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An untreated yeast infection usually gets worse until treatment begins. The symptoms depend on the location. For example, a vaginal yeast infection can cause increased itching, redness, inflammation, and even cracked or raw skin in the vulva. An oral infection can cause white patches inside your mouth, redness, soreness, and loss of taste. If your untreated yeast infection is allowed to persist for too long, complications that require medical attention can occur....

Urticaria is the medical term for hives. Sometimes hives are confused for other skin conditions such as eczema or rosacea, but their appearance and cause set them apart. There are specific characteristics that help you identify hives. For instance, they often have well-defined borders. Hives also tend to cause itching and discomfort that’s worse at night. Hives are a specific type of rash caused when tissues beneath the surface of the skin fill with fluid, causing raised, red, itchy bumps referred to as weals (or welts)....

The vestibule of the ear is best described as the area of the inner ear between the tympanic cavity and posterior to the cochlea that contains the otolith organs. Lateral to the vestibule is the oval window and stapes footplate. The vestibule of the ear and the otolith organs, called the utricle and saccule, are part of the vestibular system which controls our equilibrium and balance. Diseases affecting this area of the middle ear typically result in vertigo....

A tenotomy is a surgical procedure in which a tendon is cut because it is overpowered or contracted, which can cause pain. A tenotomy can relieve chronic tendon pain and tightness when other treatment methods fail to improve symptoms of chronic irritation or damage. This article will review what conditions can be treated with a tenotomy, how it is performed, different types of tenotomies, eligibility criteria, and treatment outcomes. Definition Tenotomy, which means “cutting into a tendon,” is a surgical procedure in which a tendon is cut....

Gender dysphoria is the term used to describe the distress caused when a person’s biological sex and gender identity do not match cultural expectations. For example, a person with a penis may exist as a woman, while a person with a vagina may exist as a man. Additionally, someone may exist as a gender outside of the binary categories of man and woman altogether, regardless of their sex characteristics. Background In the past, mental health professionals referred to the condition using terms like “cross-gender identification,” suggesting people simply identified with the opposite sex....

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and hair loss can occur at the same time for many reasons, including as a side effect of certain drugs used to treat the pain and swelling that occur with this chronic inflammatory disease. In some cases, hair loss may be a symptom of a different health problem that also exists. Treating hair loss may or may not involve changing the drugs you use to manage pain and swelling....

If you reach your health insurance out-of-pocket maximum every year, you may have opportunities to save money. This article will explain what you should keep in mind when selecting a health insurance plan if you have ongoing high medical expenses and expect to reach the out-of-pocket maximum on any policy. People with ongoing medical needs are well aware that coinsurance expenses can be prohibitive. This is especially true if you are on an expensive medication, require frequent infusions, or need any recurring costly treatments....

Pneumonia and asthma are both respiratory diseases, but the link between them goes beyond the pulmonary system. Factors involved in asthma put you at risk for pneumonia, and vice versa. Asthma is a chronic lung disease in which airways are constricted by inflammation and mucus buildup, which may be reversible. Pneumonia is a lung infection usually caused by viruses, bacteria, or fungi. Understanding the connection between these two conditions is important for preventing complications....

What Is Biltricide? Biltricide (praziquantel) is an oral prescription medication used to treat certain types of parasitic worm infections, including schistosomiasis (also known as blood flukes), clonorchiasis (Chinese liver fluke), and opisthorchiasis (Southeast Asian liver fluke). These diseases are not found in the United States, but are common in tropical regions of Asia, Africa, and South America where there is a lack of public sanitation. Biltricide is an anthelmintic drug that works by disintegrating the outer protective layer of parasitic worms....

Surgery is the preferred first-line treatment for bladder cancer, especially when it is caught early and has not yet spread. Surgery is used to remove a cancerous (malignant) tumor of the bladder and, when needed, restore the function of the bladder. There are several different procedures that may be used depending on the specific stage of the cancer, including transurethral resection for small tumors and removal of the bladder (cystectomy) for larger tumors....

