Teen Health

As a teenager, you go through many changes. Your body is on its way to becoming its adult size. You may notice that you can't fit into your old shoes or that your jeans are now 3 inches too short. Along with these changes, you are probably becoming more independent and making more of your own choices. Some of the biggest choices you face are about your health.

Healthy habits, including eating a healthy diet and being physically active, can help you feel good, look good, and do your best in school, work, or sports. They might also prevent diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, osteoporosis, stroke, and some cancers when you are older.

Telehealth

What is telehealth?

Telehealth is the use of communications technologies to provide health care from a distance. These technologies may include computers, cameras, videoconferencing, the Internet, and satellite and wireless communications. Some examples of telehealth include:

• A "virtual visit" with a health care provider, through a phone call or video chat
• Remote patient monitoring, which lets your provider check on you while you are at home. For example, you might wear a device that measures your heart rate and sends that information to your provider.
• A surgeon using robotic technology to do surgery from a different location
• Sensors that can alert caregivers if a person with dementia leaves the house
• Sending your provider a message through your electronic health record (EHR)
• Watching an online video that your provider sent you about how to use an inhaler
• Getting an email, phone, or text reminder that it's time for a cancer screening

What is the difference between telemedicine and telehealth?

Sometimes people use the term telemedicine to mean the same thing as telehealth. Telehealth is a broader term. It includes telemedicine. But it also includes things like training for health care providers, health care administrative meetings, and services provided by pharmacists and social workers.

What are the benefits of telehealth?

Some of the benefits of telehealth include:

• Getting care at home, especially for people who can't easily get to their providers' offices
• Getting care from a specialist who is not close by
• Getting care after office hours
• More communication with your providers
• Better communication and coordination between health care providers
• More support for people who are managing their health conditions, especially chronic conditions such as diabetes
• Lower cost, since virtual visits may be cheaper than in-person visits

What are the problems with telehealth?

Some of the problems with telehealth include:

• If your virtual visit is with someone who is not your regular provider, he or she may not have all of your medical history
• After a virtual visit, it may be up to you to coordinate your care with your regular provider
• In some cases, the provider may not be able to make the right diagnosis without examining you in person. Or your provider may need you to come in for a lab test.
• There may be problems with the technology, for example, if you lose the connection, there is a problem with the software, etc.
• Some insurance companies may not cover telehealth visits

What types of care can I get using telehealth?

The types of care that you can get using telehealth may include:

• General health care, like wellness visits
• Prescriptions for medicine
• Dermatology (skin care)
• Eye exams
• Nutrition counseling
• Mental health counseling
• Urgent care conditions, such as sinusitis, urinary tract infections, common rashes, etc.

For telehealth visits, just like with an in-person visit, it is important to be prepared and have good communication with the provider.

Thyroid Diseases

Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland in the front of your neck. It makes hormones that control the way the body uses energy. These hormones affect nearly every organ in your body and control many of your body's most important functions. For example, they affect your breathing, heart rate, weight, digestion, and moods.

Thyroid diseases cause your thyroid to make either too much or too little of the hormones. Some of the different thyroid diseases include:

• Goiter, an enlargement of the thyroid gland
• Hyperthyroidism, which happens when your thyroid gland makes more thyroid hormones than your body needs
• Hypothyroidism, which happens when your thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormones
• Thyroid cancer
• Thyroid nodules, lumps in the thyroid gland
• Thyroiditis, swelling of the thyroid

To diagnose thyroid diseases, your health care provider may use a medical history, physical exam, and thyroid tests. In some cases, your provider may also do a biopsy.

Treatment depends on the problem, how severe it is, and what your symptoms are. Possible treatments may include medicines, radioiodine therapy, or thyroid surgery.

Dept. of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health

Thyroid Tests

Your thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland in the front of your neck. It makes hormones that control the way the body uses energy. These hormones affect nearly every organ in your body and control many of your body's most important functions. For example, they affect your breathing, heart rate, weight, digestion, and moods.

Thyroid tests check how well your thyroid is working. They are also used to diagnose and help find the cause of thyroid diseases such as hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. Thyroid tests include blood tests and imaging tests.

Blood tests for your thyroid include:

• TSH. It measures thyroid-stimulating hormone. This is usually the first test your healthcare provider will order.
• T3 and T4.They measure the level of the different thyroid hormones in your blood.
• Thyroid antibodies test. It measures certain thyroid antibodies (markers in the blood). This test may help diagnose autoimmune thyroid disorders.

Imaging tests include:

• CT scans
• Ultrasound
• Nuclear medicine tests, including:
  • Thyroid scan. It uses small amounts of radioactive material to create a picture of the thyroid, showing its size, shape, and position. It can help find the cause of hyperthyroidism and check for thyroid nodules (lumps in the thyroid).
  • Radioactive iodine uptake test, or thyroid uptake test. It checks how well your thyroid is working and can help find the cause of hyperthyroidism.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

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 that 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