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Gentian violet is an antiseptic dye that has been used to treat certain bacterial and fungal infections, including thrush. Thrush is a yeast infection within the body, most commonly affecting the mouth, throat, and vagina. While some research has shown gentian violet to be an effective treatment for thrush, more clinical evidence is needed to assess its safety and efficacy as a first-line treatment for thrush. Some studies have shown that gentian violet can cause a number of health problems, such as irritation to the mucous membranes, which cover the inside of your body, and oral ulcers, which are sores in your mouth....

Researchers from the SIDS and Sleep Apnoea Research Group in the Children’s Hospital at Westmead in Australia reportedly found a potential risk factor for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), the specific cause of which has eluded scientists for decades. Key Takeaways A recent study has gained attention for linking an enzyme to an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).The authors say the findings could lead to new methods to screen for SIDS in newborns....

Sleep is essential for your health and well-being. It’s when your body repairs and restores functions like the immune, circulatory, and hormonal systems. When we don’t get the sleep our bodies require, it can lead to sleep deprivation symptoms like headaches. Headaches are generally defined as pain in your head, face, or upper neck. They are commonly triggered by factors like lack of sleep, fatigue, stress, and hunger. This article provides an overview of the link between headaches and lack of sleep and offers tips on potential treatment options....

Occasional heartburn due to refluxed stomach acid is common, although you may wonder what it feels like if you haven’t experienced it. Frequent heartburn is the most common symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or acid reflux. Nighttime heartburn and GERD can lead to damage of the esophagus and both are risks for respiratory complications. You will also want to get help for any unusual or severe chest symptoms that indicate a heart attack rather than acid reflux....

Hepatitis C symptoms vary based on the stage of infection. The most common hepatitis C symptoms include fatigue, jaundice, (yellow coloring of the skin and eyes), fever, and nausea. In advanced stages of the infection, liver failure may cause bleeding problems or encephalopathy (severe confusion). Sometimes liver cancer may develop, often manifesting as a malnourished appearance. Hepatitis C Symptoms Symptoms of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection typically become more severe as the infection progresses....

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a difficult disease for healthcare providers to diagnose, especially in its early stages, because the signs and symptoms are similar to those of many other conditions. So far, healthcare providers don’t have a single test that definitively diagnoses RA, so they rely a physical exam, family medical history, several blood tests, and imaging such as X-rays. Rheumatoid arthritis differs from osteoarthritis (“wear-and-tear” arthritis) in that it is an autoimmune disorder....

Symptoms of the flu are largely similar to those of the common cold or a respiratory infection, so you may not be able to discern between the issues on your own. Luckily, your healthcare provider can formally diagnose you with the flu with a test that confirms the presence of the influenza virus. However, while fast and non-invasive, a flu test may not always deliver accurate results. In some cases, your healthcare provider may diagnose you with the flu (or at least recommend you be treated for infection) based on your symptoms, whether or not someone else in your household has the flu, or if cases of influenza are increasing in your area....

Since the start of the pandemic, medical research on COVID-19 tests, vaccines, and medications has relied on thousands of volunteers participating in clinical trials. Key Takeaways COVID-19 clinical trial volunteers for new treatments and vaccines are in demand, especially as new variants continue to emerge.Participating in clinical trials can give you access to key treatments early, and allows you to help others.Before participating, experts say you should review all risks and details of the trial....

Hypoparathyroidism is a condition that results when one or more of your parathyroid glands are underactive. Everyone has four of these tiny glands. They are found in your neck, right next to your thyroid gland. If one or more of your parathyroid glands are underactive, they can’t make enough parathyroid hormone (PTH). The main function of PTH is to keep the calcium in your blood at normal levels. It also keeps calcium and phosphorus levels regulated....

Intercostal neuralgia is nerve pain in the chest and upper trunk that radiates from the upper back. The pain comes from the intercostal nerves, the nerves arising from the spinal cord, just below the ribs. Intercostal neuralgia is also known as chest wall pain. Here is what you need to know about intercostal neuralgia, including symptoms, potential causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Intercostal Neuralgia Symptoms The main symptom experienced by people with intercostal neuralgia is pain in the rib cage area....

