Everyone’s had an itch they just needed to scratch. But in some cases, these itches are extreme and can lead to the development of large bumps called prurigo nodularis. Prurigo nodularis (PN) is a long-lasting itchy inflammatory skin disease. It shows up as circular bumps on the arms, legs, upper back, and abdomen. It can be scabby or scaly and flesh-colored, pink, red, black, or brown. There can be bleeding where the bumps have been scratched open....
Psoriasis was once thought to be a dermatological condition like eczema but is, in fact, an autoimmune disorder more closely related to rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Per its name, an autoimmune disorder is one in which the body’s immune system turns its defenses on itself, attacking cells and tissues it mistakenly thinks are harmful. With psoriasis, the primary target of the assault is cells in the outer layer of skin known as the epidermis, which leads to the formation of dry, red, scaly patches called plaques....
Quintuple bypass surgery is a complex open heart surgery. It’s done to treat five severely blocked major arteries that feed the heart. Under general anesthesia, blood vessels are removed from another part of the body and transplanted onto the existing heart vessel. This reroutes blood flow around the blockage and improves blood supply to the heart. Quintuple bypass surgery is also called quintuple coronary artery bypass graft surgery. This article discusses quintuple bypass surgery, why it’s done, and what happens during the procedure....
What Is Slynd? Slynd (drospirenone) is a progestin-only birth control pill (oral contraceptive) that prevents pregnancy by suppressing ovulation. It is available by prescription as a tablet. Each 28-day pack contains 24 white tablets (4 milligrams of drospirenone each) and four green inactive tablets. What Is Slynd Used For? The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Slynd for contraception in females of reproductive potential. Slynd prevents pregnancy by stopping the egg from fully developing each month so that it can no longer accept sperm....
Eczema is a “catch-all” phrase used to describe a group of conditions that cause irritated, inflamed, and often itchy skin. There are seven different types of eczema: atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, dyshidrotic eczema, neurodermatitis, nummular dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, and stasis dermatitis. This article describes the seven different types of eczema and their symptoms. We also discuss how each type is diagnosed and treated and what you can do to prevent flare-ups....
Your nervous system helps you regulate your voluntary and involuntary actions, as well as thinking, communicating, and memory. Your autonomic nervous system is the aspect of the nervous system that controls all of your vital functions, like breathing, digestion, and heart rate—many of which you aren’t consciously aware of. In short, it keeps you alive. It’s probably a good thing that your autonomic nervous system is out of your conscious control....
Type 2 diabetes increases your risk for episodes of hyperglycemia. It helps to know the symptoms so you can manage blood glucose and get medical help when needed. This article will define hyperglycemia, and review its symptoms and complications. Tips on treatment and prevention are also discussed. What Is Hyperglycemia? Hyperglycemia is elevated (hyper) blood sugar (glycemia). Cells throughout your body need sugar for energy. But when levels of glucose in the blood are high, it can cause health problems like heart disease and damage to the nerves, eyes, and kidneys....
Colitis is inflammation of the tissue that lines the colon. Colitis is not a condition in itself but rather a sign that another disease process is at work in the body. There are several different types of colitis, including ulcerative colitis, microscopic colitis, pseudomembranous colitis, ischemic colitis, and colitis caused by an allergic reaction. This article will discuss the different types of colitis and how they differ in their symptoms, diagnostic process, potential causes, and treatment options....
Worldwide, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of severe vision loss in people aged 50 or older. Neovascular AMD is an advanced form of the condition, also known as “exudative AMD" or “wet macular degeneration.” The wet form is less common than the dry form of AMD, occurring in roughly 10–15% of people who have AMD. The risk of AMD increases significantly in people over the age of 80....
Malocclusion is a term commonly used by orthodontists that simply means that the teeth are not aligned the way they should be. The upper teeth should land slightly over the lower teeth when a person bites their teeth together. Each molar should fit properly in the grooves of its opposite molar (upper fitting into the lower molar and vice-versa). Why is this important? Though many people prefer the upper and lower teeth fitting together properly for aesthetic (visual) purposes, this is also optimal placement of the teeth as it prevents dental problems, like shifting of the teeth....
