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Often, an addictive disorder may be referred to as a habit, compulsion, or dependency on a particular substance or action. However, the American Medical Association and the American Society of Addiction Medicine classify addiction as a disease. Clinical understanding of addiction continues to improve as the stigma surrounding these behaviors is addressed. This article discusses what addiction is, when and why it is considered a disease, and actionable steps that can be taken to initiate treatment....

A jade egg is an egg-shaped gemstone that some say can be inserted into the vagina to improve sexual health, strengthen the pelvic floor, and increase sexual satisfaction. Also known as yoni eggs, jade eggs were popularized in recent years by the lifestyle brand Goop, which claimed the eggs could aid sexual wellness. Research supporting this doesn’t match up to the hype. There is no evidence that jade eggs do anything helpful when placed in the vagina....

The ketogenic diet (commonly called the keto diet) is a high fat, moderate protein, low carbohydrate eating pattern. On a ketogenic diet, carbohydrates from all sources, such as whole grains, vegetables, and fruits, are severely restricted. This depletes the body of glucose, the body’s main source of energy. When there is not enough glucose, the body breaks down fat into ketones for energy instead. The ketogenic diet was originally developed and recommended as an evidence-based treatment for controlling epilepsy....

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a mental health condition that affects approximately 1.4% of adults in the United States. People with BPD experience an ongoing pattern of mood instability, behavior, and self-image, often resulting in impulsive actions. Relationship issues are common for people who have BPD. Read on to learn more about what it’s like to live with BPD. What Does BPD Mean? People with BPD have difficulties regulating emotion. They often experience intense emotions and find it hard to return to a stable baseline afterward....

Birth control pills may not be a safe option if you have or are at risk for lupus. Not only can birth control pills increase your risk of developing the disease, but they can also make existing lupus more active. This article will examine lupus and birth control, safe options, possible side effects, and when you should see your healthcare provider. Lupus and Birth Control Anyone can develop lupus, but most diagnoses are in biological females between the ages of 15 and 44....

Weight gain during menopause is a common complaint. In fact, research shows that women gain about 1.5 pounds per year during their 50s and 60s. It tends to settle in the abdominal region. How much of that weight gain is due to the hormonal changes of menopause or other factors like the effects of getting older isn’t entirely clear. What is clear, though, is that menopausal weight gain—which tends to occur in about half of people going through “the change of life”—need not be inevitable....

Bladder cancer affects around 56,000 men and 17,500 women in the United States each year. It typically starts in cells that line the inside of the bladder. When bladder cancer cells spread into other areas of the body, it becomes metastatic bladder cancer. If you’ve been diagnosed with metastatic bladder cancer, it’s understandable to feel overwhelmed and uncertain. However, there’s treatment available to help manage symptoms and slow disease progression....

Although both multiple sclerosis (MS) and sacroiliitis can cause lower back or hip pain, they are otherwise unrelated conditions that differ significantly in biology, diagnosis, and treatment. MS is an autoimmune disease of the brain and spinal cord. Pain in MS is related to either nerve damage or muscle/soft tissue damage that occurs as people with MS try to manage certain MS symptoms like spasticity (muscle stiffness and tightness), numbness, or imbalance....

At some point in the course of their disease, the majority of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience spasticity, a term that describes an increase in your muscle tone. While that may sound like a good thing if you’re looking to tone up, what it really means is that your muscles don’t relax as much or as easily as they should, resulting in involuntary muscle spasms. Because of this, spasticity affects your movement, making it a motor symptom rather than a sensory symptom like pain or numbness....

Pork is a red meat, but it’s often called “the other white meat.” This is because it’s a source of lean protein, like poultry. Pork has moderately high amounts of purines, however. Purines are compounds that produce uric acid when digested. Uric acid can build up in your joints and cause gout. Eating a lot of pork and other kinds of red meat, including organ meats like liver and kidney, increases your risk of recurrent gout attacks....

