Arthritis is the nation’s number one chronic disease and affects more than 41 million Americans. The most common form of arthritis, called osteoarthritis, affects 1 in every 3 people by the time they reach age 30 and affects nearly everyone by the time they are 60. About half the people with arthritis don’t have symptoms and only a small group have arthritis to the point of having severe pain or becoming disabled. The main 3 types of arthritis are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout.

I just got back from buying groceries and like every other retailer during the month of October, the grocery store is making me aware of breast cancer by selling all things pink. Unfortunately, I don’t need a pink gimic to make me aware of breast cancer—I have a sister currently fighting metastatic breast cancer. [...]

If you have ever been to the drug store to buy an ice bag you know they can be expensive and most likely you will only buy one. So here’s an inexpensive way to make your own ice bag. You should make several so you will always have one ready when you need to ice.

Carotid endarterectomy is the surgical removal of fatty plaque build up from any of the four carotid arteries that supply blood to the neck. Carotid endarterectomy is a preventive measure to prevent strokes. Carotid endarterectomy is usually recommended following a series of strokelike attacks called transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) that suggest a full-scale stroke is [...]

This article is about anesthesia administered by injection or inhalation for the purpose of performing tests or surgery. Anesthesia is used when the pain from the surgery or procedure would be so bad that the patient would not be able to tolerate it. Also, the body’s response to the pain would also prohibit many types of surgery from being done. Surgical anesthesia is a depth of anesthesia that relaxes the muscles along with loss of sensation and consciousness to a level where surgery can be performed.

There are pregnancies where labor is started artificially to deliver the baby before natural labor begins to reduce the health risks of the mother or baby. This kind of labor is called induced labor.

Achilles tendonitis is when the Achilles tendon becomes inflamed or irritated. The Achilles tendon attaches the calf muscle to the heel. This inflammation is often a result of a lot of stress on your calf muscles and Achilles tendon from either a sudden increase in intensity or frequency of exercise.

Cholecystectomy is the surgical removal of the gallbladder. More than 500,000 cholecystectomies are performed each year in the U.S. Cholecystectomy is usually done for gallstones and can be performed as either an open or laparoscopic surgery.

Impingement syndrome is the compromise of the bursa and rotator cuff in the subacromial space of the shoulder, causing pain with overhead or rotational movements like throwing or swimming. This syndrome is seen in people who do repetitive overhead activities. It is initially treated with rotator cuff strengthening exercises, anti-inflammatory medicine, and injections. If nonsurgical treatment doesn’t work, then acromioplasty can be done to open up the subacromial space and relieve pressure on the soft tissues.