An optical coherence tomography (OCT) scan uses light beams to make detailed images of the inside of the eye. This test can find eye problems such as age-related macular degeneration or glaucoma. During the test, light beams are focused onto the back of the eye. The test can help find retina or optic nerve problems...
Opticians are skilled technicians who fill optical prescriptions and fit people with glasses or contact lenses. Opticians, unlike ophthalmologists and optometrists, are not licensed to test vision, write medicine prescriptions, or diagnose or treat eye diseases. Opticians can: Fill prescriptions for eyeglasses and...
Optometrists are health professionals who diagnose and treat many vision problems and diseases of the eye. An optometrist is not a medical doctor, but rather a doctor of optometry (OD). Optometrists can perform routine vision testing, prescribe eyeglasses and contact lenses, detect vision problems and eye disease...
Several oral devices have been tested to help treat people with sleep apnea or snoring. A device called a mandibular repositioning device pushes the jaw forward, improving airflow. Changing the position of the lower jaw enlarges the airway and decreases the chance that it will collapse when you inhale. Other oral...
Several oral devices have been tested to treat people with snoring, including a tongue-retaining device that is worn while sleeping. It pushes the tongue and jaw forward, improving airflow. Changing the position of the lower jaw enlarges the airway and decreases the chance that it will collapse when you inhale. This may...
What is oral cancer? Oral cancer is the growth of abnormal cells in any part of the mouth or lips. Most oral cancers start in the lining of the lips or mouth where you have thin, flat cells called squamous cells. This type of cancer may also be called oral cavity cancer or oropharyngeal cancer. What puts you at risk...
Oral cancer is the growth of abnormal cells in any part of the mouth or lips. Most oral cancers start in the lining of the lips or mouth in the thin, flat cells called squamous cells. Symptoms for oral cancer include sores or lumps that appear on the lips or in the mouth. Sometimes white patches that cannot be rubbed...
Oral cavity, oropharyngeal, hypopharyngeal, and laryngeal cancers may be referred to as head and neck squamous cell cancers. Oral cavity squamous cell cancers most commonly arise from the mucosal surfaces lining the oral cavity. Pharyngeal squamous cell cancers can be categorized into nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal, and...
Screening is looking for cancer before a person has any symptoms. This can help find cancer at an early stage. When abnormal tissue or cancer is found early, it may be easier to treat. By the time symptoms appear, cancer may have begun to spread. Scientists are trying to better understand which people are more likely to...
Note: The Overview section summarizes the published evidence on this topic. The rest of the summary describes the evidence in more detail. Oral cavity, oropharyngeal, hypopharyngeal, and laryngeal cancers may be referred to as head and neck squamous cell cancers. Head and neck squamous cell cancers most commonly arise...
Cancer prevention is action taken to lower the chance of getting cancer. By preventing cancer, the number of new cases of cancer in a group or population is lowered. Hopefully, this will lower the number of deaths caused by cancer. To prevent new cancers from starting, scientists look at risk factors and protective...
Aggressive treatment of malignant disease may produce unavoidable toxicities to normal cells. The mucosal lining of the gastrointestinal tract, including the oral mucosa, is a prime target for treatment-related toxicity by virtue of its rapid rate of cell turnover. The oral cavity is highly susceptible to direct and...
Oral complications are common in cancer patients, especially those with head and neck cancer. Complications are new medical problems that occur during or after a disease, procedure, or treatment and that make recovery harder. The complications may be side effects of the disease or treatment, or they may have other...
Provides a summary of interactions with vitamins, herbs, and food
An oral glucose tolerance test measures the body's ability to use glucose, a type of sugar found in fruits and many other foods. (Glucose is the main source of energy used by the body.) After the person has not had anything to eat or drink during the night, a blood sample is taken on the morning of the test. This is the...
Discusses oral glucose tolerance test that measures glucose (blood sugar) levels. Explains that test checks for gestational diabetes, prediabetes, and diabetes. Covers the types of tests done and how to prepare for them.
