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Autoimmune diseases, also known autoimmune disorders, are the third most common category of disease in the United States, after cancer and cardiovascular disease. An autoimmune disease happens when your immune system cannot tell the difference between your own cells and foreign cells, causing the body to attack healthy cells. One study estimated that about 80% of all patients diagnosed with autoimmune diseases are women. Scientists hypothesized that this may be related to genetic variations and hormonal changes....

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder that causes breathing difficulties during sleep. The condition ranges in severity from a mild decrease in airflow to airflow completely stopping, which can be life-threatening. Sleep apnea has multiple causes, including the tongue or tissues in the airways blocking the air or challenges related to the signals sent from the brain to control breathing during sleep. The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) is a scale to measure the symptoms of sleep apnea....

Anticholinergics are any drugs that block the action of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. This chemical messenger is involved in involuntary muscle movements and certain functions of the body, such as digestion and urination. Anticholinergic drugs can be beneficial in treating a wide array of health conditions ranging from allergies and depression to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and Parkinson’s disease. However, given the extent of anticholinergic effects, these drugs can affect the body negatively too....

Your child is not yet talking, seems to have trouble responding to peers, or spends more time than usual twirling, rocking, or opening and closing doors. These could be signs of autism, but many other reasons could explain such behaviors. While you wait for a diagnosis (or even after a diagnosis has been made), you can provide do-it-yourself interventions in your own home that can make a positive difference in your child’s life....

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and BiPAP (or bi-level) therapy are both used to treat sleep apnea. CPAP is the most common and effective therapy, and it’s often recommended as a treatment option when you are diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea. BiPAP may be preferred in more severe cases of sleep apnea, or when another diagnosis such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is present. Both BiPAP and another therapy, called adaptive servo-ventilation (ASV) therapy, are used to treat central sleep apnea, which occurs when the brain temporarily stops sending signals to the respiratory muscles....

Capsular contracture is one of the most common complications following breast implant surgery. Statistics for its rate of occurrence can range from 0.5% to 30%. A breast should be soft and flexible with a natural drape, even a reconstructed breast after a mastectomy. If you have saline or silicone breast implants, capsular contracture can cause your reconstructed breast to shift, change shape, feel hard to the touch, or feel painful....

Diverticulitis is a common digestive disease in which small, abnormal pouches in the digestive tract become inflamed or infected. While scientists believe that a low-fiber diet is a major contributor to the disorder, they aren’t entirely sure which mechanisms trigger the formation of the pouches (called diverticula) and why symptoms develop in some people and not in others. Among the key risk factors, age, obesity, and smoking are known to contribute to the rise and/or severity of diverticulitis symptoms....

Cannabidiol (CBD) and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are distinct compounds found in cannabis plants that each affect different receptors in the brain. THC is psychoactive, meaning that it affects your mood, perception, and other mental processes. It produces the “high” effects of marijuana. CBD is not psychoactive. It won’t get you high, but it can still have side effects, like making you feel relaxed. In 2018, the Farm Bill was signed into law....

Compulsive behaviors are actions a person takes that are disruptive to themselves and sometimes others. People who behave compulsively either do so because their brains are wired for such behavior or because they feel an intense urge to do so and cannot simply stop the behavior. Compulsive behaviors are often repetitive and don’t make sense within the context of the environment. This article will provide symptoms and examples of compulsive behavior, causes, treatment options, and information about when to seek professional help....

A concussion test is a type of noninvasive medical examination used to determine whether someone has had a concussion. A concussion is a temporary change in brain function that occurs due to a traumatic brain injury (TBI). It can cause problems with thinking and mood, and it can take weeks to years to heal from a concussion. This article will discuss when a concussion test is needed, the types of tests for concussion, and how results are interpreted....

What Is Condylox? Condylox (podofilox) is a prescription topical medication used to treat external genital warts and perianal (around the anus) warts. The exact mechanism of action of Condylox is unknown, but it is a potent cytotoxic agent that inhibits cell mitosis which results in slowly killing and getting rid of visible wart tissue. Condylox is available in a 0.5% gel form and a 0.5% liquid solution. What Is Condylox Used For?...

While exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) is a lifelong condition, home remedies and prescription medications can help treat uncomfortable symptoms such as bloating and abdominal pain. There are also different coping strategies to help improve your overall quality of life—emotionally, physically, and socially. While coping strategies can work differently for each individual, the following are some general tips on how to navigate life with EPI. What Is Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency? Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) is a rare but serious condition that occurs when the pancreas fails to produce important digestive enzymes to absorb nutrients from food....

Some researchers have questioned whether natural immunity against COVID-19 would provide better protection or a stronger immune response against infection and severe disease compared to vaccination. However, new evidence is putting that idea to rest. Key Takeaways Getting vaccinated before or after getting infected with COVID-19 still provided a strong immune response.Natural infection and vaccination both produce similar T-cell responses, which can help protect the body from infection and fight off the virus....

An enema is the introduction of a liquid through the anus and into the large intestine. An enema may be given to treat constipation or to administer medication. It also may be used as part of the procedure to empty the contents of the bowel before a test, as with​ a colonoscopy prep. Some practitioners offer enemas using liquids (like coffee) that are not recommended by healthcare providers. There is no evidence that using an enema for “detoxing,” or for reasons other than removing impacted stool, or cleaning the bowel before a test or procedure, has any health benefits whatsoever....

Eye pain of any kind is not normal, and it can result from several different sources. By examining the symptoms, your healthcare provider will help determine the cause and get you treatment. This article will look at eye pain symptoms, causes, treatments, and when you should see a provider to preserve your vision. Symptoms of Eye Pain Symptoms of eye pain can vary from a mild annoyance to severe discomfort. These sensations may be felt anywhere in the eye....

What Is Fasenra? Fasenra (benralizumab) is an injectable prescription drug used with other drugs to prevent symptoms in adults and adolescents 12 years and older with eosinophilic asthma. Eosinophilic asthma is a rare, severe type of asthma caused by eosinophils, a type of white blood cell associated with inflammation. This medication is used in people whose asthma is not controlled with other treatments. Fasenra is in a drug class called monoclonal antibodies....

General adaptation syndrome (GAS) describes the physiological changes your body goes through as it responds to stress. These changes occur in stages: an alarm reaction (also called fight-or-flight), a resistance phase (in which your body recovers), and a period of exhaustion. Enduring stress has physical and mental effects on the body. And the more your body goes through the stages of general adaptation, the greater the risk of long-lasting negative effects....

Treatments for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are better than ever. Chemotherapy is the standard treatment, and targeted drug therapy may be used along with it. Stem cell transplantation may be done, and this may involve radiation treatment in preparation for it. One subtype of AML, acute promyelocytic leukemia, is treated with drugs that allow the immature cells to mature rather than standard chemotherapy. Here’s what to know about the current approaches available and how they can help to effectively treat leukemia....

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), which include Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and indeterminate colitis, are incurable conditions of the digestive tract. From the start of the coronavirus pandemic, people who live with an IBD have been concerned about how they would fare upon developing COVID-19. There doesn’t appear to be a link between having IBD and being more susceptible to becoming infected with the coronavirus. For the most part, there also does not appear to be a link between IBD and having a worse course of COVID-19....

Immunomodulators are injectable medications used to decrease inflammation caused by asthma and other conditions (among them, rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease). They are a type of biologic drug, which means they are made from the cells of a living organism. Biologic immunomodulators for asthma are prescribed as “add-on” controller medications for helping prevent asthma symptoms when other such medications—namely, inhaled or oral corticosteroids—are not working well enough; they are not effective for relieving symptoms of an asthma attack that’s in progress....