Health Article description.A spinal tap (also called a lumbar puncture) is a procedure to collect and look at the fluid ( cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF) that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. During a spinal tap, a needle is carefully inserted into the spinal canal low in the back (lumbar area). Samples of CSF are collected. The samples are...

Health Article description.Guides you through decision to treat low-risk basal cell skin cancer with surgery or nonsurgical treatments. Explains types of surgery and types of nonsurgical treatments. Covers benefits and risks of both. Includes interactive tool to help you make your decision.

Health Article description.Describes sclerotherapy to treat varicose and spider veins. Looks at how well sclerotherapy works and what to expect after treatment. Discusses risks.

Health Article description.Discusses treating varicose and spider veins with a laser. Covers simple and endovenous laser treatment. Looks at sclerotherapy. Discusses why laser treatment is done and what to expect after treatment. Covers how well it works and possible side effects.

Health Article description.Looks at surgery to remove the prostate gland in those who have prostate cancer. Covers traditional and laparoscopic surgery. Covers how well it works. Looks at risks.

Health Article description.The shot is used to prevent pregnancy. You get the shot in your upper arm or rear end (buttocks). The shot gives you a dose of the hormone progestin. The shot is often called by its brand name, Depo-Provera. Progestin prevents pregnancy in these ways: It thickens the mucus in the cervix. This makes it hard for sperm to...

Health Article description.A tonometry test measures the pressure inside your eye, which is called intraocular pressure (IOP). This test is used to check for glaucoma, an eye disease that can cause blindness by damaging the nerve in the back of the eye ( optic nerve). Damage to the optic nerve may be caused by a buildup of fluid that does not...

Health Article description.Guides people who have not had a heart attack or a stroke through decision to take daily aspirin. Discusses benefits and risks. Looks at who can take daily aspirin. Includes interactive tool to help you decide.

Health Article description.Make sure you know about each of the medicines you take. This includes why you take it, how to take it, what you can expect while you're taking it, and any warnings about the medicine. The information provided here is general. So be sure to read the information that came with your medicine. If you have any questions or...

Health Article description.Discusses surgical treatment of digestive system problems by removing diseased or damaged part of the colon (bowel resection). Includes laparoscopic surgery. Covers what to expect after surgery. Discusses risks.

Health Article description.Covers open surgery to release pressure on the median nerve to relieve carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms in your hand. Looks at how the surgery is done, how well it works, and what to expect after surgery. Includes info on risks.

Health Article description.The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) defines military sexual trauma (MST) as experiences of sexual assault or sexual harassment. These traumas occur when a person is in the military. The location, the genders of the people involved, and their relationship do not matter. Sexual harassment may include: A put-down...

Health Article description.Guides you through decision to have bypass surgery. Covers other treatment options. Includes interactive tool to help you make your decision.

Health Article description.Guides you through the decision to have angioplasty when you have stable angina. Lists benefits and risks of angioplasty and medical therapy. Explains why lifestyle changes are still important. Includes interactive tool to help you with your decision.

Health Article description.Radiofrequency ablation is a minimally invasive treatment for varicose veins. (Ablation means a doctor uses heat to damage tissue. This makes scar tissue form. The scar tissue closes the vein.) This technique uses radiofrequency energy (instead of laser energy) to heat up and damage the wall inside a vein. This usually...

Health Article description.Vein ligation and stripping is a minor surgery. It is used to remove one or more varicose veins. These are twisted, swollen veins near the surface of the skin. They are most common in the legs and ankles. The surgery can also be done to prevent venous skin ulcers from coming back after treatment. You may be asleep...

Health Article description.Discusses pacemakers used to treat bradycardia. Discusses various types of pacemakers. Covers how they work and how well they work, risks, and possible side effects.

Health Article description.Breastfeeding is feeding a baby breast milk directly from the breast or from a bottle after expressing the milk with a pump. Breast milk provides nutrition for about the first 6 months of the baby's life. Other foods, such as cereal, are then gradually introduced while the baby continues to breastfeed. Experts, such as...

Health Article description.Scleral buckling surgery is a common way to treat retinal detachment. It is a method of closing breaks and flattening the retina. A scleral buckle is a piece of silicone sponge, rubber, or semi-hard plastic that your eye doctor ( ophthalmologist) places on the outside of the eye (the sclera, or the white of the eye)...