When a child has diarrhea or is vomiting, it is important to replace the fluids he or she is losing. Give your child small sips of water. Let your child drink as much as he or she wants. Ask your doctor if your child needs an oral rehydration solution (ORS) like Pedialyte or Infalyte. Oral rehydration solutions contain...
Oral surgeons (also called maxillofacial surgeons) are dentists who specialize in surgery of the mouth and jaw. Oral surgeons treat and reconstruct areas of the face, head, or neck after an injury or surgery. They prepare the jaw for denture construction, and they treat temporomandibular (TMD) joint problems. Also, they...
Orchiectomy (say "or-kee-EK-tuh-mee") is surgery to remove one or both of your testicles. It is usually done to treat testicular cancer. It may also be done for other reasons, such as removing a damaged testicle or as part of treatment for prostate cancer. For testicular cancer, the surgery is called a radical inguinal...
Orchiectomy is the removal of the testicles. The penis and the scrotum, the pouch of skin that holds the testicles, are left intact. An orchiectomy is done to stop most of the body's production of testosterone, which prostate cancer usually needs in order to continue growing. Simple orchiectomy is the removal of both...
Surgery to move an undescended testicle into the scrotum is called orchiopexy or orchidopexy. Surgery is usually recommended by the time the baby is 18 months old. In most cases, a pediatric surgeon or a specialist who treats urinary problems in children (pediatric urologist) does the surgery. Orchiopexy may also be...
Orchitis is an inflammation or infection of the testicle, often caused by a virus or bacteria. Symptoms of orchitis include pain, swelling, or a feeling of heaviness in the scrotum. Orchitis can occur in males who get mumps, influenza, or tuberculosis. Sexually transmitted infections may also cause orchitis. Pain and...
Botanical names: Origanum vulgare How It Works This dried herb contains several constituents, including volatile oil (up to 3%), such as carvacrol, thymol, and borneol, plus flavonoids, rosmarinic acid, triterpenoids (e.g. ursolic and oleanolic acid), sterols, and vitamin A and vitamin C. 4 The thymol and carvacrol...
Botanical names: Berberis aquifolium How It Works Alkaloids, including berberine, berbamine, canadine, and hydrastine, may account for the activity of Oregon grape. Isolated berberine has been shown to effectively treat diarrhea in patients infected with E. coli. 2 One of the ways berberine may ease diarrhea is by...
Answers questions about organ transplants. Covers becoming an organ donor and getting on a waiting list. Covers tests used to see if you'd be a good candidate. Looks at medicines that you might take after a transplant. Offers tips for staying healthy.
Organ transplant is surgery that replaces a diseased organ (such as a kidney, liver, heart, lungs, pancreas, or intestine) with a healthy organ from a donor. Donated organs come from both living donors and people who decided to donate organs upon their death. After an organ transplant, a person will need to make certain...
Transplant rejection occurs when the immune system detects the transplanted organ as foreign. The immune system protects the body from substances that may be harmful. Antigens are found on the surface of these substances. If the immune system recognizes these antigens as foreign (not part of the body), it will attack...
How are antirejection medicines used for an organ transplant? People who've had an organ transplant need antirejection medicines. That's because the immune system will try to destroy the new organ. These medicines weaken your immune system and make it harder for your body to destroy your new organ. But they also make it...
What is organic food? Food that is labeled "organic" has been grown or raised without man-made chemical fertilizers, pest killers (pesticides), or weed killers (herbicides). And no hormones or drugs were used. This means that farmers and ranchers who grow organic food: Use only natural pest killers. These include plant...
It's a good idea to keep copies of your medical records. You'll need them if you change doctors, move, get sick when you're away from home, or end up in an emergency room. If any of these things happen and you have your records, you may get treatment more quickly, and it will be safer. Here are some steps to get your...
