Blood and urine are often tested to find the cause of health problems. But other body fluids also can be tested. Most of these fluids help organs and joints—and the membranes around them—move smoothly. Sometimes a health problem can cause too much fluid to build up in part of the body. The fluid can be tested to look...
How you feel about your body (your body image) may change when you have cancer. It is common to feel angry, frustrated, or disappointed after cancer surgery or during treatment for cancer. And it may be hard to adjust. Changes that may affect a person's body image include: Losing a breast because of breast cancer...
Learn the basics about body lice, including how they are treated.
Body lice ("louse" for just one) live and lay eggs (nits) in the seams of clothing. They are only present on the body when they are feeding. Body lice are usually spread through contact with personal items such as clothing and towels.
Body mass index (BMI) can help you see if your weight is raising your risk for health problems. It uses a formula to compare how much you weigh with how tall you are. A BMI lower than 18.5 is considered underweight. A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered healthy. A BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight. A...
Body mass index (BMI) is a number based on a person's weight and height that provides a way to estimate the effect of weight on health. The higher the BMI, the greater the risk of some diseases, including high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, stroke, osteoarthritis, some cancers, and type 2 diabetes. To...
Adapted from: U.S. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute; U.S. National Institutes of Health (2000). The Practical Guide: Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults. (NIH Publication No. 00-4084). Available online: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/prctgd_c.pdf Use the...
Each body piercing site has its own normal healing time. Common sites usually heal within the time frames listed below. Healing depends on many things. It can depend on how big the piercing is and how thick the tissue is at the site. Your own ability to heal can also affect healing time. Piercing site healing times...
Briefly discusses common problems from body piercings, including infection, problems with jewelry, torn skin, and scarring. Offers interactive tool to help decide when to seek care. Also offers home treatment tips.
Signs that a body piercing is not healing may include: Pus or discharge. Itchiness.
Not all jewelry is appropriate for body piercing. Choose jewelry for body piercing sites that: Is removable. If you have your mouth pierced and you use oral jewelry, make sure it can be removed. For example, you should be able to unscrew the ball on one end of a barbell-shaped device to make the device easy to insert...
Body temperature is a measure of how well your body can make and get rid of heat. The body is very good at keeping its temperature within a safe range, even when temperatures outside the body change a lot. When you are too hot, the blood vessels in your skin widen to carry the excess heat to your skin's surface. You may...
When you give a bed bath, wash from the cleanest parts of the body to the parts that are less clean. You start with the face and work down the body. And you end with the groin and anal areas.
Discusses complementary medicine of bodywork and manual therapy used for relaxation and pain relief. Includes massage, Alexander technique, Feldenkrais method, Trager approach, Rolfing, deep tissue massage, and dance. Covers safety.
The term bodywork refers to numerous “touch” therapies, including massage, acupressure, deep tissue manipulation, and movement awareness. Some of these therapies physically manipulate body structures, while others are based on the manipulation of the body’s “energy fields.” Bodywork therapies are designed to enhance the...
A boil (furuncle) is a red, swollen, painful bump under the skin caused by an infected hair follicle. Bacteria from the infection forms a pocket of pus (abscess), which can become large and cause severe pain. Boils occur most often on the face, neck, breasts, buttocks, in the groin area, and in the armpits. Depending on...
Briefly covers boils, bumps under the skin often caused by infected hair follicles. Explains that bacteria form an abscess (pocket of pus). Covers home treatment. Includes info on how to prevent boils.
Primary Remedies Belladonna. This remedy is often indicated in early stages of inflammation, before much pus has formed. The area is red, hot, throbbing, and tender, often with intense or stabbing pains. Jarring or touch may increase discomfort. The person may also feel excitable or feverish. . Hepar sulphuris...
Botanical names: Peumus boldus How It Works Boldo contains several types of primary constituents, including volatile oils (for example, ascaridole, eucalyptol), flavonoids, and alkaloids. Boldine, which constitutes about one-fourth of the total number of alkaloids present, is the major alkaloid. 2 Scientists believe...
Babies develop a strong emotional attachment to parents who consistently provide loving, interactive attention and comfort. This emotional bond is critical for your baby so that he or she has a strong foundation on which to build positive relationships in the future. You can help create and strengthen the emotional bond...
You naturally develop an emotional bond with your newborn simply by spending time together, being physically close, and responding to his or her cues. Although the bond does not require special planning, keep the following in mind. Respond to your newborn's crying. Newborn babies cannot act with forethought, so they are...
Bone is a hard substance that makes up the skeleton, which supports the body and provides protection for the organs. Bone is composed of minerals, mainly calcium and phosphate, which it stores and provides to the body as they are needed. Bone consists of three layers: the outside covering of the bone (periosteum); the...
Gum tissue and bones surround and support the teeth. Healthy gums and strong bones hold the teeth firmly in place.
A bone biopsy is a procedure in which a small sample of bone is taken from the body and looked at under a microscope for cancer, infection, or other bone disorders. The sample of bone can be removed by: Inserting a needle through the skin and directly into the bone ( closed or needle biopsy). A numbing medicine ( local...
A bone biopsy is a test in which a small sample of bone is removed from the body and looked at under a microscope for cancer, infection, or other bone problems. A bone biopsy can be taken from any bone in the body. The bone may be removed through a needle put through the skin into the bone or through a small cut in the...
For a closed bone biopsy, the doctor inserts a needle through the skin and directly into the bone. This is also called a needle biopsy. The biopsy needle takes a small sample of the bone. Then the bone sample is looked at under a microscope for cancer, infection, or another bone disorder.
For an open bone biopsy, the doctor makes a cut (incision) through the skin to expose an area of the bone. Then the doctor takes a small sample of bone. The bone sample can be looked at under a microscope to see if there is cancer, infection, or another problem.
A bone density test is a kind of X-ray test. It measures the density of minerals (such as calcium) in your bones. This information helps your doctor estimate the strength of your bones. We all lose some bone mass as we age. Bones naturally become thinner as you grow older. This is because existing bone tissue is broken...
Bone density is a measurement of the concentration in bone of minerals (mostly calcium and phosphate) that are vital for strong bones. A high bone density means above-average amounts of calcium and phosphates in the bones, while a below-normal bone density might mean you have low bone density (sometimes called...
Courtesy of Intermountain Medical Imaging, Boise, Idaho. Figure 1 shows a bone density test of a healthy older woman. The X-ray shows a healthy spine. The bone density is determined by the X-ray. The graph shows the bone density number in the green zone (normal). Figure 2 shows a bone density test of an older woman who...
