Champion Home Health Care in Stuart, FL
Champion Caregiver Helping Client. text: Our Golden Rule: We Will Not Refer Caregivers into Your Home That We Would Not Welcome into Ours.

Champion HHC Health Information Library

We have thousands of patient health information articles gathered here. All articles are easy to read, authoritatively sourced, and constantly updated. Please visit our website at any time to search for information that interests you.

Tooth Disorders

What are teeth?

Your teeth are made of a hard, bonelike material. There are four parts:

  • Enamel, your tooth's hard surface
  • Dentin, the hard yellow part under the enamel
  • Cementum, the hard tissue that covers the root and keeps your teeth in place
  • Pulp, the soft connective tissue in the center of your tooth. It contains nerves and blood vessels.

You need your teeth for many activities that you may take for granted. These include eating, speaking and even smiling.

What are tooth disorders?

There are many different problems that can affect your teeth, including:

  • Tooth decay - damage to a tooth's surface, which can lead to cavities
  • Abscess - a pocket of pus, caused by a tooth infection
  • Impacted tooth - a tooth did not erupt (break through the gum) when it should have. It is usually wisdom teeth that are impacted, but it can sometimes happen to other teeth.
  • Misaligned teeth (malocclusion)
  • Tooth injuries such as broken or chipped teeth
What causes tooth disorders?

The causes of tooth disorders varies, depending on the problem. Sometimes the cause is not taking good care of your teeth. In other cases, you may have been born with the problem or the cause is an accident.

What are the symptoms of tooth disorders?

The symptoms can vary, depending on the problem. Some of the more common symptoms include:

  • Abnormal color or shape of the tooth
  • Tooth pain
  • Worn-down teeth
How are tooth disorders diagnosed?

Your dentist will ask about your symptoms, look at your teeth, and probe them with dental instruments. In some cases, you may need dental x-rays.

What are the treatments for tooth disorders?

The treatment will depend on the problem. Some common treatments are:

  • Fillings for cavities
  • Root canals for cavities or infections that affect the pulp (inside of the tooth)
  • Extractions (pulling teeth) for teeth that are impacted and causing problems or are too damaged to be fixed. You may also have a tooth or teeth pulled because of overcrowding in your mouth.
Can tooth disorders be prevented?

The main thing that you can do to prevent tooth disorders is to take good care of your teeth:

  • Brush your teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste
  • Clean between your teeth every day with floss or another type of between-the-teeth cleaner
  • Limit sugary snacks and drinks
  • Don't smoke or chew tobacco
  • See your dentist or oral health professional regularly

Triglycerides

What are triglycerides?

Triglycerides are a type of fat. They are the most common type of fat in your body. They come from foods, especially butter, oils, and other fats you eat. Triglycerides also come from extra calories. These are the calories that you eat, but your body does not need right away. Your body changes these extra calories into triglycerides and stores them in fat cells. When your body needs energy, it releases the triglycerides. Your VLDL cholesterol particles carry the triglycerides to your tissues.

Having a high level of triglycerides can raise your risk of heart diseases, such as coronary artery disease.

What causes high triglycerides?

Factors that can raise your triglyceride level include:

  • Regularly eating more calories than you burn off, especially if you eat a lot of sugar
  • Being overweight or having obesity
  • Cigarette smoking
  • Excessive alcohol use
  • Certain medicines
  • Some genetic disorders
  • Thyroid diseases
  • Poorly controlled type 2 diabetes
  • Liver or kidney diseases
How are high triglycerides diagnosed?

There is a blood test that measures your triglycerides, along with your cholesterol. Triglyceride levels are measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). The guidelines for triglyceride levels are

CategoryTriglyceride LevelNormalLess than 150mg/dLBorderline high150 to 199 mg/dLHigh200 to 499 mg/dLVery high500 mg/dL and above

Levels above 150mg/dl may raise your risk for heart disease. A triglyceride level of 150 mg/dL or higher is also a risk factor for metabolic syndrome.

What are the treatments for high triglycerides?

You may be able to lower your triglyceride levels with lifestyle changes:

  • Controlling your weight
  • Regular physical activity
  • Not smoking
  • Limiting sugar and refined foods
  • Limiting alcohol
  • Switching from saturated fats to healthier fats

Some people will also need to take cholesterol medicines to lower their triglycerides.

Tuberculosis

What is tuberculosis (TB)?

Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial disease that usually attacks the lungs. But it can also attack other parts of the body, including the kidneys, spine, and brain.

Not everyone infected with TB bacteria (germs) becomes sick. So, there are two types of TB conditions:

  • Latent TB infection, where the TB germs live in your body but don't make you sick.
  • TB disease (active TB) where you get sick from the TB germs. TB disease can almost always be cured with antibiotics. But if it's not treated properly, it can be fatal.

TB is found in the U.S., but it is more common in certain other countries.

What causes tuberculosis (TB)?

TB is caused by bacteria (germs) called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The germs spread from person to person through the air. People who have TB disease in their throat or lungs spread the germs in the air when they cough, sneeze, talk, or sing. If you breathe in the air that has the germs, you can get TB. TB is not spread by touching, kissing, or sharing food or dishes.

You're more likely to catch TB from people you live or work with than from people you see for shorter amounts of time.

Who is more likely to get infected with tuberculosis (TB) germs?

