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

Protease inhibitors (PIs) are antiviral medicines that stop a virus from making copies of itself by blocking an enzyme called protease. They're used mostly to treat HIV as part of antiretroviral therapy, and also hepatitis C and COVID-19. Common side effects include nausea, diarrhea, rash and fatigue, and PIs have many drug interactions.

Chest physiotherapy (chest PT) is a physical therapy treatment that loosens thick mucus in the chest so you can cough it out. A provider claps or vibrates your chest and back while you lie in different positions. It's used for cystic fibrosis, COPD, bronchiectasis and pneumonia. It shouldn't hurt and may make breathing easier.

NDRIs (norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitors) are medicines that increase norepinephrine and dopamine, two brain chemicals that help control mood and attention. They're used for depression, seasonal affective disorder, ADHD, narcolepsy and quitting smoking. The most common is bupropion (Wellbutrin). They usually start working in two to four weeks. Don't stop taking them without talking to your provider.

Bioidentical hormones are plant-derived, processed hormones designed to match the hormones your body makes, mainly used to ease menopause and perimenopause symptoms. Some are FDA-approved; compounded versions aren't FDA-approved or tested for safety. Claims that they're safer than traditional hormone therapy aren't backed by large studies. They can raise the risk of blood clots, stroke and gallbladder disease.

Stomach pumping (gastric lavage or gastric suctioning) is a procedure that removes what's in the stomach through a tube passed through the nose or mouth. In an emergency, it can remove swallowed poison or pills before they're absorbed. Today it's used less often for overdose. Anyone with a suspected poisoning should get emergency care right away.

BCG treatment is an immunotherapy for early-stage bladder cancer in which a liquid made from a weakened strain of bacteria is placed in the bladder through a catheter, triggering the immune system to attack cancer cells. Treatment starts weekly for six weeks, then maintenance doses for up to three years. Cancer comes back in up to 40% of people.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a combination of medicines that treats HIV by stopping the virus from copying itself. It isn't a cure, but over 90% of people who take it as prescribed reach an undetectable viral load within 12 months, which means they can't pass HIV through sex. Anyone with HIV should start ART as soon as possible.

Adjuvant therapy is cancer treatment given after surgery to destroy tiny cancer cells the surgery may have missed. It can lower the risk that cancer comes back or spreads and may help people live longer. It can include chemotherapy, hormone therapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy or radiation therapy. It's common for breast, colorectal, non-small cell lung cancer and melanoma.

A cervical epidural steroid injection (ESI) delivers anti-inflammatory steroid medicine into the epidural space around the spinal nerves in the neck. It's mainly used for cervical radiculopathy, pain from irritated nerve roots that spreads from the neck into the shoulders, arms or hands. About 40% to 84% of people get temporary or partial relief.

A cornea transplant (keratoplasty) is surgery that replaces a damaged cornea, the clear front layer of the eye, with healthy tissue from a deceased donor. It treats conditions like Fuchs' dystrophy, keratoconus and corneal scars. You'll use eye drops for at least a year to prevent rejection, and vision improves over three to 12 months.

Bronchial thermoplasty is a procedure for severe asthma that doesn't improve with standard treatments. A provider passes a thin tube into the airways and applies heat to the smooth muscle, thinning it so it can't tighten as much. It takes three sessions at least three weeks apart. It doesn't cure asthma, so you'll still need your medicines.

A dental bridge replaces one or more missing teeth by bridging the gap with crowns that fit over the teeth on each side and artificial teeth that fill the space. Bridges help you chew and speak normally and stop nearby teeth from shifting. A bridge usually takes two visits and typically lasts five to 15 years.

Gastric band surgery (Lap-Band) is a weight-loss surgery that places an inflatable silicone band around the upper stomach to create a small pouch, so you feel full sooner and eat less. It's reversible. People lose about 40% of their excess weight over two years on average, less than with other bariatric surgeries, and long-term removal rates are higher.

Bone marrow donation is the collection of blood-forming stem cells from a healthy donor's hip bone for a bone marrow transplant, which may cure blood cancers and blood disorders such as leukemia and lymphoma. It takes about an hour under general anesthesia. Most donors return to work within a few days and fully recover in a few weeks.

The maze procedure is heart surgery for atrial fibrillation (AFib) in which the surgeon creates a pattern of scar tissue in both upper heart chambers that blocks the abnormal electrical signals causing AFib. It's used when medicines or catheter ablation haven't worked. Success rates are 80% to 90%, and recovery takes about three to six weeks.

Cryoablation is a minimally invasive treatment that uses extreme cold to freeze and destroy abnormal tissue, such as cancer cells. A thin, needle-like cryoprobe is guided into the tumor with ultrasound, CT or MRI. It treats small or early-stage tumors and tumors that can't be safely removed with surgery. Most people go home the same day.

An ileal pouch is an internal reservoir made from the small intestine after surgery to remove the colon and rectum. It lets you pass stool through the anus, so you don't need a permanent ostomy bag. It's the most common surgery for ulcerative colitis when medicines fail. Long-term success is about 95%, though pouchitis is common.

DIEP flap surgery is breast reconstruction that uses skin, fat and blood vessels from the lower belly to rebuild a breast after a mastectomy or lumpectomy. It doesn't take abdominal muscle, so you keep your core strength. Surgery takes six to eight hours, with six to eight weeks of recovery. Success rates are 96% to 99%.

A parathyroidectomy is surgery to remove one or more parathyroid glands, the small glands behind the thyroid that control blood calcium. It treats hyperparathyroidism, when a gland makes too much parathyroid hormone, and is the only cure, with a success rate over 95%. Surgery usually takes about an hour, and most people recover in one to three weeks.

Breast reduction scars are the marks left as the body heals the incisions from breast reduction surgery. Most are thin lines lighter or darker than the surrounding skin. They start red to purple and slightly raised, soften by six months and keep fading over a year or more. They don't disappear completely but can become barely noticeable.

Cord blood banking is the collection and storage of blood left in the umbilical cord after birth. Cord blood is rich in stem cells that can be used in transplants for leukemia, lymphoma, sickle cell disease and some immune disorders. You can donate to a public bank or pay a private bank. Collection is painless and safe.

Shoulder replacement surgery (shoulder arthroplasty) is an operation that replaces the damaged ball and socket of the shoulder joint with a metal and plastic prosthesis. It's suggested when severe pain, stiffness and limited movement don't improve with nonsurgical treatment, most often from arthritis. Full recovery takes a few months, and most replacements last at least 15 years.

A knee brace is a medical device that stabilizes and supports the knee, often after an injury or surgery. Braces are used for knee sprains, ligament injuries, kneecap problems, tendinitis and knee arthritis. A brace should feel snug but not tight and shouldn't hurt. See a provider first so you get the right type.

Physical therapy (PT) for cerebral palsy is a program of customized exercises and stretches that helps a child manage CP symptoms like muscle stiffness and spasms. A physical therapist builds a plan to strengthen muscles, improve flexibility and ease pain. It can't cure CP, but it's an important part of lifelong management and has very few risks.