Health Care

When you or someone you care about requires skilled nursing care in the home, paying for the care can be one of the most stressful aspects of the situation. Though the costs of skilled nursing...

Prescription medicine is composed of generic drugs and brand name drugs prescribed by a doctor. The side effects generally fit into four categories; however, side effects can also be caused by the...

A living will, or "advance directive," is a document that states clearly that if there is no reasonable hope for recovery, you want to die without having your life prolonged by artificial means....

The drug darifenacin, sold under the brand name Enablex, is prescribed to treat the symptoms associated with an overactive bladder. Enablex accomplishes this by relaxing the muscles of the urinary...

It's frustrating to lose track of a contact lens. It happens to experienced contact lens wearers and neophytes alike, often when you are inserting or removing your contact lenses, or when you have...

Piroxicam is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug used to treat the pain of inflammation associated with arthritis. It reduces the hormones the body produces that cause pain and inflammation.

Patient assistance programs were voluntarily set up by drug companies to aid in the cost of medications or to provide them free of charge. Eligibility requirements and application information...

Arsenic in your drinking water may cause skin, bladder and liver cancer. Arsenic leaks into residential water supplies from natural deposits or from agricultural or industrial sources....

The prescription drug Remicade (also known as infliximab), is a type of medication that is commonly prescribed to treat inflammation within the body, such as with arthritis. Prior to surgery, you...

Freezer gel packs are a sensible substitute for ice when keeping things cold or treating medical conditions. You can add a freezer gel pack to a lunch box or ice chest, or apply it to that...

White discoloration on the frame of a pair of plastic eyeglasses results from the plastic reacting to acids and chemicals in perspiration, facial grease or cosmetics on the face of the person...

If you're on oxygen therapy, your doctor may have prescribed a portable oxygen system for use when you're away from home. There are several types of portable oxygen systems but the most commonly...

The FDA states that more than 30 million Americans use contact lenses, according to the Contact Lens Council. The lenses can be liberating, especially after years of being bogged down with...

Cigarette smoke residue is the noxious remains from the burning of tobacco, and it contains many dangerous chemicals. Smoke residue is not only dangerous to those with health issues but can also...

Pulse rate or heart rate is measured as the number of heartbeats per minute. Knowing your heart rate has several benefits. It can give you insight into your own heart's health and can be used to...

To interpret high blood pressure numbers, you must understand a little bit about what blood pressure is and why it's important to your health and well being. In simple terms, blood pressure...

Take steps to avoid the flu before you're exposed. Natural, holistic measures are inexpensive, easy to find and generally harmless. Even if you've had a shot for both the regular flu and the swine...

No matter where you live, finding a physician in your neighborhood is one of the most important actions you can take to protect your health. In the United Kingdom, the National Health Service...

Learning new words and their meanings doesn't have to be difficult. Desire, curiosity, and practice are all ingredients necessary to build a strong, working vocabulary. The desire to discover and...

A doctor of osteopathy, or D.O., is fully trained in the field of conventional medicine as well as in osteopathic medicine. The D.O. is licensed to perform surgery, write prescriptions, and is...

Combivent is the brand name for two combined-treatment drugs--albuterol and ipretropium. Combivent is used to treat Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), emphysema, and bronchitis.

Although many of us seldom think about the condition of our feet, their importance is highlighted when problems arise. Bunions, corns, ingrown toenails, and other painful conditions can be...

Hormone replacement therapy is a popular treatment that reverses the negative effects of diminishing hormone levels. This therapy treats testosterone deficiencies in men and menopausal symptoms in...

No matter what your age, acne can be an embarrassing problem and cause severe blows to your self-esteem. There are plenty of medications available to help combat acne. In addition, there are...

Dust mites are tiny insects that feed upon your shed skin cells. Dust mites are so small that they can't be detected with the human eyes. Dust mites can be present within your bedding, clothes,...

Augmentin is an antibiotic, more scientifically known as clavulanate potassium amoxicillin, designed to treat lower respiratory, sinus, skin, urinary tract and middle ear infections. Augmentin is...

Dealing with the symptoms associated with allergies can be difficult, but one of the hardest to cope with is a decrease in energy levels. Feeling fatigued can impact alertness, focus, and mental...

Depending who you ask, tanning can be healthy or harmful. This leaves many individuals wondering if artificial or indoor tanning is really safe. Before going to a tanning salon and using one of...

Potassium chloride is a metal salt compound. It is sometimes also known as muriate of potash or sylvite and has applications in medicine, food and science.

One Touch Blood Glucose Meters are manufactured by LifeScan, Incorporated. They are known for their accuracy and ease of use. Diabetics who need to closely monitor their blood glucose levels use a...

Foods and drinks have different levels of acidity, and balancing your acid levels can be an important aspect of bodily health. For example, excess acidity in your body can prevent bones from...

An orthopedic surgeon specializes in restoring the parts of your body that aid in movement, such as bones, tendons and joints. There are plenty to choose from, so narrowing down the selections to...

As doctors, hospitals and insurance agencies try to save costs by keeping patients out of the hospital, home care has become a major part of health care. Whether you're tending to a family member...

Although some may say that the line between passion and addiction is blurred, there are many important differences between the two. Someone who is passionate about basketball cannot be said to be...

The mouth is an entry point into the body for many different materials. As a result, when you get stitches after dental surgery or because of a cut in your mouth, you must take special care to...

Your colon is an essential part of your gastrointestinal system. It and the rectum together compose the large intestine. The colon is involved in the last stage of digestion in which it dehydrates...

A colonoscopy is an exam that looks for colorectal cancer, the third most common cancer in adults according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), or for polyps which may become cancerous. The...

Health insurance is a large monthly expense for many Americans. But at the same time, health insurance is important to help pay for doctor visits, prescriptions and any emergency medical...

The human liver performs hundreds of functions to keep the body safe. One important aspect of the liver is its ability to store vitamins and release them throughout the body as needed.

Hypnosis is a mental state that is induced by the process of hypnotic induction. A person usually falls into a state of hypnosis after receiving a repeated series of preliminary instructions or...

The brachial artery is the major blood vessel located on the upper arm. It is a continuation of the axillary artery, and it begins from the lower margin of the teres major and continues down the...

Hypotension, or low blood pressure, can deprive the brain of oxygen and lead to life-threatening shock. Hypotension can cause an array of other problems, including fatigue, dizziness, nausea,...

Homeopathic medicine is a way to treat the whole person. It originated in Germany over two hundred years ago and has been in use in the United States since the beginning of the 1800s. Homeopathy...

Heat therapy is often used to treat certain types of pain. Frequently, ice is used initially to reduce inflammation, and then the heat is applied to reduce the pain around the joints and muscles....

If you've been diagnosed with, or suspect you have SAD (seasonal affective disorder), then you know it's more than a case of the "winter blahs." It's what light deprivation can do to our the...

Knowing how to restore breathing is a helpful piece of knowledge when going through life. You never know when a family member, friend or even a stranger may need you to literally breathe the life...

Neuropathy is caused by nerve damage. The damage may be a result of disease or injury. Peripheral neuropathy refers to pain and numbness in the legs. Understanding what is causing the neuropathy...

Chlorhexidine Solution is used to treat gingivitis between dental visits. Its actual name is Chlorhexidine Gluconate Oral Solution (0.12%).

Brand name drugs are usually patented on the date they are developed, not when they are approved by the FDA. This patent usually lasts 20 years.

Holistic health care practitioners don't have to be medical doctors, but they can be. According the American Board of Integrative Holistic Medicine (ABIHM) nearly 50 percent of Americans regularly...