People used to think they just had to suffer through severe pain after surgery. Today, your nurses and doctors can do many things before and after surgery to prevent or relieve your pain. Treatment of pain can help you in the following ways: 1) You can feel more comfortable, which will help your body heal. 2) You can get well faster. If you feel less pain, you can start walking and get your strength back more quickly. You may even be able to leave the hospital sooner. 3) You may have fewer complications after surgery. People whose pain is well...

What Is Paronychia? Paronychia is a common infection under the skin around the fi ngernails. It can be acute (come on suddenly) or chronic (last a long time). It occurs more in females than males. An abscess, or pus, can form if the infection is not treated. What Causes Paronychia? Bacteria (usually the ones called Staphylococcus and Streptococcus) or fungi cause paronychia by getting into the skin through a wound. These wounds can come from biting nails or hangnails; thumb sucking; penetrating injuries; foreign bodies such as splinters; and exposure to harsh chemicals, acrylic nails, or nail glue. People who...

Instructions Following General Anesthetic, Adult. A nurse specialized in giving anesthesia ( anesthetist) or a doctor specialized in giving anesthesia ( anesthesiologist) gave you a medicine that made you sleep while a procedure was performed. For as long as 24 hours following this procedure, you may feel Dizzy, Weak and Drowsy....

Renal cell cancer (kidney cancer) is a disease in which cancer cells form in the linings of tubules of the kidney. A cancer is an uncontrolled growth of cells and can occur anywhere in the body. Your kidneys are the organs which filter your blood and keep it clean by getting rid of waste products from your body in your urine. Urine passes from the kidneys into the bladder through long tubes called ureters. The bladder stores the urine until it is passed from the body through the tube which drains the bladder to the outside ( urethra)....

What Is Testicular Cancer? Testicles (testes) are male sex glands that make and store sperm. Testicular malignancies are cancers that start in one of the testicles. About 7500 new cases are diagnosed each year in the United States. Most occur in men between 15 and 40 years old. What Causes Testicular Cancer? The cause is unknown. Men with a greater chance of getting it include those born with an undescended testicle and those who have fathers or brothers with testicular cancer. Testicular cancer isn’t contagious....

What Is Testicular Torsion? Testicular torsion is a painful condition that occurs when the testicle twists on the end of the spermatic cord. This cord holds blood vessels that supply the testicle with blood. This corkscrew- like twisting cuts off the testicle’s blood supply. If the testicle stays tightly twisted, it will be damaged and could die. Testicular torsion occurs most often in young men between 12 and 20 years old and it’s also common in newborn babies, but it can happen at any age. It’s rare, occurring in 1 in 5000 males. It can occur suddenly, for no reason,...

Cancer is a group of many related diseases. All cancers begin in cells. Cells are the building blocks that make up tissues. Cancer that arises from organs and solid tissues is called a solid tumor. Cancer that begins in blood cells is called leukemia, multiple myeloma, or lymphoma. Normally, cells grow and divide to form new cells as the body needs them. When cells grow old and die, new cells take their place. Sometimes this orderly process goes wrong. New cells form when the body does not need them. Old cells do not die when they should. The extra cells...