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When you undergo radiation therapy to treat cancer, your healthcare provider may provide you with a list of possible side effects of treatment. Things like nausea, diarrhea, and hair loss usually catch a person’s attention first because they seem to be the worst. However, fatigue is one of the most common side effects. A lack of energy and excessive tiredness is common for cancer patients no matter their therapy, but those undergoing radiation therapy experience fatigue more frequently....

While flu vaccine effectiveness varies year-to-year, research shows that flu vaccines are typically between 40% and 60% effective during years when the most prevalent flu strains match the strains in the vaccine. This means the vaccine reduces your risk of catching the flu by 40% to 60%. The vaccine also reduces the likelihood of severe illness, hospitalization, and death. Because of this, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone ages 6 months and over gets the flu vaccine (with very rare exceptions)....

Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV). The Herpes Simplex Virus is a common STI, affecting more than 400 million people worldwide. It has two variants: HSV-1 and HSV-2. HSV-1 is typically transmitted orally via sores or saliva. Some common examples include sharing drinking glasses or kissing. HSV-1 most commonly results in oral cold sores. HSV-2 is sexually transmitted and causes genital herpes....

Hemoglobin is an iron-containing protein in red blood cells (RBCs) that has two primary functions. Firstly, it transfers oxygen from your lungs to tissues throughout your body. Secondly, it moves carbon dioxide out of cells and carries it back to the lungs, where it can be expelled. Iron is essential to the production of both hemoglobin and RBCs. There are several different types of hemoglobin, the two most common of which are:...

Dry challenges like “sober October” can motivate us to cut down or quit substances like drinking alcohol or drugs. And while October may be coming to an end, there’s no shortage of dry challenges for each month. Key Takeaways Challenges like “sober October” and “dry January,” when done safely, can motivate you to meet your goals of reducing and/or quitting alcohol and drugs altogether.However, dry challenges can also promote all-or-nothing thinking and lead to disappointment....

When the skin is affected by eczema, there is a greater risk of it becoming infected. Open wounds or cracked skin allow virus and bacteria to enter the skin which can lead to infection. This article will go over the signs and symptoms of infected eczema. You will also learn how to prevent complications from these infections. What Are the Signs of Infected Eczema? When your skin becomes cracked, broken, and inflamed with eczema, it increases the risk of bacteria or viruses entering the skin membrane....

Menopause and diabetes are both conditions that often occur in midlife. Menopause causes lower estrogen levels and results at the end of the menstrual period. Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects how the body uses energy. These two conditions are related as the hormonal changes during menopause can lead to an increased risk of diabetes. If you already have diabetes, menopause can also make it harder to manage. It’s important to note that menopause, in and of itself, does not cause diabetes....

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 146 million Americans age 12 and older are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The United States is determined to raise that number while developing potential booster shots that would offer additional protection against the virus. Key Takeaways Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are looking at whether they can boost the immune response of people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 by giving them a booster shot from a different version of the vaccine than they first received....

What Is Ofev? Ofev (nintedanib) is a prescription medication used to treat types of lung diseases such as interstitial lung disease (ILD) or idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), in which the small air sacs in the lungs (alveoli) become stiff and scarred. This prevents them from being able to move oxygen into the bloodstream. Ofev is a type of medication called a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that works to interrupt the process that forms the scars around the alveoli....

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that causes bones to become weak and brittle. Because bones get so fragile, some as simple as bending over or coughing can cause a fracture (bone break). Women are four times more likely to get osteoporosis than men, but men can still get the condition. By age 70, men will catch up with women in the rate that they lose bone tissue. Because men tend to be older when they get osteoporosis, fractures can mean more serious complications for them....

Pericardial mesothelioma is a cancer that begins in the membranes (mesothelium) that surround the heart (the pericardium). It is a very rare tumor with nonspecific symptoms (such as chest pain) that can easily be confused with other causes. The diagnosis is also challenging, and often requires a combination of imaging, echocardiogram, and a biopsy. Unlike pleural mesothelioma that is strongly associated with asbestos exposure, the causes of pericardial mesothelioma are uncertain....

Pleurisy—also called pleuritis—refers to inflammation of the pleura, the membrane that covers your lungs and chest cavity. The main symptom of pleurisy is sharp chest pain that worsens with deep breathing or when coughing. Some potential causes of pleurisy are potentially life-threatening, like a heart attack or a blood clot in the lung. Others causes are related to an underlying disease process like infection, cancer, or an autoimmune disorder, such as lupus....

What Is Prelone? Prelone (prednisolone) is a prescription drug used to treat many health conditions like signs of allergic reactions, adrenal gland issues, asthma, blood problems, and more. Prelone works by repressing the immune system and decreasing inflammation (swelling). Prelone is commonly called a steroid and is part of the drug class known as corticosteroids. It is available as an oral solution. What Is Prelone Used For? Prelone (prednisolone) is used to treat various health conditions, including but not limited to the following:...

Statins are a type of medication used to lower cholesterol. As part of your regular diabetes care, your healthcare provider will usually order blood tests to check for different metabolic abnormalities. If your cholesterol is high, your healthcare provider may prescribe a statin as part of your healthcare regimen. They will help you weigh the risks and benefits of taking the medication to guide you in making the best decision for your health....

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are caused by intimate contact with a partner living with an STI. The more sexual partners you have, the more likely you are to be exposed to an STI. But there are other risk factors as well. The type of sex and sexual partners you have, whether you practice safer sex consistently, any previous history of STIs, age, and more contribute to your risk as well....

A subserosal fibroid is a uterine fibroid that grows on the outside of the uterus and is almost always benign (not cancerous). Some subserosal fibroids are pedunculated (attached by a narrow stalk). While rarely dangerous, these growths can cause uncomfortable symptoms and interfere with nearby organ functions. Also called just fibroids or leiomyomas, uterine fibroids in general are fairly common, affecting 50% to 80% of people who have uteruses at some point in their lives....

Superficial siderosis is a rare and often unrecognized degenerative disorder that affects the brain and spinal cord. People with this condition usually present with symptoms such as hearing loss, motor issues, and movement abnormalities. This condition stems from recurring or chronic bleeding into the subarachnoid space, where cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) resides in the brain. The long-term bleeding results in a buildup of hemosiderin—a component of iron storage and delivery—on the brain from circulating CSF....

Triple-negative breast cancer is a difficult diagnosis to face. Because your tumor doesn’t have the receptors that typically fuel the growth of breast cancers, treatment options for this particular type of cancer are limited. Coping with triple-negative breast cancer, then, involves not only navigating the physical and practical aspects of treatment but some unique emotional ones that come with learning more about what might work–and what simply can’t. Physical The typical early cancer treatments—surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy—can be effective for this disease subtype....

Understanding fibromyalgia is difficult, especially if you don’t have extensive medical knowledge. It’s a complex condition, and because it involves the nervous system, it can have an impact on virtually every part of the body. Symptoms can come and go, and get more or less intense, seemingly at random. When someone’s in pain, there should be an obvious cause, right? And how does pain hop from one area of the body to another?...

Ocular albinism is an inherited condition associated with certain vision-related problems. When you have ocular albinism, a part of the retina, which is the light-sensitive tissue in the back of the eye, does not fully develop. This happens partly because the eye does not have enough pigment, also called melanin. Eye pigmentation helps the eyes to develop normal vision. Ocular albinism affects an estimated one in 20,000 to one in 60,000 males and is much less common in females....