I am a 60-year-old man. Lately I have been experiencing pain that starts on the lower jaw and goes up the side of my face towards the temple and then to the head. The pain is severe and lasts for about five minutes. It comes on at any time of the day. Why is this happening?
Women’s smoking patterns have been similar to men’s for a while now, and a new study shows the result — higher death rates. Women smokers in the 2000s died of lung cancer almost 26 times as often as women who never smoked. That’s about the same as the gap between men who do and don’t smoke. And it’s a big jump compared with women smokers in the 1980s. They died of lung cancer at 13 times the rate of nonsmoking women. In the 1960s, the risk for women smokers was only 3 times as high. The reason for the change, researchers said, is that women have been starting smoking earlier and smoking more cigarettes. And they’ve been doing that long enough for health effects to occur. Women smokers also have nearly caught up with men in their increased risk of emphysema and other smoking-related diseases. The study was based on statistics from the American Cancer Society.
Besides a bite, is there any other way for a human to contract rabies?
Two new studies suggest that about 1 patient out of 5 returns within 30 days after a hospital stay. One study examined 4 million hospital stays. About 18% of patients came back within a month after their hospital stay. About 40% of them went to the emergency room only. The others were admitted again. A second study looked at 3 million hospital stays by Medicare patients. Among those who were admitted for heart failure, nearly 25% were admitted again within 30 days. Almost 20% of those with heart attacks came back. So did 18% of those with pneumonia. Most people were admitted the second time for a different problem. The author of this second study said a long hospital stay can increase people’s risk of illness or injury soon afterward. Some reasons include poor sleep in the hospitals or weaker muscles from bed rest.
If erectile dysfunction drugs in pill form don’t work, there are four major alternatives: penile injection, urethral medication pellets, vacuum constriction method, and penile implant. Each option has pluses and minuses, and will work for different men.
Common causes of forgetfulness, especially in older adults, are stress, anxiety, depression, and not enough sleep. Drinking too much alcohol, medication side effects, and thyroid problems may also contribute, along with multitasking and fatigue.
Injections of steroid medication offer minimal relief from the leg pain known as sciatica due to a bulging (herniated) spinal disk. Conservative remedies like the use of an anti-inflammatory drug and physical therapy are treatment options.
Many people take a daily vitamin and mineral supplement expecting to feel better and prevent disease. The evidence for doing this is weak. A new trial suggests that taking a multivitamin slightly reduces cancer risk but does nothing for heart disease.
Unless you have symptoms such as mini-strokes, ultrasound screening for carotid artery blockage is very unlikely to help and may cause more harm than good.
Morton’s neuroma is a thickening of nerve tissue between the bones at the base of the toes. It is more common in women than in men. Treatment usually starts with wearing shoes with wide toe boxes and low heels.