Doctor-Reviewed Health Guides: Conditions, Procedures & Health News

A myomectomy is a surgery that removes uterine fibroids while leaving the uterus in place, so pregnancy remains possible. It treats fibroids causing heavy or irregular bleeding, pelvic pain, or trouble emptying the bladder. Surgeons use an open, laparoscopic/robotic, or hysteroscopic approach, and recovery ranges from a few days to about six weeks.

Myofunctional therapy is a treatment that trains the muscles of the mouth and face, including the tongue, lips and cheeks, to move correctly and rest in the right position. A trained provider guides targeted exercises that can improve breathing, chewing, swallowing and speech, and may help with obstructive sleep apnea, tongue thrust and TMJ disorders.

Myofascial release therapy is a hands-on technique that eases pain and tightness in the fascia, the web of connective tissue that covers and supports your muscles. A trained provider finds stiff trigger points, or knots, and applies gentle, steady pressure until the tension releases. It may help back pain, fibromyalgia, TMJ disorder and other conditions.

Music therapy is a clinical treatment in which a qualified music therapist uses music, or elements like rhythm and harmony, within a therapeutic relationship to meet personal health goals such as lowering stress, easing anxiety or pain, and improving quality of life. Sessions may involve singing, playing, writing or listening to music, and no musical skill is needed.

Muscle relaxers are prescription medicines that affect skeletal muscle function and are used to treat muscle spasms, spasticity and musculoskeletal pain. The two main classes are antispasmodics, used mainly for back pain and spasms, and antispastics, used mainly for spasticity. Most cause drowsiness, and mixing them with alcohol or taking too much can be dangerous.

A mucous fistula is a surgically created second stoma that brings a disconnected end of the intestine to the belly skin so intestinal mucus can drain out instead of building up. It is made during an end ileostomy or colostomy, most often for inflammatory bowel disease, colon cancer or diverticulitis, and is usually temporary until the bowel is reconnected.

Mucolytics are medications that break up thick mucus in the lungs so it is easier to cough out. Doctors use them for long-lasting lung conditions such as cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis and COPD, most often as a nebulizer mist. They usually need a prescription. Common side effects include stomach upset and voice changes. People with asthma should use acetylcysteine carefully.

An mRNA vaccine is a preventive shot that gives your cells temporary instructions, called messenger RNA, to make one harmless piece of a germ so your immune system learns to recognize it. Today, mRNA vaccines are used against COVID-19 and RSV. Common side effects are arm pain, fatigue and headache; trouble breathing or facial swelling needs emergency care.

MR-guided focused ultrasound is a no-incision treatment that combines MRI guidance with more than 1,000 focused ultrasound beams to create a tiny heat lesion in the thalamus, easing tremor. It is approved for medication-resistant essential tremor and tremor-dominant Parkinson's disease, takes about 3 to 4 hours, and relieves symptoms without curing the underlying disease.

The mpox vaccine is a shot that lowers your risk of mpox, a viral illness that causes a painful rash. It is given as two doses at least 28 days apart, either under the skin or between skin layers. It is recommended for people at higher risk of exposure, and two doses are highly protective.

A mouthguard is a removable dental appliance that covers the teeth, usually the upper teeth. Sports guards protect against chipped and knocked-out teeth, grinding guards protect teeth from clenching and may ease TMJ symptoms, and sleep apnea guards reposition the jaw to keep the airway open. Guards are store-bought or custom-made by a dentist.

Mole removal is a quick outpatient procedure in which a dermatologist numbs the skin and cuts or shaves a mole off, usually so it can be tested for skin cancer or for cosmetic reasons. Healing typically takes two to three weeks. Moles should never be removed at home, and any mole that bleeds, itches or changes needs checking.

Mohs surgery is a precise outpatient procedure that removes high-risk skin cancer one thin layer at a time while checking 100% of the edges under a microscope. It mainly treats basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma, spares healthy skin, and has cure rates of up to 99%.

A Mitrofanoff procedure is a bladder surgery that uses the appendix to build a small channel from the bladder to an opening (stoma) on the belly. A person empties the bladder by passing a thin catheter through the stoma every three to four hours. It helps children and adults with certain bladder conditions stay dry without a urine bag.

Minimally invasive heart surgery is heart surgery done through one or more small chest incisions instead of the single long incision used in open-heart surgery. Surgeons use a thin camera tube with long tools, or robotic arms, to repair or replace valves, close holes and bypass arteries, usually with less pain, less scarring and a faster recovery.

Microsurgery is a surgical technique that uses an operating microscope and precision instruments to repair or rebuild very small structures, such as blood vessels, nerves and lymphatic vessels. Surgeons use it to restore function after trauma, cancer or conditions present at birth, including reattaching amputated parts and transferring tissue, usually when traditional surgery is not enough.

Micropigmentation is a cosmetic tattooing procedure, also called permanent makeup, that places pigment in the middle layer of the skin to add or restore color. It is most often used on eyebrows, eyeliner and lips, and to camouflage scars or vitiligo. Sterile needles and ink lower the risk of infection.

Mitral valve repair is open-heart surgery that fixes a leaky, narrow or floppy mitral valve while keeping your own valve. Surgeons usually add an annuloplasty ring and fix the leaflets or chords. Most people stay in hospital about a week, recover in four to eight weeks, and 95% need no further surgery for 10 years.

Minimally invasive spine surgery is a way to operate on the spine through one or more small incisions, using a thin tube or a camera-tipped endoscope instead of one long cut. Because less muscle and tissue is disturbed, it usually causes less pain and a faster recovery. It treats conditions such as herniated disks, spinal stenosis and scoliosis.

Minimally invasive mitral valve repair is surgery that fixes a leaky or narrowed mitral valve through one or more small chest incisions rather than a long incision down the front of the chest. Surgeons use a camera and small tools, sometimes with a surgical robot. The operation typically takes two to four hours; hospital stays last up to five days.

Hypospadias repair is a surgery that moves the urethral opening to the tip of the penis, usually between 6 months and 2 years of age. Mild cases need one operation; severe penoscrotal cases need two, about six months apart. Most children go home the same day and fully recover in about six weeks.

A hypogastric plexus block is an outpatient injection that numbs or destroys a bundle of nerves near the bottom of the spine to relieve long-lasting pelvic and lower abdominal pain. It can help pain from cancer, endometriosis, interstitial cystitis and other pelvic conditions when oral medicines are not enough. Relief lasts hours to months, depending on the medicine.

Hypnosis, also called hypnotherapy, is a guided state of deep relaxation and focused attention used alongside standard medical or psychological care. A trained, certified therapist leads you through four stages: induction, deepening, suggestions and emergence. It can help manage anxiety, chronic pain, IBS and insomnia, and support quitting smoking. Side effects are rare, and you stay in control throughout.

Mechanical ventilation is a form of life support in which a machine called a ventilator helps a person breathe, or breathes for them, when they cannot breathe well enough alone. It delivers oxygen, removes carbon dioxide and keeps the lungs' air sacs open. It does not cure illness; it supports the body while other treatments work.