Your heart has an electrical system that helps it beat at a regular speed or pace. If your heart’s pace slows or becomes uneven, you may feel faint, dizzy, lightheaded, short-of-breath or run-down at times. A pacemaker is a small electronic device implanted inside your body that will generate electrical signals similar to the heart’s natural signals and will keep your heart beating at the right pace.

In many cases, the type of diagnostic information your doctor needs could not be obtained any other way, except by performing a surgical procedure to gain direct access to the tissues in question. MRI is useful for evaluating lumbar and cervical disc disease. It is also very helpful in evaluating brain tumor, hemorrhages in the head and brain trauma from accidents.

Your heart has an electrical system that helps it beat at a regular speed or pace. If your heart beats too fast, your physician may order a catheter ablation. This procedure destroys a few of the heart cells that are causing your heart rhythm problem. Node Reentrant Tachycardia (AVNRT): With AVNRT, an extra pathway lies in or near the AV node, the area of the heart that slows the signal and guides it into the ventricles. Signals traveling through the AV node may get trapped in this pathway.

Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is, by far, the best global test for evaluating a person's thyroid function. TSH is the hormone produced by the brain/pituitary in response to the amount of effective thyroid hormones circulating in the blood. This is like a thermostat function. When the thyroid gland is overactive (hyperthyroid), the TSH goes down. The converse is also true. When the thyroid is secreting too little thyroid hormones, the brain/pituitary produces more TSH.

A slow heart rhythm, or bradycardia, can be treated with a permanent pacemaker. This sophisticated device is only about the size of a silver dollar coin and is implanted beneath the skin in the upper chest. The procedure is done under local anesthesia. The pacemaker lies dormant as long as the heart is beating normally. However, if the heart should beat inappropriately slowly, the pacemaker "kicks in" and paces the heart.

Your heart has an electrical system that helps it beat at a regular speed or pace. If your heart beats too fast, you may have felt dizzy, lightheaded or faint; weak, warm, or flushed; or heart palpitations or flutterings. Problems with heart rhythm are called arrhythmias and could lead to cardiac arrest.

We strongly urge you to consult your doctor before using the Hic-Cup if you have a pacemaker or other electrical or medical implant of any kind.

Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) is a special kind of x-ray that uses a very low amount of radiation. It is the method that doctors use to determine body composition or the proportion of your body that is made up of fat. DEXA is also considered the "gold standard" for measuring bone density. Patients with AGHD may experience changes in decreased bone density and body composition.

While it is true that MRI is an indispensable breakthrough for diagnosing many things, it is not the best way to look for a stomach ulcer, gall stone, cancer of the pancreas, and many other abdominal conditions. Also, your doctor may have other good reasons, based upon your current or past health history, for not recommending this particular test, Your doctor will be happy to explain his reasoning.

Pacemaker implantation is not open-heart surgery. It’s a minor procedure that’s done in the operating room or cardiac catheterization lab. You will receive an injection of a local anesthetic to numb the insertion area. Since you will be awake during the procedure, you may be asked to assist the physician by taking deep breaths. An incision will be made in your skin below your collarbone. (Pacemakers can be inserted on either the right or left side.

Most pacemakers will last between 8 and 10 years, after which the entire pacemaker or its battery and/or wire(s) need to be replaced. Replacing a pacemaker may be done on an outpatient basis or may include an overnight stay in the hospital.

first, you may feel the weight of the pacemaker in your chest. However, over time, most people become accustomed to the pacemaker. The generator is very small, about the size of two silver dollars stacked on top of each other, and weighs about an ounce or less, depending on the make and model of the device.

You should immediately consult with your physician to determine if your model is part of the recall, if your defibrillator is defective, and whether the risk of surgery is better than the risk of keeping your defective Guidant defibrillator unit.

Radiographs are a reliable and accurate means of obtaining information to help your physician diagnosis the cause of your pain. An x-rays examination is commonly used to determine the presence or absence of disease, a bony fracture, joint malalignment, arthritis, or source of other painful conditions.

Following one or a series of tests (electrocardiogram or EKG, a treadmill or stress test, a chest x-ray or blood test), your physician may have noticed that your heart is not working properly. One or more of your arteries may have narrowed or become blocked with deposits known as atherosclerotic plaque. When this occurs, the heart does not receive enough oxygen to do its work properly. If the artery becomes totally blocked, a heart attack (myocardial infarction or MI) can occur.

The purpose of the PICC insertion procedure is to insert an intravenous catheter that can be used for intravenous therapy either for a long period, typically 2 to 6 weeks, or for a short period in the patient with veins that are difficult to access. Typical IV therapies administered through the PICC include: antibiotics, total parenteral nutrition, blood products, immunoglobulins, or chemotherapy.

CT is used to diagnose abnormalities of the spine, and of the bones and joints in addition to abnormalities of the abdomen, pelvis or head. CT provides highly detailed information about bony structures, joints, soft tissue structures, and soft tissue calcifications. At Hospital for Special Surgery, special protocols are used for detailed imaging of the spine, the pelvis, the hips, the shoulders, and the bones and joints of the extremities.

A sinus tract injection can help determine the source of unexplained fluid oozing. In the case of infection, it can help determine if there is communication with vital structures, (e.g. the spinal cord and nerve roots, bowel or other organs, or to the underlying bone or joint).

Keep in mind that all doctors are not alike. If your doctor has no training in nutritional science, he/she is not looking for the same things that a doctor trained in clinical nutrition is looking for. Any licensed physician can order these tests but they must establish an account with the lab.

Multiple tests are available to help your doctor diagnose your condition. Discuss each test with your doctor, including any concerns you may have and what he or she expects to learn from the results. Digital rectal exam (DRE). This is usually the first test your doctor will order. During the DRE, the doctor inserts a gloved and lubricated finger into the rectum to feel the size of the prostate. Urinalysis.

Walkers and crew members of the 3-Day who have significant medical history (or are pregnant) are asked to discuss their participation with their personal physician and get a letter of authorization in order to participate. For walkers and crew who are pregnant, this letter must be provided by their obstetrician. The Medical History Form that all participants will be required to fill out before participating specifies what significant medical histories require this note.

It is not uncommon for people to feel sad or depressed as a result of the changes to their skin and as a result the changes in their appearance. Some may find their self esteem is affected by the condition and feel that it is impacting their personal or professional lives. Your doctor is asking to make sure that you are not also experiencing signs of depression that may require additional treatment and monitoring.

The goal of the Heart Failure Institute at Christ Medical Center is to provide the best in heart failure care, education and prevention, and to help you reach and maintain a level of optimal health. Using the outpatient clinic setting and telemanagement processes, care is monitored and coordinated to assure high-quality results for you.

Only your doctor can explain why he prescribed a certain medication for you. We’ll be glad to ask him on your behalf.

Hospitals often consult with specialized doctors as part of caring for patients. Often these specialists are sent items such as lab tests or X-rays for their expert review. You will receive a bill directly from those doctors for their work.