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Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that goes through four stages: primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary. If left untreated, syphilis can invade multiple systems in the body and damage organs. This can be life-threatening. Learn more about the symptoms of syphilis, how it is transmitted, its side effects, complications, and treatment options. What Is Syphilis? Syphilis is a form of STI. It is curable, but if left untreated, it can lead to serious health complications....

Dogs are one of the most popular pets in the United States and are often referred to as “man’s best friend.” Unfortunately, some people may experience an allergic reaction to dogs. A dog’s dander, urine, and saliva can trigger allergy symptoms, which can include coughing, sneezing, and more. Read more about dog allergies, symptoms, and treatment, and if certain breeds are more likely to cause allergies than others. An Overview of Dog Allergies Pet allergies affect 10%–20% of the world population....

Swine flu is the name for the influenza type A virus that affects pigs (swine). Although swine flu doesn’t typically affect humans, there was a global outbreak in 2009 to 2010. This pandemic was the first such flu pandemic in more than 40 years. It was caused by a then-new flu virus known as H1N1. With this, swine, avian (bird), and human flu strains mixed together in pigs and spread to humans....

What Is Zelboraf? Zelboraf (vemurafenib) is an oral medication used to treat melanoma (a type of skin cancer) with a BRAF V600E mutation that cannot be removed with surgery. It can also be used to treat a rare type of blood cancer called Erdheim-Chester disease, which has a BRAF V600 mutation. A BRAF mutation is a mutation in a cancer cell that causes the cell to grow quickly and out of control....

As coronavirus (COVID-19) rates surge in states across the U.S., labs are struggling to keep up with the influx of diagnostic tests. The average lab currently takes five to 11 days to send out results after administering a test—a lag time that makes it difficult for people to know whether or not they should be isolating themselves. Key Takeaways Labs all across the country are struggling to keep up with the increasing amount of COVID-19 tests, causing results to be delayed....

Acupuncture is a style of traditional Chinese medicine that has been used in the treatment of pain for thousands of years. It can be used as a complementary therapy for a variety of chronic conditions, including ulcerative colitis (UC). People with UC, an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affecting the large intestine, may find acupuncture beneficial in managing symptoms, including pain and gastrointestinal (GI, the stomach and intestines) symptoms. This article will discuss the basics of acupuncture, how the treatment may be beneficial for people with UC and other GI-related issues, and its known side effects....

An alpha-gal allergy—also referred to as alpha-gal syndrome (AGS)—is an allergic reaction to red meat, such as beef, pork, lamb, or other mammal products. This condition is most often caused by a tick bite, which transmits a sugar molecule called alpha-gal into the person’s body. In some people, this triggers an immune system reaction that later produces mild to severe allergic reactions. It is believed up to 3% of the population have an alpha-gal allergy, but it’s possible there are more misdiagnosed or undiagnosed cases....

Cardiac catheterization (also referred to as cardiac cath or heart cath) is an invasive procedure used to evaluate and treat heart conditions. A thin, long, flexible tube is inserted, usually in the arm or groin, and is guided to the blood vessels of your heart. Angiography is almost always done during the procedure, which involves injecting dye into your vessels so they can be visualized with imaging, typically an X-ray or an intravascular ultrasound....

Allergies can greatly affect a person’s quality of life, causing symptoms like sneezing, congestion, rash, and swelling. These symptoms can disrupt your daily life, by causing discomfort, sleep loss, and lower productivity at work. If you experience any or all of these symptoms, it’s natural to want to seek relief. People with allergies may consider CBD (cannabidiol) to help relieve their symptoms. While research into the effects of CBD on allergies is limited, there is evidence that the compound can help relieve pain and inflammation, and mitigate some of the body’s immune responses to allergens....

