General Family Health

At this time of year, cold and flu are being passed around no matter where you go. People are sneezing, coughing and feverish, passing around the flu or cold. For most of us, the best plan of...

Nobody likes to be sick. In fact, most of us would prefer to always be healthy, fit and ready to go. Sickness gets in the way of our routines and makes us feel miserable. Sometimes we have...

When someone is ill, whether they have a cold, flu or some other sickness, we want to help them get well so that they can continue with their life. This is especially true when it is someone you...

Like any other habit, healthy habits take a bit of work to form. We all want to get in the habit of eating good, healthy foods and exercising, but forming those into habits is difficult and...

With cold and flu season almost upon us, many are searching for ways to protect themselves and their family from the dreaded sickness. Though these are usually no longer life threatening, they...

Unlike forming a habit, trying to break habits you’ve already formed can be difficult. When you have a bad habit, whether it is smoking or touching your face or forgetting to brush your teeth, it...

As humans, we tend to form habits over time and those habits usually become difficult to change or break. We usually follow one specific routine and there are things that we accomplish every day...

With winter now upon us, we all need to be aware of how to best deal with winter depression (Seasonal Affect Disorder). It's a problem that affects more than 11 million of us every year. Here...

Tired but you just can’t sleep? There are five different solutions to falling asleep whenever you don’t feel like it.

There are a few simple steps you can take to reduce your risk of having a heart attack. This article will guide you on how to reduce your risk as much as possible of having a heart attack.

When you are younger, it’s easy to avoid eyes worries. After all, the eyes worry may not impact too hugely on your life so early, or one might feel that taking care of eyes isn’t cool. However,...

Influenza or flu is caused by a virus that invades the respiratory tract. The conventional or regular flu is usually not severe, but it is highly contagious. It also can make you feel miserable.

The level of glucose in your blood will normally stay at about the same level if you eat regularly and are generally healthy. However, you may need to take a more active role in managing your...

The term longevity, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, means long life or the duration of existence. Longevity tests investigate how long something can live or last.

Tinnitus is a condition in which a patient experiences annoying ringing in the ears. It may be at varying levels of loudness and may occur when the patient participates in different activities,...

A genogram, or family tree is a way to document ancestry and keep track of births or deaths within your family. They show relations between family members and continue to grow "branches" as the...

Fever blisters may also be referred to as cold sores. They are caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1. (Type 2 causes genital herpes.) Fever blisters typically run their course and go away on...

Ultimately a bout with the flu is not going to be cured by any over-the-counter or prescription medicine. These treatments will simply alleviate the symptoms and allow you to weather the sickness...

Acquiring accurate blood pressure readings requires a blood pressure cuff of the correct size. If the cuff is too small, blood pressure measurements are likely to be falsely high. If the cuff is...

If you're experiencing pain in your feet, consider using orthotics (shoe inserts). These devices provide alignment and support and correct and prevent functional problems that are causing your pain.

An important element of developing good family well being is family communication. Family communication is a term used to describe how persons of a family unit interact with one another.

A glucose meter is a device that measures the amount of glucose in your blood. This is frequently necessary for people who have difficulty keeping their blood glucose level in the desired range....

Sources of squalene, a natural organic substance, include animals and plants, as well as artificial synthesis.

A sauna session can be very relaxing and invigorating. The heat opens the pores for the body to sweat out impurities, and relaxes and loosens muscles. However, the extreme heat can cause the...

Ulcerative colitis is a disease of the bowel that causes inflammation in the digestive tract. Symptoms of this condition may include abdominal pain, bleeding from the rectum and uncomfortable...

Radon is a gaseous element with the atomic number 86, and is derived from the radioactive decay of radium. Radon is toxic to organic life, and can cause lung cancer. Some questions have been...

The level of glucose in your blood can become too high as a result of diabetes. This metabolic disorder occurs when your pancreas doesn't secrete enough insulin, or your body is resistant to the...

An ultrasound is a medical test that allows a doctor to view the internal organs of the body by bouncing sound waves off of tissues and organs. These sound waves translate to pictures upon their...

The pancreas is part of the digestive system. It works with the liver and gallbladder to aid in digestion and move food through the small intestine.

Ostomies refer to any artificial opening in the body that is surgically-created for the expulsion of bodily waste products. They are performed in patients with digestive diseases or cancers of the...

Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone, responsible for sexual health and the development of muscle mass. Low testosterone levels can result in fatigue, sexual disinterest and problems with...

Swelling in the legs and feet can be uncomfortable and even embarrassing. This common condition can be indicative of many things--some serious, some not so much. Determining where your particular...

If the humidity inside your home is either too low or too high, problems can arise. Low humidity can cause static electricity or dry skin, hair and nasal passages. It can also help flu germs...

Heating pads are wonderful to have on hand when the weather is cold or if you have a muscle ache. There are many options on the market, from electric to water filled. If you need one in a hurry,...

Most often diagnosed in women, thyroid disease affects millions of Americans each year. As part of the endocrine system, the thyroid produces hormones that aid in the digestion and absorption of...

Approximately 85 percent of people over the age of 85 suffer from Alzheimer's disease, which is the leading cause of dementia, according to the Mayo Clinic. Risk factors for this condition include...

Food borne illnesses sicken a great many people every year. Food poisoning, contaminated foods and food recalls are making news headlines regularly. With proper care, handling, cooking, and...

A fever is an elevated body temperature. Normal body temperature is around 98.6 degrees, although body temperature changes slightly throughout the day and also may be affected by other factors,...

People who suffer from a chronic illness generally find that most people who want to help do not know what to do. It is common to hear, "If you need anything just call," but that is not...

Every winter we go through the ritual of trying to avoid flu by taking vaccines, by good hygiene or avoiding people with cold. However careful you are there is always a chance you will get the...

Among increasing concerns surrounding the H1N1 virus, immune system health remains a top priority for the upcoming winter season. My Urgent Care, one of Virginia’s leading walk in clinics, shares...

The air passages to your lungs are called bronchi. An infection of these tubes is called acute bronchitis. Acute bronchitis has symptoms similar to those of a common cold, but they include coughing.

The liver's role in regulating blood sugar levels in the body ensures that energy is available to carry out daily tasks and activities. A number of mechanisms are in place to respond to changing...

Sitting for long periods of time puts you at risk for dangerous blood clots in the legs. This occurs in part due to poor circulation, which can happen to anyone through prolonged sitting, whether...

When the plantar fascia ligament in your foot is torn, this is considered a fascia rupture and is much more serious than plantar fasciitis, which involves small tears to the tissue.

Kidney cysts are sacks of fluid that form on the kidneys. Often, they are found during a CT scan, and the patient doesn't have any symptoms. According to the Mayo Clinic, these cysts are usually...

High blood sugar (hyperglycemia) is a common symptom of diabetes. This class of metabolic disorders is characterized by an insufficient supply of insulin or a reduced ability to use it. Insulin...

Adult lice are about the size and color of a sesame seed. Lice do not spread disease and they do not cause infections or other serious health concerns. However, their bites can cause scalp sores...

Cholesterol is a fat in the blood that is made from the foods that you eat. Cholesterol is an important building block for cells and hormones. However, too much cholesterol can interfere with...

Doctors use laboratory tests to help diagnose or treat certain conditions and to check the overall health of their patients. Tests that measure the concentration of blood proteins, electrolytes...