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Primary ovarian insufficiency, also known as premature ovarian failure, occurs when an individual’s ovaries stop working before age 40. The ovaries are a pair of female glands that are involved in the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause. The ovaries produce the hormones estrogen and progesterone and also contain an individual’s eggs. Primary ovarian insufficiency can lead to irregular periods and infertility. This condition is different from premature menopause. This article describes the symptoms, risk factors, and treatment options for primary ovarian insufficiency....

Progressive bulbar palsy (PBP) is a form of motor neuron disease (MND). When people develop the condition, the neurons that communicate between the brain stem, spinal cord, and brain become damaged, causing symptoms like loss of speech and muscle twitching. PBP is considered a phenotype of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This article discusses the symptoms, causes, treatment, and prognosis for those diagnosed with the condition. Progressive Bulbar Palsy Symptoms The motor neurons affected by PBP are lower motor neurons....

What Is Rayos? Rayos (prednisone) is one of several drugs in a family known as adrenocortical steroids or corticosteroids. It is a synthetic version of one of the hormones made by our body’s adrenal gland. It is most commonly used to decrease swelling (inflammation) in organ systems in various conditions. Prednisone is less widely used as a replacement hormone in people whose bodies do not produce the proper amount of hormones....

The most common treatment for depression often includes some mix of therapy and medication. But a new study offers a promising potential solution when traditional therapies don’t seem to be doing the trick. “Targeted neuromodulation,” according to a new preliminary study, could offer another, more individualized, option. Key Takeaways Personalized brain stimulation, or targeted stimulation, is being researched as a treatment for patients with severe, treatment-resistant depression.Researchers followed one severely depressed woman who reported rapid positive effects from treatment and relief of depression symptoms....

It’s not uncommon to accidentally swallow a foreign object (i.e., something other than food) at some point. In some cases, a foreign object can pass through the body without causing any problems. However, if something gets lodged in your esophagus or contains dangerous materials (such as certain types of batteries), it can cause a dangerous blockage or tear. Here’s what to do if you or someone else swallows a foreign object, including symptoms to watch for and when to seek emergency care....

It’s not uncommon for someone to have both thyroid disease and diabetes. In fact, if you have type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, or metabolic syndrome, your risk of developing thyroid disease is increased. On the flip side, thyroid disease increases your risk of developing metabolic syndrome or type 2 diabetes. The association is even stronger if you are overweight or obese. This article helps explain how thyroid disease and diabetes are related....

Unlike a Flexible Spending Account, you can keep your Health Savings Account (HSA) when you leave your job. Even if you opened your HSA in association with a high deductible health plan (HDHP) you got from your job, the HSA itself is yours to keep. All of the money in it—including contributions your employer made, contributions you made, and interest or investment growth—belongs to you. This article will explain what you need to know about leaving your job when you have an HSA....

In their 2021 guidelines, the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) strongly recommended tricyclic antidepressants for treating irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Antidepressants can often ease IBS symptoms because some of the chemicals that regulate your mood also regulate your digestive system. This article discusses how antidepressants help treat IBS and which ones are effective. How Antidepressants Work With IBS Although medications in this class are called antidepressants, they have effects that go beyond stabilizing a depressed mood....

A “locked knee” is a term used to describe an inability to either bend or straighten the knee. A locked knee can be a very painful condition that limits not only the knee’s range of motion—the degree to which the joint can move—but your ability to walk, step up, or even sit down comfortably. To find relief, your doctor must first pinpoint the underlying cause of a locked knee. This could be something physically preventing the knee from moving or something that is causing so much pain that the knee cannot bend or extend normally....

Among the treatment options available for erectile dysfunction (ED), there are natural, alternative solutions that show promise, such as acupuncture. This centuries-old practice, which involves stimulating specific energy points in the body with hair-thin needles, is used to help treat many conditions such as chronic pain and arthritis and may also have benefits for erectile dysfunction. In this article, we’ll discuss the benefits of acupuncture and how it may help in treating erectile dysfunction....

