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When you are first diagnosed with bladder cancer, your doctors will perform tests to determine the stage and grade of your disease. The bladder cancer staging and grading processes help your doctors make treatment decisions and estimate your chance of recovery. Bladder cancer is a growth that starts in the inner wall of the bladder, the organ that collects and expels urine created by the kidneys. The bladder has three layers of muscular walls that make up its structure....

The T3 resin uptake (T3RU) test is a test of thyroid-related proteins in the blood. It’s used to help healthcare providers interpret the results of other thyroid tests, namely the T3 and T4 tests, which show how much thyroid hormone is available to the body in free form. However, it’s used less than it used to be due to the development of the free T4 and serum TBG (thyroxine-binding globulin) tests....

Minority stress refers to the way that individuals from underrepresented or stigmatized groups experience a number of stressors that directly relate to a minority identity. When the concept of minority stress was initially proposed by a researcher in 1995, it was defined as a form of stress derived from minority status. With respect to gay men, in particular, the chronic stress related to stigmatization was seen as taking the form of:...

What Is Vascepa? Vascepa contains icosapent ethyl, a modified form of the omega-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). It belongs to the class of medications called lipid-regulating agents, which help control elevated levels of lipids in people with hyperlipidemia (high levels of lipids in the blood). Icosapent ethyl may work by reducing the levels of triglycerides and other fats made in the liver. Lifestyle changes such as eating a low-fat diet, exercising, managing your weight, and quitting smoking may help improve how well this treatment works....

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a serious complication of diabetes that happens when the body produces too many ketones and turn a person’s blood acidic. It is caused by a lack of insulin in the body. Insulin allows glucose to pass from the bloodstream into body cells, where it is used for energy. When your cells don’t get the glucose they need, your liver begins to burn fat for energy instead. This process produces ketones, and when ketones are produced too quickly and build up, they can be toxic....

Arthritis is an inflammatory condition of the joints that causes pain, stiffness, decreased range of motion, and swelling. It can often be diagnosed through a physical exam and X-ray imaging of the joints. It is the leading cause of disability in the United States, affecting approximately one in three adults between the ages of 18 and 64, with a greater prevalence in adults ages 65 and older. Approximately 92 million adults are diagnosed with arthritis by a doctor or report suffering from arthritis-like symptoms, but it is estimated that the number of people with arthritis is actually much higher since many people live with arthritis symptoms but do not seek medical attention....

It is natural to wonder what happens when you die. From a physical standpoint, death occurs when the body’s vital functions stop entirely, including respiration (breathing), heart function, and, finally, brain function. The actual moment of death is part of the process of dying in which these functions shut down, sometimes gradually and, in others cases, abruptly. After death, the body undergoes changes in a consistent pattern as the body temperature drops, skin color and texture change, and muscles relax, stiffen, and then relax again....

“Heart block” is a condition in which the heart’s electrical signal is slowed down or stopped entirely as it moves from the upper cardiac chambers (the atria) to the lower cardiac chambers (the ventricles). Heart block—also called atrioventricular block, or AV block—is one of the two major causes of bradycardia (slow heart rate). (The other major cause is sinus bradycardia). Overview In heart block, the heart’s electrical impulses are partially or completely blocked as they attempt to travel from the atrial chambers of the heart to the ventricular chambers....

Actos (pioglitazone) is an oral medication prescribed for people with type 2 diabetes to help control blood glucose (sugar) levels. It belongs to a class of drugs known as thiazolidinediones (TZDs). Actos works by making muscle and fat cells more sensitive to insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas that controls the levels of sugar in the blood. Actos also cuts down on the amount of glucose the liver produces....

Beta-sitosterol is one of several plant-based substances known as phytosterols. It is similar in chemical structure to the cholesterol your body makes. Naturally found in plants, beta-sitosterol can be consumed through food sources such as vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, and legumes. It is also available in supplement form, as well as a lipid emulsion. Beta-sitosterol is sometimes used to reduce high cholesterol. It has also been studied for a host of other health conditions....

