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Gastroesophageal reflux (GER), also sometimes referred to as acid reflux, is a digestive phenomenon that occurs when stomach contents come back up into your esophagus. This can cause symptoms such as pain or burning in the chest (heartburn), sore throat, gas, bloating, and bad breath. When GER occurs in repeated bouts, it is considered to be a digestive disorder called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This happens when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) either becomes weak or it relaxes when it shouldn’t....

Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) is a complication of an allogeneic stem cell or bone marrow transplant, in which cells from a donor trigger an autoimmune-like response in the recipient, causing the body to attack its own tissues. An allogeneic transplant is one in which cells are donated. Depending on which organs the immune system attacks, GvHD can cause symptoms ranging from rash, diarrhea, and hepatitis to potentially life-threatening bacterial, fungal, viral, or parasitic infections....

The majority of non-elderly Americans get their health insurance through an employer-sponsored plan. And many companies—especially larger employers—offer several health plan options that may have different costs and benefits. Your employer’s annual open enrollment period is your opportunity to sign up for health insurance or make changes to your coverage—including dropping your coverage, if you’ve got another option elsewhere. It’s definitely in your best interest to take an active look at your coverage options during open enrollment, instead of just letting your existing plan auto-renew for the coming year....

Diverticulitis and diverticulosis are together called diverticular disease. Diverticulosis is when small pouches form in the lining of the colon. These outpouchings (diverticula) usually don’t cause any problems. But they can become inflamed (diverticulitis) and then lead to pain and other symptoms. In some cases, a diverticulitis flare-up might be treated at home. But more serious ones will need to be treated in the hospital. This article will address the ways in which a flare-up of diverticulitis might be treated at home with support from a healthcare professional....

When individuals in the U.S. begin receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, they will receive an old-school way to keep track of their immunizations. Key Takeaways Every COVID-19 vaccine recipient will receive a vaccination card telling them which vaccine they received, when and where it was administered, and when the next dose is due.Vaccine recipients may also opt into a smartphone-based survey and reminder system.Immunization records will also be kept in state registries and electronic records through health systems and pharmacies....

Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) is a disease similar to smallpox. It is self-limited (resolves without treatment), usually lasting two to four weeks. Most people with mpox get better without treatment. Currently, there is no specific treatment approved for mpox virus infection. The treatment is focused on managing symptoms such as headaches, fever, chills, muscle aches, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, and a chicken pox–like rash that can develop on the hands, feet, face, chest, mouth, tongue, genitals, or anus....

Most uterine fibroids go unnoticed. Asymptomatic women usually find out that they have fibroids during a routine gynecological exam or while getting imaging for an unrelated medical condition. This article is part of Uterine Fibroids and Black Women, a destination in our Health Divide series. Black women—who are three times more likely than women of other races to develop fibroids—often develop fibroids at earlier ages and are more symptomatic. An official diagnosis is made based on your symptoms and a physical exam....

Maybe a child isn’t talking yet or doesn’t seem to respond to your voice. Or perhaps a toddler is lining up toys and having a hard time interacting with peers. These could be signs of autism—but then again they could be signs of a different developmental disorder or even minor developmental delays. If you are concerned, however, it can’t possibly hurt to take action. If a child is diagnosed with autism, you’ll be able to start in right away with therapies and supports....

If your healthcare provider finds a mass on your ovary, it’s natural to wonder whether it’s ovarian cancer. That’s not always an easy question to answer. Your healthcare provider may use many kinds of tests to figure that out, including ultrasounds, blood tests, and special calculations. They generally don’t give a firm “yes” or “no” answer, but they can determine the chance that it is cancer. In this article, you’ll learn who’s at risk for ovarian cancer, the various tests you may undergo, what the results mean, and what happens next....

Methionine is an essential amino acid found in protein food sources such as meat and dairy. Your body cannot make methionine, so you must get it from food or supplements. It is important for many functions in the body, including building new proteins, making DNA, and normal tissue growth and repair. There is no suggested dose for methionine supplements, but you should get about 14 milligrams (mg) daily per kilogram (kg) of body weight from the food you eat....

