For about 55 percent of women and 45 percent of men in the United States, insufficient blood flow in the legs causes broken veins, aching legs, leg fatigue and skin discoloration. According to the Society of Interventional Radiology, older people,...
Benign growths in the uterus, called uterine fibroids, might appear during childbearing years. Up to 75 percent of women develop a uterine fibroid at some point during their lives, and many cause no symptoms. Other fibroids cause symptoms such as...
Working out hard in the gym can be an exhilarating experience. When you work out hard, your heart will beat harder and your muscles will be tired. As you finish your workout, you may notice an unusual pounding and pulse in your midsection. This...
An aortic aneurysm is a weakened area on the aorta, which is the main artery that leads away from the heart and supplies blood to the body. As blood rushes through the artery, it bulges like a balloon, increasing the chance of rupture, which can...
According to Baylor College of Medicine, approximately 15 percent of all natural and man-made types of radiation experienced by people in the United States are from medical procedures. X-rays from these devices are measured in two ways, as...
According to the FDA, uterine fibroids are tumors that grow in the muscular wall of a woman's uterus. They either grow from the uterine wall into the womb or out into the body cavity. Fibroids are common and there is no known cause. Fibroid tumors...
An abdominal aortic aneurysm, or AAA, is a weak or bulging area in the lower part of the aorta. The aorta is the large artery responsible for delivering blood to the rest of the body. An abdominal aortic aneurysm usually grows slowly and smaller...
Ablation for liver cancer refers to the use of localized chemical or thermal means to destroy tumors that doctors can't remove surgically, according to the American Cancer Society. It works best when the tumors are confined to the liver and...
Angiography is a medical procedure used to obtain detailed images of blood vessels in the body in order to detect any narrowing or abnormal dilatation. The concept underlying angiography is that an X-ray taken after the injection of a visible...
Stents are used to open blockages and obstructions in your arteries to increase blood flow. As an alternative to invasive heart surgery, where doctors must surgically open your chest, stents are inserted by typically using a vein in your leg to...
Alcohol is metabolized by the liver, which breaks it down into a compound known as acetaldehyde. Normally, this toxic chemical is then converted into other, less dangerous chemicals. When alcohol is consumed in large quantities, however, the...
Chemotherapy embolization, or chemoembolization, is a procedure utilizing a catheter to deliver chemotherapy drugs directly to the tumor while cutting the blood supply to it. The procedure, most commonly used to treat liver tumors, allows doctors...
An abdominal aortic aneurysm is defined as an enlargement of the lower part of the aorta, which extends into the abdomen, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The aorta, the main blood vessel of the heart, travels into the abdominal cavity,...
Bulging varicose veins can force you to forgo your favorite fashions, particularly during the summer months. While varicose veins are unattractive, they can also be painful and can cause health complications in severe cases. Doctors use a variety...
Hyaluronic acid, a large molecule made up of glucose, amino acids and polysaccharides, is a component of nerves and connective tissue found in skin, cartilage, tendons and ligaments. Hyaluronic acid forms part of the synovial fluid, which...
Fibroid tumors, also known as "fibroids," are benign growths found in the uterus. Different types of fibroid tumors grow in different areas of the uterus and each can cause different symptoms. Not all fibroids cause symptoms, but if they do,...
Fibroids are hard muscle tissue masses that can develop in the uterus, lungs and other places. Although it's not clear as to why they occur, it is noted that elevated estrogen levels stimulate the growth of uterine fibroids. Genetics also play a...
An aortic aneurysm occurs when a weakness causes bulging in the aorta, a major artery responsible for carrying the blood from the heart to the rest of the body. The existence of an aortic aneurysm does not often cause symptoms; however, if the...
Blood is moved through the body via the arteries and veins. Arteries bring oxygen and nutrients to the cells and the veins return blood to the heart for more oxygen and nutrients. This cycle is continuous and does not stop until we die. The...
Cavities in the lungs are formed by inflammation of lung tissue leading to the development of an abscess. When the abscess ruptures, the contents are expectorated, leaving behind an air- and fluid-filled cavity. Chest X-rays and computer...
Varicose veins of the legs are the visible result of chronic superficial venous insufficiency, a manifestation of venous hypertension. Veins carry blood from the feet and legs up toward the heart. Valves in these veins prevent the reflux of blood...
A graft for an abdominal aortic aneurysm is a procedure used to help prevent a rupture in the arterial wall of the aortic artery. There are two main types of surgical grafts; interventional repair and open surgical repair. Both procedures include...
Fibroids are benign growths of the muscular wall of the uterus, the myometrium. Fibroids are very common, affecting more than one-third of women of childbearing age, according to the University of North Carolina Medical Center. Pedunculated...
If you have high blood pressure it means that your heart is having to work harder than it should to do its job of pumping blood and oxygen through your body. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a serious disease that can cause many...
The causes of a blocked leg artery are numerous. These include blockage stemming from longstanding peripheral arterial disease, blockage related to a blood clot traveling from a different location, trauma-related blockage and blockage caused by...
MayoClinic.com states that blood clotting is a normal physiological process essential for the body’s integrity. Blood clots cause mild to serious conditions, such as when they travel from the deep veins in the lower extremities where they...
It's been proven year after year that Americans are not afraid to crack their wallets and purses when it comes to fitness. According to a Time Magazine report, Americans spend a whopping $19 billion yearly on gym memberships. But you don't need to...
People who hear the phrase "deep tissue massage" may think this treatment is too painful to enjoy. However, in the hands of a capable therapist, a deep tissue massage is not painful or unpleasant. You, as the client, are involved in the process....
A stent is a cylindrical medical device typically made of metal or plastic. Stents have a variety of vascular and nonvascular applications and are used medically to help open tubular body structures that are narrowed or blocked. Since their...
