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A kidney cleanse is a food, product, or process that is said to help remove toxins from the kidneys and prevent kidney stones. Although cleanses may have some health benefits, no scientific evidence supports the idea that eating certain foods and taking specific vitamins improves kidney health. Instead, you may wish to take other sensible steps before or even in place of a cleanse. This article will explain what a kidney cleanse is and what it is purported to do....

Sleep architecture is the basic pattern of normal sleep. You experience two main types of sleep—rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement (NREM). NREM sleep has three different stages, all of which feature different depths of sleep and can be identified by experts through brain-wave patterns, eye movements, and muscle tone. Structure Sleep architecture allows experts to produce a picture of what your sleep looks like over the course of a night, taking into account various depths of sleep as well as coming out of sleep....

Sphincterotomy, also called a lateral internal sphincterotomy, is a type of procedure that is used to cut the anal sphincter. The anal sphincter is the group of muscles connected to the rectum, at the end of the digestive tract, through which bowel movements are passed. This surgery is done when an anal fissure (a break in the skin of the anus) hasn’t gotten better after trying other treatments. Fissures can bleed and be painful, and in some cases they may take time to heal....

The largest and uppermost bone of the hip, the ilium, also known as the iliac bone, is an essential part of the pelvic girdle. In adults, this fan-shaped bone is fused with two other bones, the ischium and pubis, to make the hip bone (often referred to as the coxal bone). As such, the ilium serves a weight-bearing function and is part of the structure that ensures the spine is supported when the body is upright....

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland that wraps around the trachea just about at the collarbone. This gland produces several hormones, mainly triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), that regulate different vital functions in your body like breathing, metabolism, and heart rate. When the amounts of these hormones are out of balance or your thyroid gland is not working properly, you could have one of several types of thyroid disease. Hypothyroidism is the term for when your body doesn’t make enough thyroid hormones, and hyperthyroidism is the term for when you have too much thyroid hormone....

Meningitis is inflammation or infection of the meninges and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Meninges are three layers of protective tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord. CSF is a special fluid between the layers of the meninges that nourishes the brain. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the worldwide incidence of meningitis is approximately 82 million cases per year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that over 1....

Hidden hearing loss (HHL), a type of auditory disorder, is hearing loss that can’t be detected through standard hearing tests such as a speech-in-noise (SIN) test. Unlike other types of hearing loss, HHL happens when there is a defect in your cochlea, a bone in the inner ear. Factors such as old age, exposure to loud noise, and taking certain drugs can increase your risk of developing HHL. Read more to learn about the tests that can detect hidden hearing loss, signs that show it, and ways to manage it....

Advances in technology and dentistry are making telehealth visits with a dentist easily accessible and affordable for patients. Telehealth with a dental professional facilitates communication about dental concerns, allows for sharing images and videos, and supports providers with assessment, triage, diagnosis, and treatment planning. This article will discuss when to use telehealth services with a dentist, benefits and challenges to navigating telehealth, steps to take in preparation for a visit, and what to expect when meeting with a dentist....

On Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) called for a temporary ban on administering COVID-19 booster shots until at least the end of September “to enable at least [10 percent] of the population of every country to be vaccinated.” Key Takeaways The WHO is calling for a temporary ban on COVID-19 booster shots in order to make sure existing doses are better distributed globally.The CDC has not yet made a recommendation on whether or which booster shot might be needed for COVID-19 in the United States, but could make a decision in the next few weeks....

Allergens are substances that cause the body to produce an allergic reaction. When you have allergies, your body mistakenly reacts to specific substances it detects as dangerous (allergens) by making antibodies to fight them. Allergic reactions are symptoms that result from your body creating these antibodies. Allergens can be airborne or can arise from contact with your skin, from medications, or from food. Depending on the type, they may enter your body through your respiratory system, skin, or digestive tract....

