Gallstones (also called cholelithiasis) form when there is an imbalance in the composition of bile in the gallbladder. This causes hard stones made of crystallized cholesterol, pigment, or a mixture of the two. Gallbladder stones can range in size from as small as a grain of sand to as large as a golf ball. You can have one large gallstone, dozens to hundreds of smaller gallstones, or a combination of both large and small stones....
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are often mild but can become severe if left untreated. If your UTI is mild, drinking plenty of fluids can help speed healing along. You can also take an over-the-counter (OTC) pain reliever to relieve some discomfort while your body fights the infection. In many cases, UTIs are treated with antibiotics. You can develop serious complications if the infection moves from your bladder to your kidneys. Home remedies and pain medications are unlikely to provide relief for more severe UTIs and may even increase your risk of complications....
Gun violence in the United States has been on the rise in recent years. More people than ever are being touched by the grief, loss, and heartbreak that come with surviving or losing a loved one to a mass shooting. Key Takeaways With gun violence at an all-time high in the U.S., many are living in fear of losing their life or a loved one to a mass shooting.Being in constant fight-or-flight mode means our brains are continuously on the lookout for danger....
Hypoplastic left heart syndrome is a severe form of congenital heart disease in which the left side of the heart is malformed from birth. Without intervention, it leads to infant death in the first few weeks of life. It is found in about 3% of infants born with congenital heart disease and is slightly more common in boys than in girls. Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome Symptoms Some symptoms of hypoplastic left heart syndrome might include:...
Sleep apnea and insomnia are both common sleep disorders. Sleep apnea occurs when there is a repeated air blockage in the upper airway or a pause in breathing during sleep. Insomnia is when a person has difficulty falling or staying asleep. It can be short-term or chronic. Both can negatively affect your quality of life and cause health problems if left untreated. This article reviews both disorders, as well as their symptoms, causes, and treatments....
What Is Lantus? Lantus (insulin glargine) is a long-acting prescription insulin used in adults and children with type 1 diabetes and adults with type 2 diabetes to improve blood sugar control. Lantus is known as a basal insulin. As a long-acting insulin, basal insulin holds blood sugar steady (without food) throughout the day and night. People with type 1 diabetes (and some people with type 2 diabetes) also use short-acting insulin as bolus insulin at mealtimes and to correct blood sugar that is too high....
Because it can result in debilitating challenges, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) requires a wide range of multi-disciplinary medical and supportive services in order for people living with the condition to establish and maintain independence. Maintaining functional mobility is the primary aim of long-term supportive services to help people with SMA maintain autonomy, but what about independent living? Is it possible? Establishing housing and setting up the many services needed can be a real challenge, but it can be done, according to those who have already embraced the endeavor....
What Is Mayzent? Mayzent (siponimod) is an immune modulator used to treat people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). Mayzent binds to sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptors and blocks the release of lymphocytes from lymph nodes, thereby reducing the number of lymphocytes circulating in the blood. It is available by prescription as an oral tablet. What Is Mayzent Used For? The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Mayzent to treat relapsing forms of MS, including clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting disease, and active secondary progressive disease in adults....
What Is Motegrity? Motegrity (prucalopride) is a medicine that treats chronic idiopathic constipation in adults. As a prokinetic agent, prucalopride (the active ingredient in Motegrity) works on the serotonin receptors (5-HT4) in the body to stimulate the bowels’ movement. Motegrity is available via prescription as a round tablet in 1-milligram (mg) and 2-milligram doses. What Is Motegrity Used For? The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved prucalopride for treating chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) in adults....
Orchitis is the inflammation of one or both testicles. It is most often caused by a bacterial or viral infection, although the cause may be unknown. The inflammation can cause pain and swelling of the testicle, sometimes severe. Orchitis may occur alongside the infection of the epididymis (the coiled tube that transports sperm from the testicle) or the prostate gland (the walnut-sized organ below the bladder that produces seminal fluid). If not treated appropriately, orchitis may lead to complications, including infertility....
Warts are benign or noncancerous fleshy growths on the skin. They’re caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). Warts can appear on any part of the body. They are most common in children and young adults. Most warts, with the exception of certain ones that develop on the bottom of the feet, are painless. All warts are highly contagious. They can easily spread from one part of the body to another and from one person to another....
What Is Restasis? Restasis (cyclosporine 0.05%) is a prescription eye drop option used to increase tear production in keratoconjunctivitis sicca (dry eyes). It belongs to a class of medications known as calcineurin inhibitors, which are thought to work by suppressing the immune system. Because Restasis is administered locally into the eye, it helps to reduce eye swelling (inflammation) and relieve dryness in that area. As an eye medication for dry eyes, cyclosporine is available by prescription as Restasis (0....
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition that causes a person to have persistent, recurring, intrusive, and often upsetting thoughts (obsessions), along with repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions). These acts are performed in an attempt to reduce anxiety caused by the obsessions. OCD has a lifetime prevalence of approximately 2.3% among adults in the United States. Up to half of adults with OCD experience serious impairment, known as severe OCD....
Normal sinus rhythm (NSR) is another name for a normal heart rhythm. The heartbeat is controlled by electrical signals, called impulses, that arise from a structure in the heart called the sinus node. These signals are transmitted in a controlled way to the four chambers of the heart, causing them to contract and relax in sequence to pump blood in and out of the heart. However, the sinus rhythm can sometimes become irregular, referred to as sinus arrhythmia....
Losing weight with fibromyalgia is especially difficult due to several aspects of the condition. At the same time, research shows that a large percentage of people with fibromyalgia are overweight, as well as studies showing that weight loss can help improve symptoms. Thus, losing weight may be important for you as you work to manage your illness, but you’ll need to overcome some extra barriers along the way. Barriers to Weight Loss Some of the things that complicate weight loss in fibromyalgia include:...
People with HIV have an elevated risk of developing certain cancers, a number of which can be classified as AIDS-defining conditions. Among them is invasive cervical cancer (ICC), a stage of disease by which cancer spreads beyond the surface of the cervix to deeper tissues of the cervix and other parts of the body. While ICC can develop in both HIV-infected and non-infected women, the incidence among women with HIV can be up to seven times greater....
With Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria ravaging Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico, respectively, the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season was one of the worst in recent history. In addition to hundreds of billions of dollars in destruction, these hurricanes combined claimed scores of lives. Although the immediate effects of Category 5 hurricanes are shocking, resulting in floodwaters carry more insidious threats such as waterborne disease. A review of 548 outbreaks dating back to 1900 showed that 51% of these outbreaks were preceded by heavy downpours....
Mental illness is defined as changes to an individual’s behavior, emotional response, or thinking that lead to distress or problems functioning in social situations, work, or family life. Mental health issues are common, with millions of people affected each year. Experts estimate that 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year. There are many different types of mental illnesses, ranging from anxiety and depressive disorders to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)....
Snack bars may be convenient, but nutritionally, they may more closely resemble a standard candy bar rather than a health food. With excess sugar, fat, and added ingredients, it’s important to read labels and know what kind of bars you are getting General Guidelines to Choosing a Healthy Snack Bar There is no real science behind this, rather just trial and error and professional opinion. I tell my patients to aim to keep the counts close to this:...
The opioid crisis and the treatment of chronic pain are complex problems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says there is insufficient evidence that long-term opioid use outside of end-of-life care has benefits for patients with chronic pain. Still, opioids remain widely used for this purpose. Primary care providers can prescribe opioids for chronic pain. Many, however, are reluctant to do so because these drugs can cause dependence or lead to overdose....
