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Eosinophilic gastritis and/or eosinophilic duodenitis (EG/EoD), previously often called eosinophilic gastroenteritis, affects the digestive tract and causes a variety of gastrointestinal symptoms. The process of diagnosing EG/EoD may take quite some time because the signs and symptoms are often nonspecific. Patients unfortunately often live with digestive symptoms for many years and go through several rounds of testing with various healthcare professionals. In some cases, there may be a misdiagnosis of another digestive condition or there may not be a diagnosis made at all....

If you’re on a gluten-free diet, it’s important to understand what the term “gluten-free” actually means on food and product labels. In the end, “free” doesn’t necessarily mean “zero.” Instead, gluten-free suggests an acceptable level of gluten as determined by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Unlike food allergens, manufacturers are not required to disclose gluten on food labels. they only need to specify wheat, which is not the only source of gluten in food....

Inflectra (infliximab-dyyb) is a biosimilar to Remicade (infliximab). This medication is given intravenously (through a vein) as a treatment for a variety of inflammatory conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, plaque psoriasis, and Crohn’s disease. A biosimilar drug is “highly similar” to a biologic drug. Inflectra, like Remicade, blocks the action of an immune-system cell called tumor necrosis factor (TNF). This class of drugs is called TNF antagonists, anti-TNF drugs, or TNF blockers....

Skin problems are a common complication of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. As many as 79% of people with diabetes will develop a skin disorder related to the disease at some point. Many of these, such as certain rashes and blisters, can be direct manifestations of diabetes or allergic reactions to insulin or diabetes medications. Others, including fungal infections and dry, itchy skin, aren’t uncommon among otherwise healthy people but tend to affect those with diabetes more frequently....

You’re probably familiar with the standard mammogram that’s part of a routine annual women’s health exam. Recent developments in the field of breast imaging, however, demonstrate that using a procedure known as molecular breast imaging (MBI) may be a game-changer when it comes to detecting breast cancer in women who have dense breast tissue. MBI uses a unique gamma camera and a radioactive tracer to target cancer in a specific area of the body....

Optune is a newer treatment approach for taking on glioblastoma (GBM), the most common form of brain cancer. Optune is a device that delivers low-intensity electrical fields to stop cancer spread. Worn on the head and indicated for adult patients, this device emits what are called tumor treating fields (TTF) directly to affected areas. Optune is indicated as a treatment to prevent cancerous cells from recurring following chemotherapy or radiation therapy....

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a type of inflammatory arthritis that affects the joints and the entheses (where tendons and ligaments connect to bone). It is common in people with the inflammatory skin disease psoriasis. Together, these conditions are called psoriatic disease. There is no cure for PsA or psoriasis, but both are manageable and treatable. Some studies have found that PsA is linked to some types of cancer. That risk also extends to psoriasis....

When it comes to childhood trauma, your brain may repress memories as a coping mechanism. Throughout adulthood, you might feel something is not right and not know why. This article discusses signs and symptoms that indicate you may have repressed memories from childhood trauma. It also reviews other possible reasons for these emotions or behaviors and ways to cope. Trauma and Memory Your brain processes and stores memories. Over time it decides which to keep, delete, suppress, or repress....

Sleep apnea is a medical condition that causes intermittent breathing interruptions during sleep. The most common type is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Untreated sleep apnea can lead to serious medical complications, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and even sudden death. Positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy, usually with a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, can help to manage symptoms and prevent complications. PAP therapy involves blowing pressurized air into the airways during sleep using a small mask placed over the nose or nose and mouth....

Spondylolisthesis is a condition in which a vertebra in the lumbar (lower) spine slips out of normal position, sliding forward (or sometimes backward) relative to the vertebra beneath it. It can be the result of an injury, lower back stress associated with sports, or age-related changes in the spine. Depending on the extent of movement of the vertebra involved, symptoms can range from none at all to severe pain caused by pressure on a spinal nerve....

