Posts

Lithium is a mood stabilizer used to treat bipolar disorder, a condition that involves episodes of depression, mania, and hypomania. Lithium is used as an acute treatment for mood episodes and as a long-term treatment to prevent further manic and depressive recurrences. Lithium smooths out the highs of mania and the lows of depression in people living with bipolar disorder by restoring the balance of neurotransmitters in the brain. Lithium has been considered a first-line treatment for bipolar disorder....

Today, more than 1.4 million people identify as transgender, and more than 10,200 of them are on Medicare. While many people tend to think of Medicare as health care for people over 65, they forget that Medicare also covers younger people with qualifying disabilities. As it turns out, a disproportionate number of transgender Medicare beneficiaries, as many as 77%, are under 65. Identifying with a gender that differs from the sex assigned to you at birth should not affect your access to health care at any age....

Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences (MI theory) posits that there are at least eight different types of intelligence. Gardner introduced MI theory in his 1983 book, “Frames of Mind.” Before MI theory there was general intelligence, or G factor, which represents a singular type of cerebral intelligence scored using IQ tests. The concept of multiple intelligences takes the emphasis off G factor. MI theory broadens our concept of human intellect beyond G factor by proposing multiple intelligences (e....

Music therapy is a therapeutic approach that utilizes music to help foster health and well-being. It can involve making music, singing, dancing, listening to music, or talking about music. It has been used in adults, children, and even infants. Music therapy is generally not used on its own to treat illnesses but as an alternative therapy that’s a part of a larger treatment plan. In this article, you’ll learn more about what music therapy is, the different music therapy approaches, and what it can help treat....

Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is a mental health condition that causes someone to rely on others for praise, admiration, and self-esteem. This may lead to harmful interactions, including attention-seeking behavior or superficial relationships based on personal gain. While there’s only one official diagnosis for NPD, some researchers have identified several different types of narcissism: Overt narcissism: Entitled; concerned with power and imageCovert narcissism: Blaming; manipulativeAntagonistic narcissism: Driven to win, even at others’ expenseCommunal narcissism: Insincerely caring in an effort to garner attentionMalignant narcissism: Aggressive, paranoid, and potentially abusive This article will help you to learn more about narcissistic traits, symptoms, and treatment, as well as the different narcissistic personality disorder types....

A stomach ulcer is a sore on the lining of your stomach or small intestine (duodenum). This sore usually causes pain and burning in the abdomen. This pain can come and go and may last for hours at a time. Stomach ulcers occur when the acids that your body uses to digest food lead to damage to the stomach or duodenum walls. This can be caused by the infection H. pylori (Helicobacter pylori) or the long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs)....

Virgin hair is a term sometimes applied to hair that grows in after chemotherapy. Many women are surprised to find that the color of their hair changes, the waviness goes from straight to curly or vice versa, or has a different texture than before. This holds true not only for hair on the head but for eyelashes, eyebrows, and pubic hair. In time, the color and texture of your hair will likely return to its pre-chemo state (if you remember what that is), but until then, special care is required....

Ovarian torsion in female anatomy occurs when the ovary and fallopian tube, which connects the ovaries to the uterus, twists around the supporting tissues and blood vessels. This twisting cuts off the blood supply to the organs. Ovarian torsion is an emergency condition for which diagnosis and intervention must occur quickly to save the ovary and corresponding reproductive organs. It can occur in people of all ages but is more prominent in adolescents and young women of reproductive age....

Although autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) does not have a cure, diet appears to have some influence on the condition by protecting the kidneys of individuals who have ADPKD. By working closely with your kidney specialist and a nutrition expert, kidney-protective diets may help individuals with ADPKD slow the progression of polycystic kidney disease and damage to the kidneys. Benefits ADPKD is a progressive disease that, over time, will affect kidney function and cause permanent damage....

Many different types of surgery are used to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). One type of surgery that is sometimes used is the removal of the rectum (which is called a proctectomy) and the anus. When both of those structures are removed, another way will be needed for stool to leave the body. If all of the colon has also been removed (called a colectomy), either at the same time as the proctectomy or before, an ileostomy will be needed....

