Nonpharmacologic treatments provide alternatives to medication for issues ranging from chronic insomnia1 to hypertension.2 Among nonpharmacologic treatments are those involving electrical stimulation, which is administered to treat soft-tissue injuries,3 cardiac arrest4 and a variety…

General anesthesia can be crucial to easing a patient’s pain and anxiety during a procedure.1 However, general anesthesia often comes with an extensive recovery time and unpleasant side effects.1 Depending on the…

Breastfeeding can have long-lasting effects on a child and maternal health. Benefits of breastfeeding include prevention of child infections and malocclusion (i.e., imperfect teeth positioning), increases in intelligence and probable reduction in the incidence of diabetes.1 Making breastfeeding universal could…

Regional anesthesia has enjoyed many advancements in its practice worldwide, but the most revolutionary advancement within the field has been the use of ultrasound.  Ultrasound has been shown to lead…

While it is possible to place catheters at various anatomic locations, they are not equivalent in terms of analgesic benefit. Likewise, analgesia during the infusion has been demonstrated in several…

The technique for placement of nerve catheters has evolved over time, initially being done using anatomic landmarks and either subjective paresthesia, fascial “click” or fluoroscopic visualization. By the 1970s, the…

A continuous peripheral nerve block (CPNB) or peripheral nerve catheter (PNC) is essentially an indwelling tubular device inserted via a needle through the skin, with orifices at each end for…

Cardiovascular disease, which is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States,1 refers to various types of heart conditions that affect health and mortality. These conditions include coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular…

Obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI) at or above 30 kg/m2, has become an “epidemic” according to contemporary researchers.1 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognized the…