In 2020, at least 21 million people in the United States (8.4% of the U.S. population) had at least one episode of depression. It is estimated that more than 1 in 4 adults with significant mental health issues also has a substance use problem. Mood disorders and addiction are often comorbid, which means they occur together. Read on to find out more about depression and substance abuse, and their occurrence together....
While there is currently no cure for carcinoid tumors, early detection yields a promising prognosis and survival rate—about 97% if the cancer remains in the organ in which it started. Fortunately, there are many available treatments for carcinoid tumors, including chemotherapy, partial surgery, and somatostatin analogs. Home Remedies and Lifestyle Talk to your doctor about self-care measures that may improve your signs and symptoms. Self-care measures can’t replace treatment of carcinoid tumors, but they may complement it....
There are several options for treating erectile dysfunction (ED), including a number of effective prescription medications, penile pumps, injections of vasoactive drugs, and penile prostheses. Other treatments include counseling, lifestyle changes, and natural remedies. After a careful assessment of the pluses and minuses of each therapy (and often, a trial and error process), you and your healthcare provider can choose the treatment or combination of treatments that is uniquely right for you....
How often you shower should be based on not only your personal preference, but your lifestyle. If you’re physically active, daily showering may be needed. If not, a few times a week may be sufficient. But there’s a fine balance: Showering too often can disrupt the barrier function of the skin, stripping away oils and healthy bacteria. This can lead to dry, cracked skin. On the flip side, not showering or bathing enough can cause body odor, acne, and even skin infections....
Treatments for the genetic disorder spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) include two approaches—disease-modifying therapy and symptom control. Spinraza (nusinersen), Zolgensma (onasemnogene abeparovec-xioi), and Evrysdi (risdiplam) are the three treatments that are approved for preventing SMA from worsening, and they are considered disease-modifying treatments. In addition to these disease-modifying therapies, other important aspects of managing SMA include at-home approaches such as respiratory care, optimization of motor control with physical therapy, and the use of devices to support the spine and muscles....
If you are prone to migraines, prevention can go a long way toward improving your quality of life. In addition to lifestyle modifications, this can include medications, complementary and alternative (CAM) treatments, and in some cases, even surgical approaches. Given how debilitating they can be, preventing migraines is the goal of anyone who experiences them. But prevention strategies can be particularly important if your migraines tend to be severe or last for several days, or if your migraine medication produces intolerable side effects or proves ineffective for you....
Insect bites and stings are often a temporarily painful annoyance, but they can sometimes become a serious medical emergency (for example, if someone goes into anaphylaxis, which is a severe allergic reaction). This article discusses how to identify five of the most common insect bites and stings and what to do about them. You’ll also learn the warning signs of a severe reaction to one. When an Insect Sting or Bite Is an Emergency While the rest of this article can help you sort what insect is responsible for the bite or sting, that becomes a distant second in terms of importance if there are signs of a severe reaction....
Longitudinal melanonychia, sometimes called longitudinal striata, is the most common type of melanonychia, a medical term used to describe a black or brownish pigmentation of the nail plate. The nail plate is the hard part of toenails or fingernails. The melanonychia striata can look like a partial or complete stripe running length-wise (longitudinal) along the nail. It can have many causes that range from harmless pigment deposits or growths to infections, body-wide diseases, or melanoma (skin) cancer....
Methotrexate is the first-line treatment for most people with moderate to severerheumatoid arthritis (RA). Beyond RA, methotrexate is also used in the treatment of severe psoriasis and some types of cancer, such as breast cancer, lung cancer, lymphoma, and leukemia. For each condition, methotrexate works by slowing the growth of cells—including cancer cells in cancer and skin cells in psoriasis. In rheumatoid arthritis, methotrexate helps decrease the activity of the immune system....
Other specified feeding and eating disorder (OSFED), previously known as eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS), is a classification of eating disorders in which a person has a significant eating disorder but does not meet all of the criteria for anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge eating disorder. While less commonly discussed, OSFED is the most common presentation of an eating disorder and is considered at least as harmful, disruptive, and dangerous as the more well-known eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa....
