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Stribild, also known as the Quad pill, is a single-tablet, fixed-dose combination drug used daily to treat HIV in adults. It is comprised of four different antiretroviral drug agents: Elvitegravir, an integrase inhibitor Cobicistat, an HIV booster drug Emtricitabine, a nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), another NRTI Stribild is an all-in-one treatment option that does not require any other antiretroviral medications. It has relatively few side effects but cannot be used in everyone, particularly those with certain pre-existing health conditions....

Pulmonology is the specialty area of medicine that focuses specifically on the pulmonary system. The pulmonary system, also sometimes called the respiratory system, consists of the lungs, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, associated blood vessels, and all other components involved in and directly related to breathing and the process of respiration (gas exchange). History of Pulmonology Pulmonology has always been an important part of medical care, but it did not become a distinct and separate field of medicine until the 1950’s when the work of Dr....

White blood cell disorders occur when you have too many or too few white blood cells. White blood cells, also known as leukocytes, are one of four types of cells that make up blood. They are produced in the bone marrow and play an important role in your immune system. Doctors can measure these cells with a test called a white blood cell (WBC) count. When white blood cells are abnormally high, it usually suggests that your immune system is fighting a disease or infection....

For women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), losing weight can help ease symptoms and regulate your periods. But with PCOS, weight loss is often difficult. One reason is that PCOS can cause your body to make too much insulin, which leads to a build-up of fat. More than half of the people with PCOS are overweight. This article explains why they may struggle with those extra pounds and ways to lose weight with PCOS....

Yoga and meditation exercises have long been practiced in some parts of our world, but they’re a newer discipline for many in Western society. Scientific research is relatively young in this area as well, but studies are finding that yoga has been connected to several physical and emotional benefits. Of note, some research is also asking questions about how yoga might affect our memory and decision-making skills, and perhaps even help delay or reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease—the most common cause of dementia....

Zoophobia is a fear of animals. A person with zoophobia may be scared of one type of animal, like snakes or dogs, or they may have a fear of all kinds of animals. The person likely knows that their fear is not rational, but they can’t control it. Often, this fear gets worse over time if left unaddressed. Read on to learn more about zoophobia, including its causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment....

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, more people around the world are working remotely. While the measure has been critical to helping control the spread of the virus, it hasn’t come without compromise. As the number of people working from home has increased, healthcare providers have seen a rise in work-related injuries that are unique to the home environment. Key Takeaways More people are working from home amid the COVID-19 pandemic....

An absolute neutrophil count (ANC) is a test that assesses how many neutrophils are in your bloodstream. Neutrophils are the most important type of white blood cell (WBC) for fighting infection. This test may be ordered to ensure your immune system is working properly. Your absolute neutrophil count may be outside the normal range for many reasons including stress, various conditions, and medical treatments. This article explains the absolute neutrophil count test, how to interpret your results, as well as what it means if your ANC is high or low....

Adventitious breath sounds are abnormal lung sounds heard in the chest, typically with a stethoscope. They can provide clues that help diagnose pulmonary (relating to the lungs) or heart diseases. Some adventitious breath sounds can be heard without the help of a stethoscope. These sounds can be described as rattles, crackles (also called rales), wheezes (sometimes referred to as rhonchi), pleural rubs, and stridor. Adventitious breath sounds can often be the first sign of illness in a variety of conditions, including infection (such as pneumonia, an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs), interstitial lung disease (a group of disorders that result in the scarring of lung tissues), pulmonary edema (excess fluids in the lungs), or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)....

What Is Ajovy? Ajovy (fremanezumab-vfrm) is a monoclonal antibody prescribed to prevent migraines in adults. As a calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inhibitor, Ajovy works by blocking the effects of the CGRP protein. This protein is released in your nervous system during a severe migraine attack. Ajovy is given as an injection underneath the skin (subcutaneous) once a month or once every three months. What Is Ajovy Used For? Ajovy is used to prevent (not treat) migraines in adults....

An appendectomy is a fairly straightforward surgical procedure to remove an inflamed or infected appendix, a condition known as appendicitis. Without surgery, the appendix can rupture, spilling infectious material into the bloodstream and abdomen, which can be life-threatening. The appendix, a small, tube-like organ attached to the top of the large intestine, is thought to restore bacteria to the intestine with bacteria after a bout of diarrhea. Its removal is of little concern long-term....

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can cause infertility. When this happens, it’s usually because a chronic infection has gone untreated for an extended period of time. STI-related infertility is less common in men than in women. This is partly because STI infections in men are more likely to cause symptoms. They are therefore more likely to be treated. This article discusses STI-related infertility. It also looks at individual STIs and how each one might cause infertility....

There are plenty of reasons that a person might have a bump on their penis. Most are not much to worry about. As with other parts of your body, you can get pimples, ingrown hairs, and other relatively harmless lumps or bumps on the head, shaft, or foreskin of the penis. In fact, conditions like these are quite common. However, certain bumps do require examination by a healthcare provider. These include warts and lesions caused by sexually transmitted infections (STIs) that can be very contagious....

Caffeine sensitivity is when you experience an overreaction to coffee and other caffeinated beverages. With caffeine sensitivity, you will experience adverse symptoms after drinking caffeine, such as jitteriness, headaches, diarrhea, and insomnia. Symptoms like these can occur to anyone when they drink too much coffee, but caffeine sensitivity is an abnormal response that occurs at typically smaller doses. Caffeine sensitivity is not the same thing as caffeine allergy, which is caused by a specific immune response to caffeine....

Fibroids, also known as leiomyomas or myomas, are tumors or growths that form in or on the uterus. They are the most common noncancerous tumors that appear during childbearing age for people who have a uterus. As fibroids age, they begin to degenerate. Usually, this will cause some calcification, or hardening, on the edges of the fibroid. But in some cases, the entire fibroid may calcify, turning it into a hard mass....

A calcium blood test is used to measure the amount of calcium you have in your blood. There are two types of calcium blood tests: a total calcium blood test and an ionized calcium blood test. A large portion (about half) of the calcium in the body is bound to proteins like albumin. A total calcium blood test measures the calcium concentration of all the calcium in the blood, both bound and unbound....

Cancer screenings are designed to find cancer early when it’s treatable and curable. Cancer screenings are based on the identified type of cancer, gender, age, and risk factors. Barriers to getting regular cancer screenings are fear, lack of understanding, absence of health insurance, and sometimes, inadequate knowledge about screening recommendations by healthcare providers. This article will explain cancer screenings for females and males by age, the costs, and how to find inexpensive or free options....

Walk down the pain medicine aisle of any drugstore and you can easily get overwhelmed. Seemingly endless types of medications are available to treat chronic headaches. How do you know which one is right for you? It depends largely on two factors: what type of chronic headaches you have, and how severe your headache pain is. Medications by Headache Type Because there are many types of chronic headaches, there are many kinds of medications for them....

A dental implant procedure is performed by inserting artificial tooth roots. These implants bond with your jawbone, allowing the dentist or oral surgeon to place replacement teeth called crowns. Dental implants can be an option if you have one or more missing permanent teeth. They’re made to look, feel, and function like your natural teeth. This article discusses what a dental implant procedure is and how to prepare for it. It also covers what to expect during the procedure and recovery....

If you’re concerned you may have depression, it is important to seek help right away. Though depression is common, it is a serious mental health condition that can impact how you feel, what you eat, and how you sleep, work, and more. Read about depression and its symptoms, ways to prevent it, and when to seek treatment. What Is Depression? Depression is a mood disorder that causes symptoms affecting feelings, thoughts, and daily functioning....