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What Is Percocet? Percocet (oxycodone and acetaminophen) is an opioid combination drug. It is a Schedule II controlled substance available only as a tablet with a prescription. Percocet is used to control pain in adults. The safety and effectiveness of Percocet in children have not been established for all forms of this medicine. Use should be determined by your child’s healthcare provider. Oxycodone works by preventing pain signals from reaching the brain through the nerves....

Approximately 38% of adults and 28% of children in the United States have prediabetes, a health condition associated with abnormally high blood sugar levels. While blood sugar (glucose) levels are elevated in prediabetes, they are not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. This article highlights the possible symptoms of prediabetes, including extreme thirst, frequent urination, and blurry vision. It also reviews the complications that may arise if the condition is not managed....

Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee), a condition in which the cartilage that cushions the joint wears away, can hobble you with pain, stiffness, and limited range of motion. Treating these symptoms is key to managing knee OA and involves a variety of measures, ranging from home remedies to over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription pain medications to injections. These treatments are meant to alleviate discomfort and restore movement as well as to prevent the need for knee replacement surgery....

On December 11, 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved an emergency use authorization (EUA) submitted by Pfizer, giving the pharmaceutical company the green light to begin distributing its COVID-19 vaccine to people ages 16 and older. Emergency use authorizations followed on December 18, 2020, for Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine and on February 27, 2021, for Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine, which are each authorized for adults 18 and older....

A sore tongue and throat can have a number of possible causes. Most are not serious, such as the common cold, burning mouth syndrome, or a mouth ulcer. In some cases, however, a sore throat and tongue may have a more serious cause, such as cancer. Determining the cause of your sore throat or tongue can be imperative in determining what, if any, treatment you might need. This article outlines basic facts about common conditions that cause a sore tongue and throat and how to treat them....

A new study found that White people spend disproportionately more than people of color for healthcare services in the United States. Researchers said the results imply a need for equitable health care access and more funding for preventative care. Key Takeaways A new study shows that White people spend disproportionately more on health care than people of color in the United States.Data shows that Black people spend more on emergency department and inpatient care while White people spend more on primary care and prescriptions....

The inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) include Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and indeterminate colitis. These conditions are lifelong, chronic diseases that cause inflammation in the digestive tract and other effects on other body systems. IBD is managed on an individual basis, with medications, lifestyle changes, and diet. One potential treatment that often gets discussed is probiotics. Probiotics are bacteria that are found in some foods (like yogurt, kefir, kimchi, and kombucha) and are also made into supplements....

A healthy diet is one of the most important treatment approaches to managing polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), but that doesn’t mean women with the condition can’t go out to eat. The reality is, more meals are eaten outside the home than ever. American adults buy a meal or a snack from a restaurant 5.8 times per week on average, according to the National Restaurant Association. A big reason for this is because people are busier than ever and dining out is convenient, time-saving, and pleasurable....

Vaginal discharge may be many colors and consistencies and may change throughout the month. The color of discharge may be red, brown, white, clear, yellow, green, or pink. Most vaginal discharge is normal, but sometimes certain colors may also be an indication of a problem that needs treatment. Learn more about the different colors of vaginal discharge, what causes them, and when you need to see a healthcare professional. What Is Vaginal Discharge?...

Norepinephrine is both a chemical messenger from your central nervous system (CNS) and a stress hormone released from within your adrenal glands. It regulates numerous internal functions that keep your brain and body running efficiently. This article explains the many important functions of norepinephrine, or NE. It also includes information about the causes of abnormal norepinephrine levels and related conditions, along with ways you can keep your NE levels balanced....

People who live with primary or secondary immunodeficiency may be concerned about their risks during the pandemic. This includes risks of contracting the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) from another person and having a more severe course of COVID-19 (the disease it causes). If you have one of the more than 400 types of primary immunodeficiency, you may be more likely to have infections than healthy people. Those with secondary immunodeficiency, when the immune system is compromised because of an outside factor, such as a disease or a medication, may also be at increased risk of infections....

If you’ve just cut your finger off in a table saw, it’s pretty clear that the emergency room should be your next stop. But not all emergencies are quite that clear-cut. Emergency rooms are the most expensive places to receive medical treatment, so for non-emergency situations, insurers want their members to utilize other, lower-cost venues, including urgent care centers or a primary care provider’s office. When patients use non-ER facilities, it’s less costly for the insurer, and that translates into lower overall healthcare cost—and lower insurance premiums—for everyone....

If you’ve ever had the stomach flu, known as gastroenteritis, you’re far from alone. Infection with norovirus, the most common cause, is the second most common illness in the US. Occurring due to infection and inflammation of the intestines and stomach, typical symptoms include fever, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and vomiting. In most cases, stomach flu resolves without medical management, and there’s no outright cure for it. Ensuring you get rest, staying hydrated, and making dietary changes are among the strategies to help you manage stomach flu....

Neck and back pain are unpleasant sensations in one or more areas of the neck, mid and upper back, or low back. Spine pain can be brought about by any number of causes and may bring on symptoms in other areas of your body. Spine-related pain is very common, with low back pain affecting up to 80% of the population at some time in their lives. Low back pain is about twice as common as neck pain, and low back occurs about as frequently as knee pain....

If you’re an athlete who has been sidelined by back pain, you likely want to return to your sport as soon as possible. But, where do you start? As you may suspect, the smartest first choice is getting checked by your healthcare provider. Seeing your healthcare provider may help you separate out any serious health problems from the generic issues that often cause back pain in athletes. A clear diagnosis may help you get started sooner with treatment which may yield a better recovery payoff....

Recovery after brain aneurysm surgery can take months or longer, and often involves rehabilitative therapy and adjusting to new medications. There is a range in the amount of time it takes to recover, and the duration of your recovery depends on the type of brain aneurysm surgery you had, whether your aneurysm ruptured prior to surgery, whether you had any surgical complications, and your overall health. You may be able to go home within days after a minimally invasive prophylactic brain aneurysm repair....

If someone has mentioned that ginger may help your chemotherapy-induced nausea, you are probably anxious to hear the truth. Nausea and vomiting related to chemotherapy is considered one of the most annoying side effects of cancer treatment. Not only does it make a person feel bad, but it can result in dehydration and consequent hospitalizations. While there are prescription drugs which are very helpful with these symptoms, alternative treatments have, in some cases, been shown to be helpful with several of the symptoms associated with cancer treatment....

If you are injured or ill and are not moving well, you may need to visit a healthcare professional to help you decrease pain and improve mobility. One such professional may be a physical therapist, and another may be a chiropractor. There are some similarities between physical therapists and chiropractors. After all, they both help people move better and feel better after an injury. But there are several differences between physical therapists and chiropractors as well....

Patients with neurological illnesses are distinct from other kinds of patients. Because their problem involves their nervous system, they are more prone to develop certain kinds of problems. The advantage of a neurological ICU is that physicians and nurses have specialized training that allows them to better recognize and manage such problems when they arise. What Doctors Tend Worry About the Most in the Neuro-ICU These conditions are what tend to cause the most concern in the neurological ICU environment....

Depth perception is the ability to perceive the world in three dimensions (3D) and to judge the distance of objects. Your brain achieves it by processing different pictures from each eye and combining them to form a single 3D image. Depth perception makes it possible for your eyes to determine distances between objects and to tell if something is near to you or far away. Visual Cues and Depth Perception Depth perception relies on visual cues....