Overview The lower back is the site of most back pain, says the Mayo Clinic. The low back consists of a stack of bones that surrounds and protects the spinal cord, according to the book, “Understanding Medical Surgical Nursing.” The…
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Yoga uses stretches to increase flexibility, encourage proper posture and relieve physical issues. Many yoga poses do not require a lot of space and adapt well for a person who has to stay at a desk. The Mayo Clinic stresses…
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The shin bone, or tibia, is connected to the thigh bone, or femur, by a series of ligaments, including the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The ACL keeps the tibia from shifting ahead of the femur, maintains the correct angle between…
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1. Cystic Fibrosis and Failure to Thrive One of the first indicators that a child might have cystic fibrosis (CF) is a clinical picture called failure to thrive (FTT). FTT is a blanket term used when a childâs growth falls…
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White blood cells play an important role in the immune system as they scavenge the blood for invading bacteria, viruses and other foreign material. Low white blood cell counts, a condition called neutropenia, is usually mild and asymptomatic. Severe, chronic…
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Proper posture involves the body’s ability to support itself against gravity. This includes the proper alignment of bones and joints for effective muscular efficiency. The first thing to do is to become aware of your actual posture, you may be…
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Overview The hip joint is created by the ball of the head of the femur (thighbone) and the socket of the pelvic bone. When the hip is dislocated, the head of the femur is pushed outside of the socket to…
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Seizures result from electrical signals that misfire in the brain. This may cause abnormal limb jerking, staring spells or even hallucinations. Some people may be unaware of their symptoms, losing consciousness, after which they later awake. Others, can continue about…
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Overview A spa foot treatment can be a special treat or a relaxing and soothing end to a long day. Going to a professional spa for a foot treatment can be expensive and time-consuming. However, it is possible to give…
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Many prescription drugs are available to reduce blood pressure. While these drugs do not cure hypertension, they control it until the underlying health problem is cured or until lifestyle modifications start displaying their beneficial effects. Your doctor will decide which…
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Multiple myeloma is considered to be a hematological cancer. This means that it originates in the blood system. Myeloma cells are abnormal plasma cells that develop instead of the normal plasma cells. These cells do not die as normal blood…
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Multiple myeloma is a type of cancer that affects the plasma cells found in the blood. These cells are formed in the bone marrow. As the disease process continues, the patient becomes at-risk for several complications. Most of these complications…
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Diabetes (type 2) is a disorder where the body has high levels of blood glucose (sugar) and thus cannot properly turn meals consumed into energy for the body. There are many different risk factors for this disease, including lifestyle choices…
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Overview Cardiovascular exercise such as running, jogging, walking, biking and group fitness classes are an excellent way to lose fat but often can give you a very lean look. To keep your muscle tone or build muscle with cardio, chose…
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Overview About nine in every 10 teenagers will get pimples, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). Acne is the most common skin disease in the United States, affecting up to 50 million teens and adults every year, the…
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The liver has many important functions in the body including bile production, blood filtering and nutrient storage. When the liver is damaged, these functions are impaired and symptoms such as fatigue and jaundice can result. Damage to the liver can…
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The most current statistics produced by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS in 2009 reported that an estimated 35 million individuals currently live with HIV globally. Of the 35 million, 1.4 million live in the North America. This epidemic…
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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 1.2 million hospitalizations and more than 55,000 deaths occurred in 2006 due to pneumonia. Pneumonia is a specific type of lung infection. The lungs are made of the airways, which…
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A sinus infection causes nasal passageways to become inflamed, swollen and filled with mucous. Additional symptoms include pain, headache and difficulty breathing through the nose. Sinusitis is caused by the common cold as well as bacteria, allergies and fungus infections,…
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Diagnosing mental health symptoms can be a difficult and daunting task. Clinicians rely on self-reports from patients who may give inaccurate, vague or exaggerated descriptions of their symptoms. Many diagnoses are similar, and symptoms often overlap among diagnoses. Individuals with…
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The muscles of your inner thighs can be trained in two ways, lifting and squeezing. The inner thighs, or adductors, are part of your core muscles that work to stabilize your trunk. They adduct and externally rotate your hip joint,…
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While crunches are a great way to tone your midsection and strengthen your lower back, they do next to nothing to get rid of belly fat. Since you can’t spot reduce–lose weight or fat from a specific part of your…
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Cold sores are small, blister-like lesions appearing on the lip area. The sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus and are also known as fever blisters. The sores generally appear for 10 to 14 days. Pain or tingling sensations…
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Bladder infections are a subset of urinary tract infections. Infections of the urinary tract generally occur when the urethra–the opening through which urine is expelled–becomes infected with bacteria. Bacteria are then able to travel up through the urinary tract into…
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Most everyone experiences diarrhea (loose, watery stools) and stomach cramps at some point in their lives, often without need for medical treatment. When stomach cramps and diarrhea are severe, they may indicate conditions such as food poisoning, irritable bowel syndrome…
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Nystagmus can be defined as the rapid and involuntary movement of the eyes in a back-and-forth, up-and-down or rotary motion that often decreases vision. Nystagmus can cause the eyes to jerk involuntarily. It is always cause for consultation with your…
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According to the American Lung Association, cigarette smoking is the number one cause of preventable disease and death worldwide. Cigarette smoke contains many harmful ingredients, with nicotine and carbon monoxide being among the most lethal. The inhalation of secondhand smoke…
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Oral yeast infections, also called thrush, are common in children and adults. They most commonly occur in babies, people with uncontrolled diabetes, people with compromised immune systems and those taking certain medications. Smokers are also more likely to get thrush….
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When it comes to toning and tightening your butt, you only need a few tried-and-true exercises to effectively target the area and see results. While television infomercials are constantly bombarding you with the latest gadgets and gizmos for a toned…
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Overview Those looking to build muscles often ignore fitness guidelines and overwork their muscles, leading to constant muscle aches and pains. Overworking your muscles actually prevents muscle growth, because your muscles do not have time to adjust to the strain…
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