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In the context of health care and medical research, the terms sensitivity and specificity may be used in reference to the confidence in results and utility of testing for conditions. Learn about these terms and how they are used to select appropriate testing and interpret the results that are obtained. Uses of Medical Tests As soon as you start telling your healthcare provider the constellation of symptoms that you have, they will begin to formulate a hypothesis of what the cause might be based on their education, prior experience, and skill....

Your healthcare provider may have recommended the Ortho Evra patch or you may have read about this option for birth control. How does the birth control patch work and what are some of the advantages and disadvantages relative to other methods of contraception? What are the possible side effects? This article will explore how the Ortho Evra patch is used, how it works, and its advantages and drawbacks. The Ortho Evra patch is the first weekly form of hormonal birth control....

If you are planning to have a blood transfusion, you may be concerned about the risks associated with accepting donated blood. While the risks are minimal, and the supply of blood in the United States is very safe, there are always risks associated with a transfusion. Extensive screening helps prevent the transmission of infectious diseases; however, there are additional risks that one must consider when considering having a blood transfusion. These risks, some of which are serious, must be weighed against the health concerns that can be caused by a lack of blood or blood cells, such as anemia and hypovolemia....

Trench foot is an injury that occurs when feet are exposed to cold and wet conditions, but it is not due to freezing (as in frostbite). It is one of three types of immersion foot, with the other two types being warm water immersion foot and tropical immersion foot. As the feet continue to be cold and damp, the body constricts the blood flow to prevent heat loss; this results in a lack of oxygen supply to the feet and subsequently results in damage to tissue....

What Is Truvada? Truvada (emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) is a two-in-one antiretroviral drug used to both treat and prevent HIV. Truvada belongs to a class of drugs called nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). When used for the treatment of HIV, Truvada is prescribed in combination with at least one other antiretroviral drug. The combination of drugs works by blocking enzymes that the virus needs to replicate. By doing so, the virus is unable to make copies of itself and infect other cells....

Tylenol (acetaminophen) is an over-the-counter (OTC) medicine that is frequently given to children of all ages to help manage pain or fever. However, giving Tylenol to kids does have risks, including liver damage, overdose, and allergic reactions. This article will explain how to give Tylenol to children safely. You will learn which type of Tylenol is safe to give kids. You will also learn the appropriate Tylenol dose for infants and children by age....

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread by black-legged ticks, commonly known as deer ticks. It is the most frequently seen vector-borne disease in the United States. Symptoms of Lyme disease vary based on the severity of the case. The most notorious symptom, “bullseye rash,” doesn’t occur in everyone and can go unnoticed. Other symptoms may resemble those of other illnesses. This is why it is possible to be unaware that you have Lyme disease....

Cold and flu season comes around every year during the fall and winter months. Although the exact timing of flu season varies from year to year, it is generally fairly active between November and March in the Northern Hemisphere, but can extend even longer. Due to numerous holidays occurring this time of year, people tend to travel a lot. No matter what your reason for traveling, if you are visiting friends or family with chronic health conditions during cold and flu season, there are a number of things you need to keep in mind....

Two hours after eating a meal, most adults without diabetes should have a blood sugar level of between 90 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) and 140 mg/dL. If you’re an adult with diabetes, the level should be under 180 mg/dL. These values aren’t set in stone, however. Your “normal” can differ from that of others depending on your age, diabetes type and insulin usage (if applicable), and pregnancy status. Knowing what your blood sugar level is after eating can help you better understand which foods you should eat or which foods you should limit....

Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid does not produce enough thyroid hormones. Thyroid hormones regulate many of the body’s functions, such as metabolism (conversion of food into energy and building blocks for cells and elimination of wastes) and heart rate. Low levels of thyroid hormones can lead to a variety of symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, thinning hair, intolerance to cold, and depression. Yoga is a complementary therapy that has been shown to provide a variety of health benefits, such as improved stress management, weight control, and positive mental health effects....

