Health Information

Search Health Information:

Category: Wise Health Consumer

ACL injury: Exercises to do before treatment

ACL injury: Should I have knee surgery?

Acne: Should I see my doctor?

Acne: Should I take isotretinoin for severe acne?

Acute bronchitis: Should I take antibiotics?

ADHD: Should my child take medicine for ADHD?

Alan's Story: Coping With Change After a Heart Attack

Allergies: Should I take allergy shots?

Allergies: Should I take shots for insect sting allergies?

Alzheimer's disease: Should I take medicines?

Alzheimer's or other dementia: Should I move my relative into long-term care?

Anxiety: Using positive thinking

Aortic valve stenosis: Should I choose a mechanical valve or tissue valve to replace my aortic valve?

Aortic valve stenosis: Should I have surgery?

Arthritis: Should I have knee replacement surgery?

Ask-the-Doctor Checklist

Atrial fibrillation: Should I take anticoagulants to prevent stroke?

Atrial fibrillation: Should I try electrical cardioversion?

Autopsy: Should I have an autopsy done on my loved one?

Avoiding Mercury in Fish

Bed-wetting: Should I do something about my child's bed-wetting?

Bed-wetting: Should my child see a doctor?

Better Care at Lower Costs

Blocked tear ducts: Should my baby have a probing procedure?

Blood transfusions: Should I bank blood before surgery?

Bob's Story: Biking for Health

Breast cancer risk: Should I have a BRCA gene test?

Breast cancer: Should I have breast reconstruction after a mastectomy?

Breast cancer: Should I have breast-conserving surgery or a mastectomy for early-stage cancer?

Breast cancer: Should I have chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer?

Breast cancer: What should I do if I'm at high risk?

Breast-feeding: Should I breast-feed my baby?

Bunions: Should I have surgery?

Caregiver Tips

Carpal tunnel syndrome: Should I have surgery?

Cataracts: Should I have surgery?

Chickenpox: Controlling the itch

Choosing a Health Care Agent

Choosing a Vitamin and Mineral Supplement

Circumcision: Should I keep my son's penis natural?

Colon cancer: Which screening test should I have?

Complementary Medicine

Complementary medicine: Should I use complementary medicine?

Contact Lens Care

Dawn's Story: From Dieting to Healthy Eating Habits

Dealing With Medicine Side Effects and Interactions

Deciding About Getting the H1N1 Influenza (Swine Flu) Vaccine

Deciding to Get Treatment for PTSD

Depression: Dealing with medicine side effects

Depression: Should I stop taking my antidepressant?

Depression: Should I take an antidepressant?

Depression: Should I take antidepressants while I'm pregnant?

Depression: Should my child take medicine to treat depression?

Depression: Taking antidepressants safely

Depression: Using positive thinking

Diabetes: Living with an insulin pump

Diabetes: Should I get an insulin pump?

Diabetes: Should I get pregnant?

Drug Allergies

Dupuytren's disease: Should I have hand surgery?

Dysfunctional uterine bleeding: Should I use hormone therapy?

Ear infection: Should I give my child antibiotics?

Ear problems: Should my child be treated for fluid buildup in the middle ear?

End of life: Should I stop treatment that prolongs my life?

End-of-life care: Should I have artificial hydration and nutrition?

End-of-life care: Should I receive CPR and life support?

End-of-life care: Should I stop kidney dialysis?

Endometriosis: Should I have a hysterectomy and oophorectomy?

Endometriosis: Should I use hormone therapy?

Enlarged prostate: Should I have surgery?

Enlarged prostate: Should I take medicine?

Erection problems: Should I take medicine?

Erection problems: Should I try injection treatments?

Fertility problems: Should I be tested?

Fitness: Adding more activity to your life

Fitness: Staying active when you have young children

Fitness: Using a pedometer or step counter

Fitness: Walking for wellness

Flu shots: Should I get a flu shot?

Flu: Should I take antiviral medicine?

