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

A prostatectomy is surgery to remove part or all of the prostate gland, most often to treat prostate cancer or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). A simple prostatectomy removes the inner part for BPH; a radical prostatectomy removes the entire prostate for cancer. Possible side effects include loss of bladder control and erectile dysfunction, which often improve over months.

PSMA-targeted therapy is radiation treatment for advanced prostate cancer that uses a radioactive tracer to seek out PSMA, a protein on prostate cancer cells, and deliver radiation directly to tumors. It's used for metastatic prostate cancer that hasn't responded to other treatments. It doesn't cure cancer, but it can shrink tumors, slow growth and ease symptoms.

Bronchodilators are medicines that relax the muscles around the airways so you can breathe more easily. They're prescribed for asthma, COPD and other lung conditions. Short-acting types work within a few minutes to stop sudden symptoms; long-acting types are used every day. Common side effects are shakiness, nervousness and a faster heartbeat.

Sinus surgery treats ongoing sinus problems such as chronic sinusitis, fungal sinusitis and nasal polyps when medicine doesn't work. The most common type is functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS), which uses a thin camera to remove blockages. Balloon sinuplasty and Caldwell-Luc surgery are other types. Serious complications are rare.

Nissen fundoplication is surgery for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in which the surgeon wraps the top of the stomach around the bottom of the esophagus to strengthen the valve that keeps acid out. It's used when other GERD treatments don't ease symptoms. Most surgeries are laparoscopic and take one to three hours. The main risk is symptoms returning.

Parkinson's physical therapy (PT) is a program of customized exercises and stretches that helps you manage Parkinson's symptoms such as stiffness, tremors, freezing and unsteadiness. It can build strength and flexibility, improve walking and balance and lower the risk of falls. It can't cure or reverse Parkinson's, but staying active might help slow its progress.

Chemotherapy for breast cancer uses drugs to kill cancer cells in the breast or cells that have spread elsewhere in the body. It can be given before surgery to shrink a tumor, after surgery to lower the chance the cancer comes back, or as the main treatment for metastatic breast cancer. Most side effects go away after treatment.

Ankle replacement surgery (total ankle replacement or ankle arthroplasty) replaces damaged bone and cartilage in the ankle joint with a metal and plastic implant that moves like a natural joint. It treats ankle arthritis when other treatments haven't helped. Unlike ankle fusion, it keeps the ankle's motion. Full recovery takes six to 12 months.

Inhalers are handheld devices that deliver medicine through the mouth directly to the lungs, most often for asthma and COPD. Daily controller inhalers prevent symptoms, and rescue inhalers relieve symptoms fast during an attack. Correct technique matters: many people use their inhaler incorrectly, so less medicine reaches the lungs. After a steroid inhaler, rinse your mouth and spit.

Progressive lenses are multifocal eyeglass lenses that correct vision at several distances in one lens, with no visible lines. Each lens has zones for distance, intermediate and reading. They're mainly used for presbyopia, trouble seeing up close that happens to almost everyone after age 40. Getting used to them takes about a week to a couple of months.

Botox for migraines uses onabotulinumtoxinA, a botulinum toxin that's FDA-approved to prevent chronic migraines. It may be recommended if you have 15 or more headache days a month. A provider gives 31 small injections in the head, neck and shoulders every 12 weeks. Effects begin in one to two weeks and last 10 to 12 weeks.

A dental bone graft is a procedure that replaces lost jawbone and adds volume and density to the jaw. Grafting material acts as a scaffold so your own bone can regrow. It's often done after a tooth extraction or before dental implants. Most people report little to no pain. The bone needs at least three months to heal.

A dental cleaning is a professional cleaning by a dentist or dental hygienist that removes bacteria, plaque and tartar a toothbrush can't reach. It helps prevent cavities and gum disease. Most dentists recommend a cleaning every six months. Most cleanings take 30 to 60 minutes and shouldn't hurt.

A carotid endarterectomy is surgery to remove plaque from inside a carotid artery in the neck, restoring blood flow to the brain and lowering stroke risk. It's usually recommended when the artery is at least halfway blocked, especially after a TIA or mild stroke. Surgery takes one to two hours, and most people go home the next day.

A skin graft is surgery that moves healthy skin from one part of the body to cover damaged or missing skin. It's used for burns, injuries, large or slow-healing wounds and after skin cancer surgery. Most grafts use your own skin. You may stay in the hospital up to two weeks. Most grafts take on the first try.

External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) is the most common type of radiation treatment for cancer, in which a machine outside the body aims precisely shaped beams of radiation at the tumor. The machine never touches you, and treatment is painless. Treatments are usually given daily over several weeks. The most common side effect is fatigue.

An adenoidectomy is surgery to remove the adenoids, small lumps of immune tissue behind the nose. It's done in children ages 1 to 7 when enlarged adenoids cause trouble breathing, sleep apnea, chronic sinus problems or ear problems. It takes 30 minutes, and most children go home the same day. Removing the adenoids doesn't weaken the immune system.

A nerve conduction study (NCS) is a test that measures how fast and how strongly electrical signals travel through the nerves. It helps diagnose peripheral neuropathy and nerve compression problems such as carpal tunnel syndrome and sciatica. Electrode patches on the skin deliver a mild electrical pulse that feels like a brief static shock.

Gastric sleeve surgery (sleeve gastrectomy) is a weight-loss surgery that removes about 80% of the stomach, leaving a narrow banana-shaped sleeve. It limits how much you can eat and lowers hunger hormones. People lose about 25% to 30% of their body weight in one to two years. It's permanent and requires lifelong vitamins.

A nephrostomy tube is a thin, flexible tube placed through the skin of the lower back into the kidney to drain urine into a bag outside the body when urine can't flow normally. It's used for blockages from kidney stones, infection, tumors or scar tissue and protects kidney function. Tubes stay in for days, weeks or months.

Artificial tears are over-the-counter eye drops, gels and ointments that lubricate dry eyes, relieving dryness, burning, itching, redness and irritation. Use preserved drops no more than 4 to 6 times a day; preservative-free drops are better for frequent use. Gels and ointments last longer but can blur vision. If you need them often, see an eye care provider.

A nipple shield is a flexible silicone cover worn over the nipple during breastfeeding to help a baby latch. It may help with flat or inverted nipples or sore, cracked nipples from a poor latch. Downsides include lower milk transfer and slower weight gain, so use it only with a lactation provider's guidance and for a short time.

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is a procedure to place a feeding tube through the belly wall into the stomach. It delivers nutrition, fluids and medicine when you can't safely chew or swallow or can't eat enough by mouth. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes, and most people go home the same day or the next morning.

Radiation therapy (radiotherapy) is a cancer treatment that uses high-energy radiation, usually X-rays, to damage the DNA of cancer cells so they stop growing and die. It can be used alone or with surgery and chemotherapy. The two main types are external beam radiation and internal radiation. The most common side effects are fatigue and skin changes.