People who have Down syndrome, a common genetic disorder, tend to develop celiac disease at rates far above those in the general population. In fact, celiac disease may affect as many as 16 in every 100 people with Down syndrome. Why does this occur? Unfortunately, doctors aren’t certain. But the strong connection between the two conditions is something that parents and caregivers of people with Down syndrome need to understand, so that they can be on the lookout for symptoms of celiac disease and get appropriate testing done, if necessary....

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a disease in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its joints, causing pain, stiffness, swelling, and fatigue. Collagen is a type of protein that has been known to have anti-inflammatory effects, so some wonder if it may help relieve RA symptoms. Collagen is found in connective tissues, such as skin and cartilage. It’s rich in amino acids, which theoretically may help rebuild joint cartilage that RA has damaged....

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is the most abundant circulating steroid in the human body. It is made primarily in the adrenal glands, small glands at the top of your kidneys. You can also get DHEA from dietary supplements. DHEA converts to male and female sex hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone. Levels of DHEA naturally decrease as people age, and by age 70, they can be as low as 10-20% of the levels found in a 25-year-old....

Migraines can usually be managed with prescription medications that you can take on your own. But if you have a migraine that persists for days or is associated with neurological symptoms such as vision loss or motor weakness, you need to get medical attention. When you have this type of severe migraine attack, you may be on the fence between going to the emergency room, going to urgent care, calling your healthcare provider, and waiting for your symptoms to get better....

Diarrhea is an extremely common side effect of chemotherapy. Digestive problems like diarrhea occur because of how chemotherapy drugs are designed to work. Cancer cells divide quickly — faster than most of the cells in our body. Chemotherapy drugs work by targeting these rapidly dividing cells. At the same time, some normal cells in our bodies also rapidly divide. Our hair follicle cells and the cells in the lining of our stomach and digestive tract are some of the healthy cells that also divide rapidly....

During the COVID-19 pandemic, data has shown that severe disease is more likely to occur in males than in females. But why the disease manifests itself differently based on sex is still a mystery. Key Takeaways Males are more likely to have severe outcomes from a SARS-CoV-2 infection.A new study looking at pregnant people with COVID-19 found that proteins and genes associated with immune responses were higher in male fetuses than female fetuses....

You may not want to ignore that annoying neck itch (pruritus). Most of the time, the cause of your itch is not serious. But sometimes, it can be a sign of an underlying health condition, so you don’t want to dismiss this subtle sign entirely. If your itch lasts for two or more weeks or goes from a local neck itch to affecting multiple parts of your body, the likelihood of an underlying condition being the cause becomes more likely....

Although you may have been diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your life to its fullest. There are ways to control GERD that won’t necessarily make your acid reflux go away, but it may help alleviate the symptoms enough so that you forget that they are there. Controlling your acid reflux symptoms usually requires a combination of lifestyle changes. Following one of these tips may help but probably won’t give you the results you deserve....

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is a medical condition that has no symptoms. It is not a cancer, but it does increase the risk of multiple myeloma and sometimes other blood malignancies. It causes the production of multiple copies of an abnormal protein in your blood. MGUS is more common in men than in women, and more common in people of African American descent that people who are white. Around 3% of adults over the age of 50 have MGUS, and this percentage increases with age....

As the highly transmissible Delta variant spreads throughout the country, a growing number of hospitals and health systems are now requiring their employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Key Takeaways More healthcare institutions are now establishing COVID-19 vaccine mandates for their employees.Unvaccinated healthcare workers carry the risk of transmitting COVID-19 to their patients and colleagues.If some employees refuse to get vaccinated, experts recommend that institutions require them to go through extra steps for protection like frequent testing....

A nervous stomach is a common problem that can be caused by emotional challenges such as anxiety and depression or by digestive disorders. It may include symptoms such as feeling “butterflies” in your stomach or experiencing a “gut-wrenching” feeling. Nervous stomach every now and then is no cause for concern. If you’re experiencing ongoing symptoms, you may want to consider seeing a healthcare provider. This article will explain common symptoms of nervous stomach, what causes it, and when to see a healthcare provider....