Osteoporosis is a bone disease characterized by low bone mass and structural breakdown of bone, eventually causing bones to become fragile and increasing a person’s risk for fractures. Both men and women are affected by osteoporosis. The condition—which is both preventable and treatable—is more common in older adults, but it can affect anyone regardless of age, including children. In the United States, up to 54 million people have osteoporosis and low bone mass, which increases the risk for osteoporosis, this according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation....
Permanent retainers, also referred to as fixed retainers, are custom-fit wires that your oral healthcare provider bonds to your teeth after straightening them. Retainers keep your teeth from shifting after orthodontic treatment and can only be removed by a healthcare professional. In some cases, permanent retainers may be recommended over removable retainers, which you take in and out yourself. This article discusses permanent retainers, their benefits, costs, and cleaning techniques....
Polypectomy is a minimally invasive procedure in which a specialist known as a gastroenterologist removes abnormal tissue growth, called polyps, from inside your colon (large intestine). The procedure is more accurately referred to as a colonic polypectomy. Polypectomy is a routine part of a procedure known as a colonoscopy in which a long, flexible tube with a camera, called a colonoscope, is inserted into the rectum to view the colon. The aim of a polypectomy is to determine whether an abnormal growth is cancerous, precancerous, or non-cancerous....
For some people, diet can play a significant role in the onset and severity of psoriasis. There is some evidence that certain foods can trigger flare-ups or aggravate symptoms of this chronic autoimmune skin condition. On the flip side, there are foods that have an anti-inflammatory effect and may help calm the itching, scaling, flaking, and redness caused by psoriasis. There is no “psoriasis diet” per se as different foods can affect people differently....
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has seen an uptick in reports from consumers regarding the adverse events of accidentally being exposed to hand sanitizer vapors. Key Takeaways Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and poison control centers throughout the United States have been getting more reports of adverse events related to using hand sanitizer. Most of the fifty reported cases were in adults (though four occurred in children)....
Many types of healthcare providers can become sleep specialists. The main goal of a sleep expert is to diagnose and treat sleep disorders. Some providers focus on all aspects of sleep, while others treat just one type of sleep disorder. For example, you may see a pulmonologist (lung expert) for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). In this article, you’ll learn when you should see a sleep specialist, how to find the right one, and what to expect at an appointment....
If you’ve ever had a stomach infection, you know it can be a miserable experience. Whether you’re sick from food poisoning or another type of “stomach flu,” a stomach infection can limit you from carrying out your daily activities. The good news is that a stomach infection will usually go away within a few days, and the right self-care strategies can help you start feeling better quickly. Types There are different types of gastrointestinal infections....
Even though over 200 million people worldwide are estimated to have depressive disorders, the biology behind what causes these conditions is still not fully understood. Scientists are increasingly looking toward genetics. Key Takeaways With the largest genome-wide association study on depression to date, researchers have identified 178 specific gene variants linked to depression.Depression is a mental health disorder born from both biological and environmental factors.Findings like these can help scientists better understand the biology of depression and therefore improve the diagnosis and treatment of the condition....
Wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) can be treated with medications, surgery, or a combination of therapies. Wet AMD cannot be cured, but these treatments may help slow the disease’s progression. Wet AMD is the more advanced of the two forms of AMD. (The other is “dry” AMD.) Early and aggressive treatment of wet AMD is needed to prevent vision loss that can occur when abnormal, fragile blood vessels form and leak on the thin tissue at the back of the eye (retina)....
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is excessive gut bacteria in the small intestine. SIBO symptoms may include abdominal bloating, constipation, and nutritional deficiencies. A range of conditions can cause SIBO, such as celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, and blind loop syndrome. SIBO can affect adults and children at any age. However, it may be more prevalent and problematic for older adults. Experts suggest that SIBO could be fairly common in the population, especially among people who have a digestive disease, with an incidence of about 44% in women who have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and 14% in men who have IBS....