Psoriasis affects around 45,000 children in the United States under the age of 18, according to a review in the journal Psoriasis. Red, itchy, raised and, oftentimes, painful lesions on the surface of the skin are most commonly found on a child’s face, buttocks, elbows, knees, or scalp. While these skin changes are classic signs of psoriasis, they can be overlooked because they mimic those of other childhood skin issues, such as diaper rash....

Red light therapy is a procedure using light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to treat medical and cosmetic conditions. It sends low-intensity red and near-infrared light deep into the body’s cells to stimulate healing. It is noninvasive, painless, and does not use heat. Hungarian physician and professor Endre Mester first used red light therapy in 1967 while studying how cancer cells react to radiation exposure. Today, this treatment is used in medical, dental, spa, and home settings to help repair tissue and relieve pain and inflammation....

While there is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), there is an ever-increasing range of treatments able to alleviate the pain and swelling of this chronic inflammatory disorder. They include self-care remedies, diet, over-the-counter and prescription pain relievers, occupational or physical therapy, and newer generation disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Severe cases may require in-office procedures like arthrocentesis or surgeries to either repair or replace the damaged joint. Home Remedies and Lifestyle Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, progressive disease that needs to be managed as part of your life....

Peptic ulcers are sores that form in the lining of your stomach or in the first part of the intestine called the duodenum. They are usually caused by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and can be aggravated by stress, medications, and food. These sores are easy to diagnose, but can get worse without treatment. This article will explore the common symptoms of stomach ulcers, why they might feel worse at night, and how your sleep position can relieve ulcer-related pain....

Heart diseases impact how blood pumps and circulates within the body. When a healthcare provider says that you have heart disease, they may be referencing one of several conditions that can commonly impact the heart or blood vessels. There are many different types of heart disease, covered in detail below. Heart Failure Heart failure occurs when the heart can no longer pump effectively to meet the needs of the body....

An explanation of benefits (EOB) is a document provided to you by your insurance company after you had a healthcare service for which a claim was submitted to your insurance plan. This article will explain what information you’ll find on an EOB, how this is useful in terms of your financial planning for the year, and why it’s important to make sure that all of the details are correct. Your EOB gives you information about how an insurance claim from a medical provider (such as a doctor, hospital, or lab) was paid on your behalf—if applicable—and how much you’re responsible for paying yourself....

Ketones, or keto acids, are compounds produced by the liver as an alternative form of energy when the body is low on glucose (sugar). Three ketones—acetoacetate (AcAc), beta-hydroxybutyric acid (BB), and acetone—are produced in the liver from free fatty acids (FFAs). The body is constantly producing small amounts of ketones to use for energy when fasting or sleeping and during long periods of exercise. Ketosis occurs when ketone production is increased because of decreased carbohydrates and increased fatty acids....

A waxy compound found in your body’s cells, cholesterol is manufactured in the liver and present in some foods. There are two types of proteins that carry cholesterol through the bloodstream: high density lipoprotein (HDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL). HDL is considered “good” cholesterol, as it absorbs cholesterol and brings it back to the liver, whereas LDL is “bad" cholesterol. What makes LDL so concerning? Why is it bad? High levels can cause plaque to form in your arteries....

When British actor and comedian Dudley Moore died on March 27, 2002, the official cause of death was listed as pneumonia. But, in truth, Moore had been battling a rare condition known as progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) which causes the gradual deterioration of parts of the brain that regulate balance, muscle control, cognitive function, and certain voluntary and involuntary movements such as swallowing and eye movement. Causes While the cause of progressive supranuclear palsy is largely unknown, it is thought to be associated with a mutation on a specific part of a gene known as chromosome 17....

The Hyde Amendment effectively prevents federal funding from being used to pay for abortions—with very limited exceptions—via any programs that are administered by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The amendment, sponsored by Rep. Henry Hyde (R, Illinois), was enacted in 1976. And although it has never become a permanent law, Congress has renewed it annually ever since, attaching it as a rider to HHS appropriations bills. The only exceptions under the Hyde Amendment are cases involving rape or incest, or when the mother’s life is in danger....