X-ray radiation can damage your body You should not allow yourself to be X-rayed, nor should your doctor permit it, unless you are both convinced that the potential benefits outweigh the potential injuries. The benefits include rapid detection, diagnosis and treatment of an illness or injury. The potential injuries include cancer, damage to the sex cells and, if you are pregnant, damage to the unborn... 

As we grow older, our bones become thinner. By the age of seventy our total skeleton may have only two-thirds of the density if had in its prime. Calcium is a key factor in bone strength, but the body key factor in bone strength, but the body calls on it also to help blood clot and to make nerves and muscles work efficiently, makes nerves and muscles work efficiently. For several reasons, the body’s... 

x-ray of ankle sprain If you twist your ankle severely, or fall and wrench your wrist, it’s likely you will tear some ligaments. These ligaments – the term comes from a Latin word meaning a bond – tie bones into a joint. They can stretch, as they do constantly in normal use, but not too far, nor too far, nor too suddenly. That is why all those taking part in athletics and sports... 

broken bone Serious fractures, such as this broken head of the thigh bone, or femur, may one day be remedied by an infection of bone-growing compounds. Pins, shown in white, secure the broken head to the long thigh bone Broken bones mend only if the have an adequate blood supply. For this reason a few of the body’s bones will never med if they break. Sometimes, a broken bone needs encouragement... 

back pain If you get pains in your back, join the world’s biggest club! Back problems bring occasional or constant misery to about 80 percent of the world’s population, and for many reasons the toll of victims is steadily rising. In Britain, for example, the number certified by doctors as being unfit for work through back pain has doubled in the past five years. Even though medical science... 

bone fractures A bone fractures for the same reason that anything break: the force applied on it is more that it can stand. Sometimes the break straight across the bone, the broken ends stay more or less in place, and the ends don’t penetrate the skin. This is known as a simple fracture. In a compound fracture, one or both ends of the broken bone break through the skin. Within these two classes...