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Thyroid disease symptoms include fatigue, unexplained weight changes, a racing heart, and other signs that are related to a thyroid disorder. They are signs that the thyroid, a gland found near the base of your neck, is affected—and the thyroid, in turn, affects other body systems. However, hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) and hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) often have opposite effects. There also are thyroid disease symptoms, such as unusual skin rashes that look like hives, that may be specific to a condition like Graves’ disease....

A tortuous colon, also known as a redundant colon, is an abnormally long colon that cannot fit inside the body without twisting or looping. This often causes constipation and other gastrointestinal problems because digested food takes longer to travel through the colon (a.k.a. large bowel or large intestine). Other rare complications include bowel obstruction. While many people with tortuous colon are asymptomatic (without symptoms), some require a high-fiber diet, fiber supplements, and/or laxatives to reduce the chances of constipation....

Acute arthritis is a term that refers to rapid or sudden onset of joint inflammation and pain. Acute arthritis can be caused by several processes, including autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune diseases occur when the body mistakenly attacks healthy cells and tissues, causing inflammation. The main symptoms of acute arthritis include joint pain, joint warmth, tenderness, swelling, and stiffness causing decreased range of motion. Types of Acute Arthritis Acute Inflammatory Arthritis Acute inflammatory arthritis refers to a group of diseases triggered by an overactive immune system that typically attacks several joints at the same time....

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) are neurodegenerative (nerve-dying) diseases that affect movement. Despite this similarity, they are separate conditions with unique symptoms that affect different parts of the nervous system . They also have distinct treatment options and outlooks. This article reviews the key differences between ALS and Parkinson’s, including their symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment. Symptoms The symptoms of ALS and Parkinson’s disease are typically mild early on before worsening over time....

Asthma is a condition that affects your lungs, causing repeated episodes of wheezing, chest tightness, breathlessness, and coughing. If you already have asthma, you might be concerned about what it means if you contract SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. At present, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that there may be an increased risk for severe illness from the virus that causes COVID-19 if you have moderate or severe asthma....

On December 21, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved an investigational drug application for a triple-negative breast cancer vaccine that could reduce the incidence of advanced disease. The brainchild of Vincent Tuohy, PhD, a researcher in the department of inflammation and immunity at the Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute, the vaccine has been preemptively licensed to the biotechnology company Anixa Biosciences. Key Takeaways The FDA has approved a triple-negative breast cancer vaccine for use in human clinical trials....

Fear of the unknown can make it difficult to cope with life’s uncertainties. Those with a fear of the unknown may experience significant distress and anxiety surrounding that which is unknown or uncertain and may go to great lengths to seek certainty, even if it comes at a personal cost. Read on to learn more about the signs and symptoms of someone who has a fear of the unknown, as well as the potential causes, treatments, and ways to cope with this psychological condition....

A full liquid diet is one in which you only consume liquids or foods that turn to liquid at room or body temperature (such as soups and milkshakes). This is considered a middle ground between eating solid foods and following a clear liquid diet, in which you can only consume items that you can see through, such as tea, broth, and gelatin. There are several reasons why your healthcare provider may recommend a full liquid diet—for example, if you are having digestive problems or are preparing for a colonoscopy, a procedure that screens for colon-related issues....

While no infection is welcome, fungal infections are uniquely dangerous and can be difficult to diagnose and treat. This is particularly the case when the fungus invades the brain. Fungal infections of the central nervous system are not particularly common, but when such infections occur, the results can be devastating. The following is not a complete list of all fungal infection, but a review of the most common ones. Aspergillus Aspergillus species are numerous in nature as a common mold....

A gastric emptying scan (GES) is a medical test. It is also called a gastric emptying study or gastric emptying scintigraphy. The test is used to diagnose digestive conditions. A gastric emptying study is a nuclear medicine test, meaning it uses small amounts of radiation. It is usually done in the Nuclear Medicine department of your hospital as an inpatient or outpatient test. This article will go over why you may need this test, how a gastric emptying study is done, and what the results mean....