Many people know that low levels of “good” high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol increases the risk of heart disease. They also know that too much “bad” low-density lipoprotein (LDL) increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. But is it possible to have “too little” LDL? Is there such a thing? The question has long divided the medical community, with some healthcare professionals cautioning that too-low LDL levels may cause or contribute to anxiety, nervousness, or sleep problems....

Choking happens when something—food or another item—is caught in the back of the throat. If the object (or food) blocks the top of the trachea a person may be unable to breathe. This is an emergency. It is also possible that food or other things can get stuck in the esophagus; while painful, this does not cause a person to stop breathing. This article will cover causes, prevention and the treatment of choking....

A cirrhosis diet is designed to help people with cirrhosis who may become malnourished due to changes in their metabolism and digestion that occur as the liver becomes more damaged. As such, if you have this condition, what you eat and drink each day is especially important. Many foods to avoid with cirrhosis contain protein, sodium, and sugar that require your liver to work harder—a demand it may no longer be able to meet....

You may have heard that drinking a glass of milk helps heartburn because it “coats” the throat and stomach, but that’s largely a myth. Fatty food like dairy products can actually be heartburn triggers. This article will go over what you should know about heartburn, whether drinking milk could help ease your symptoms, and other natural ways to treat heartburn. Symptoms Heartburn is a symptom of acid reflux that happens when gastric juices back up from the stomach into the esophagus....

People with echolalia repeat sounds, words, and phrases that they hear, sometimes without intending to communicate meaning. Echolalia is often a symptom of autism. But it can also be caused by a number of other issues, such as apraxia of speech and aphasia (both are speech issues caused by abnormalities in the brain). If a child or adult suddenly develops echolalia it is a good idea to seek medical care. This article discusses the different causes and types of echolalia and some treatments to consider....

Some individuals find that their endometriosis symptoms resolve during pregnancy and breastfeeding due to a shift in hormones. These symptoms often return after pregnancy, however. This article will explore how endometriosis affects individuals after pregnancy, including when symptoms are most likely to recur, how to manage postpartum endometriosis, and potential treatment options. When Does Endometriosis Return After Pregnancy? Endometriosis symptoms may temporarily improve during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. During pregnancy, ovulation is inhibited, so the hormonal changes that cause endometriosis don’t occur....

A femur fracture, or broken thigh bone, is an injury that can result from high-energy trauma, such as a fall from height, a motor vehicle accident, or a direct blow to the leg. Physical therapy is often needed for a femur fracture to heal properly. This will enable you to comfortably bear weight on your injured leg to stand up, walk, go up and down stairs, and exercise. This article will review physical therapy exercises for a femur fracture, a recovery timeline, and tips for getting started....

Hepatitis C is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). For some people, HCV infection only causes short-term illness. However, for more than half who become infected, HCV can become a chronic infection that leads to liver injury and even death if left untreated. Prior to the introduction of a new class of drugs called direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) in 2013, hepatitis C was very difficult to treat. Today, DAAs offer cure rates of more than 90%....

The treatment of meningioma varies depending on the size and location of the tumor, the symptoms, and your overall health. The most common treatment options are surgery, radiation, watchful waiting, or a combination of these. Most meningiomas are benign, or noncancerous, but in rare cases, they can be cancerous. Fortunately, most people with meningioma are able to live long, healthy lives after treatment. The 10-year survival rate after treatment for a benign tumor is 84%, and those with cancerous meningiomas have a 10-year survival rate of 62%....

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, you may feel scared, frustrated, and more. While there is no cure for Alzheimer’s at this time, there are many ways to treat the symptoms and even help manage the disease’s progression. Treatment options for the behavioral and psychological symptoms of Alzheimer’s include drug therapy and non-drug approaches, such as behavioral and environmental modifications. Home Remedies and Lifestyle Non-drug approaches focus on treating the behavioral, psychological, and emotional symptoms of Alzheimer’s by changing the way you understand and interact with the person with the disease....