Posts

There is not yet a cure for multiple sclerosis (MS), and the condition isn’t fully understood. But there have been significant advancements in treatment, some of which successfully slow the progression of the disease in many people. Several new medications have been approved in recent years that slow the course of the disease and reduce symptoms and relapses. Other potential treatments are in trials, including stem cell therapies. And researchers are making progress in understanding the risk factors and causes of MS....

Pain is a potential symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS) that can significantly interfere with a person’s ability to function and enjoy life. Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune condition in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the sheath that protects nerve fibers in the central nervous system (CNS). MS-related pain may arise from nerve damage inflicted by the disease itself or from muscle/soft tissue damage that develops as a person tries to adapt to other MS symptoms, like weakness, balance problems, or walking difficulties....

Narcolepsy is a rare neurological disorder that causes excessive daytime sleepiness, sudden sleep attacks, sleep dysfunction, and sometimes involuntary loss of muscle control called cataplexy. Narcolepsy is normally caused by damage to the hypocretin-secreting cells of the anterior hypothalamus in the brain. There are several factors that contribute to the condition, including an abnormal autoimmune response, underlying susceptibility due to genetic immune traits, evocative environmental factors, and sometimes head injury or other damage to the hypothalamus of the brain....

Pathophysiology is the study of the functional changes that cause, result from, or are otherwise associated with the disease. In the case of lung cancer, the changes occur in the lungs. As the disease progresses, other areas of the body may be involved as well. This article will explore the causes of lung cancer, how it develops, and possible complications. Types of Lung Cancer The two main types of lung cancer are small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer....

Sleep apnea is a condition that causes people to stop breathing during sleep. The lapses in breathing can significantly lower sleep quality, decrease oxygen levels, and lead to serious health consequences. Anesthesia is a common treatment used before surgery to keep a person asleep during the procedure. Sleep apnea can make anesthesia a lot riskier. This article explains how anesthesia can affect people with sleep apnea, both before and after surgery....

Stelara (ustekinumab) is an injected biologic drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis and active psoriatic arthritis in in people ages 6 years and older. It works by tempering the autoimmune-induced inflammation that causes skin cells to rapidly multiply and form psoriatic plaques, also affecting joints, causing pain, stiffness, and a loss of the range of motion. Stelara is also approved for the treatment of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis....

Knee pain is a common discomfort, and many people struggle with pain-induced insomnia. Knee pain at night is frustrating. A throbbing or aching knee can prevent you from getting restful sleep, which can leave you exhausted. Not knowing the cause is an additional frustration.This article will help you understand the causes of knee pain, why it often worsens at night, and what you can do to feel better. Causes of Throbbing Knee Pain No single condition causes nighttime knee pain—throbbing pains can come from a variety of musculoskeletal illnesses or injuries....

Timothy syndrome (TS) is a rare genetic disorder that causes severe heart rhythm dysfunction, congenital heart defects, and global developmental delay. Many children born with the disorder have distinctive facial features, conjoined toes and fingers (syndactyly), and autism spectrum conditions. In the past, most children born with TS died before age 3, usually as the result of sudden cardiac arrest, but survival has been improving in recent years. Although the exact prevalence is not known, TS is thought to be extremely rare due to its severity....

Treacher Collins syndrome, also known as mandibulofacial dysostosis, is a rare disease that affects facial bone development, causing major facial deformities. Children afflicted with the syndrome can have a very unusual facial appearance. It affects approximately one in 50,000 people worldwide. Because it is so uncommon, the condition is not well known outside the medical community. A central character in a 2017 Hollywood movie, Wonder, was afflicted with Treacher Collins syndrome, which subsequently increased awareness and interest in the condition....

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic health condition characterized by high blood glucose (sugar) levels. It is known to cause inflammation throughout the body, affecting several body systems. Many major organs, including the heart, blood vessels, nerves, eyes, and kidneys can be affected. Additionally, risk factors for type 2 diabetes are also risk factors for other serious conditions. The longer you’ve had diabetes, the higher your risk for developing complications. Managing your diabetes and keeping blood glucose levels within recommended ranges can help decrease your risk for several diabetes complications....