Xiaflex (collagenase clostridium histolyticum) is a prescription injection used to treat Dupuytren’s contracture and Peyronie’s disease. Approved in 2010, it is made up of several types of collagenase that come from bacteria. Collagenase is an enzyme that digests, or breaks down, collagen proteins. Symptoms of both Dupuytren’s contracture and Peyronie’s disease include abnormal collagen growth in affected areas. Uses Xiaflex is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of adults with Dupuytren’s contracture and for adult men with Peyronie’s diseases with a palpable plaque and curvature deformity....
If you’ve ever found yourself feeling rather blah during the winter months, you have likely experienced the winter blues. This very common condition affects just about every one of us at some point when we notice a shift in our moods during the colder, darker days of winter. It’s normal to feel down, sluggish, or not quite yourself during this time. The winter blues are usually mild and do not affect your ability to live and enjoy life....
Acute renal failure is caused by damage to the kidneys, which can occur as a result of blood loss, toxins, or physical damage to the kidneys. Acute renal failure occurs rapidly, causing generalized symptoms, such as nausea and confusion. It is a serious condition, but it can be treated. With proper treatment, most people can survive an episode without long-term consequences. Acute Renal Failure Symptoms The kidney monitors the amount of fluid, electrolytes, and waste in the body and sends the excess materials to be eliminated in the urine....
Insurance coverage for breast cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment is critical to getting access to healthcare for this condition. People without insurance or who are denied coverage for certain treatments or procedures need to explore their options. As many as 290,000 people are expected to be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in any single year. Knowing what resources are available is key to getting the best outcome. This article will outline the treatments you may need for breast cancer, what types of insurance cover them, and what you can do when you do not have insurance....
Testing for breast cancer tumor markers, a biomarker found in blood, is one method to detect cancer, identify if cancer treatments are working, or if the cancer is likely to recur. They also may be able to predict who will have a late recurrence (a recurrence five or more years after the diagnosis). Tumor markers are substances, often proteins, produced by cancer cells or by your body in response to cancer....
An increase in the number of patients experiencing toe swelling and discoloration during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic led dermatologists and researchers to speculate that it could be linked to a mild COVID-19 infection. The phenomenon—which is harmless and most commonly seen in children and adolescents—earned the nickname COVID toes. The condition typically resolves within a few weeks and symptoms include one or more toes (and sometimes fingers) that turn pink, red, or purplish....
Deep brain stimulation is a neurosurgical procedure that involves the placement of an implanted system that will send electrical signals to specific regions of the brain to help restore dysfunctional circuits that impact movement symptoms. People affected by movement disorders usually improve their symptoms by using drug therapies. However, in some cases, drug therapies are not effective or fluctuate in effectiveness over time. Some individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, or dystonia who inadequately respond to conventional medications may be good candidates for deep brain stimulator placement....
Shortness of breath doesn’t top the list of the most common symptoms you may experience with diabetes. However, it’s important to know that the two are connected. Shortness of breath (and related dizziness) can occur when blood sugar is dangerously high or low, and it can also indicate a serious complication of diabetes called diabetic ketoacidosis. New or worsening shortness of breath can also be a sign of another health issue that diabetes has put you at greater risk for, such as kidney failure or heart attack....
Thyroid disease is often managed by hormone specialists called endocrinologists and thyroidologists, but some primary care doctors diagnose and manage it as well. Other healthcare practitioners, such as naturopaths and chiropractors, can provide complementary treatments. The main types of thyroid disease are: Hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone) Hashimoto’s disease (autoimmune hypothyroidism) Hyperthyroidism (high thyroid hormone) Graves’ disease (autoimmune hyperthyroidism) What is Thyroid Disease? The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland at the front of your throat....
Symptoms of tardive dyskinesia (TD) include abnormal and repetitive body movements of the face, torso, arms, and legs. Medications used to treat mental health conditions, specifically ones that block dopamine receptors in the brain, can cause TD. This article provides an overview of tardive dyskinesia, its signs and symptoms, how symptoms progress, and what a diagnosis means. First Signs of Tardive Dyskinesia Tardive dyskinesia can result as a side effect of medications that block the neurotransmitter (chemical messenger) dopamine in the brain....
