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Low blood sugar and anxiety are linked, but the relationship is complicated. Symptoms of low blood sugar can mirror anxiety’s symptoms, or worsen existing anxiety. Shakiness, fast heart rate, irritability, nausea, difficulty concentrating, and panic are all shared symptoms. Some people, especially those who have diabetes, may also experience anxiety about regulating their blood sugar levels. This may manifest as a consistent and overwhelming fear that you will become hypoglycemic or anxiety about managing your condition....

What Is Valtrex? Valtrex (valacyclovir) is a medication prescribed to treat certain viral infections, including chicken pox, cold sores, and other conditions caused by herpes viruses. Valtrex is part of a class of antiviral drugs called nucleoside analogs. It prevents the viral growth of herpes by interfering with gene replication, the process in which a DNA molecule makes two copies of itself during cell division. This medication comes as a tablet that is taken by mouth....

Lap-band surgery, or gastric banding, is a type of bariatric (weight loss) procedure. The surgery works by placing a tight, adjustable band around the top part of the stomach to compartmentalize the organ. The upper pouch is intentionally made smaller to restrict the amount of food it can hold and, therefore, that a person can consume comfortably. What Is Lap-Band Surgery? Gastric banding surgery is performed by a bariatric surgeon in a hospital or surgical center under general anesthesia....

Difficulty breathing—whether it’s wheezing, chest pain or tightness, shortness of breath, or coughing—is characteristic of asthma. But it can also occur with gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart failure, viral infections, and other conditions. As distressing as asthma can be, the disease rarely causes progressive lung damage. But other lung diseases that cause similar symptoms can, and they can worsen if not diagnosed and treated. That’s why seeking a proper diagnosis is essential....

The abscopal effect is a theory that describes why sometimes using local treatment to one area of a metastatic cancer (such as radiation therapy) may result in cancer shrinking in an untreated area. While this phenomenon was seen as a rare occurrence in the past, it has become more frequent with the arrival of immunotherapy drugs such as checkpoint inhibitors to treat cancer. The underlying mechanism for this phenomenon is still unclear, but it’s thought that the localized treatment might prime the immune system to attack cancer cells in a distant region....

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can also be spread by contact with infected blood or from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding. Currently, around 38 million people live with HIV worldwide, of which an estimated 1.2 million reside in the United States. Without treatment, it takes an average of eight to 10 years before HIV weakens your immune system to the point that you have acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), the most advanced stage of infection....

Asteatotic eczema occurs when your skin gets too dry, causing itchy, cracked skin. This condition is also called xerotic eczema or eczema craquelé. While this condition is most common in people who are older, it can affect adults at any age. Learn more about the symptoms, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and how to cope with asteatotic eczema. Asteatotic Eczema Symptoms Asteatotic eczema causes symptoms that are common with a variety of skin disorders....

It’s fairly easy to understand how someone could experience addiction with an addictive substance like alcohol or nicotine. It’s much more challenging to see the complexity of addiction and understand how someone could be addicted to a behavior. Behavioral addiction is real, though, and can have just as devastating effects on a person’s life as any other addiction. This article explains behavioral addiction, how it differs from substance addiction, signs to watch for, and what to do if you or someone you love has a behavioral addiction....

Endometriosis is a medical condition where tissue similar to the endometrium (uterine lining) grows outside the uterus, in areas such as the fallopian tubes or the ovaries. The condition affects millions of women around the world. Its main symptoms are pelvic pain, painful periods, and pain during sex. There are two main conditions that can cause you to experience bladder problems with endometriosis. You may have bladder endometriosis (the endometrial tissue grows in or on the bladder), or you may have painful bladder syndrome (interstitial cystitis)....

The brown recluse spider (Loxosceles reclusa) is one of the most poisonous spiders in the United States. Their venom is necrotic, meaning that it destroys blood vessels, causing tissue near the site of the bite to die. Getting bitten by one is uncommon and the bite alone rarely kills people. That said, severe reactions to a brown recluse spider bite can occur. If the reaction goes untreated, life-threatening complications may arise....

