Merck & Co.’s decision to discontinue the pain relief drug Vioxx has left millions of people scrambling for an alternative for pain management. According to the American Pain Foundation, there are more than 50 million Americans suffering from chronic pain, or 25 million experiencing acute pain as a result of injury or surgery. Worldwide, 2 million people were taking Vioxx at the time of the recall. Continue reading
It may be difficult to come to terms with the fact that you or your loved one has epilepsy, and you will probably be asking questions on how or why you have this condition. Try not to dwell too much on this, instead, start to focus on what you can do to better manage your epilepsy. Just making some small changes to the way you manage your epilepsy, could make a significant improvement to day-to-day quality of life. Continue reading
Radiation therapy is a form of cancer treatment that uses high levels of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing and dividing — while minimizing damage to healthy cells. When used for breast cancer treatment, radiation is delivered to the affected breast and, in some cases, to the lymph nodes under the arm or at the collarbone. Continue reading
Oxymetazoline is a decongestant. It works by constricting (shrinking) blood vessels (veins and arteries) in your body. The nasal formulation acts directly on the blood vessels in your nasal tissues. Constriction of the blood vessels in your nose and sinuses leads to drainage of these areas and a decrease in congestion.
Oxymetazoline nasal is used to treat congestion associated with allergies, hay fever, sinus irritation, and the common cold. Continue reading
In one large study among children aged 15-85 months, the seasonal nasal-spray flu vaccine LAIV (FluMist®) reduced the chance of influenza illness by 92% compared with placebo. In a study among adults, the participants were not specifically tested for influenza. However, the study found 19% fewer severe febrile respiratory tract illnesses, 24% fewer respiratory tract illnesses with fever, 23-27% fewer days of illness, 13-28% fewer lost work days, 15-41% fewer health care provider visits, and 43-47% less use of antibiotics compared with placebo. Continue reading
The kidney functions as the body’s main excretory organ. It eliminates the body’s metabolic wastes. Urine is formed in the kidneys, stored in the urinary bladder then excreted in the urethra. The normal color of urine ranges from pale yellow to deep amber. A colorless urine may indicate that a person may have been drinking too much water. Urine pigment is due to the urobilin or urochrome—a pigment that is thought to give the urine its color. A normal color of the urine tells a lot about the kidney and liver function of a person. Continue reading