided into three sections called the supraglottis, glottis, and subglottis. Structures in the larynx include the: Epiglottis: A flap of tissue that closes to prevent food from entering the tracheaVocal cords: Two bands of muscle that open and close Laryngeal cancer can develop anywhere inside this space. Laryngeal Cancer Symptoms One of the most common symptoms that develop with laryngeal cancer is hoarseness or a change in the voice....

A neuroma—a.k.a. a nerve tumor or “pinched nerve”—is an often painful but typically benign abnormal growth of nerve tissue. Neuromas can occur anywhere in the body. A common type of neuroma in the foot, called Morton’s neuroma, grows between the third and fourth toes. The hand is another common site for a neuroma to develop. This article explains neuroma symptoms and their causes. It presents information about when you may want to see a healthcare provider for a possible diagnosis and neuroma treatment....

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal condition that causes increased androgen hormones, which play a role in male traits. PCOS can cause symptoms such as facial hair growth, irregular or absent menstrual periods, acne, ovarian cysts, and problems with fertility. PCOS is also associated with insulin resistance, in which the body does not use the blood sugar-regulating hormone insulin well. It also is linked to an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes....

Most pregnancies last about 40 weeks, or just more than nine months. Labor that begins before 37 weeks is called premature or preterm labor. A birth that occurs before 37 weeks is considered a premature or preterm birth. Babies born prematurely are at higher risk of being born with serious and long-term health problems. Premature birth is the most common cause of infant death and is the leading cause of long-term disability related to the nervous system in children....

The Depo-Provera birth control shot has advantages and disadvantages compared to other types of birth control. While it’s convenient and effective, for example, the Depo shot also carries the risk of side effects like irregular bleeding and bone loss. This article looks at some of the pros and cons of using Depo-Provera. It also discusses some other things you might want to consider before you try this form of birth control....

A prostate exam is done by a healthcare provider to feel for problems with the prostate, a walnut-sized gland located between the bladder and penis. It’s also called a digital rectal exam because it involves the insertion of a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum. A prostate exam can check for an infected, enlarged, or inflamed prostate. If you have symptoms such as trouble urinating, your healthcare provider may recommend a prostate exam to find the cause....

If you have psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and the condition has caused significant damage to your joints, your doctor may recommend surgical intervention. Typically, the surgery needed for psoriatic arthritis is total joint replacement surgery, in which the surgeon replaces damaged joints with durable plastic and metal parts. Surgery is usually considered a last resort if other treatment options fail to work. However, PsA is an autoimmune and inflammatory form of arthritis, in which your immune system attacks your joints by mistake....

Inflation reached a 40-year high in the United States with noticeably higher prices in grocery stores. Key Takeaways Inflation makes food budgeting even harder for SNAP participants who already struggled to afford fresh, nutritious foods.Programs like SNAP-Ed offer nutrition education and help participants make healthy eating choices with a limited budget.Pandemic relief for SNAP participants is set to expire in many states and it will place further financial pressure for people who are food insecure....

Every parent worries about their child’s safety. Parents of children with autism worry more, and for good reason. Children with autism are both more vulnerable and more likely to place themselves in harm’s way than typically developing kids of the same age. Fortunately, there are a number of steps parents can take to avoid risk and make it easier to address safety issues when they do come up. Why Safety Is an Issue for Children With Autism With autism can come a number of different safety risks....

If you find your allergies getting worse this spring, elevated stress from the pandemic or your day-to-day may be the culprit. Key Takeaways A new study suggests that there may be a connection between the corticotropin-releasing stress hormone and seasonal allergies.The study’s findings suggest that the corticotropin-releasing stress hormone may cause the activation of mast cells, which causes allergies and other conditions.More research is needed to see if blocking the corticotropin-releasing stress hormone would be an appropriate and effective way to minimize or eliminate allergies....

If you have been diagnosed with a brain tumor, you may be able to get some of your medical care with telehealth. Treatment for brain tumors requires in-person procedures, but important aspects of your care—such as monitoring tumor symptoms and managing the side effects of treatment—can often be facilitated with telehealth. Healthcare providers’ offices are taking precautions to see patients safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. But cancer, including a brain tumor, is one of the risk factors for severe COVID-19 illness....

There are some things you ideally shouldn’t say to someone with lung cancer. Far too many people with lung cancer have shared their hurt over comments made by friends and loved ones. Sometimes the remarks are insensitive, but often times they seem very innocent, especially to someone who hasn’t lived with lung cancer. These comments are usually made with good intentions; people aren’t trying to be hurtful and cause pain. On the contrary, many of these comments are attempts to connect and share an understanding....