Posts

Three common issues that affect vaginal health are yeast infections, trichomoniasis, and bacterial vaginosis. They often have similar symptoms, such as persistent itching, an abnormal discharge, or pain with urination. However, these three vaginal problems are different and so are their causes. It’s important to get an accurate diagnosis for what’s causing symptoms because the treatments are different, too. Your healthcare provider can ensure early and effective treatment to help you avoid complications....

Topical steroids are often used as a treatment option for children, but not all are safe for younger kids. Generally, low-potency topical steroids should be used on children whenever possible to minimize risks. While effective, special care must be taken when selecting and using these drugs on kids, as they are more apt to develop side effects from both over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription options. This article reviews topical steroids’ potency, efficacy, and side effects and provides various medication options....

There are several types of asthma. Common types include: Allergic asthma Non-allergic asthma Cough-variant asthma Nocturnal asthma Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction Occupational asthma Obese asthma Medication-induced asthma Viral-induced asthma Glucocorticoid-resistant asthma They all have similarities, but some have unique aspects that affect how they’re triggered, diagnosed, and treated. This article explores the most common types of asthma, what additional symptoms they cause, and what extra diagnostic tests and treatments they require. What Asthma Types Have In Common Asthma has certain features that remain the same across most types:...

Every day patients fight the battle against time and aging. We want to keep active and healthy, and most importantly, free of pain. We want to continue to do the things that we love to do, many of which require healthy joints, yet we are fighting against the damage and deterioration of the cartilage in our joints. All around us, we see examples of people who do extraordinary activities until the late stage of life....

A perfectly positioned knee has its load-bearing axis on a line that runs down the middle of the leg, through the hip, knee, and ankle. When a congenital issue, trauma, or other condition interferes with this, valgus or varus misalignment can occur. Valgus knee alignment, better known as knock knees, causes the knees to touch and the feet to be significantly apart when standing. With varus knee alignment, the knees don’t come together even when your feet are side by side....

There are many common types of knee problems that cause people to visit their healthcare providers. To determine the source of the pain, practitioners will use information obtained through their discussion with patients, their examination of the knee, and various tests. In addition, a new diagnostic tool has recently become available for healthcare providers. Having an arthroscopic surgery in an operating room means that your healthcare provider looks inside of a joint through an instrument called an arthroscope....

With the presidential election just around the corner, voting is well underway—with over 40 million ballots already cast. As organizations help voters register and request mail-in ballots, some physicians are doing their part by encouraging patients to become more actively involved in civic engagement and the decisions impacting their health. Key Takeaways Physicians are encouraging patients to vote and become involved in decision-making processes about their health.Participating in civic activities like voting can directly impact your health....

Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccines began rolling out across the country in early March, 2021. The single-dose shot, made in partnership with Janssen Pharmaceuticals is the third to be distributed in the U.S., joining the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. Key Takeaways The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is highly effective at preventing death and severe disease.The vaccine was tested once viral variants were spreading and infection rates were high, which may impact its efficacy rate....

Yellow fever is named for two of its main symptoms: Fever and the possibility of jaundice, which causes the skin and eyes to take on a yellowish tinge. This condition can also cause many other symptoms, including a headache, body aches, vomiting, and fatigue. Rarely, it can become severe and may cause multi-organ failure, which can be fatal. Frequent Symptoms Many people who contract a mild case of yellow fever will never even know it because they won’t have any symptoms at all....

For parents or guardians of a profoundly disabled child, it may seem like there is no other option than to place the child in a youth nursing home. Unfortunately, nursing homes (or care centers as they are often now referred to) that are specifically designed for children and young adults are few and far between. The more likely scenario is that a child or young adult is placed in an adult nursing home to get the care they need....

What Is Zeposia? Zeposia contains the active drug ozanimod. It is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for managing relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is a chronic inflammatory and neurodegenerative (nerve and brain) disease in which the body’s immune cells start attacking the myelin covering that insulates nerves cells in the central nervous system (CNS) (brain and spinal cord). Zeposia belongs to the class of medications called sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptor modulators, which work on S1P1 and S1P5 receptors (immune system cells)....

On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed into law the federal health reform legislation known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (generally just referred to as the Affordable Care Act, ACA, or Obamacare). A primary purpose of the legislation is to assure that almost all Americans have access to affordable health insurance. This article will describe what the ACA is, how it has reformed health insurance in the U....

What Is Aklief? Aklief (trifarotene) is a prescription topical medication used to treat acne vulgaris (pimples) in people 9 years and older. It is in a drug class called retinoids. The cream works by peeling off dead skin, unclogging pores (tiny openings on the sin), and reducing inflammation. It also stops new acne from forming. Aklief is available as a topical cream that you apply directly to the skin. What Is Aklief Used For?...

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating disease that greatly impacts those with the condition, their caregivers and loved ones, and our society. Once diagnosed, the life expectancy for ALS is just two to five years. Bringing awareness to ALS, not only to make life easier for those living with the disease, but to raise funds and move toward a cure is imperative. In this article, learn more about ALS and how you can help bring awareness to this disease....

A toothache is pain or soreness that you feel within or around your tooth. A toothache often signals a problem with your tooth or gums, such as tooth decay, gum disease, tooth abscess, or an impacted tooth. Tooth pain, however, can also be connected to an underlying health issue, so it’s important to see your healthcare provider if you have this type of pain. Although there isn’t any scientific support for the use of toothache remedies, the following home toothache remedies are sometimes said to help get rid of toothache pain....

Cricothyrotomy is an elective or emergency procedure to establish an airway outside of the oral cavity by creating an incision in the cricothyroid membrane to access the trachea with either a small or large bore tube (cannula). It is unclear when the first cricothyrotomy was performed and may originally date back to ancient Egypt. However, the first modern procedure was performed in 1909 by Dr. Chevalier Jackson as a treatment for diptheria....

Cushing’s syndrome is a rare disorder that occurs when the body is exposed to too much cortisol. Cortisol is produced by the body and is also used in corticosteroid drugs. Cushing’s syndrome can occur either because cortisol is being overproduced by the body or from the use of drugs that contain cortisol (like prednisone). About Cortisol Cortisol is the body’s main stress hormone. Cortisol is secreted by the adrenal glands in response to the secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) by the pituitary....

Drug addiction is a chronic disease that involves complex interactions between a person’s genetics, environment, life experiences, and brain circuits. People with drug addictions compulsively use psychoactive substances, such as alcohol, illicit drugs, or prescription drugs, despite negative consequences. Issues with substance use are common. About 18.7 million (1 in 12) adults in the United States will have a substance use disorder (SUD) in their lifetime. Learn more about drug addiction, including signs, treatment, and how to cope....

Gastric sleeve surgery is a type of weight loss procedure. During the surgery, a surgeon inserts small tools through multiple incisions (cuts) in the abdomen. The surgeon removes about 80% of your stomach, leaving a long tube-shaped stomach about the size of a banana. Decreasing the size of the stomach limits the amount of food you can eat, which helps you lose weight quickly. The surgery may also lead to hormonal changes that make you feel hungry less often....

Odds are you have experienced heartburn at some time in your life. In most cases, the discomfort you feel in your upper chest is fleeting and may even be accompanied by an acid taste in your mouth, medically referred to as water brash. These symptoms may go away on their own or with a simple over-the-counter medication. When symptoms become more chronic or occur two or more times per week, however, you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which may require a more formal evaluation of clinical symptoms, lab tests, and imaging....