Progesterone hypersensitivity (PH) and catamenial dermatosis are conditions related to the menstrual cycle that can trigger allergic reactions. Both conditions are believed to be rare. People with PH may have skin problems that get worse three to 10 days before their period. PH may progress to anaphylaxis. This is a sudden, life-threatening allergic reaction. The symptoms of catamenial dermatosis are similar PH. They happen at the start of your period instead of before....

Balloon sinuplasty is a relatively newer procedure that treats difficult cases of sinusitis (sinus infection), which is inflammation of the sinuses leading to severe nasal congestion, pain and pressure in the face, headache, sore throat, and excessive mucus, among other symptoms. Sometimes these infections resolve on their own, and medications are typically attempted as treatment first; however, if these don’t resolve the issue, this procedure may be indicated in select patients....

Vaginal discharge throughout the monthly menstrual cycle is normal and isn’t a cause for concern. Though normal discharge is often clear to white in color, brown discharge may occur in the days leading up to and following a period, as old blood is cleaned out of the vagina. Though brown discharge is usually normal, it may also be an indication of problems like infection, an ectopic pregnancy (when a fertilized egg grows outside the uterus), or a foreign object left in the vagina....

With the first COVID-19 vaccine approval under our belts—Pfizer-BioNTech received emergency use authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on December 11—the first doses of the authorized vaccine are now being disseminated and administered throughout the country. Healthcare workers are first in line. On December 14, U.S. healthcare workers began to receive their first doses of the Pfizer vaccine. But the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines have been in testing for months, and many people have been partaking in clinical trials since as early as March, doing their part to make these EUAs possible today....

Curcumin is a substance that is found in the spice turmeric. It has been suggested as a supplemental treatment for several different types of conditions, including the inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Curcumin has been studied for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Because IBD (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and indeterminate colitis) are immune-mediated conditions that cause inflammation, there has been some research into whether curcumin can be helpful. This article will explore the evidence looking into whether or not curcumin is a viable adjuvant treatment option for IBD....

Eye exercises, which involve exercising your eye muscles, may improve vision and delay the need for glasses or contacts in some people. It will, however, not correct underlying conditions that affect eyesight, including myopia (nearsightedness), farsightedness, and astigmatism (an imperfection in the eye structure that causes blurry vision). Vision is affected by a number of physical and environmental factors—some must be treated with corrective lenses and others can benefit from eye exercises or vision therapy....

A fungal culture test is a gold standard when it comes to diagnosing a fungal infection. There are millions of types of fungi, but only certain varieties can cause infections in people. Fungi can include molds and yeasts, many of which occur naturally in and on the human body. There are some situations, like a weakened immune system, that could lead to an overgrowth of these fungi. When this happens, you can develop superficial infections on your skin or nails, or even a systemic infection that can affect your entire body....

Gardasil 9 is a vaccine (immunization) that protects against human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a virus spread through sexual contact and consists of multiple strains or types. While some strains of HPV come and go without symptoms, some can cause cancer while others can cause genital warts. HPV vaccination prevents nine high-risk types of HPV linked to cancer, predominately cervical cancer but also cancer of the anus, vagina, vulva, penis, mouth, tonsils, and throat....

As a treatment for overactive bladder (OAB), Gemtesa (vibegron) was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for commercial launch in the American market in April 2021. This once-daily prescription tablet acts on beta-3 receptors (also called beta-3 adrenoceptors) of the bladder to control smooth muscle function. As such, it’s a first-line treatment for the excessive need to urinate and urinary incontinence—the inability to control bladder function—associated with OAB. Uses Gemtesa is indicated to treat OAB in adults....

As you age, you may notice that your hands become drier and crack more easily. They may also become red and peel. These are all signs of dry skin. Cracks in your fingers can make even the simplest tasks, such as typing, turning a page, or buttoning your shirt, very painful. In the medical field, dry skin is known as xerosis. It is often a natural part of aging, though it can also be an early sign of dermatitis....