Category: Wellness

A small tear in the tissue that lines the anus is called an anal fissure. This thin tissue most commonly ruptures from the pressure of large stools passing through during a bowel movement and leads to bleeding and pain with subsequent bowel movements. Fissures are a common condition, comprising roughly 5 percent to 15 percent…

Despite being one of comedy’s longest-running foils, gas is no laughing matter. It can be a social impediment, a barrier to employment growth and generally interferes with relationships. Whether caused by food, drink, stress or bad habits like sucking in air, gas can be painful, embarrassing or distracting. It’s an unwelcome condition that usually arrives…

When attending school, kids bring pencils, book bags and lunch. But some also bring along a disease and quickly pass it along to their peers. Because of the close contact necessitated by instruction, schools are akin to Petri dishes of various conditions. Colds, lice, strep throat, pink eye and a host of contagious conditions quickly…

It’s the moment of truth for many patients. The doctor has finished with his diagnosis and recommends aggressive treatments. The options are few and sound scary. That’s when it’s time for a second opinion. But broaching the subject before signing up for the recommended treatments is intimidating for many. It requires standing up and asking…

Chiropractic manipulation of the spine was once considered part of medicine’s fringe, a “bastardized form” of osteopathic medicine. But evidence of its benefits has helped the technique become more of a part of mainstream medicine, and its practitioners are licensed to perform duties. The actual word chiropractic dates to the Greek words for hand (cheir)…

Only 1 percent of trips taken by United States residents are by bicycle, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But even that low total creates enormous problems for the bicycling set. In statistics from 2013, the last year available, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that more than 490,000 emergency…

Everyone loves a good cliffhanger at the movies. They’re called nail-biters because they induce nervousness in the audience. But not everyone loves the nail-biting habit in real life. Beyond how unsightly the results of gnawing on your nails looks, there are significant health hazards to the practice. FOUR REASONS TO STOP First and foremost, the…

A recent case of a man whose eye suddenly changed color due to his Ebola infection is a startling example of how much eyes can reveal about health. While some eye conditions and symptoms are relatively minor and are limited solely to the eye, others indicate more widespread and sometimes serious problems. One beneficial feature…

There are more than 60,000 pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmaceutical scientists currently working in the United States. They are found in drug stores, supermarkets, hospitals, research laboratory facilities and teaching at universities. They are the backbone of our nation’s knowledge of medicines, their controlled distribution and their potential effects on the human body. These dedicated…

It’s the day and age of antibacterial everything. We see these words on soaps, household cleaners and even feminine products. As a result, we equate bacteria with all things bad. But could there actually be good bacteria too? The answer is yes. And many of these little rascals are needed for the human body to…