Lingering coughs after upper respiratory infections like the common cold or flu are called post-infectious coughs. A lingering cough is mostly dry and are often referred to as “sub-acute,” meaning it persists for more than three weeks after the infection, but less than eight. Post-infectious coughs are a common type of lingering cough, affecting as many as one of every four people with an upper respiratory infection. This article describes the types of infections that tend to cause lingering coughs, as well as how healthcare providers diagnose and treat a cough that won’t go away....

Ludwig’s angina is a rare infection of the soft tissues of the mouth that can become serious. It causes severe pain, tenderness, and swelling underneath the tongue and in other areas (such as the neck and jaw). In some instances, the swelling can be so severe that the airway becomes obstructed and breathing is difficult, resulting in an emergency situation. The name Ludwig’s angina was coined after William Fredrich Von Ludwig, who was the first to describe the condition in the 1800s....

Just as how there are many types of milk, there are many types of milk allergies. This article addresses the difference between a milk allergy and lactose intolerance, along with the different types of milk allergies. Milk Allergy vs. Lactose Intolerance Lactose intolerance is not the same as a milk allergy. A milk allergy involves the immune system, while lactose intolerance does not. Understanding lactose intolerance and milk allergies can help you see the differences between these two conditions....

If you have multiple sclerosis (MS) and experience discomfort in response to certain sound volumes or frequencies, you might not have realized that these symptoms may be caused by your disease. This condition, called hyperacusis, can be among the subtle effects of MS. This sound sensitivity can interfere with your ability to concentrate, socialize, or even sleep. Symptoms related to hyperacusis may wax and wane. There are a few treatments for the condition, but lifestyle coping mechanisms are generally the key when it comes to managing hyperacusis....

Natazia is a brand of combination birth control pills. This pill (which is already licensed in Europe under the brand name Qlaira) is the first four-phase oral contraceptive marketed in the United States. Natazia is unique in the sense that it is first and only oral contraceptive that contains an estrogen called estradiol valerate and a progestin called dienogest. With the exception of Natazia, all available combination birth control pills contain ethinyl estradiol....

What Is Natroba? Natroba (spinosad) is an antiparasitic topical medication used to treat head lice or scabies. Specifically, Natroba is available for people 6 months and older with head lice and people 4 years and older with scabies. This topical drug is classified as a pediculicide. Pediculicide refers to a category of antiparasitic drugs, often called agents, that work to kill lice or other parasites. Natroba overstimulates the parasites’ nervous system, leading to paralysis and death....

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is the seventh most common cancer in men and the sixth most common cancer in women, making up 4% of all cancer diagnoses in the United States (U.S.). NHL is mostly diagnosed in Hispanic people and Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaskan Native people. What’s more, the older a person gets, the higher their chance of a diagnosis—people 65 and older are more likely to be diagnosed with NHL than any other age group....

Whether you are trying to get rid of oily skin because your face is always shiny or because the oil is clogging your pores and causing pimples, one thing is true—it’s challenging. That’s partly because, often, oily skin is inherited or the result of your hormones. You can’t control your genes, and usually you can’t do very much about hormonal changes either. You can, however, adjust how you care for your skin....

If you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Medicare will usually cover several different therapies, ranging from home-use oxygen, pulmonary rehabilitation, and continuous positive airway pressure devices (CPAP). To qualify, you must have a breathing condition that these therapies will improve. Qualifying for Medical Oxygen Not everyone who is short of breath needs supplemental oxygen. However, if your oxygen levels (as measured by a pulse oximeter at rest or with exertion, or an arterial blood gases test, called an ABG) show that you are chronically hypoxemic, meaning you have a long-term, insufficient supply of oxygen in your blood, you are probably a good candidate....

Post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) is a collection of symptoms, limitations, and impairments that are present in people who have recently been treated in a hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU). These impairments may be chronic and may limit your full participation in your normal activities upon discharge from the ICU. If you have been recently discharged from the intensive care unit, you may benefit from the care of a physical therapist to help you recover fully and return to your previous level of work and recreational activity....