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Every year in the United States, approximately two billion X-rays are taken. Health care providers use these valuable diagnostic tools to examine bones, tissue, and air pockets inside the body, so they can evaluate medical conditions like:  Bone fractures Bone infections Muscle sprains and strains Arthritis Osteoporosis Lung infections Certain types of cancer  Heart conditions …

As people get older, fingernails and toenails may change in structure and growth rate. This can be the result of diseases, insufficient nutrition, exposure to chemicals or ultraviolet light, or the normal aging processes.  Some of the most common changes that can happen to your toenails as you get older are: They don’t grow as…

Vivitrol is the brand name for naltrexone, a Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medication to treat opioid and alcohol use disorders. Naltrexone is one facet of an overarching drug abuse treatment program encompassing counseling, behavioral therapy, lifestyle change, compliance, monitoring and psychosocial support.  Naltrexone, one of a class of drugs called opiate antagonists, is available…

The common cold is a nuisance and can sometimes keep you from your normal activities. Medications to reduce your symptoms are available at the pharmacy, but you may wonder if your Medicare health insurance helps cover the costs.  Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and health care products are becoming more and more popular in this country, and…

You might think that osteoporosis is a disease that only affects older women, but the truth is that men are affected by osteoporosis at almost the same rate as women. Some studies have demonstrated that about 30% of women are at risk of developing this condition at some point in their lives. Between 13% and…

When you enroll in Medicare you receive a printed card from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This card contains your health care insurance information and is necessary to prove that you have Medicare coverage.  If you apply for Medicare yourself – either online, over the phone, or at a local CMS office…

According to the Mayo Clinic, three out of 10 Americans live with persistent pain resulting from injury or illness. Our complicated central nervous system enables pain to develop and spread, sometimes making it difficult to pinpoint the underlying cause. Pain can affect many aspects of your life, and can cause stress, depression, anxiety, lack of…

When you eat, food is digested with the help of secretions from gastric glands, enzymes, and microbes. For instance, enzymes lining the stomach, proton pumps, assist in acid production and serve an essential role in the digestive process. Hydrochloric acid destroys microbes in food and helps enzymes break down food. However, enzymes can lose effectiveness…

Reaching retirement age means starting a new chapter in your life, and for many seniors in the United States, it also means you can begin taking advantage of Medicare benefits. Started in 1965, Medicare is an insurance program provided to Americans age 65 and older as well as some people who have qualifying disabilities under…

Your skin is an organ within an overarching system that includes hair and nails, which protects your internal environment. By regulating body temperature and generating sensory information, such as pleasure and pain, skin helps you respond appropriately to your external environment, removing your hand from a hot surface, for example. Because your skin has massive…

When you turn 65, you are eligible for the Medicare program, a relief to retirees losing employer-sponsored health insurance plans. However, Medicare coverage comes with costs that may include premiums, coinsurance and copayments. Each part of Medicare has a cost-sharing component.  What does Part A (hospital insurance) cost? At age 65, if you or a…

The medical community recommends specific vaccinations to reduce your risk of preventable diseases and severe illness. You may also need vaccinations required for employment, school and travel. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for approval before a vaccine is available for public distribution. The Centers for Disease Control and…