Being prepared for an earthquake Share Your Story While California has been the state most prone to serious earthquakes in recent years, there are many other fault zones in other areas of the United States. For example, geologists and seismologists have predicted a 97 percent chance of a major earthquake in the New Madrid seismic zone of the central United...
Brain Damage: Learn About Trauma from Brain Injuries
Brain damage introduction Brain damage is an injury that causes the destruction or deterioration of brain cells. In the U.S., every year, about 1.4 million people have some type of brain injury. And approximately 5.3 million people suffer from the effects of brain damage. About 50,000 die as a result of brain injury. Medical costs and lost productivity are estimated...
Bleeding Varices: Get Facts About Bleeding from the Stomach
Introduction to Bleeding Varices Varices are dilated blood vessels usually in the esophagus or stomach. They cause no symptoms unless they rupture and bleed. Bleeding from varices is a life-threatening complication of portal hypertension. Portal hypertension is an increase in the pressure within the portal vein (the vein that carries blood from the digestive organs to the liver) due to...
Bleeding Varices: Get Facts About Bleeding from the Stomach
Introduction to Bleeding Varices Varices are dilated blood vessels usually in the esophagus or stomach. They cause no symptoms unless they rupture and bleed. Bleeding from varices is a life-threatening complication of portal hypertension. Portal hypertension is an increase in the pressure within the portal vein (the vein that carries blood from the digestive organs to the liver) due to...
Liver Transplant: Find Out About Surgery Complications
What is the liver, and what is its function. The liver is the body's largest internal organ, weighing about 3 pounds in adults. It is located below the diaphragm on the right side of the abdomen. The liver performs many complex functions in the body, including: Produces most proteins needed by the body. Metabolizes, or breaks down, nutrients from food...
Juvenile Bone Health: Get Facts About Disorders and Disease
Typically, when parents think about their children’s health, they don’t think about their bones. But building healthy bones by adopting healthy nutritional and lifestyle habits in childhood is important to help prevent osteoporosis and fractures later in life. Osteoporosis, the disease that causes bones to become less dense and more prone to fractures, has been called “a pediatric disease with...
Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Read About STDs and Pregnancy
Pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) Introduction Sexually transmitted diseases, commonly called STDs, are infections that are spread by having sex with someone who has a STD. You can get a sexually transmitted disease from sexual activity that involves the mouth, anus, or vagina. STDs are serious illnesses that require treatment, regardless of whether or not you are pregnant. But,...
Bladder Spasms: Get the Facts on Symptoms and Treatment
Chances are we have all crossed our legs a time or two in hopes of making it to the closest restroom in time. But there’s a big difference between having to go, and always feeling like you have to go. For those who live with bladder spasms, that feeling is a painful reality that can lead to embarrassing wetting accidents...
Genetic Counseling: Get Facts on Screening Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Genetic Counseling What are genetic professionals and what do they do? Genetics professionals are health care professionals with specialized degrees and experience in medical genetics and counseling. Genetics professionals include geneticists, genetic counselors and genetics nurses. What is genetic counseling and evaluation? Share Your Story Genetic professionals work as members of health care teams providing information...
Genetic Counseling: Get Facts on Screening Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Genetic Counseling What are genetic professionals and what do they do? Genetics professionals are health care professionals with specialized degrees and experience in medical genetics and counseling. Genetics professionals include geneticists, genetic counselors and genetics nurses. What is genetic counseling and evaluation? Share Your Story Genetic professionals work as members of health care teams providing information...