You’ve likely heard you need to eat less and move more to lose weight. The reason for that is to create a calorie deficit. This is taking in fewer calories than you burn in a day. Keep reading to learn more about calorie deficits and tips for creating one. What Is a Calorie Deficit? A calorie deficit occurs when you’re consuming fewer calories than you use up in a day. Everything you eat and drink brings calories into your body as it’s digested and absorbed....

A concussion occurs when a traumatic brain injury results in a temporary change in brain functioning. It is usually caused by a direct blow to the head. Common Causes A concussion can occur due to: Direct force to the headTwisting or rapid turning of the headThe brain striking the inside of the skull during acceleration or deceleration Certain types of activities have a high incidence of concussion. Concussion causes can be divided into two categories: sports-related concussions and non-sports concussions....

When you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), you might experience occasional exacerbations (flare-ups). These episodes are characterized by severe shortness of breath and a sense of chest tightness. Exacerbations can occur as a result of an infection, exposure to irritant fumes, or for other reasons, and they can also happen without an identifiable cause. When you experience a COPD exacerbation, you may need to use rapid-acting treatment, such as a bronchodilator inhaler....

Duodenal atresia is a rare condition that’s present at birth. It is a malformation of the duodenum, which is the section of the small intestine that receives food directly from the stomach. The condition can cause severe vomiting in newborns, and it can also cause some signs during pregnancy, including large amounts of fluid surrounding the growing baby. Symptoms Prenatal (Before Birth) Symptoms Duodenal atresia often results in polyhydramnios, an abnormal accumulation of amniotic fluid (the fluid that surrounds the fetus during pregnancy)....

The epididymis is a long, coiled tube that transports sperm from the testes to the vas deferens. The epididymis consists of three parts, the caput (head), corpus (body), and cauda (tail.) During their journey through the various parts of the epididymis, sperm mature and gain the ability to swim. Because of its role in sperm transport and maturation, functional and structural issues with the epididymis can be associated with infertility or reduced fertility....

The retina at the back of the eye is the tissue you rely on for sight. The eyes themselves are fed by numerous blood vessels and filled with fluid. Sometimes, though, there can be problems. Fluid can build up behind the retina due to different conditions, including macular edema and central serous retinopathy. Here’s what to know to recognize what may be causing fluid underneath the retina and the steps you need to take for appropriate diagnosis and treatment....

Celiac disease is hereditary. This means certain genes put you at risk for developing it. Healthcare providers are increasingly using celiac disease genetic testing to find out if someone is predisposed to developing the condition. Genetic tests for celiac disease look for genes called HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8. Most people with celiac disease have one or both of these genes, but their presence doesn’t necessarily mean you have celiac disease. It only means it’s possible for you to develop it....

Hartmann’s procedure (clinically referred to as proctosigmoidectomy) is a surgery that takes on inflammatory conditions and cancer of the colon. It’s most often used to treat complicated cases of diverticulitis, an infection of the outpouchings (diverticula) in the lining of the colon, and colon cancer. The aim of this surgery is to remove problematic tissue and connect the healthy portion of the colon to a colostomy bag. Patients that are healthy enough to undergo it may have a second procedure, called “reversal,” which involves reconnecting the healthy portions of the colon and restoring normal function....

Hashimoto’s disease is an autoimmune disorder that causes an underactive thyroid, or hypothyroidism. Researchers have started to link the foods we eat to the cause of autoimmune diseases like Hashimoto’s and how to treat them. There isn’t a specific diet that can help prevent or treat Hashimoto’s disease specifically, but there are a number of changes you can make to your diet that can help you manage your condition. Benefits In Hashimoto’s disease, your body makes antibodies to your thyroid hormones and attacks them....

An abnormal Pap smear result of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) means that cells of the cervix (the narrow neck of a woman’s uterus) look somewhat to very abnormal when examined under a microscope. Before cervical cancer forms, the cells of the cervix undergo abnormal changes called cervical dysplasia. Although untreated cervical dysplasia can lead to cervical cancer, having it does not mean that a person has cancer or will develop the disease....