What Is Austedo? Austedo (deutetrabenazine) is a medication that is prescribed to treat the symptoms of certain involuntary movement disorders. It belongs to a class of drugs called vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) inhibitors. Austedo treats chorea, a type of involuntary movement caused by Huntington’s disease, as well as tardive dyskinesia, which is a side effect of antipsychotic medications. Austedo works to reduce the amount of monoamine neurotransmitters (e.g., dopamine) released in the brain from nerve terminals....

Psoriatic disease is an autoimmune condition that includes psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Both conditions are the result of an overactive immune system and primarily affect the joints and skin throughout the body. Biologic drugs, or simply “biologics,” for psoriatic disease are prescribed in cases when the disease has not responded to other treatments. These medications are designed to slow or stop joint damage, inflammation, and progression of psoriatic disease....

Burning eyes can have many different causes, some of which are serious and require specialized treatment. If the burning persists, it’s best to be diagnosed by a healthcare provider. This article will address the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of burning eyes. Burning Eyes Causes Burning eyes can have several causes. Here are some of the most common causes of burning eyes. Blepharitis Blepharitis is an inflammation of the eyelids caused by excess bacteria on the eyelashes or clogged oil glands in the eyelashes....

One of the age-old remedies used to relieve arthritis is gin-soaked raisins. As odd as this may sound, there are many people who swear by it. The treatment, which some call “drunken raisins,” involves eating a few gin-soaked golden raisins every day to relieve chronic joint swelling, stiffness, and pain. Are gin-soaked raisins the natural cure that some people claim or simply a myth with little evidence to support the claims?...

If your joint feels warm or swollen, you may be experiencing inflammation, the immune system’s response to an injury or illness. Joint warmth can affect one or multiple joints and you may also have other symptoms depending on the underlying cause. This article will explore what causes warm joints. It will also explain when to reach out to your healthcare provider, as well as how joint conditions are diagnosed and treated....

Cervical dysplasia is a common condition that describes abnormal precancerous changes to the cervix, the cylindrical canal that forms the connection between the uterus and vagina. Abnormal changes can range from mild to severe and are detected through a routine Pap smear. Cervical dysplasia most commonly affects women ages 25 to 35, although it can occur at any age. Although untreated cervical dysplasia may lead to cervical cancer in some cases, having cervical dysplasia does not mean that a person has cancer or will ever develop the disease....

What Is Combivir? Combivir (lamivudine and zidovudine) is an orally administered combination drug used to treat human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) in people weighing at least 66 pounds. While the combination of lamivudine and zidovudine does not cure HIV, it may lessen your chance of developing acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and HIV-related illnesses such as infections or cancer. Combivir is a combination medication that contains two nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs)....

Have you ever ordered a meal at a restaurant or sat down with friends at their dinner table, only to wonder if the food—billed as gluten-free—would make you sick the next day? Have you ever tried a new product—perhaps one with no gluten ingredients but lacking a “gluten-free” label designation—only to discover through a bad reaction that it wasn’t quite as gluten-free as you expected? If either of these scenarios ever has happened to you (and if you’ve been following the gluten-free diet for more than about a week, you’ve certainly been in situations like these), then you’ve probably wished for a way to test your food for the gluten protein before you ate it....

Cortisol is the main stress hormone in your body. In your brain, cortisol helps control your mood. It’s also involved in fear and motivation. Cortisol plays many other roles as well. This article will detail the many functions of cortisol, how it’s made, medical conditions associated with it, how levels are tested, and more. What Is Cortisol? Cortisol is a naturally occurring steroid. It’s made by your adrenal glands. How this compound is used throughout your body is controlled by the: Hypothalamus: A brain region that coordinates autonomic functions (such as hormone regulation and temperature control) and emotional activity Pituitary gland: The “master gland....

What Is Dayvigo? Dayvigo (lemborexant) is a prescription medication to treat trouble sleeping (insomnia). It may help you fall asleep sooner and stay asleep longer. Dayvigo is an orexin receptor inhibitor. It attaches to binding sites called orexin receptors. Orexin A and orexin B are brain chemicals that encourage you to stay awake. This medication prevents orexin A and orexin B from binding to their receptors. Dayvigo helps you sleep by blocking these proteins that might keep you awake....