Anyone who is near a person with TB disease can get infected with the germs. You are more likely to be near someone with TB disease if you:

  • Were born in or often travel to countries where TB disease is common
  • Are a health care worker
  • Work or live in a place where TB is more common, such as shelters for people without homes, jails, and nursing homes
Who is more likely to develop TB disease?

Certain people are more likely to get sick with TB disease after they get infected. They include people who:

  • Have HIV
  • Became infected with TB in the last 2 years
  • Have other diseases, such as diabetes, that make it hard for your body to fight TB germs
  • Have alcohol use disorder or inject illegal drugs
  • Were not treated correctly for TB in the past
  • Are under age 5
  • Are an older adult
What are the symptoms of tuberculosis (TB)?

Most people who have TB germs in their bodies don't get sick with TB disease. Instead, they have latent TB infection. With a latent TB infection, you:

  • Don't have symptoms
  • Can't spread TB to others
  • Could get sick with active TB disease in the future if your immune system becomes weak for another reason
  • Need to take medicine to prevent getting sick with active TB disease in the future

If you have TB disease, the TB germs are active, meaning that they are growing (multiplying) inside your body and making you sick. If the TB is growing in your lungs or throat, you can spread the TB germs to other people. You can get sick with TB disease weeks to years after you're infected with TB germs.

With TB disease, your symptoms will depend on where the TB is growing in your body:

  • General symptoms may include:
    • Chills and fever
    • Night sweats (heavy sweating during sleep)
    • Losing weight without trying
    • Loss of appetite
    • Weakness or fatigue
  • Symptoms from TB disease in your lungs may include:
    • A cough that lasts longer than 3 weeks
    • Coughing up blood or sputum (a thick mucus from the lungs)
    • Chest pain
How is tuberculosis (TB) diagnosed?

Your health care provider or your local health department can test you to find out if you have TB germs in your body. They will give you either a TB skin or blood test.

If your test shows that you have TB germs, you'll need to have other tests to see if the germs are actively growing:

  • Tests for TB disease in the lungs usually include testing samples of your sputum and having chest x-rays.
  • Tests for TB disease in other parts of your body may include tests of urine and tissue samples.

You may need a TB test if you have symptoms of TB disease or if you are at high risk because you are more likely to be near someone with TB disease.

What is the treatment for tuberculosis (TB)?

The treatment for both latent TB infection and TB disease is antibiotics. To make sure you get rid of all the TB germs in your body, it's very important to follow the directions for taking your medicine.

If you don't follow the directions, the TB germs in your body could change and become antibiotic resistant. That means the medicine may stop working and your TB may become hard to cure.

  • For latent TB infections, you usually take medicines for 3 to 9 months. Treatment helps make sure you don't get TB disease in the future.
  • For active TB disease, you usually need to take medicines for 6 to 12 months. Treatment will almost always cure you if you take your pills the right way.
  • For TB disease in your lungs or throat, you'll need to stay home for a few weeks, so you don't spread disease to other people. You can protect the people you live with by:
    • Covering your nose and mouth.
    • Opening windows when possible.
    • Not getting too close to them.

By following medical advice for TB testing and treatment, you can keep yourself healthy and help stop the spread of TB.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Turner Syndrome

What is Turner syndrome?

Turner syndrome is a genetic disorder that affects a girl's development and appearance. It can also cause health problems such as infertility and heart problems.

What causes Turner syndrome?

What are the symptoms of Turner syndrome?

Turner syndrome can cause many different symptoms. The symptoms may be mild for some people. But for others, Turner syndrome can cause serious health problems.

Some of the symptoms of Turner syndrome affect a person's appearance. Most people with Turner syndrome are shorter than average. They may also have physical features such as:

  • A neck that is short and has extra skin (a "webbed" neck)
  • A low hairline in the back
  • Low-set ears
  • Swollen hands and feet

People with Turner syndrome may be born with heart and kidney defects. They usually don't have typical sexual development and are infertile. They are also at risk for other health problems such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and thyroid problems.

How is Turner syndrome diagnosed?

Health care providers diagnose Turner syndrome based on symptoms and a genetic blood test called a karyotype test. Sometimes it is found in prenatal testing.

What are the treatments for Turner syndrome?

There is no cure for Turner syndrome, but there are treatments for some of the symptoms:

  • If they are started in early childhood, hormone injections can often increase adult height by a few inches
  • Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) can help start sexual development. It also protects against bone loss
  • Assisted reproduction technologies can help some women with Turner syndrome get pregnant

People who have Turner syndrome need regular health checks. It's also important for them to have a care team that includes specialists who can treat the health problems caused by Turner syndrome.

NIH: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

Urethral Disorders

The urethra is the tube that allows urine to pass out of the body. In men, it's a long tube that runs through the penis. It also carries semen in men. In women, it's short and is just above the vagina. Urethral problems may happen due to aging, illness, or injury. They include:

  • Urethral cancer - a rare cancer that happens more often in men
  • Urethral stricture - a narrowing of the opening of the urethra
  • Urethritis - inflammation of the urethra, sometimes caused by infection

Urethral problems may cause pain or difficulty passing urine. You may also have bleeding or discharge from the urethra.

Doctors diagnose urethral problems using different tests. These include urine tests, x-rays and an examination of the urethra with a scope called a cystoscope. Treatment depends on the cause of the problem. It may include medicines and, in severe cases, surgery.