What is the gallbladder? Some gallstones may dissolve and go away with intervention while others need more extensive treatment. The gallbladder is a small pear-shaped organ located below the liver on the right side of the abdomen. The main function of the gallbladder is to store bile, a substance secreted by the liver that is required for digestion. The bile contents...
What Is the Best Medicine and Treatment for Bronchitis?
Why does bronchitis occur? Acute bronchitis is also called a chest cold. It often occurs after an upper respiratory infection (URI). The best treatment for bronchitis includes rest, fluids, a humidifier, honey, lozenges and prescription medications and interventions, if necessary. Acute bronchitis is sometimes referred to as a chest cold. It can develop after an upper respiratory infection (URI), which...
Can You Speak With One Vocal Cord?
It is possible to speak with only one functioning vocal cord It is possible to speak with only one functioning vocal cord, but the voice quality is raspy and weak and of lower pitch. The vocal cords are two bands of elastic muscle tissue in the larynx (voice box) above the trachea (windpipe). The cords usually remain open to help...
Caring for Your Dentures: Get Helpful Tips
Proper denture care is important for both the health of your dentures and mouth. Here are some tips. Handle dentures with great care. To avoid accidentally dropping them, stand over a folded towel or a full sink of water when handling dentures. Brush and rinse your dentures daily. Like natural teeth, dentures must be brushed daily to remove food and...
12 Cancer Risk Factors and Causes
Cancer risk factor facts* Cells may become cancerous due to the accumulation of defects, or mutations, in their DNA. Certain inherited genetic defects (for example, BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations) and infections can increase the risk of cancer. *Cancer risk factor facts by John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP The most common risk factors for cancer include aging, tobacco, sun exposure, radiation...
Can Liver Cancer Be Diagnosed With a Blood Test?
The liver is the second largest organ (the first being the skin) in the human body. One blood test used to help diagnose liver cancer is the tumor marker alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), but it is not specific to liver cancer. The liver is the second largest organ (the first being the skin) in the human body weighing about 1500 grams. When...
Can Cancer Be Detected by a Blood Test?
Certain blood tests can help guide a cancer diagnosis If your physician suspects cancer during physical examination or while taking a medical history, they might order certain cancer blood tests to guide the diagnosis. These blood tests are called tumor markers. Tumor markers could be specifically raised in certain cancers, and may give some idea about the origin of cancer...
Castleman Disease Treatment, Diagnosis, Prognosis & Symptoms
Facts you should know about Castleman disease Readers Comments 1 Share Your Story Castleman disease is a rare condition affecting lymph nodes, and actually is a group of related conditions. Castleman disease is not cancer, although some of the methods used to treat Castleman disease also are used to treat cancers. There are two main forms of Castleman disease, unicentric...
What are the Best Stretches for Back Pain Relief at Home?
How common is back pain? Most back pain occurs in the lower back due to problems with the spine, muscles, ligaments or nerves in the back. The best stretches for back pain include the knee to chest stretch, lying knee twist, cat/cow stretch, cobra stretch and child's pose. Back pain is a common ailment, affecting 8 out of 10 people...
Can Aneurysms Be Treated?
What is an aneurysm? Aneurysms can be treated with medicine to slow their growth or with surgery to repair them if they are found before they rupture. An aneurysm occurs when part of an artery wall weakens. In the weakened spot, an abnormally large bulge develops. The bulge can rupture and cause internal bleeding. The cause of an aneurysm is...