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When you think of a heart-healthy diet, a piece of chocolate might not be the first thing you’d add to the list. However, researchers are looking at whether chocolate has health benefits—especially for the cardiovascular system. This article will go over some of the studies on chocolate and heart health, including the potential benefits and downsides of including chocolate in your diet. Research Some research has shown a possible link between eating chocolate and better cardiovascular health....

Ureters are the tubes that transport urine from the kidneys to the bladder. There are two ureters in the human body, one connected to each kidney. Ureteral tubes are made of smooth muscle that contracts to push urine from the kidneys to the bladder. Ureters can get blocked and infected. Left untreated, conditions of the ureters can lead to kidney damage. Anatomy Ureters connect the kidneys to the bladder. The upper half of each ureter is located in the abdomen and the lower half is in the pelvis....

A varicocelectomy is a surgery done to treat a varicocele, a condition in which veins inside the scrotum (called the pampiniform plexus) become abnormally enlarged. Surgery is generally performed when the swelling of the veins causes chronic pain or male infertility. Although effective in relieving testicular pain, there remains considerable debate as to how effective varicocele surgery is in restoring male fertility. What Is Varicocele Surgery? Varicocele surgery, also known as varicocelectomy, describes three different surgical techniques that are typically performed on an outpatient basis....

What Is Verquvo? Verquvo (vericiguat) is an oral prescription medication used to reduce the risk of dying and the need for hospitalization in certain people with heart failure. Verquvo belongs to a group of drugs called soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) stimulators. It works by relaxing smooth muscle and widening blood vessels (vasodilation), allowing the heart to pump blood and oxygen more easily throughout the body. What Is Verquvo Used For? The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Verquvo to reduce the risk of dying or the need for hospitalization in certain people with heart failure....

Many people with autism think and learn visually. Autism professionals highly advocate using visual tools to help children and adults with autism learn better and function more effectively in daily life. While not every person with autism is, in fact, a visual learner, there is no question that visual aids, manipulatives, picture cards, video models, and related tools can be very helpful to people with autism. What’s more, most such tools are relatively easy to find and/or make and are quite inexpensive....

Health is clearly impacted by the environment in which we live. Understanding how other related variables, known as social determinants of health, affect us may be critical to optimizing community well-being. What are the social determinants of health? Consider how socioeconomic status, employment, education, social support networks, physical environment or neighborhood characteristics, and access to healthcare services all may play a role in the risk of developing diseases or medical disorders....

Asthma is a condition that can require immediate and ongoing management, and finding the right asthma medication is an important part of that. Most medications for asthma are inhaled and go right to the lungs to open the airways or reduce chronic airway inflammation. There are also oral medications and injections available that may be added to a treatment plan if asthma isn’t well controlled or if you have allergic asthma (which happens in response to allergen exposure)....

Telehealth for type 2 diabetes may have always been useful for many patients, but it became more available—and a necessity—with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. Stay-at-home orders to prevent transmission mean missed appointments unless they can be done virtually. Social distancing means more limited in-person appointment times. Beyond that, people with type 2 diabetes are more likely to become severely ill and get more serious complications from COVID-19 if they are infected, making reducing possible exposure a top priority....

Age and sex drive are closely related. While it tends to drop off with age, it’s not a straight downward slope. It climbs to a peak, then tapers off. You’ve probably heard that female sex drive peaks much later than male sex drive. Research shows that’s true. Female libido tends to increase as fertility declines. Then it dips after menopause. Your personal sexual appetite is determined primarily by brain function, hormones, and beliefs and attitudes about sex....

Asthma is a disease of the airways that cause them to narrow and become swollen. The most common symptoms of an asthma attack include wheezing, shortness of breath, and coughing. Asthma is a chronic condition, which means it does not have a cure. People who have asthma take medicines to control their symptoms. This article is part of Health Divide: Asthma in People of Color, a destination in our Health Divide series....