Food Poisoning and Safe Food Handling

Foot problems: Finding the right shoes

Funeral Planning

Gallstones: Should I have gallbladder surgery?

GERD: Which treatment should I use?

Glaucoma: Living with reduced vision

Grapefruit Juice and Medication

Hair loss: Should I take medicine to regrow hair?

Hammer, claw, or mallet toe: Should I have surgery?

Headaches: Should I have imaging tests to find out what's causing my headaches?

Headaches: Should I take medicine to prevent migraines?

Headaches: Should I take prescription medicine for tension headaches?

Healthwise Self-Care Checklist

Healthy eating: Changing your eating habits

Healthy eating: Cutting unhealthy fats from your diet

Healthy eating: Getting support when changing your eating habits

Healthy eating: Making healthy choices when you eat out

Healthy eating: Making healthy choices when you shop

Healthy eating: Overcoming barriers to change

Healthy eating: Recognizing your hunger signals

Healthy eating: Starting a plan for change

Healthy eating: Staying with your plan

Hearing loss: Should I get a hearing aid?

Heart attack: Should I take daily aspirin to prevent a heart attack or stroke?

Heart disease risk: Should I have a coronary calcium scan?

Heart disease: Should I have an angiogram?

Heart disease: Should I have angioplasty for stable angina?

Heart disease: Should I have bypass surgery?

Heart failure: Should I get a pacemaker?

Heart failure: Should I get an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD)?

Heart problems: Should I have catheter ablation?

Hemophilia: Should I have regularly scheduled or on-demand clotting factor replacement?

Hemorrhoids: Which treatment should I use?

Hepatitis B and C: Should I be tested?

Hepatitis B: Should I take antiviral medicine for chronic hepatitis B?

Hepatitis C: Should I take antiviral medicine?

Herniated disc: Should I have surgery?

High blood pressure: Should I take medicine?

High cholesterol: Should I take statins?

HIV: Should I start taking antiretroviral medicines for HIV infection?

Home Medical Records

Hospice Care

Hospital Discharge Planning

HPV: Should my daughter get the vaccine?

Hyperthyroidism: Should I use antithyroid medication or radioactive iodine?

Hysterectomy and oophorectomy: Should I use estrogen replacement therapy (ERT)?

Hysterectomy: Should I also have my ovaries removed?

Infertility: Should I have a tubal procedure or in vitro fertilization?

Infertility: Should I have treatment?

Insomnia: Should I take sleeping pills?

Interactive Tool: Which Health Screenings Do You Need?

Interactive Tools

Irritable bowel syndrome: Should I have tests for IBS symptoms?

Jeremy's Story: Focusing on Eating Habits

Joan's Story: Coping With Depression and Anxiety From Heart Failure

John's Story: Crossing the Smoke-Free Finish Line

John's Story: Finding a Way to Exercise

Joyce's Story: Feeling Better With a Pacemaker

Keeping Track of Medicines

Kidney failure: What type of dialysis should I have?

Kidney stones: Should I have lithotripsy to break up the stone?

Kris's Story: Getting Active With No Excuses

Living With More Than One Health Problem

Loralie's Story: It's Never Too Late

Low back pain: Should I have an MRI?

Low back pain: Should I have spinal manipulation?

Low-salt diets: Eating out

Making the Most of Your Appointment

Making Wise Health Decisions

Medical Specialists

Medication Monitoring

Meniscus tear: Should I have a diagnostic test (MRI or arthroscopy)?

Meniscus tear: Should I have surgery?

Menopause: Should I use hormone replacement therapy (HRT)?

Mental Health Problems and Mind-Body Wellness

Miscarriage: Should I have treatment to complete a miscarriage?

Multiple pregnancy: Should I consider a multifetal pregnancy reduction?

Multiple sclerosis: Should I start taking medicines for MS?

Nail infection: Should I take antifungal pills?

Nancy's Story: Quitting Smoking Takes More Than Willpower

Nearsightedness: Should I have laser surgery?

Nonprescription Medicines and Products

Nursery Equipment Safety Checklist

Obesity: Should I have weight-loss surgery?

