Chronic illnesses occur more frequently as individuals age. About 80 percent of Americans over age 65 suffer from a chronic illness. Mental health is often correlated with an individual's physical health. For instance, individuals with chronic illnesses are at increased risk for depression and anxiety.
Answers to Common Questions about Counseling
Throughout life, there are times when help is needed to address problems and issues that cause emotional distress or make us feel overwhelmed. When experiencing these types of difficulties, individuals may benefit from the assistance of an experienced, trained professional. Learn more...
Clinical Hypnosis: Understanding Clinical Hypnotherapy
Hypnosis is a method of communication that induces a trance or a trance-like state. Hypnosis can be conducted by one individual addressing another, or it may be conducted with the self (self-hypnosis). Trance is a naturally occurring state in which one's attention is narrowly focused and relatively free of distractions. Examples of trance states are daydreaming and some forms of meditation. Learn more...
End-of-Life Care: Questions and Answers
The end of life is different for each person. Each individual has unique needs for information and support. The patient's and family's questions and concerns about the end of life should be discussed with the health care team as they arise. Hospice care often provides such services. Learn more...
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia syndrome is a common and chronic disorder characterized by widespread muscle pain, fatigue, and multiple tender points. Tender points are specific places on the body on the neck, shoulders, back, hips, and upper and lower extremities where people with fibromyalgia feel pain in response to slight pressure. Fibromyalgia can cause significant pain and fatigue, and it can interfere with a person's ability to carry on daily activities. Learn more...
Headache
Most headaches do not require medical attention. Headaches usually result from missed meals or occasional muscle tension and are easily remedied. If the problem is not relieved by standard treatments, a headache sufferer may be referred to an internist, a neurologist, or a psychologist. Drug therapy, biofeedback training, stress reduction, and elimination of certain foods from the diet are the most common methods of preventing and controlling headaches. Learn more...
Hospice
Hospice workers concentrate on providing pain medication and relief for nausea and other symptoms, all the while working to help the patient deal with the impact their dying will have on their loved ones. Learn more...
Managing Chronic Pain
Experts say the first step in treating chronic pain is to identify the source of the pain. Common types of chronic pain include back pain, headaches, arthritis, cancer pain, and neuropathic pain, which results from injury to nerves. Many people with chronic pain try to tough it out, according to research from the American Academy of Pain Medicine. But persistent pain should never be ignored because it could signal disease or injury that will worsen if left untreated. Learn more...
Medication Use and Older Adults
Researchers found that when older adults were asked to bring in the brown paper bag containing their medicines, the list of medications in the bag was more complete than their official pharmacy records. Learn more...
Migraine
The pain of a migraine headache is often described as an intense pulsing or throbbing pain in one area of the head. Migraine is three times more common in women than in men. Some can predict the onset of a migraine because it is preceded by an "aura," visual disturbances that appear as flashing lights, zig-zag lines or a temporary loss of vision. People with migraine tend to have recurring attacks. Learn more...
Multiple Sclerosis
Most people experience their first symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) between the ages of 20 and 40; the initial symptom of MS is often blurred or double vision, red-green color distortion, or even blindness in one eye. Most MS patients experience muscle weakness in their extremities and difficulty with coordination and balance. These symptoms may be severe enough to impair walking or even standing. Learn more...
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis and is seen especially among older people. It is sometimes called degenerative joint disease. Learn more...
Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson's disease belongs to a group of conditions called motor system disorders. The four primary symptoms of Parkinson’s are tremor, rigidity, slowness of movement and impaired balance and coordination. Learn more...
Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease of scaling and inflammation. It primarily affects both male and female adults, equally. In its typical form, psoriasis results in patches of thick, red skin covered with silvery scales. These patches, which are sometimes referred to as plaques, usually itch or feel sore. Learn more...
Questions and Answers About Arthritis and Rheumatic Diseases
Arthritis means joint inflammation. Although joint inflammation describes a symptom or sign rather than a specific diagnosis, the term “arthritis” is often used to refer to any disorder that affects the joints. These disorders fall within the broader category of rheumatic diseases. Learn more...
Restless Legs Syndrome
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) causes an unpleasant prickling or tingling in the legs, especially in the calves, that is relieved by moving or massaging them. This sensation creates a need to stretch or move the legs to get rid of these uncomfortable or painful feelings. As a result, a person may have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. Learn more...
Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a common disorder that can be very serious. In sleep apnea, an individual's breathing stops or gets very shallow during sleep. Each pause in breathing typically lasts 10 to 20 seconds or more, which can cause serious physical problems. Learn more...
Sleep Disorders
Sleep problems frequently occur around periods of stress in a person's life. For example, it is not at all uncommon for a person's sleep to be disrupted following the death of a loved one or around the time of a major medical problem. Therefore, many sleep problems resolve once the stress is resolved or the medical condition subsides. However, some sleep disorders can begin with an acute problem and become a chronic sleep problem. Learn more...
Take Five Small Steps To Prevent Diabetes
The key to diabetes prevention is taking small steps toward living a healthier life, according to the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP). Everyone can benefit from the rewards of avoiding diabetes and its serious complications such as heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, or amputation of a foot or leg. Learn more...