Art therapy is a fairly new field in medicine. Yet art—whether viewing it or creating it—has long been known to have healing effects. For people living with cancer, this therapy may be helpful in many ways. In addition to providing a relaxing escape against the backdrop of treatment anxiety and fear for the future, painting or drawing may help you understand the myriad of emotions that can go along with a diagnosis of cancer....
Many different conditions can cause lower back pain or swelling in the legs and feet, but not as many conditions cause both. Swelling in the legs and feet is caused by edema (swelling) and/or inflammation. Some conditions that can cause both lower back pain and swelling are not serious and can be treated at home, while others demand medical attention. This article will explain conditions that can cause both lower back pain and swelling in the legs and feet, and how to diagnose and treat them....
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a condition that is commonly associated with older age, but the inability to get or maintain an erection can also affect younger men—even teens. ED is more common in men under the age of 40 than you might think, though the causes of ED in younger men are often different than in older men. In most cases, ED is treatable, but the condition can be a sign of an underlying health condition, such as early heart disease....
Fear of travel, or hodophobia, is a specific type of phobia that occurs when a person has an extreme fear of traveling. Phobias are a type of anxiety disorder that is characterized by an excessive or irrational fear of an object or experience. Hodophobia can include the anticipation of a trip, the trip itself, or recollecting the experience. Read on to learn more about hodophobia and how to treat it....
Treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma is usually based on the stage of the cancer. In some instances, a person’s age, overall health, the location of the lymphoma, and other factors play a role in the type of treatment that is most effective. Because some Hodgkin treatment modalities can result in serious side effects that show up much later, physicians may opt for a treatment plan with the lowest incidence of side effects....
Many things can cause your blood pressure to be too low (less than 90/60 millimeters of mercury, or mmHg—what’s referred to as hypotension). It can be due to factors that are not related to an underlying disease, such as dehydration or medication side effects. But it may also be the result of issues such as heart problems, hormone disturbances, neural conditions, and even pregnancy. Determining what’s at the root of your low blood pressure starts with figuring out the exact kind of hypotension you have....
Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca L.) is a perennial herb that grows small pink flowers and large green leaves. It is a member of the mint family and is native to Asia and southeastern Europe, although it now grows worldwide. Motherwort is thought to have medicinal uses. Some of these potential uses include reducing the risk of heart disease, treating symptoms of menopause and menstruation, reducing anxiety, and treating high blood pressure, among others....
It can be distressing to be diagnosed with mpox (formerly known as mpox), an infectious viral disease closely related to smallpox. While most people fully recover within two to four weeks, the process can be taxing physically and emotionally. Mpox infections can also be painful, causing unsightly crusting rashes and intense flu-like symptoms. Although less common, complications like diarrhea, vomiting, and eye infections also can occur. Adding to the burden is the emotional stress that mpox can inflict....
People with multiple sclerosis (MS) often experience a fluctuation in symptoms, with some days being nearly symptom-free. In the relapsing-remitting form of the disease, most people will have a number of good days (or even weeks or months) followed by the sudden onset of new symptoms and/or a worsening of existing MS symptoms. This is known as an MS attack, sometimes referred to as a flare-up, relapse, or exacerbation. MS attacks are triggered by inflammation in the central nervous system....
Myasthenia gravis (MG) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) present with many of the same symptoms, such as difficulty swallowing and muscle weakness. However, the two are different conditions. While MG affects how the neurons and muscles communicate with one another, ALS damages nerve cells that control muscle movement. This article discusses the similarities and differences in symptoms, causes, and treatment for both conditions. Symptoms The symptoms present in MG and ALS are similar because the communication pathway between the brain and the muscles is compromised in both conditions....
What Is Mytesi? Mytesi (crofelemer) is an antidiarrheal medication. More specifically, Mytesi is prescribed to relieve symptoms of noninfectious diarrhea in adults taking antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV/AIDS. This type of diarrhea is also known as HIV-related diarrhea. Mytesi works to regulate the amount of water in your digestive tract. Having less water in your digestive tract leads to less watery diarrhea. Mytesi comes as an oral tablet typically taken twice a day....