The foot is a complex intersection of numerous muscles, bones, and ligaments that work together to enable you to stand and walk. Occasionally, an issue with one of these anatomical structures leads to pain and puts limitations on your daily function. This article will review the common causes of foot pain, the most frequent accompanying symptoms, and the treatments that are available. Symptoms of Foot Pain Pain in your foot may be the first thing that alerts you to a potential problem....

Chemotherapy infusion is a common breast cancer treatment. Also called an intravenous (IV) infusion, a chemotherapy infusion delivers medication directly into your bloodstream as a body-wide way to fight cancer. Your breast cancer diagnosis, staging, hormone-receptor status, and overall health will be evaluated to determine the appropriate amount of drugs and pre-medications to prevent (or at least mitigate) side effects. Purpose of Infusion In breast cancer, chemotherapy may be used before or after surgery....

Circuit training is a workout that involves rotating through various exercises targeting different parts of the body. Focusing on different muscle groups in a short amount of time is an effective exercise that can be incorporated into a healthy lifestyle. This article provides an overview of circuit training, examples of exercises, and tips on getting started. What Is Circuit Training? Circuit training is a type of workout that involves rotating through a circuit of up to 10 exercises that target different muscle groups....

Essential oils extracted from plants are thought to have several health benefits. One benefit embraced by herbalists is the use of essential oils for ear infections (also known as acute otitis media). Their antimicrobial properties are said to be effective in killing bacteria that cause infection, inflammation, and pain in the ear. But how safe and effective are they? This article weighs the benefits and risks of using essential oils for ear infections....

The eye socket can be the site of any number of injuries and conditions. The job of the socket, otherwise known as the orbit, is to keep the eye protected. However, the eye socket can be vulnerable to conditions such as fractures, infections, and more. Eye Socket Anatomy Usually, the eye is safely cocooned in the proper position, sitting in the bony orbit. Attaching the eye here are six muscles that allow tandem movement in many directions within the socket....

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is important for reproduction. FSH regulates the menstrual cycle and stimulates egg growth in the ovaries. For men, FSH helps make sperm. However, too little or too much FSH can cause infertility (inability to become pregnant). Knowing your FSH levels can help you understand your reproductive health. This article will explain FSH levels and how it affects fertility for women and men. What Is Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)?...

A hiatal hernia is a condition that involves the upper part of the stomach abnormally pushing up through the hiatus. The hiatus is an opening in the diaphragm between the abdomen and the chest. The esophagus (the tube that carries the food from the mouth to the stomach) normally passes through the hiatus. But, in a hiatal hernia, part of the stomach slips through the hiatus into the chest. Commonly, symptoms of a hiatal hernia include acid reflux, a condition in which stomach juices flow back upward into the esophagus....

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is primarily diagnosed with blood and urine tests that detect chemical imbalances caused by the progressive loss of kidney function. The tests may be accompanied by imaging tests and biopsies used to pinpoint the exact cause of the dysfunction. Kidney function tests, also known as renal function tests, are important for monitoring the progression of the disease and your response to therapy. They are also vital to staging the disease and can help differentiate CKD from an acute kidney injury (AKI)....

After a loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP), the last thing on your mind might be having sex, but eventually, you may want to be intimate again with your partner. Since LEEP is a surgical procedure, there are some things to be aware of regarding sex post-LEEP. The average time to wait before having sex after LEEP is about four to six weeks. How long you wait depends on how much of your cervical tissue is removed....

Most of the time, healthcare providers can diagnose thrush by visually examining the mouth and throat. A condition most common in babies, older adults, and people with suppressed immune systems, thrush is caused by an overgrowth of a fungus called candida in the mouth and throat. In some cases, however, a healthcare provider may need to take a sample from those areas and send it to a laboratory for testing. In more severe cases, when thrush has spread to the esophagus, a diagnostic procedure called endoscopy may be needed....