Your urethra is a tube through which urine from your bladder flows through to leave the body when you urinate. A urethral diverticulum (UD) is a pocket or pouch that forms along the length of your urethra. This pocket, because of where it’s positioned, gets continuously filled with urine when you urinate, and this sometimes leads to pain, problems urinating, frequent infections, and urinary incontinence. Although rare, urethral diverticulum can also lead to the formation of urethral calculus, a hard stone formed in the urethra as a result of the build-up of stagnant urine and salt deposits in the diverticulum....

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that’s found in many foods, including citrus (such as oranges, lemons, grapefruit), guavas, chili peppers, strawberries, broccoli, kale, and certain herbs like thyme and parsley. Recognized as an antioxidant, research on vitamin C has looked into how it may help prevent or hinder the development of some cancers and other diseases characterized by inflammation. Two such conditions studied are psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Benefits of Vitamin C Vitamin C plays an important role in immune function and improves your absorption of iron....

What Is Xyzal? Xyzal (levocetirizine) is an oral medication used to treat allergy symptoms or chronic hives. It is available as a tablet and oral solution, both by prescription and over-the-counter (OTC). Xyzal is in a drug class called antihistamines. It works by blocking histamine, a substance that the body produces in response to allergens. Histamine causes symptoms such as sneezing, itchy eyes, and runny nose. By blocking histamine, Xyzal helps prevent these symptoms....

When you enter the hospital, probably the last thing that you’re thinking about is the floors. However, an emerging body of research suggests that hospital floors are covered with bacteria and could serve as a potential source of infection. Even if people don’t directly touch the floors, other things that patients, visitors, and staff routinely touch are in contact with the floor. Thus, it’s a good idea to minimize your interaction not only with hospital floors but also things that touch hospital floors, such as shoes, socks, and wheelchair wheels, and high-touch surfaces like call buttons, doorknobs, and bed rails....

If you have mild to moderate acne, your first line of treatment is an over-the-counter (OTC) spot treatment applied directly to pimples and blemishes. There are several active ingredients found in these products that are able to treat acne in slightly different ways. Benzoyl peroxide is generally considered the best spot treatment for acne, but there are others that may be just as effective and less likely to cause side effects like redness or peeling....

Allergic asthma is a type of asthma in which exposure to an allergen—an otherwise harmless substance such as pollen or dust mites—causes the immune system to mistake the allergen for a threat. In response, it overreacts by releasing chemicals that constrict the bronchi (airways) and trigger wheezing, coughing, and other classic asthma symptoms. Once diagnosed, allergic asthma typically is treated with a combination of practical measures, such as avoiding triggers, and medications to prevent asthma attacks and treat symptoms when they occur....

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and osteoarthritis (OA) are two types of arthritis—conditions that cause inflammation and swelling of one or more joints. Both diseases cause joint pain and stiffness and eventually damage joints, but their underlying processes and causes are very different. This article discusses the similarities and differences between ankylosing spondylitis and osteoarthritis, including the symptoms, causes, and treatment. Symptoms Both AS and OA can cause pain, stiffness, and swelling of the joints....

Anxiety is your body’s response to anticipated danger. It is typically associated with worry or fear and is often accompanied by cognitive issues such as difficulty concentrating and physical symptoms like nausea, shaking, and muscle tenseness. Anxiety can be a normal response to certain situations, but sometimes anxiety is part of an anxiety disorder. There are multiple types of anxiety disorders, and they involve similar symptoms, with some differences in their symptoms....

Apple pectin is derived from apples (Malus domestica). It’s a source of soluble fiber, is used in dietary supplements, and thickens food products like jams and preserves. Pectin is a heteropolysaccharide (has several different “simple sugars”) containing D-galacturonic (sugar) acid. It’s found in the cell walls of plants. Interestingly, in studies, pectin positively impacted the microbiome (gut bacteria) by increasing or decreasing different gut bacteria. Researchers have also studied apple pectin for the following:...

BenzaClin is a topical anti-acne medication that gives you the power of two acne treatments in one: 5% benzoyl peroxide and the topical antibiotic clindamycin (1%). They are more effective in combination than benzoyl peroxide or clindamycin alone. BenzaClin comes in gel form, and you usually apply it in the morning and at night. It treats mild to moderate acne. It is only available with a prescription from your healthcare provider....