What Is Nuplazid? Nuplazid (pimavanserin) is a treatment option for hallucinations and delusions related to psychosis due to Parkinson’s disease. Nuplazid is an atypical antipsychotic, which is also known as a second-generation antipsychotic. Nuplazid attaches to the 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptors (binding sites). By attaching to these receptors, Nuplazid is thought to affect how certain brain chemicals work. Nuplazid is available as prescription tablets and capsules. Nuplazid carries a black box warning of a higher chance of death with Nuplazid use in older adults with dementia-related psychosis....
In mid-July 2022, the New York State Department of Health identified a case of polio in a person living in Rockland County who had not been vaccinated. The 20-year-old man developed paralytic polio. He likely got the virus from someone who had been vaccinated with the oral polio vaccine, which is not used in the United States anymore. In some cases, the oral polio vaccine can lead to “vaccine-derived” polio infections because it’s made with live poliovirus (the vaccine used in the U....
Although you may not pay much attention to your stools, inspecting them regularly will give you a sense of which poop color, shapes, and textures are typical for you. That way, you will know when something is off and when you should contact your healthcare provider. This article includes a poop color chart and discusses the meaning of different poop colors—from yellow poop, to poop that is green, pale, dark, or red, to stool that is pebble-shaped or that contains mucus....
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), also referred to as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), are infections typically transmitted (passed) during unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex with an infected partner. Babies can be born with an STI as mothers can pass these infections to their babies during pregnancy, delivery, and breastfeeding. STIs can create pregnancy complications and health problems for the baby. This article reviews which STIs can be passed to newborns and their effects on pregnancy, baby, and breastfeeding....
What Is Rexulti? Rexulti (brexpiprazole) is an atypical antipsychotic, also known as a second-generation antipsychotic, used to treat psychiatric conditions, such as major depressive disorder and schizophrenia. Rexulti is thought to work by mimicking the activity of serotonin and dopamine at specific serotonin 5-HT1A receptors and dopamine D2 receptors while blocking activity at other serotonin receptors. This helps balance these chemicals in the brain. Serotonin and dopamine are neurotransmitters in the brain that plays a role in mood and other mental and emotional functions....
What Is Rhopressa? Rhopressa (netarsudil) is a prescription eye drop used to reduce high pressure inside the eye in adults with ocular hypertension (high pressure in the eye) and open-angle glaucoma (partially blocked eye drainage that causes increased eye pressure over time). The exact way netarsudil works (its mechanism of action) is unknown. However, because it’s a rho kinase inhibitor, it’s thought to work by increasing the flow of fluid out of your eye through its normal path through a particular tissue network called the trabecular meshwork route....
Schizophrenia is a chronic psychiatric disorder that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. The symptoms of schizophrenia are broadly separated into positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and cognitive symptoms. The severity of symptoms can fluctuate, but the condition overall is typically progressive, worsening over time, especially if untreated. Many factors have been linked to schizophrenia, including genetics and environmental factors, but it is not yet known exactly what causes it....
COVID-19 mask mandates and recommendations seem to be changing often these days. Key Takeaways Although mandates and recommendations for wearing masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19 have changed over the past several months, it is still considered safe to go maskless at crowded outdoor events. People who are seriously immunocompromised, however, should consider wearing a mask at a crowded outdoor event, such as a sports game or street festival.Your risk of contracting COVID-19 from exposure at an outdoor event is considerably lower than at any indoor event....
A new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association has found that daily life movement makes a difference in preventing cardiovascular disease in women over the age of 62. Key Takeaways A new study found that daily life movement, like housework and gardening, can help lower the risk of cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women.Routine chores aren’t just a necessary part of life; they also contribute to our sense of physical and mental well-being....
