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Simple home remedies for a baby’s cough and chest congestion include: Breathing in steam or humid airKeeping your baby well hydratedUsing suction to clear air passages These methods can be especially helpful since most cough and cold products are not indicated for kids under age 4 due to the risk of side effects. The Food and Drug Administration doesn’t recommend use of such medications in kids under 2. This article reviews each of these home remedies and why they work, as well as what causes coughs and congestion in babies and when you should get medical help instead of treating your child at home....

Exiting her first unmasked, in-person singing lesson since the start of the pandemic, Ivy Evers began to cry. Key Takeaways Singing poses a higher risk for COVID-19 transmission than speaking or breathing.Despite pandemic risks, some choirs have continued to practice with “singer’s masks” and social distancing. School communities may have to find creative ways to gather safely as they navigate COVID-19 restrictions in the fall. “I cried on my way there, I cried on the way home, I cried at my workout studio beforehand,” Evers says of the lesson, which took place last week....

Hypophosphatasia (HPP) is an inherited disorder affecting the development of bones and teeth. This happens when the mineralization process is disrupted leading to the signs and symptoms of HPP, including failure to thrive; soft, weak bones; and premature tooth loss. This article will discuss what HPP is, its symptoms, complications, when to see a doctor, and what causes HPP. Types of HPP Mineralization generally deposits calcium and phosphorus to help with bone and tooth development....

Historically, lung cancer was considered an absolute contraindication for lung transplantation. Today, it may be recommended for lung cancer in very rare instances, such as if you are in an early stage of a particular type of lung adenocarcinoma. A lung transplant is not appropriate for most lung cancer patients because it is unlikely to be effective and can pose risks, including recurrence. Lung transplant surgeries for lung cancer have slowly increased in recent years....

Menorrhagia is the medical term for heavy menstrual bleeding. If left untreated, menorrhagia can lead to iron deficiency anemia. One commonly used option for menorrhagia treatment is birth control. Birth control is a broad term for contraception, including a pill, skin patch, vaginal ring, intrauterine device (IUD), or shot. Birth control can help heavy periods by thinning the uterine lining and preventing ovulation. This article explains menorrhagia and how birth control can help manage heavy periods....

Mild autism is not an official medical term. Providers do not use the term “mild autism” when making an autism diagnosis. However, some therapists, teachers, parents, and others might use it to explain how much support an autistic person needs or how autism has affected a person’s life. The term “mild autism” can be confusing unless you know that autism is a spectrum disorder, with symptoms ranging from least to most severe....

It’s the first food we taste. It’s in pasta sauces, candies, pastries, custards, cheeses, yogurts, and ice cream. Milk is arguably one of the most versatile ingredients among cooks and a staple in most households. However, as an animal product that is full of nutrients, there are several infectious diseases associated with microbe-contaminated milk and milk products. The good news is that most of these microbes are killed by pasteurization, and so in reality, infections due to milk and cheese are pretty uncommon—but still possible....

Myelosuppression, or bone marrow suppression, is defined as a decrease in the ability of the bone marrow to produce blood cells. This may result in a lack of red blood cells (anemia), white blood cells (leukopenia), and platelets (thrombocytopenia). Myelosuppression may occur when the stem cells in the bone marrow are damaged (such as by chemotherapy drugs), when it is crowded (by tumor cells or fibrosis), or due to bone marrow failure....

Prednisolone eye drops are a corticosteroid drug suspension applied to the eyes. Steroids can reduce some types of irritation, swelling, and redness by decreasing inflammation that’s mediated by your immune system. It is used when the eyes have been irritated by allergies, irritation, or infection. Common brand names of prednisolone include AK-Pred, Econopred, Omnipred, Pred Mild, Inflamase Forte, and Pred Forte. Prednisolone is also used in combination with other ocular medications such as sulfacetamide or neomycin....

Reiki is a spiritual healing art and a type of biofield energy therapy. During a session, a Reiki practitioner lightly places their hands on the person, or sometimes just above them, to direct energy and help the body heal itself. Reiki is a complementary approach used alongside conventional medical interventions, not as a treatment of its own. Reiki does not treat or cure any health conditions. There is no high-quality scientific evidence that supports the existence of the energy field proposed by Reiki....

