Healthcare Basics
Your birthday can act as a reminder for your annual physical, vision exam and dental checkup. A fasting blood-sugar test at least once every three years can alert you early to diabetes and high-cholesterol issues. Stepping on the scale helps point out a slower metabolism through weight gain, and checking blood pressure helps identify hypertension. An annual check of any moles or unusual skin spots can detect skin cancer early. Women need pelvic exams and Pap tests every one to three years, especially if sexually active, to guard against cancer and disease. Over age 50, they also need a mammogram to detect for breast cancer and a thyroid hormone test every five years. Both sexes at that age also need annual rectal exams to screen for colon cancer and, for men, prostate cancer. Its also a good idea to get an annual flu shot, and a tetanus booster shot every 10 years.
Recently Answered
- Q Who provides palliative care?
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Palliative care generally involves a team approach that can include the services of a variety of healthcare and other professionals for physical, emotional, spiritual, and practical concerns. These services may be delivered in and continued... Full Answer
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- Q Why might people in palliative care be hospitalized for a long time?
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Palliative care patients have illnesses that are not easy to treat. They may have symptoms, such as pain, fatigue and depression, which are difficult to control. Some of our patients have been hospitalized for a long time because there is nowhere... Full Answer
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- Q What are the benefits of a palliative care unit in a hospital?
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Caring for chronically ill patients in general hospital units is very stressful for physicians, nurses and social workers. They love the palliative care unit because they see how beneficial it is -- helping patients heal, supporting exhausted... Full Answer
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- Q What is brown fat?
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Dr. David Katz, Integrative MedicineBrown fat is hot, because it may help keep us warm, burn calories, and help keep us thin. But that may just be a lot of hot air. That was my impression when brown fat started heating up in 2009. In the April 9 issue of the New England Journal of... Full Answer
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- Q What is a cardiac surgeon?
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If you have existing cardiovascular disease and your cardiologist recommends that your condition may best be treated by surgery, you will be referred to a cardiac surgeon (also called a cardiothoracic surgeon). A cardiac surgeon specializes in disorders... Full Answer
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- Q How can I make sure I've chosen the right dentist?
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Dr. Jonathan B. Levine, DentistryUpon your first visit to a new dentist, schedule it as a consultation only, with no dental work. Remember, you should be interviewing the dentist as much as he or she is interviewing you. After all, this is a potential employee you’ll be... Full Answer
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- Q What is causing healthcare costs to rise?
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Along with the increasing age of the population, new treatments and technologies, etc., the health care system is paying dearly for what transpired in the past. Smoking was seen as a rite of passage and the population did not know, until more than half... Full Answer
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- Q Why are circadian rhythms important?
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Dr. Michael Roizen, Internal MedicineKeep your personal "Big Ben" circadian rhythms ticking at a steady tempo and you'll see immediate benefits. You'll keep your appetite in check, stay sharply focused, and get a good night's sleep -- but that's not all! Discoveries show that an... Full Answer
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- Q How do I pick the right dentist?
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Dr. Benjamin S Fiss DDS, DentistryIf you haven't had any serious tooth or gum problems, you're lucky. But as the Girl Scout motto says. "Be prepared." You may have a dentist now that does an okay job with regular cleaning and x-rays. However, if you break a tooth, is this dentist skilled... Full Answer
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- Q What questions should I ask before choosing a dentist?
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Dr. Stuart Linder, Plastic & Reconstructive SurgeryChoosing the perfect dentist is no different than choosing your perfect physician. The dentist, first of all, must be fully licensed and trained with the American Dental Association. Check out their specific specialization if any. For example, if seeking... Full Answer
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