Adult Health Concerns Sourcebook Book

Preface     xiii
Making Routine and Emergency Decisions about Health Care
Finding Quality Health Care     3
Choosing a Doctor     4
How to Talk with Your Doctor     8
How to Get a Second Opinion     11
How to Choose a Hospital     13
How to Recognize a Medical Emergency     17
Symptoms of Serious Health Conditions     18
When Should I Go to the Emergency Department?     22
What to Do in Case of a Heart Attack, Stroke, or Cardiac Arrest     24
Commonly Used Medications     27
Taking Medicines: Common Questions     28
Pain Medicines     33
Use Caution with Pain Relievers     36
Know the Facts about Taking Aspirin to Reduce Your Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke     37
Over-the-Counter Antacids and Acid Reducers for Heartburn and Acid Reflux     40
Antihistamines: Understanding Your Options     45
Understanding Health Insurance     49
Health Insurance Basics     50
How to Make a Health Insurance Claim or Dispute a Denial     55
Your Health Information Privacy Rights     59
How to Evaluate Health Information on the Internet     63
Maintaining Your Health
Stay Healthy-PracticePrevention     69
Immunizations: Keys to Disease Prevention     73
How Vaccines Work     74
Immunizations for Adults     81
Vaccine Side Effects     84
Lifestyle Changes for a Healthier You     91
A Healthy Diet: Key to Preserving Good Health     97
Understanding the Food Groups in the Daily Food Guide     98
Calcium and Vitamin D: Important at Every Age     104
Diet and Disease     109
Physical Activity Can Keep You Healthy     113
Physical Activity and Health     114
Physical Activity and Chronic Disease Prevention     117
Exercise and Weight Control     121
Tips to Help You Get Active     130
Maintaining a Healthy Weight     139
Are You Overweight?     140
Do You Know the Health Risks of Being Overweight?     143
Guide to Safe Weight Loss     149
Prescription Medications for the Treatment of Obesity     153
Gastrointestinal Surgery for Severe Obesity     161
Managing Stress     169
Stress and the Body     170
Identifying Stress     173
Relaxation Techniques     175
Smoking and Your Health      179
Effects of Smoking on Your Health     180
Tips to Help You Quit Smoking     183
Nicotine Replacement Therapy and Other Medications to Help You Stop Smoking     185
Alcohol: Too Much Can Be Harmful     193
Alcohol: What You Don't Know Can Harm You     194
Alcoholism: Get the Facts     198
Commonly Abused Drugs and Their Health Effects     205
Getting Help for Addiction     217
Other Behaviors That Can Affect Your Health     221
Unsafe Sex and How to Avoid It     222
The Dangers of Indoor Tanning     224
Tattoos and Permanent Makeup     226
Aggressive Driving     228
Disease Prevention: What Adults Should Know
Preventing Cancer     233
Preventing Disorders of the Heart and Blood Vessels     239
Controlling Your Blood Cholesterol     240
Coronary Heart Disease: Reducing Your Risk     243
Preventing High Blood Pressure     245
Stroke Prevention     249
Minimizing the Risk of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease     251
Preventing Diabetes and Kidney Disease     255
Preventing Diabetes and Diabetes Complications     256
Preventing Kidney Disease      259
Caring for Your Liver and Preventing Hepatitis     263
Preventing Disorders of the Teeth and Bones     271
Oral Health for Adults     272
Osteoporosis Prevention     274
Screening for Common Diseases and Disorders
Stay Healthy at Any Age: Screening Tests for Men and Women     279
Self-Examinations Can Lead to Early Cancer Detection     287
How to Do a Breast Self-Examination     288
Skin Cancer Self-Examination: How to Spot Skin Cancer     291
How to Do a Testicular Self-Examination     293
Cancer Screening Tests     295
Breast Cancer Screening: Mammograms     296
Screening for Cervical Cancer: Pap Tests     299
Colorectal Cancer Screening     305
Prostate Cancer Screening: A Decision Guide     308
Screening for High Cholesterol     311
Screening for Diabetes     315
Hearing and Vision Screening     319
Hearing Screening     320
Vision Screening     323
Screening for Osteoporosis     325
Understanding How the Aging Process Affects Wellness
The Aging Process     331
Depression and Other Mental Health Issues Associated with Aging     337
Psychological and Social Issues Related to Aging     338
Depression and Aging     346
Divorce: Coping with Stress and Change     352
When a Spouse Dies     358
Cognitive Changes and Aging     361
How Aging Changes the Brain     362
Understanding Memory Loss     364
Keeping Your Mind Sharp     368
Sensory Changes     371
Aging and Your Eyes     372
Hearing Loss     376
Aging Changes in the Senses     381
Changes in the Hair, Nails, and Skin     387
Aging Changes in the Hair and Nails     388
Male Pattern Baldness     390
Female Pattern Baldness     392
Aging Changes in the Skin     395
What Are Wrinkles?     398
Sleep and Aging     401
Sexuality and Aging     409
Changes in the Coronary and Vascular Systems     415
How Aging Changes the Heart and Blood Vessels     416
High Blood Pressure     419
Spider and Varicose Veins     422
Changes Affecting the Bones and Joints     425
Aging Changes in the Bones, Muscles, and Joints     426
Arthritis: Frequently Asked Questions     429
Osteoporosis: Frequently Asked Questions     435
Prostate Problems     439
Menopause
Understanding Menopause     447
Perimenopause     448
Menopause: A Summary     450
Stages of Menopause     456
Premature Menopause     457
Managing the Symptoms of Menopause     459
Managing Your Body's Changes during Menopause     460
Do Complementary and Alternative Therapies Help Menopausal Symptoms?     467
Hormone Therapy     477
Hormone Therapy: Tips to Help You Evaluate Your Options     478
Menopausal Hormone Use and Cancer: Questions and Answers     483
Medical Problems Accompanying Menopause     493
Menopause and Osteoporosis     494
Menopause and Depression     496
Menopause and Bladder Control     500
Menopause and Insomnia     502
Male Menopause     505
Other Concerns That Impact Adult Health
Work-Related Health Concerns     511
Protecting Your Back at Work     512
Ergonomics for Computer Workstations     514
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome     521
Noise-Induced Hearing Loss     527
Managing Job Stress     531
Travel-Related Health Concerns     539
Healthy Travel: What You Should Know     540
What You Need to Know about Vaccinations and Travel     544
Cruising with Confidence     545
Jet Lag     549
Motion Sickness     551
Travelers' Diarrhea     553
Caring for Aging Parents     557
Caregiving: Tips for Daily Life     558
Managing Caregiver Stress     564
Balancing Work, Family, and Caregiving     571
Long-Distance Caregiving     575
Relocating Your Parents     576
Evaluating and Choosing Housing Options for Elders     584
Additional Help and Information
Glossary of Terms Related to Adult Health Concerns     591
Directory of Adult Health Resources     601
Index     619