A surgeon is a physician who is trained to perform surgical procedures. It is a profession that demands exceptional manual dexterity and fine motor skills to carry out the techniques needed to investigate disease, repair or remove damaged tissues, or improve the function or appearance of an organ or body part. It takes no less than 13 years of training and education to become a general surgeon. Those wanting to specialize can expect to add another one to two years to the training....

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a type of autoimmune arthritis that results in stiff, swollen joints. Symmetric psoriatic arthritis is the second most common form of PsA. This means it affects the joints on both sides of the body at the same time. For example, it may cause pain in both knees or both wrists. (In the most common form of PsA, symptoms are asymmetric, meaning they only affect one joint on one side of the body....

Triplet therapy or triplet targeted therapy for metastatic melanoma with BRAF mutation is a recent approach that takes advantage of the advances in targeted therapy and immunotherapy for the disease. While both targeted therapy (BRAF and MEK inhibitors) and immunotherapy (checkpoint inhibitors) have significantly improved survival, there are pros and cons to each approach that must be considered when choosing treatment. Combining Targeted Therapy and Immunotherapy Triplet therapy, or combining two targeted therapy drugs with an immunotherapy drug for melanoma, is a potential answer to a very challenging decision that people must face when diagnosed with metastatic or locally advanced inoperable melanoma....

Visceral pain is the pain you feel from your internal organs, such as your stomach, bladder, uterus, or rectum. It can feel sharp, dull, or aching. It may be constant or come and go. This type of pain is caused by medical conditions that produce inflammation, pressure, or an injury (nociceptive pain). Pelvic pain caused by a bladder infection and abdominal pain caused by irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are examples of visceral pain....

Throughout the pandemic, some found solace in the knowledge that, after the illness and social isolation that comes with a COVID-19 infection, their newly invigorated immune response would guard them against the virus for at least a few months. Key Takeaways The Omicron subvariant BA.5 has rapidly become dominant in the U.S.BA.5 can more easily evade immune defenses from both natural infection and vaccination, causing reinfections even in people who recently recovered from infection by other Omicron variants....

Nasal steroid sprays are used to treat chronic sinusitis and allergies that affect your breathing, like hay fever. They can also be used to treat snoring and nasal polyps, noncancerous growths in the nasal passages. Both the short-term and long-term use of nasal steroid sprays are thought to largely be safe for children and adults alike. However, they are not without side effects. This article reviews possible side effects of steroid nasal sprays—some of which overlap with the very condition you may be trying to treat—and why they occur....

If you suspect that you have a vaginal yeast infection, you’re most likely in a hurry to get rid of it. Yeast infections are uncomfortable, and are usually accompanied by itching, burning, and thick discharge. Before you run to the pharmacy, though, it’s important to determine if what you’re experiencing is indeed a yeast infection or something else. Other causes of vaginal pain and discomfort include bacterial infections, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), skin irritation, and more....

Nearly one-third of Americans live in a state where marijuana is legal for medical or adult-use. Increased access across the country is sparking more questions and greater curiosity about cannabis products. Key Takeaways As more states legalize marijuana, it opens the door for conversations about a substance that can be taken for medical or recreational purposes.It’s important to consume cannabis products safely to enjoy the benefits.Healthcare providers can help you understand if using marijuana is right for you....

If you know someone living with Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, or another type of dementia, you know that these conditions bring many challenges. Symptoms such as memory loss, word-finding difficulty, disorientation, behavioral and psychological symptoms, and general confusion are hard, both for the person experiencing them and for loved ones and caregivers to watch. However, in addition to the difficulty that these challenges bring, they also bring us reminders of several important truths that we often forget in our fast-paced lives....

The bronchial tree is a complex system of passageways that most people don’t think about until it becomes inflamed or filled with mucus—a condition generally called bronchitis. Bronchitis can be acute (coming on suddenly)—sometimes referred to as a chest cold—or chronic (continuing or recurring). Symptoms for each are similar, but how each develops and the impact each has on your health are different. To understand the difference between acute and chronic bronchitis, it’s important to understand how the bronchial tree works....