Pale skin does not just describe the color of your complexion. The sudden or unusual lightening of one’s skin tone can occur in all skin tones. Physiologically, pale skin occurs because of reduced blood flow and oxygen, as well as a low red blood cell count. It can occur due to different reasons, from emotional distress to medical conditions like anemia and vitamin deficiency. Some underlying causes of pale skin are medical emergencies that need to be treated right away....

Osteoarthritis is often described as a condition resulting from wear-and-tear on joints, but the pathophysiology of this condition is much more complex than that. It involves a series of changes at the cellular level that lead to damaged cartilage, synovial membranes, and bones. Also known as degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and accounts for roughly 59% of all arthritis cases. It is mostly found in the hands, hips, and knees....

The pharynx is the medical term for the throat. The function of the pharynx is to take in air from the nasal passages as well as food and drink from the mouth. The pharynx is also what helps you talk, as muscles in the throat vibrate to help make sound. The pharynx is a muscular tube that starts at the base of the skull behind the nasal cavity and extends down to the larynx (voice box) and esophagus (the tube that leads to the stomach)....

Having a baby is one of the most exciting times in a person’s life. But it can also be nerve-racking. On top of it, being pregnant during a pandemic comes with additional concerns and challenges. Having COVID-19 (sometimes referred to as coronavirus) during pregnancy slightly increases your risk of severe illness and complications. However, there are ways to reduce the risk for yourself and your baby. Understanding expert recommendations while research is continuously changing is also challenging....

How you live your daily life—what you eat, how physically active you are, the amount of stress you live under—can have a significant influence on your risk of congestive heart failure and other cardiovascular diseases. Similarly, certain habits, such as smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol in excess, can substantially increase the risk of heart disease. When you’re aware of both what you can be doing and what you should stop doing to preserve the health of your heart, you are taking control over the quality—and the length—of your life....

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a progressive, inflammatory condition that affects the joints and entheses (the tissues that connect tendons and ligaments to your bones). PsA is caused by an over-reactive immune system. It is associated with psoriasis and can be similar to rheumatoid arthritis. About 1 in 3 people with PsA also have anxiety. This can be explained, at least in part, by the pain and sleep disruptions caused by PsA....

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a type of inflammatory arthritis. It affects the joints and the entheses (the areas where tendons and ligaments meet bone) throughout the body. It occurs in about one-third of the people with the autoimmune skin condition psoriasis. PsA may also affect the spine, leading to back and hip pain. Treatments for PsA can help reduce symptoms, joint and tendon damage, and the potential for disability. But even with treatment, it is possible to still have joint pain, stiffness, and swelling....

The pterygopalatine ganglion is a parasympathetic nerve ganglion and one of four paired parasympathetic ganglia in your head. It sends out connections to the tear glands and mucous membranes of your mouth, throat, and nasal passages. Nerves from this ganglion are associated with a group of cluster headache disorders called trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias (TACs). The pterygopalatine ganglion goes by several other names, including Meckel’s ganglion, nasal ganglion, and sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG)....

Plantar warts form on the bottom of the foot. In medicine, this part of your foot is called the plantar surface. The growths appear on the top layer of skin called the epidermis. They are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). A plantar wart can spread if you touch, scratch, or pick at it. Sometimes, they form clusters on one or both feet. Plantar warts can go away suddenly after months or years....

What Is Tindamax? Tindamax (tinidazole) is an antibiotic drug prescribed to treat bacterial vaginosis. The drug also treats certain parasitic diseases (specifically amebiasis and giardiasis) and the sexually transmitted infection trichomoniasis. Tindamax belongs to a class of drugs called nitroimidazole antibiotics that are able to fight not only bacteria, but certain protozoan parasites as well. Protozoa are single-celled organisms that can survive as free-living organisms or can multiply in humans and cause parasitic infections....