For the large majority of people, the hardest part of coping with atrial fibrillation (AFib) comes in the weeks or months after the diagnosis when they are in the midst of making the tough decisions about the right treatment approach and, then, starting that plan. However, for most, everything eventually stabilizes—and very often after a surprisingly brief period of time. Successful treatment is found that both gets rid of symptoms and is well tolerated....

Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a form of inflammatory arthritis that causes chronic pain in the lower back and axial joints (spine, chest, and pelvis). This progressive condition can cause severe pain along with stiffness and fatigue. Getting an early diagnosis and beginning treatment is key to managing axSpA. This article discusses the symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment for axSpA. Types of Axial Spondyloarthritis The two types of axial spondyloarthritis are:...

A new report has found that “brain fog” and other neurological symptoms people experience after recovering from COVID-19 might be associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Key Takeaways A new report shows that “brain fog” and other neurological symptoms in people who have had COVID-19 might be linked to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).PTSD is common in people who survive acute life-threatening medical events including heart attack, stroke, and cancer.Social anxiety, financial and job loss, and stigma contribute to increased COVID-19-related PTSD symptoms....

Influenza, also called the flu, is a respiratory illness caused by a virus. Usually, the flu causes symptoms like fever, muscle pain, fatigue, runny nose, and cough. However, some patients – such as people over 65 and people with chronic health conditions – may develop serious flu complications like bronchitis and pneumonia. The influenza vaccine, or seasonal flu shot, is an annual shot that offers effective protection against the flu viruses that are likely to spread in a given year....

For an injury that can be tricky to diagnose, treating a concussion is surprisingly straightforward. There’s no medication required, although Tylenol (acetaminophen) can help if there’s a headache. Sometimes after a head injury, an overnight stay in the hospital for observation is advisable, but it’s rarely necessary. Only a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) would require an intervention such as surgery. In fact, the most effective prescription for a concussion is rest—total rest....

Major depressive disorder, sometimes known as clinical depression, is a complex mood disorder that has emotional, psychological, social, and physical effects. In addition to feelings of sadness, depression can cause a loss of interest in activities, difficulties functioning in areas of life, sleep difficulties, physical problems, and other symptoms. There are several types of depressive disorders, but “depression” usually refers to major depressive disorder (MDD). Read on to learn more about the symptoms of depression and how they can be managed....

Fasenra (benralizumab) is an injectable drug prescribed for adults and children 12 and over who have eosinophilic asthma—a rare form of asthma in which levels of white blood cells called eosinophils are abnormally high. Fasenra, a manmade monoclonal antibody, acts on the immune system to help bring eosinophils under control, thus reducing the risk of severe asthma attacks as well as chronic sinusitis and nasal polyps. Fasenra is used on an ongoing basis as an add-on to standard therapies....

What Is Givlaari? Givlaari (givosiran) is an injectable prescription medication used to treat adults with acute hepatic porphyria (AHP). AHP is a group of rare genetic conditions in which there’s not enough of a special liver enzyme that converts porphyrin to heme in the body. This creates a buildup of toxins in the body, which can lead to painful brain and nerve attacks and sometimes skin conditions like a rash or excessive hair growth....

A sore throat often signals an oncoming cold. Home remedies may help with some types of sore throat, while others may require medical treatment. A sore throat due to strep throat, for example, usually requires antibiotic treatment in order to prevent serious complications. This article discusses the various treatment options for sore throat, from home remedies to over-the-counter (OTC) medications, prescription medications, and more. Home Remedies Most sore throats clear up on their own within one week....

Scabies is a common skin condition caused by an infestation of Sarcoptes scabiei, a parasitic skin mite. The mites burrow under your skin where they feed and lay eggs, creating a cycle that replaces the dead mites with new ones. Intense itching and a rash are common with scabies. These symptoms are caused by an allergic reaction to the mites’ feces or saliva. The time it takes the itching or rash to appear can vary....