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks cells in the immune system, leaving the body at risk for developing infections. It’s transmitted through contact with blood, semen, vaginal fluids, or breastmilk. While recent advances in treatment have dramatically improved life expectancy for people with HIV, living with such a serious condition can still have a major impact on emotional health and well-being. Research shows that people with HIV are more likely to experience anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions compared to the general population....

Now that fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear face masks or practice physical distancing in most settings, many businesses ask customers about their COVID-19 vaccination status before allowing them entry or permitting them to be maskless. However, some people claim that the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) prohibits businesses from doing this, which is completely false. Key Takeaways Asking someone about their COVID-19 vaccination status does not violate HIPAA....

If you get occasional tension headaches, you may wonder which medication to reach for when you feel one coming on. The most common options, Tylenol (acetaminophen) and Advil or Motrin (ibuprofen), work differently to relieve pain. This article explains what you should know about each medication before treating your headache. Treatment of Tension-Type Headaches Tension headaches are the most common type of headache. They are primary headaches, which means a medical condition doesn’t cause them....

What Is Kybella? Kybella (deoxycholic acid) is a cosmetic injectable drug used to improve the look of a double chin (fat below the chin). It is a cytolytic drug, meaning it causes tissue breakdown by physically destroying the cell membrane of tissues and dissolving fat. It’s also a non-surgical option for lipomas, non-cancerous tumors made of fat cells. A healthcare professional can only inject this drug in a healthcare setting. What Is Kybella Used For?...

Most lumps in the breast are benign (noncancerous). During a breast self-exam (BSE), you may notice such lumps or differences in the texture and appearance of your breasts, but only 3% to 6% of these changes are due to breast cancer. Still, it’s best to get a breast lump checked out. A healthcare provider may use imaging tests such as mammograms, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to help make a diagnosis....

Magnesium is a plentiful mineral in the body, and it plays a central role in many chemical reactions—more than 300 different ones. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), some of the ways magnesium assists the body include: Protein synthesisThe function of muscles and nervesManaging blood glucose levelsMaintaining blood pressureFacilitating energy productionThe formation of boneSynthesizing antioxidants in the bodyNerve conduction and contraction of the heart Magnesium is naturally-occurring in many of the foods you eat, and some foods may be enriched with it....

Ankylosing spondylitis, also known as Bechterew’s disease, is a systemic type of arthritis that causes inflammation in the spine. While there is no cure for ankylosing spondylitis at the moment, people with this condition can benefit from taking medications to alleviate symptoms and control disease progression. Physical therapy is another important aspect of managing ankylosing spondylitis that can improve posture and spine mobility to prevent stiffening and decrease pain. Accessing medical services can be challenging for people with this condition during the COVID-19 pandemic....

Measles isn’t an illness we see a lot of these days, but it has been making a comeback in recent years. Symptoms and signs, such as fever, dry cough, sensitivity to light, and rash, generally appear more than a week after exposure. This, obviously, is mostly a concern for those who are not vaccinated. Outbreaks can still occur and the virus can be contracted when traveling to other countries. Given the risk of ear infection, pneumonia, and other potential complications, it’s important to know these and other characteristics of measles and seek medical attention if you think you’re affected....

Anxiety disorders are some of the most common mental health conditions, and panic disorder is a specific type of anxiety disorder. Unexpected, sudden panic attacks characterize panic disorders. However, anxiety attacks are not described as an official symptom or disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), the handbook most commonly used by U.S. mental healthcare professionals. However, in contrast, the term anxiety attack is often used to describe an acute expression of someone’s anxiety, brought about in anticipation of or in response to something that causes stress or worry....

A little bit of anatomy helps in understanding what exactly patellar subluxation is. The patella, or kneecap, is one of three bones that forms the knee joint. Each of these bones has a protective layer of cartilage where their surfaces come into contact. The patella is also enveloped by a tendon. This tendon connects the quadriceps muscle of the thigh to the shinbone (tibia) below the knee. The kneecap slides up and down a groove on the end of the thigh bone as the knee bends....