Posts

Acute infectious thyroiditis is a rare thyroid gland infection. This type of infection is painful, associated with a fever, and progresses rapidly. It can affect children and adults. Acute infectious thyroiditis can often be treated with antibiotics and a procedure that drains the fluid and pus. Symptoms Acute infections, by definition, are the type of infections that cause symptoms within a short period of time. If you or your child develop acute infectious thyroiditis, you can expect the effects to rapidly worsen....

The way ankylosing spondylitis (AS) progresses varies person to person. Some people never experience anything more than back pain and stiffness that comes and goes. Others will have more severe problems, such as hunched posture or problems with walking, and severe disease complications like eye inflammation and nerve problems. Treatment is important regardless of the severity of AS. Fortunately, there are many different medication classes available to slow down the disease and its effects....

What Is Albenza? Albenza (albendazole) is a prescription medication used to treat tapeworm infections. It’s a benzimidazole anthelmintic that works by causing the parasitic tapeworms to have low glucose (sugar). Without glucose, the tapeworms don’t have enough energy for critical bodily functions. As a result, they eventually die. Albenza is available in a tablet dosage form. What Is Albenza Used For? Albenza (albendazole) is used to treat infections caused by tapeworms....

Allergies are, essentially, caused by a misguided immune system. In your body’s efforts to protect your from harm, it misreads an allergen—a harmless substance, such as pollen or pet dander—as something worth fighting. The body’s response can create mild symptoms such as a cough, sneeze, nasal congestion, or a mild rash; or you might have a severe life-threatening extensive rash or anaphylaxis. There are different mechanisms at play for different kinds of allergies....

Most of us wouldn’t dream of starting our day without a hot cup of coffee. The benefits of coffee go beyond your morning pick-me-up. It may have surprising benefits for your skin. Let’s take a look at what the science says and what coffee can, and can’t, do for your skin. Coffee Is High in Antioxidants Antioxidants help protect your skin from free radical damage, and coffee just happens to be packed with antioxidants....

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory, autoimmune disease in which your immune system mistakenly attacks your joints and other body systems. Treatment includes medications that target inflammation and slow disease progression, such as methotrexate, a type of disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD). Biologics are usually considered when a person isn’t responding to traditional DMARDs. Biologics are genetically engineered proteins made from complex molecules using living microorganisms like plants or animal cells. They work by targeting the proteins in the body responsible for the immune response, zeroing in on the affected areas without impacting the rest of the body....

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a mental health disorder. A person living with BPD has moods that change a lot. The patterns also affect how they feel about themselves (self-image) and other people. It can also affect how they act (behavior). More women are diagnosed with BPD than men. However, researchers think that many men living with BPD do not know that they have it. There are a few ways that BPD is different for men than it is for women, including:...

CBD (cannabidiol) has exploded in popularity in recent years, in large part because it has shown promise in reducing pain, alleviating anxiety, and reducing symptoms of certain health conditions. One such condition that may benefit from CBD oil is psoriatic arthritis (PsA), a chronic (long-term) disease affecting the joints. While there is no cure for the condition, some people are turning to CBD to manage the symptoms of the disease. Here are a few things to know if you want to try using CBD to treat the symptoms of psoriatic arthritis....

Nail clubbing describes fingernails or toenails that are curved downward, like a spoon. The nails may feel soft when pressed and no longer sit even with the cuticle. This often occurs along with swelling or bulging of the tips of the fingers or toes as well. Clubbed nails are not always cause for alarm, especially if nail clubbing runs in your family. Sometimes, though, nail clubbing is a warning sign of a serious condition such as a lung or heart condition or certain cancers....

Advanced (stage 4) breast cancer involves metastases, which is the spread of cancer to other parts of the body. The effects vary, depending on the areas of the body that cancer has spread to, and may include problems such as blood clots, muscle wasting, shortness of breath, seizures, and more. Most of the complications of advanced breast cancer are treatable, and treatments are most effective when they are started sooner rather than later....

Trazodone is a prescription drug used to treat depression and sleep disorders like insomnia. When using trazodone for sleep, the drug is given at low doses—typically between 25 to 100 milligram (mg)—which reduces the risk of drug tolerance and daytime sleepiness. For some people, even lower doses may prove effective and cause fewer side effects. Sold under the brand names Desyrel, Oleptro, and others, trazodone has been used for decades as a sleep aid....

Diabetes insipidus (DI) is a rare disorder in which the body can’t regulate fluids properly. People with DI generally have intense thirst and pass a lot more urine than normal, which which can lead to severe dehydration. All four types of diabetes insipidus share the fact that they are due to a hormonal abnormality, although the causes of that vary. Read on to learn about the symptoms of diabetes insipidus, possible causes, and how it’s diagnosed and treated....

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and lupus are both autoimmune diseases that attack your body in a similar fashion. In autoimmune diseases, your immune system is unable to distinguish between certain healthy tissues and dangerous pathogens, like viruses or bacteria. It begins to attack, creating autoantibodies that damage your organs and tissues. The specific parts of the body the immune system attacks are determined by what disease you have. While RA and lupus are similar, their differences are important when it comes to how you’re diagnosed and treated....

Epzicom is a combination antiretroviral drug used to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in adults and some children. It is taken by mouth in tablet form. It contains two antiretroviral agents called abacavir (sold under the brand name Ziagen) and lamivudine (sold under the brand name Epivir). Epzicom is taken in combination with at least one other antiretroviral drug to ensure complete viral suppression. Epzicom was approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2004....

Many people who have lung cancer consider experimental treatments at some point during their journey, This article will look at what it means to participate in a clinical trial, the potential benefits and risks, and the types of experimental treatments available for both early-stage and late-stage lung cancer. It also explores questions you may wish to consider before deciding if one of these treatments is right for you. What Is Experimental Treatment?...

Science has increasingly shown that genes play a big part in someone’s risk of developing depression. Now, researchers have also found that when people with those genes are exposed to high levels of air pollution, their risk for developing depression increases exponentially. Key Takeaways A new study finds a potential link between depression and exposure to air pollution.This research is setting a foundation for future understanding of the health impacts of air pollution....

What Is Fluticasone? Fluticasone is a nasal spray used in both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) forms to treat symptoms of nonallergic rhinitis, seasonal allergies, or nasal polyps. It belongs to a drug class called steroids, also called corticosteroids. The exact way it works is not known, but it is thought to block substances that cause inflammation. Fluticasone is available as: Prescription fluticasone to treat non-allergic rhinitis symptoms Prescription Xhance to treat nasal polyps OTC fluticasone (e....

The diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the most common type of lung cancer, may be suspected based on a chest X-ray, chest computed tomography (CT) scan, or sputum cytology. But a lung biopsy is needed to make a definitive diagnosis. Once it is determined that an abnormality is lung cancer, further tests such as a positron emission tomography (PET) scan are done to stage the tumor—a very important step in planning treatment....

You’d be amazed to consider how our perception and understanding of dental health and aging have changed in such a short period of time. While dental conditions can certainly become more common in the elderly, there are many misconceptions that surround the connection between aging and our teeth. One of the biggest myths about aging and oral health is the belief that losing teeth is a normal part of getting older....

Loose skin can develop for many reasons. Chief among them is age. As you get older, your skin loses its elasticity and begins to sag. Skin can also sag or loosen after giving birth, after surgery, or with substantial weight loss. Treating loose skin can involve home remedies, over-the-counter (OTC) therapies, and prescriptions. A specialist may also suggest medical treatments or surgical procedures. Prevention is key—and even if your skin has already started to sag a little, you can take some steps to prevent progression....