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

Diathermy is a therapy that uses high-frequency electrical energy, delivered as radio waves, microwaves or sound waves, to heat tissues below the skin. It is used to ease chronic pain, stiff muscles, spasms, arthritis and swelling, and to support recovery from sprains and strains. A session takes about 15 to 20 minutes, and burns are the main risk.

Distal splenorenal shunt (DSRS) is a surgery that lowers pressure in the portal vein by detaching the spleen's vein and joining it to the left kidney vein, while blood keeps reaching the liver. It controls bleeding varices and other portal hypertension complications but does not cure the condition, so regular follow-up care is needed.

Dorsal root ganglion (DRG) stimulation is a chronic pain treatment in which a surgically implanted device sends small electrical pulses to overactive sensory nerve cells beside the spine. It is approved for complex regional pain syndrome and causalgia in the legs, starts with a trial of several days, and may reduce pain significantly without eliminating it.

A dialysis graft is a hollow tube that a specialist uses to connect an artery to a vein, usually in the arm, so needles can reach the bloodstream during hemodialysis. It is placed under local anesthesia, is usually ready in about three weeks and lasts about two to three years. It is a good option when a fistula isn't possible.

A cystectomy is surgery to remove part or all of the urinary bladder, most often to treat bladder cancer. When the whole bladder is removed, the surgeon builds a new route for urine to leave the body. Main risks include bleeding, infection, blood clots and sexual side effects, and full recovery can take several weeks to months.

Dialysis is a treatment that filters waste, toxins and excess fluid from the blood when the kidneys are failing. The two types are hemodialysis, which cleans blood through a machine and artificial kidney, and peritoneal dialysis, which uses the abdominal lining as a filter. Dialysis cannot cure kidney failure, but without it or a transplant, kidney failure is fatal.

A defibrillator is a device that sends an electric shock to the heart to stop two life-threatening rhythms, pulseless ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation, so a normal rhythm can return. It can be external, wearable or implanted. It can save a life when used within 10 minutes, so call emergency services and start CPR immediately.

Diabetes medications are prescription drugs that lower blood sugar, used alongside meal planning and physical activity. The three main groups are oral pills, non-insulin injectables such as GLP-1 agonists, and insulin. Everyone with type 1 diabetes needs insulin, while many people with type 2 use pills or injectables. Insulin, sulfonylureas and meglitinides are more likely to cause low blood sugar.

Dermabrasion is an outpatient skin-resurfacing procedure in which a dermatologist or plastic surgeon uses a high-speed rotary tool to sand away the top layers of skin, revealing smoother new skin. It treats acne and surgical scars, fine lines, sun damage and precancerous patches. Healing takes about 10 to 14 days, and darker skin carries a higher discoloration risk.

Cycloplegia is a temporary paralysis of the eye's focusing muscles, caused by medicated eye drops. It blocks close-up focus and widens the pupil. Eye specialists use it for accurate eye exams, during eye surgery, and to treat lazy eye and some uveitis. Effects last from a few hours to about 12 days, depending on the drop.

Defibrillation is an emergency treatment that uses a controlled electrical shock to stop a life-threatening rhythm in the heart's lower chambers, such as ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia, so a normal beat can return. It works best when given within the first 10 minutes. If someone collapses, call emergency services, start CPR and use an AED.

Dermaplaning is a cosmetic procedure in which a provider uses a blade to shave away the uppermost layers of skin and fine facial hair. It can soften the look of acne scars, fine lines and dull skin. It is usually not painful and has little or no downtime, though deeper treatments take longer to heal; wear sunscreen afterward.

Dentures are removable or fixed oral appliances that replace missing teeth in the upper jaw, lower jaw, or both. Main types include full, partial, immediate, implant-retained and implant-supported dentures. They improve chewing, speech and appearance, usually last seven to 10 years, and need daily cleaning plus a reline every one to two years.

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a type of talk therapy, adapted from cognitive behavioral therapy, for people who feel emotions very intensely. It balances acceptance with change and teaches four skills: mindfulness, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness and emotion regulation. DBT is a common treatment for borderline personality disorder and usually lasts six months to a year.

Cupping therapy is a traditional treatment in which cups placed on the skin create suction that pulls the skin upward and increases blood flow to the area. People mainly use it for back pain, neck pain and headaches. Evidence for its benefits is mixed, it leaves round bruise-like marks, and pregnant people and those with bleeding disorders should avoid it.

da Vinci robotic surgery is a type of robot-assisted surgery in which a surgeon sits at a console and guides robotic arms that hold a camera and instruments through small incisions. It is used for urological, colorectal, thoracic and other procedures. Compared with open surgery, it often means less pain and faster recovery, but takes longer and may cost more.

Deflux treatment is a minimally invasive procedure in which a urologist injects a gel into the bladder wall near the ureter opening to stop urine from flowing back toward the kidneys (vesicoureteral reflux). It is done through a cystoscope under general anesthesia, usually takes under 30 minutes, and patients go home the same day.

Dermal fillers are injectable gels placed just under the skin to smooth wrinkles, soften creases, and restore lost facial volume, most often around the eyes, mouth, nose, cheeks, and lips. Treatment usually takes under an hour, results often show right away and last months to years, and bruising or swelling typically fades within days. Sudden vision changes need emergency care.

Craniosacral therapy (CST) is a gentle, noninvasive, hands-on treatment in which a trained therapist uses light touch on the head, neck and back to release tension in the fascia, the body's connective tissue network. It may ease chronic pain, headaches, neck pain and cancer-treatment side effects, and it is used alongside other care, not instead of it.

A C-section is surgery to deliver a baby through cuts in the abdomen and uterus when vaginal birth isn't safe or possible. It can be planned or done urgently during labor, takes about 45–90 minutes, and full recovery typically takes four to six weeks. Fever, heavy bleeding or a red, leaking incision need prompt medical care.

A craniotomy is brain surgery in which a surgeon removes a section of skull, called a bone flap, to reach the brain and treat tumors, aneurysms, bleeding, infections, seizures or injuries. It is done under anesthesia, usually takes three to five hours, and the bone flap is put back with small plates or screws. Recovery takes several weeks to months.

Colporrhaphy is a surgery done through the vagina that repairs weak vaginal walls to treat pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Anterior repair fixes the front wall (cystocele), and posterior repair fixes the back wall (rectocele). It usually takes about 30 minutes, most people go home the same day, and full healing takes about three months.

Coronary revascularization is a group of treatments that restore blood flow to heart muscle that lacks enough blood. The two main options are percutaneous coronary intervention, which opens a narrowed artery from inside with a balloon or stent, and bypass surgery, which reroutes blood around a blockage. Fast treatment during a heart attack can limit permanent damage.

A cortisone shot is an injection of a corticosteroid into an inflamed joint, tendon, or bursa to relieve pain and swelling. It treats conditions such as arthritis, bursitis, tendinitis, and carpal tunnel syndrome. Relief can take up to a week and usually lasts weeks to months. Most people should have no more than three shots a year.