Obesity: Should I take weight-loss medicine?

Obesity: Should I use a diet plan to lose weight?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder: Should I take medicine for OCD?

Osteoarthritis: Should I have hip replacement surgery?

Osteoporosis: Should I have a dual X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) test?

Osteoporosis: Should I take bisphosphonate medicines?

Outpatient Services

Ovarian cancer: Should I have my ovaries removed to prevent ovarian cancer?

Palliative Care

Panic disorder: Should I take medicine?

Pap test: Should I have colposcopy if my Pap test shows minor cell changes?

Pediatric Preparation for Medical Tests

Pelvic organ prolapse: Should I have surgery?

Peripheral arterial disease: Should I have surgery?

Plantar fasciitis: Should I have surgery for heel pain?

Positive Thinking With Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Positive thinking: Stopping unwanted thoughts

Pregnancy: Should I bank my baby's umbilical cord blood?

Pregnancy: Should I have amniocentesis?

Pregnancy: Should I have an early fetal ultrasound?

Pregnancy: Should I have an epidural during childbirth?

Pregnancy: Should I have CVS (chorionic villus sampling)?

Pregnancy: Should I have the maternal serum triple or quadruple test?

Pregnancy: Should I try vaginal childbirth after a past C-section (VBAC)?

Prescription Medicines

Prevent Medical Errors

Prostate cancer screening: Should I have a PSA test?

Prostate cancer: Should I have radiation or surgery for localized prostate cancer?

Quick Tips: Getting Active as a Family

Quick Tips: Getting Active at Home

Quick Tips: Making Fast, Healthy Meals

Quick Tips: Reducing Holiday Stress

Quick Tips: Reducing the Stress of Caregiving

Quick Tips: Staying Active in Cold Weather

Quick Tips: Staying Active in Hot Weather

Quick Tips: Taking Medicines Wisely

Quick Tips: What to Do When You Crave Nicotine

Quitting smoking: Getting support

Quitting smoking: Helping someone quit

Quitting smoking: Should I use medicine?

Reducing Medication Costs

Rotator cuff problems: Should I have surgery?

Scoliosis: Should I (or my child) have surgery?

Shellie's Story: Finding Time for Physical Activity

Sinusitis: Should I have surgery?

Sleep apnea: Should I have a sleep study?

Sleep apnea: Should I have surgery?

Smart Decisions: Know Your Options

Spinal stenosis: Should I have surgery?

Stress incontinence: Should I have surgery?

Stress Management

Stress management: Breathing exercises for relaxation

Stress management: Doing guided imagery to relax

Stress management: Doing meditation

Stress management: Doing progressive muscle relaxation

Stress management: Managing your time

Stress management: Reducing stress by being assertive

Stress management: Relaxing your mind and body

Stroke: Should I have carotid endarterectomy?

Stroke: Should I move my loved one into long-term care?

Surgery: What to Expect

Taking Medicines as Prescribed

Taking Medicines for Schizophrenia

Tennis elbow: Should I have surgery?

Testicular cancer: Which treatment should I have for stage I nonseminoma testicular cancer after my surgery?

Testicular cancer: Which treatment should I have for stage I seminoma testicular cancer after my surgery?

Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC)

TM disorder: Should I have surgery for jaw pain?

Tonsillitis: Should my child have a tonsillectomy?

Ulcerative colitis: Should I have surgery?

Umbilical hernia: Should my child have surgery?

Understanding Lab Test Results

Uterine fibroids: Should I have surgery?

Uterine fibroids: Should I have uterine fibroid embolization?

Uterine fibroids: Should I use GnRH-a therapy?

Vaginal yeast infection: Should I treat it myself?

Varicose veins: Should I have a surgical procedure?

Warts: Should I treat warts?

Weight management: Should I use over-the-counter diet aids?

Weight management: Using positive thinking

Wisdom teeth: Should I have my wisdom teeth removed?

Work Closely With Your Doctor

Writing an Advance Directive

Your Home Health Center