The pathophysiology of asthma—that is, the processes it entails—involves multiple organs, systems, and mechanisms. While these differ somewhat from one type of asthma to the next, the end result is the same: bronchoconstriction, inflammation, and mucus overproduction that make it harder for you to breathe. What sets all of this into motion, asthma’s pathogenesis, is equally complex. Learning more about how asthma comes about can help you better understand how various treatments and management approaches can minimize asthma’s impact on your life and why your healthcare provider recommends certain medications....

Visual snow syndrome is a disorder where people see tiny, flickering dots in their entire visual field. The syndrome was once thought to be a form of migraine, but research suggests it is a distinct medical condition related to one’s visual processing. There’s no specific test for visual snow syndrome; it’s usually diagnosed based on symptoms and ruling out other conditions. Anti-seizure medications are the current best treatment option, but they’re not especially effective....

The most common forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. But there is a third diagnosis—indeterminate colitis. The term indeterminate colitis is used when a person has features of IBD, but it’s not yet understood which form of the disease it is. This is a confusing and controversial topic in IBD, with broad implications for treatment. It’s estimated that anywhere between 10% and 15% of people with IBD are thought to have indeterminate colitis....

When you have rheumatoid arthritis (RA), you may worry about getting vaccines. After all, RA involves a malfunctioning immune system, and vaccines work by activating the immune system. It is fair to wonder whether the combination of the two effects may be harmful or contradictory. In many cases, it is absolutely safe to be vaccinated if you have RA, but there are exceptions and a few precautions you may need to take....

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a disease that causes progressively worsening weakness of voluntary muscles throughout the body, including the muscles that control eating. After the initial symptoms begin, the condition advances rapidly over the course of months. Within a few years, this neurological disease usually leads to a complete loss of throat, arm, leg, and trunk movements. Complications can occur due to malnutrition, skin sores, and infections, but close medical attention can help prolong survival....

An aneurysm is a disorder of the vascular system. It involves a weakening in part of an artery wall, causing the artery to stretch and balloon out. When the artery wall is weak enough to bulge out, there is a risk that it could eventually burst, or rupture (break open suddenly), which could cause some serious complications, such as internal bleeding. The larger the aneurysm, the higher the risk for it to rupture....

Biliary dyskinesia is a condition of the gallbladder. The gallbladder stores a digestive enzyme called bile. Bile is used to help break down ingested fat for proper absorption in the small intestine. The prefix “dys” means abnormal or not working properly, and “kinesia” refers to movement. Therefore, the term biliary dyskinesia means the abnormal movement of the gallbladder. Specifically, the muscles that squeeze bile out of the gallbladder are not contracting properly....

The collarbone, also called the clavicle, is the bone over the top of your chest, between your breastbone (sternum) and the shoulder blade (scapula). It is easy to feel the clavicle because unlike other bones that are covered with muscle, only skin covers a large part of the bone. Clavicle fractures are extremely common, accounting for between 2% and 5% of all fractures. Broken collarbones occur in babies (usually during birth), children and adolescents (because the clavicle does not complete development until the late teens), athletes (because of the risks of being hit or falling), or during many types of accidents and falls....

Many people with low back pain or sciatica describe the pain as a tight muscle or back spasm. Back spasms may feel mild, like a small fist is pressing into one side of your spine. Or, they may feel intense and prevent you from sitting, standing, or walking comfortably. Bask spasms may become so severe that you have difficulty maintaining normal upright posture. And if back spasms become so severe that you cannot move properly, you may need to seek medical care right away....

Throughout the pandemic, Guillermo Torre-Amione, MD, PhD has treated patients for myocarditis, a rare inflammation of the heart which can result from COVID-19, and in few cases, the vaccine. Key Takeaways A recent study found that certain side effects, like myocarditis, were more likely to occur from COVID-19 infection than the vaccines.Researchers found the Pfizer vaccine slightly increased risks of appendicitis, shingles, and swollen lymph nodes, but COVID-19 patients had higher odds of developing serious conditions like acute kidney injury, heart attacks, and blood clots....