August 1-7, 2012 - Original Health Articles
If you have a child with disabilities who is nearing adulthood, you have a lot of plans to make. Not only do you need help right now to ensure your child's adulthood is as fulfilling and independent as possible, but you also need to plan for your child's future, and one that might not include you.
Every year, approximately 1.7 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most of these cases are concussions or other mild forms of TBI in babies, preschool-aged children, older teenagers, and elderly adults.
There's no cure for knee osteoarthritis, but there are many steps you can take to help keep yourself moving and free yourself from unbearable pain. Staying fit by getting enough exercise and losing weight, if necessary, is the most important thing you can do for yourself.
It's been more than 100 years (1906) since the German physician Alois Alzheimer first described the symptoms that have since become known as Alzheimer's disease.
Advancing age is the greatest risk factor for the disease for which there is no cure. Alzheimer's disease is the progressive loss of intellectual function.
As mental illnesses go, bipolar disorder is one of the most difficult to live with.
Also known as manic depression, it is a serious condition that impacts the brain and is characterized by severe mood swings—episodes of highs (mania) and lows (depression)—lasting from a few days to several months.
At one time, senile dementia was the catch-all term used to describe symptoms of cognitive decline that were considered normal signs of aging. Now researchers know that dementia is not the name of one condition and is not considered a normal part of aging.
Life in the 21st century isn't easy. Among the stressors: a lack-luster economy, rising health care and college tuition costs, companies that are constantly downsizing and housing that isn't affordable. Emotionally and physically, men are uniquely impacted by the stress.
Approximately 5,600 adults are diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) each year and about 30,000 Americans are living with the disease at any given time. ALS is more commonly known Lou Gehrig's Disease, named in 1939 after famed baseball player Lou Gehrig, whose diagnosis of ALS was confirmed on his 36th birthday.
Visiting nurses are becoming increasingly important in the care of the growing elderly population. Older patients who need ongoing medical care used to be cared for in hospitals and residential facilities, but a newer model of health care is keeping elderly patients who are capable of living at home, healthy, functional, and as active as possible.
Stem cell research is providing exciting new information about innovative ways to treat this debilitating disease. What are stem cells? Stem cells are what the body uses to create all other cells. They start out as undifferentiated cells, meaning they have the potential to grow into any type of cell the body needs, like blood, skin, or nerve cells.
Vaginoplasty and labiaplasty are cosmetic or reconstructive surgeries designed to repair or alter the appearance or function of the vagina and/or labia. While some women have medical conditions that might be improved by these surgeries, most of the time vaginoplasty and labiaplasty are performed purely for cosmetic reasons.
The stinging nettle plant grows freely in countries all around the world and has long been used as an herbal remedy for a variety of physical ailments. True to its name, this medicinal plant has bristly hairs on its leaves and stems that release a stinging toxin if they brush against the skin.
"Why is mental disease the only illness you can get yelled at for having?" asks actor Harrison Ford in a public service announcement to promote the movie No Kidding, Me Too! Ford is one of many actors hoping to raise awareness for mental illnesses, such as depression, and correct the widespread notion that mental illness is "all in your head.
