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Gotu kola is a perennial plant of the parsley family. It has a scientific name of Centella asiatica (C. asiatica). Gotu Kola is native to southern Asia. But you may also find it in other parts of the world, such as Mexico, South America, and South Africa. Gotu kola has certain active constituents (parts) called saponins or triterpenoids, which may include asiaticoside, madecassoside, and madasiatic acid. These plant substances are likely responsible for how gotu kola works....

Coping with a chronic skin condition like hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) takes resolve and being mindful of both your physical and emotional needs. But even with the ups and downs that come with HS, there are steps you can take to minimize symptoms, deal with the emotional aspects having a chronic skin condition can bring, and improve your quality of life. Emotional While hidradenitis suppurativa isn’t an incredibly rare condition, with up to 4% of the global population having the condition, people who have it often feel alone....

If you’ve ever heard a whistling sound when breathing, this is known as wheezing. Wheezing often sounds like a high-pitched whistle and most often happens when a person exhales (breathing out), though it can sometimes be heard when inhaling (breathing in). Wheezing happens as a result of inflammation that leads to the tightening of air passageways. Home remedies, including eating well, hydrotherapy, and breathing exercises, may help reduce wheezing. What Causes Wheezing?...

Natural family planning (NFP) is a natural method that you can use to help you decide when to have sex—either to avoid getting pregnant or to increase your chances of becoming pregnant. Other natural methods include abstinence, withdrawal, outercourse, and continuous breastfeeding/LAM. In a nutshell, NFP is basically fertility awareness. It consists of different methods that help you gain knowledge about your fertility and teaches you how to read your body’s natural signals to help you determine which days of the month you are most likely to get pregnant (or avoid pregnancy)....

Lack of focus (inattention) is one of the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It may be seen in difficulty maintaining focus, staying organized, or staying on task. A person with ADHD may also be easily distracted. Other common symptoms of ADHD are hyperactivity (constant moving or restlessness) and impulsivity (acting without thinking or having problems with self-control). People with ADHD may have only some of these symptoms. According to some estimates, ADHD affects approximately 11% of children between ages 4 and 17....

Almost all of us get stomach cramps from time to time. They are usually harmless and will pass on their own. However, there are times when the cramping can signal something more serious that needs medical attention. Read on to find out more about the various causes of stomach cramps, how to get rid of them, and when you should see a healthcare provider. Causes of Stomach Cramps Stomach cramps and abdominal pain can be caused by a variety of issues....

Hypotonia is decreased muscle tone. It is often an early sign of a chronic condition such as a neuromuscular disorder, genetic disease, or metabolic disease. Hypotonia is different from muscle weakness. Normal muscles always have a small amount of contraction, even when they are relaxed. People with hypotonia do not have any contractions in their muscles. This condition can affect children and adults and is often detected during infancy. Babies with hypotonia appear floppy and have limbs that look like a rag doll....

Hypoxemia occurs when there are low oxygen levels in the arterial blood. It is typically caused by another medical condition, particularly those that affect the respiratory and circulatory systems. There are treatments for hypoxemia but the underlying cause must also be treated. If left untreated, hypoxemia can cause serious health problems and even death. If you are experiencing severe shortness of breath, changes in skin color, confusion, or rapid heart rate, call 911 immediately....

Severe acne breakouts can leave pitted scars on your skin, especially if the pimples were picked or popped. Types of acne scars vary by size and shape. Rolling scars are wide and shallow (like depressions on the skin), boxcar scars are more wide than deep, and ice pick scars are deep with steep sides. Ice pick scars are caused by an inflammatory breakout, such as a deep papule or cyst, that has damaged the skin’s structures....

What Is Intuniv? Intuniv (guanfacine) is a prescription non-stimulant treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It can be used as a monotherapy (single treatment) or as an add-on (adjunctive) treatment to stimulant medications. It can also be used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure). Intuniv is a central alpha-2A adrenergic receptor agonist. It works on receptors in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in the brain to enhance functioning. The PFC plays a role in cognitive behavior, including attention and impulsivity....

No amount of lead exposure is safe. Chronic lead poisoning can lead to a long list of maladies, including anorexia, anemia, tremor, and gastrointestinal symptoms. Lead exposure is particularly bad for the developing brain, and in children can result in growth retardation, developmental delay, and mental retardation. In addition to the human toll, chronic lead exposure also has a large impact on the economy. It’s estimated that lead exposure costs Americans about $50 billion per year....

The signs and symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) overlap with many other conditions. This makes misdiagnosis common. Further, MS isn’t fully understood, which makes differential diagnosis (a way of ruling out or confirming other, similar conditions) a complicated and time-consuming process. Getting an MS diagnosis involves verifying the presence of MS lesions that show up as white spots on MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans. Unfortunately, getting an accurate MS diagnosis often takes a long time....

The goal of multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment is to slow or stop the immune system’s attack on the nervous system. Though several new medications have been approved in recent years that are effective for that purpose, there is yet no cure for the condition. However, a wide range of promising new MS treatments are being studied, including stem cell therapies, drugs that interfere with specific immune system actions, and even dietary nutrients....

What Is Norvasc? Norvasc (amlodipine) is a long-acting calcium channel blocker used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension) and chest pain due to coronary artery disease (CAD). Although it primarily affects the calcium located in the cells of the heart muscle, the effects of Norvasc can extend to the blood vessels and reduce blood pressure by relaxing the muscles surrounding them. Norvasc is a prescription-only medication available in tablet and liquid form....

Psoriasis is a long-term medical condition that involves an itchy, scaly skin rash that can come and go for years. This happens when the immune system attacks healthy cells. The specific cause is not known. However, there is a link between psoriasis and stress, as stress can bring on symptoms and make symptoms worse. While there is no permanent cure, this condition can be treated. However, medications do not always work....

A saline nasal spray is a sterile saltwater solution used to irrigate the nose and sinus passages. It is a non-drug option for treating nasal dryness or congestion caused by colds, allergies, and other upper respiratory conditions. The benefit of a saline nasal spray is that it can lubricate, moisture, and flush nasal passages safely in adults, children, and even babies. Unlike steroid nasal sprays or antihistamine nasal sprays, you can use a saline spray as often as you need to relieve your symptoms....

Back pain during pregnancy is quite common and often due to carrying extra weight on the front of your body. But while it is normal to experience some pain in the middle of the back or butt, some people will struggle with a painful condition called sciatica. Sciatica causes sharp, shooting pain that starts in the lower back or buttocks and radiates down the backs of the legs. This happens because the sciatic nerve—the largest nerve in the body—becomes compressed or irritated....

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is caused by the death of cells in the brain that normally produce dopamine, a chemical messenger that regulates body movements. Therapies to help manage PD include medications, physical therapy, and occupational therapy, but access to these treatments was challenging at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, telehealth services emerged and became a viable means of receiving health care while minimizing patients’ risk of contracting or transmitting the virus....

Your IBD doctor will often order certain tests to monitor disease activity along the way, but also to assess how medications are working and if they are having any adverse effects on your other organs or body systems. People with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are treated with a variety of medications, many of which have different ways of acting on the body. In most cases, adverse effects are rare, but they can be caught early so it’s worth doing the tests to ensure treatment goes smoothly....

If you or a loved one has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), you should know that the condition involves a substantial amount of medical care. You will work with a variety of healthcare providers who will help you get the most updated ALS treatment that is used to slow disease progression, as well as treatments to help alleviate some of the effects of the condition. Because ALS is a serious and incurable disease, there is a great deal of research looking at potential cures....