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

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, or heart bypass surgery, creates a new path for blood to flow around a blocked coronary artery using a healthy blood vessel from the leg, arm or chest. It's the most common heart surgery in the world and treats coronary artery disease. About 8 in 10 people get relief from angina.

A dental crown (cap) is a tooth-shaped cover that fits over a damaged, weak or worn tooth to restore its shape, strength and appearance. Crowns also cover dental implants and teeth after a root canal. Getting a crown usually takes two visits. Crowns last 5 to 15 years on average, and some last much longer with good care.

Prolotherapy is an injection treatment for joint and soft tissue pain in which a provider injects an irritating solution, most often dextrose, into or near a painful joint, tendon or ligament. Supporters believe it triggers the body's healing response, but this hasn't been proven. Research is mixed. It's not FDA-approved and is usually not covered by insurance.

A brow lift (forehead lift) is a cosmetic procedure that raises sagging eyebrows and smooths forehead creases and frown lines. Surgical options include the classic, endoscopic and limited-incision lifts; nonsurgical options include Botox injections and thread lifts. Most people return to work in 10 to 14 days, and full healing takes up to six months.

Heart valve surgery repairs or replaces a heart valve that leaks or is too narrow. Options include valve repair, replacement with a tissue or mechanical valve, and transcatheter procedures such as TAVR that don't open the chest. Full recovery from open surgery takes about four to eight weeks. It's the only effective long-term fix for most valve disease.

General anesthesia is a controlled, reversible state of unconsciousness that lets you have surgery without feeling pain, moving or remembering the procedure. It's given by an anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist through an IV or as a gas through a mask. Follow your team's instructions about food and drink beforehand. Serious complications are rare.

Dental fillings repair cavities and minor chips or cracks by filling in the damaged part of a tooth, usually in one visit. Common materials are tooth-colored composite resin, silver-colored amalgam and glass ionomer. Depending on the material, they last 10 to 20 years. Call your dentist if you have severe or lasting pain, swelling or fever.

Psychotherapy, also called talk therapy, is treatment in which you work with a trained mental health professional to understand and change unhelpful thoughts, emotions and behaviors. It helps with depression, anxiety, PTSD, relationship problems, grief and stress. Common types include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). About 75% of people who try psychotherapy benefit.

Buccal fat removal (cheek reduction) is a cosmetic surgery that removes the buccal fat pads, pockets of fat in the lower cheeks, to make the face look slimmer. The cuts are inside the cheeks, so there are no visible scars. You go home the same day and heal in about three weeks. Final results take several months.

Tetracyclines are a group of antibiotics that stop bacteria from growing and spreading. The best known are doxycycline, minocycline and tetracycline. They treat many infections, including acne, chlamydia, pneumonia and early Lyme disease. They make you sunburn easily and can stain developing teeth, so they're usually avoided in pregnancy and in children under 8.

A prosthesis is an artificial body part that replaces one that's missing or no longer works. Some are external and removable, such as a prosthetic arm or leg, an artificial eye or dentures. Others are implanted, such as a hip or knee replacement or an artificial heart valve. Getting used to one takes time, rehabilitation and lifelong care.

The Valsalva maneuver is a breathing technique that can stop a fast heart rhythm called supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) without medicine. You close your mouth, pinch your nose and strain as if having a bowel movement for 15 to 20 seconds. The standard method works only 5% to 20% of the time; a modified version works much more often.

Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is a short course of HIV medicines taken after a possible exposure to HIV to keep the virus from taking hold. You must start within 72 hours, the sooner the better, and take the pills every day for 28 days. Treat any possible HIV exposure as an emergency and get care right away.

Kegel exercises for men strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, which support the bladder and bowel and help control urination, bowel movements and erections. They can help with urine leakage, especially after prostate surgery. Squeeze for five seconds, relax for five seconds, and repeat 10 times, three times a day. Most men notice improvement after six to eight weeks.

Angioplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that opens narrowed or blocked arteries so blood can flow more easily. A catheter is guided to the blockage, and a tiny balloon is inflated to press plaque against the artery wall, usually with a stent left in place. Most people go home the same day or the next.

Stress management is the use of techniques that change how you respond to stress, so it does less harm to your body and mind. Proven methods include deep breathing, meditation, mindfulness, regular physical activity, healthy eating and sleep habits, and therapy such as CBT. Get help right away if stress leads to thoughts of suicide.

CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) is an emergency procedure for cardiac arrest, when the heart suddenly stops pumping blood. Start it if someone is unresponsive and not breathing normally. Call 911, send someone for an AED, then push hard and fast in the center of the chest: at least 2 inches deep and 100 to 120 times a minute.

Dental implants are small threaded posts, usually titanium, placed in the jawbone to act as artificial tooth roots. Once the bone fuses with the implant, it supports a crown, bridge or denture that looks and works like natural teeth. The bone takes three to nine months to fuse. With good care, implants can last a lifetime.

Antihistamines are medicines that block histamine, a chemical the immune system releases during an allergic reaction. H1 antihistamines treat allergy symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes and hives; H2 antihistamines lower stomach acid. First-generation types often cause drowsiness. Don't drive after taking a drowsy antihistamine, and never take more than the label says.

Benzodiazepines ("benzos") are prescription medicines that calm the brain and nervous system by boosting GABA, a chemical messenger that slows nerve activity. They're used for anxiety, panic disorder, insomnia and seizures. They can be habit-forming, even when taken as prescribed. Taking them with opioids or alcohol can be deadly. Never stop suddenly without talking to your provider.

Laser hair removal is a noninvasive treatment that uses laser heat to destroy hair follicles and reduce unwanted hair. You usually need six to eight sessions about six to eight weeks apart. Results last much longer than shaving or waxing, but they aren't permanent: some hair grows back. It works best on dark hair and light skin.

A cast is a hard shell that holds an injured body part still while a broken bone heals. Unlike a splint, you can't remove or adjust it yourself. Most people wear a cast for six to eight weeks. Keep it dry, and call your provider right away if it hurts more, smells bad, cracks or feels loose.

Creatine is a natural substance that gives the muscles quick energy, especially during short, intense exercise such as sprinting or weightlifting. About half comes from food, and the body makes the rest. As a supplement taken with regular exercise, it can help build strength and muscle. It's considered relatively safe. Talk to a provider before you start.

Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that have health benefits when you take them. They add to the helpful microbes already living in the gut and help keep the microbiome in balance. You can get them from supplements or fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, kimchi and sauerkraut. They're best known for helping prevent diarrhea caused by antibiotics.