The heart is divided into four chambers that work based on very specific blood volumes and pressures. When these volumes and pressures are out of balance, a number of problems can occur. Right atrial enlargement occurs when the right atrium—the first entry point of blood returning from circulating in the body—is larger than normal. This can increase the amount of blood and pressure of blood flow leading into the right ventricle and eventually the pulmonary artery in the lungs....

Sexual assault is an event that involves unwanted, non-consensual sexual conduct or behavior toward someone. This includes sexual behaviors toward those who cannot give consent, such as children and those with disabilities. Sexual assaults can be some of the most psychologically damaging forms of trauma and can significantly harm mental well-being. This article will define sexual trauma, provide statistics for various populations, and discuss short and long-term impacts and ways to heal....

After falling asleep while driving multiple times and waking up in the middle of the night gasping for breath, Linda Erickson tells Verywell she knew something was wrong. “I’d been a snorer for years, but this was so scary.” In 2008, at age 47, she was diagnosed with sleep apnea and has been using continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy to treat and manage her condition since. Key Takeaways Despite mounting evidence, obstructive sleep apnea has yet to be listed by the CDC as an underlying medical condition that puts patients at an increased risk of COVID-related hospitalization and death....

Drinking water has its perks—it prevents dehydration, maintains a normal body temperature, and can often ease constipation. According to a new study, how much water you drink might also be linked to how quickly you age and your risk for developing chronic diseases. Key Takeaways A study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) suggests that well-hydrated adults have a lower risk of developing chronic diseases and may live longer than people who do not get enough fluids....

Over the past two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated mental health conditions for many people. In particular, reports continue to find that eating disorders are on the rise. Key Takeaways A new study showed that hospitalizations for eating disorders doubled during the first year of the pandemic. Experts say this spike is likely due to heightened stress, isolation, social media use, and changes in interactions with family. According to a new study, the number of people hospitalized for the conditions like anorexia, bulimia, and other diagnoses doubled in 2020....

Breast cancer kills approximately 40,000 women in the United States each year. While that’s a sobering statistic, there are numerous ways to support research into new drug development and to provide hands-on help to women going through treatment. Whatever your commitment, you can make a difference. Provide Hands-On Help Hands-on volunteer work is incredibly impactful and often very rewarding, but it requires time. If your schedule is open enough to participate in some hands-on volunteering, the following programs are great options....

The typical advice for when to take your antihypertensives (high blood pressure medication) has been to take it in the morning. However, there’s growing evidence that most blood pressure medications are more effective when people take them at night. This is largely due to a concept called chronotherapy. It is an approach to the timing of medical treatment based on circadian rhythms, the body’s natural cycle of physical changes that take place every 24 hours....

The trapezius (traps) muscle is a triangle-shaped upper back muscle that starts at the base of your neck, spans the length of your upper shoulders, and extends down into your middle back. This muscle’s main function is to stabilize and move your scapula (shoulder blade). The trapezius also helps you move your head, neck, arms, shoulders, and torso, stabilizes your spine, and plays an important role in posture. Physical and mental stress can make your trapezius muscle tight, leading to pain in your neck and shoulders....

Type 2 diabetes is a disease characterized by high blood sugar (glucose) levels in the body. While it’s estimated that more than 30 million adults in the United States have type 2 diabetes, this condition disproportionately affects certain populations more than others. Data show that 14.5% of Indigenous, 12.1% of Black, 11.8% of Latinx, and 9.5% of Asian American adults have type 2 diabetes, compared to 7.4% of White Americans....

When we hear the word “hepatitis,” we tend to associate it with cirrhosis and other disorders affecting the liver. But it’s not always the case. As with other persistent, chronic infections, hepatitis can directly impact one organ system (in this case, the liver) while indirectly affecting other organ systems, as well. One system indirectly impacted by liver disease is the central nervous system, and most specifically the brain. During an acute or chronic hepatitis infection, toxic substances from the liver can accumulate in the bloodstream and spread (or disseminate) throughout the body....