People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are more prone to developing depression or a depressive disorder. It’s not because ADHD causes depression, but having ADHD puts a person at four times the risk of developing depression. People with hyperactive or impulsive types of ADHD are at even greater risk of developing depression and are at greater risk of suicide. Several factors may contribute to the link between the two conditions, including the way ADHD changes a person’s emotions, behaviors, and overall functioning and how that impacts their mental health....

A diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) can be emotionally challenging, and being upset or anxious about the unknowns is normal. However, fleeting or brief anxiety is not the same as a clinical anxiety disorder. There are various types of anxiety disorders. They can all negatively impact the quality of life and physical functioning with ALS. Various studies have shown the interplay between ALS symptoms and anxiety. Appropriate treatment for both conditions is a necessary part of any treatment plan....

What Is Avapro? Avapro (irbesartan) is a prescription medication option for the treatment of hypertension or diabetic nephropathy in people with hypertension. Avapro is in the angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) medication class. It works by blocking angiotensin II, which is a type of hormone. Angiotensin II raises high blood pressure by squeezing blood vessels and encouraging the release of another hormone called aldosterone. Aldosterone influences the kidneys to hold onto salt and water....

What Is Cambia? Diclofenac potassium is a prescription medication used to treat acute (sudden) migraine attacks or to reduce mild to moderate pain associated with other inflammatory conditions. It belongs to a class of drugs called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). As an NSAID, diclofenac potassium blocks an enzyme called cyclooxygenase (COX) that helps produce chemicals called prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are thought to contribute to the inflammation that causes painful symptoms. Decreasing prostaglandins may help relieve this inflammation....

Cavities, also called dental caries or tooth decay, are extremely common in children. They can develop in baby teeth or permanent teeth when bacteria in the mouth combines with the sugar from food, starting a process that eats away at the tooth’s outer layer. Cavities are often preventable with proper oral hygiene, a balanced diet, and regular visits to the dentist. This article discusses the causes of cavities in kids, treatment options, and tips for cavity prevention....

As cannabidiol (CBD) has grown in popularity over the years, major organizations like the Arthritis Foundation have released guidelines pertaining to its use in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). CBD is a non-psychoactive component of cannabis. The CBD in most products is extracted from hemp, a variety of cannabis that only has traces (up to 0.3%) of THC, the active compound that gets people high. Studies have shown CBD can help reduce chronic pain by impacting endocannabinoid receptor activity, which may also reduce inflammation....

A chest X-ray creates images of: LungsAirwaysHeartBlood vesselsBones of the chest and spine It is often the first imaging test a doctor will order if lung or heart disease is suspected. If lung cancer is present, chest X-rays can sometimes detect larger tumors. More often than not, though, they fail to diagnose the disease. Chest X-rays also fall short as a tool for lung cancer screening. This article looks at chest X-ray and its use for the diagnosis of lung cancer....

Most people infected with cholera do not develop any symptoms. For those who do, they will feel a lot like they have food poisoning, complete with diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. In most cases, symptoms (while unpleasant) are typically mild, though severe dehydration and other complications from cholera can be fatal if treatment isn’t obtained quickly enough. Frequent Symptoms Cholera can cause physical discomfort in a number of ways, but there are a few symptoms characteristic in nearly all symptomatic cases: diarrhea, nausea, and dehydration....

Low blood pressure (hypotension) is marked by symptoms of dizziness and fatigue and can have many causes. While many people with diabetes have high blood pressure, diabetes can also cause low pressure from dehydration, damage to the autonomic nervous system, or medication side effects. This article will explore whether low blood pressure can be a symptom of diabetes, and the potential causes and treatment options for low blood pressure. What Is Low Blood Pressure?...

If you have diabetes, the sleep cycle disruptions of shift work can increase your risk of mental and physical problems. Shift work is defined as the hours that employees work that are outside the typical workday hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Due to the fact that shift work involves working night hours, the normal sleep cycle—sometimes referred to as circadian rhythm—is often disrupted. Nearly 15 million people in the United States work a job that requires them to be there during the night shift....