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While much is up in the air about reproductive rights at the moment, the constitutional right to access contraceptives remains in tact. Key Takeaways Despite the recent Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, people still have the constitutional right to access emergency contraception like Plan B and ella. Most emergency contraceptives and abortion pills will last between two to five years, but experts recommend always checking the medication box or bottle before purchase and use....

A woman’s heart looks just like a man’s, but there are significant differences. For example, a woman’s heart is usually smaller as are some of its interior chambers. The walls that divide some of these chambers are thinner. A woman’s heart pumps faster than a man’s, but ejects about 10% less blood with each squeeze. When a woman is stressed, her pulse rate rises and her heart ejects more blood. When a man is stressed, the arteries of his heart constrict, raising his blood pressure....

People with certain underlying medical conditions are at a higher risk of getting the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), and heart failure is one of them. It’s well known that heart failure puts someone at a higher risk of contracting and becoming severely ill with viral respiratory infections. Even though COVID-19 vaccines reduce the risk of COVID-19 infections, people with heart failure and other high-risk conditions are still at increased risk for infection....

Anemia is characterized by a low number of red blood cells (RBCs) and/or defective RBCs that don’t function as they should. Certain physical signs—like pale skin—may provide clues that you have anemia. If you have signs of anemia, a blood test can confirm a low RBC concentration and can detect atypical RBCs. Sometimes, the appearance of your RBCs under a microscope can help in pointing to the cause of your anemia....

The biceps muscle is a large muscle in the front of the arm that gives you strength when bending the elbow, and it also plays an important role in shoulder function. There are several problems that can occur with the biceps tendon that may lead to the development of shoulder pain. Many people think of the biceps only further down the arm and into the elbow joint, but in fact, the muscle, and more specifically the biceps tendon, also have important roles in the function of the shoulder joint....

If you have symptoms that could point to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), the first thing to do is work toward getting an accurate diagnosis. That can take time, several healthcare provider visits, and lots of tests. Many different conditions cause similar symptoms to IBS, including abdominal cramps, bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, or a mix of the two. Proper treatment requires a thorough diagnostic process. This article discusses how to know if you have IBS, the diagnostic process, and treatments for IBS....

Gout, also known as gouty arthritis, is an extremely painful form of arthritis caused by the buildup of uric acid crystals in the soft tissue space of one or more joints. The joint of the big toe is most often affected, triggering an inflammatory reaction that can cause severe pain, redness, and swelling. Gout affects over 8 million people in the United States. Many manage their pain with a combination of over-the-counter (OTC) anti-inflammatory medication and lifestyle modifications, including weight loss, regular exercise, and avoiding food triggers....

A correct diagnosis is essential to delivering timely and effective lung cancer treatment. Healthcare providers use a variety of tests, such as computed tomography (CT) scans, positron emission tomography (PET) scans, and biopsies, to diagnose the disease. This article discusses the types of lung cancer and tests commonly used to make a diagnosis. It explains who should be screened for lung cancer and what the results of any tests typically mean....

Pediatric growth hormone deficiency occurs when the pituitary gland does not make enough of the growth hormone that is responsible for a child’s growth. If the pituitary gland is malformed or damaged, it may be unable to produce growth hormone. The hypothalamus is attached to the pituitary gland and regulates its function. Therefore, issues with the hypothalamus can result in growth hormone deficiency as well. Growth hormone helps a child’s body grow and mature....

The hypothalamus is a small area located in your brain. It makes hormones that control a variety of body functions, such as your mood and hunger. The main purpose of the hypothalamus is to maintain the body at a constant or balanced level. This article will explain more about the hypothalamus and common disorders associated with this portion of the brain. Anatomy of the Hypothalamus The hypothalamus is an important part of the brain because it regulates many functions....

Coping with leukemia involves much more than finding a good healthcare provider and going through treatment. You will need to manage physical concerns, like preventing infections or new issues that may arise years or decades into your survivorship. The emotional roller coaster of prolonged treatment, as many describe it, becomes more of an endurance challenge than a sprint. Even daily life can be impacted, from social issues like relationship changes to the need to now deal with your disease in addition to routine responsibilities....

Medicare has four parts, or programs, that provide coverage for different health-related services. Together, Medicare Parts A and B are called Original (or Traditional) Medicare. Part C is Medicare Advantage (which combines the benefits of Parts A, B, and usually D, into one plan), and Part D is prescription drug coverage. Parts C and D are offered by private insurance companies. This article will explain what you need to know about Medicare Part B, also known as the Medical Insurance program....

My Way is a morning-after pill used for emergency contraception. My Way consists of just one single pill that contains 1.5 mg of the progestin levonorgestrel. My Way emergency contraceptive is FDA-approved to help prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex or suspected contraception failure. My Way is the one-pill generic version of the emergency contraceptive Plan B One-Step. It also contains the same progestin dose as the morning-after pills: Take Action, Next Choice One Dose, and AfterPill....

There are several surgeries that are classified as open heart surgeries. While this form of surgery entails opening up a person’s chest with a large incision to expose and operate on their heart, what a specific operation entails from start to finish differs. Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) is the most common type of open heart surgery. This operation involves going around a blocked coronary artery in order to restore blood flow to the heart....

Made of nerve cells, the optic nerve is located in the back of the eye. Also known as the second cranial nerve or cranial nerve II, it is the second of several pairs of cranial nerves. It is a bundle of nerve cells that transmits sensory information for vision in the form of electrical impulses from the eye to the brain. The optic nerve has been studied heavily because it is a direct extension of the brain....

Epilepsy treatment can involve a number of medications and interventions. In addition to the difficulties in managing this condition, many people face challenges and barriers to getting adequate care. Despite these obstacles, it’s important that you get proper treatment for your epilepsy. Seizures can be distressing, as well as dangerous to your overall health. In some situations, you may need to reach out for help from your medical team, a social worker, your family, a professional caregiver, or a support group to be able to get the care you need....

Personality disorders include 10 diagnosable psychiatric conditions that are recognized and described in the most recent, fifth edition of the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” (DSM-5). Each is a distinct mental illness defined by personality traits that can be troubling enough to create problems with relating to other people in healthy ways and can lead to significant distress or impairment in important areas of functioning. What Are Personality Disorders?...

Being pregnant and giving birth can be a beautiful and emotionally fulfilling time in the life of a mother. That said, this time period can also be physically daunting. On top of caring for a newborn while operating on little to no sleep, many women are left with one or several musculoskeletal conditions as a result of the pregnancy and birthing process. Fortunately, however, there may be an effective solution. Many postpartum diagnoses can be successfully managed or treated with the help of a physical therapist....

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) refers to a type of arthritis that affects your joints and skin. PsA develops in about a third of people with the skin condition known as psoriasis. Psoriasis is characterized by dry, thick, and raised red patches on the skin. Multiple sclerosis is when your body attacks and destroys the protective covering of nerve cells (myelin sheath or fatty coating) of the brain, spinal cord, and/or eyes....

What Is Qutenza? Qutenza (capsaicin 8% patch) is a topical patch used to treat nerve pain (neuropathic pain) from post-herpetic neuralgia, a nerve and skin condition from shingles that causes burning pain, and nerve pain from diabetic peripheral neuropathy which causes numbness and reduced ability to feel sensation in the feet. It is a TRPV1 channel agonist so it works to prevent nerve pain by binding to special receptors (transient receptor potential vanilloid-1 (TRPV-1) receptors) in your skin’s nerves....