It's inevitable that when you bump into your desk, cut yourself while cooking, or strain a muscle playing sports that the area is bound to be sore, become red or swell. This is known as inflammation, which can happen as a result of an injury or infection. Your body then helps to accelerate the healing process by releasing white blood cells that close around the infected or injured area and serve to fend off any foreign threats. You typically see or feel inflammation in the form of pain, tenderness, swelling, redness or warmth of the affected joints or tissues.

Do You Suffer with Migraines? Green Light Therapy May Help

Migraines are a debilitating condition that affect about 39 million Americans, according to the Migraine Research Foundation. Typical treatment includes over the counter and prescription pain relievers. But simple lifestyle changes can help you prevent migraines. These include:

For years, doctors recommended patients begin colorectal screenings at age 50. However, in 2018, the American Cancer Society (ACS) updated their colorectal screening recommendations to begin at 45. And now, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), followed by doctors, insurance companies and policymakers, has followed suit. 

What are Colorectal Cancer Screenings?

Colorectal cancer screenings can include:

Can Your Medications be Causing Your Blood Pressure to Spike? 

Nearly half of American adults have high blood pressure – a condition that raises your risk for heart attacks, strokes, sexual dysfunction and damage to the brain, kidneys and eyes. However, only 24 percent of Americans with high blood pressure have it under control, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

MDVIP Physicians Help Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease & Stroke

When it comes to preventing heart disease, many of us miss the mark – we’re just focused on other things. Women are more concerned with breast cancer risk, for example, than heart disease, which kills seven times the number of women as breast cancer.

In today’s culture, there’s no escape from the pressure to achieve an ideal body. As a result, being overweight can cause significant shame or embarrassment – to the point that some people avoid doctor visits. They don’t want to face the scale, much less a lecture about weight loss, according to research in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

Sound familiar? Maybe a little too familiar? 

Stress is bad for your health – but you probably know that from experience. (If you’ve somehow skated through this life stress-free, we want to know your secrets.) Stress can keep you up all night and cause diarrhea, headaches, fatigue and more.  

Stress also harms your health in ways you can’t quite see or feel. Some are well known, like high blood pressure. Others may surprise you, like the link between stress and type 2 diabetes. 

Two vaccines used worldwide — only one authorized for emergency use in the U.S.— have come under scrutiny after several cases of rare blood clotting issues. In mid-April, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration paused the administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the United States. In Europe, where the AstraZeneca vaccine is authorized for use, it has been linked to blood clot issues also. Some European countries are limiting its use to certain age groups and some, like Denmark, have decided to stop use altogether.

Recommended Women's Medical Tests and Screenings by Age

No one likes blood draws, pap smears and colonoscopies. But these tests are key to detecting serious health conditions and determining risk. Some tests you’ll need throughout your lifetime, while others are limited to certain decades of your life. 

Recommended Health Screenings & Medical Tests by Age for Women

When it comes to healthcare, women are extremely important. They make 80 percent of household healthcare decisions. Plus, they’re the caretakers of their children, their partners and often their parents. 

But what we learned from the MDVIP Women’s Health Survey is that many women are in the dark about common health issues and 79 percent said they face barriers that prevent them from taking better care of themselves.