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Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are typically transmitted or passed through sexual activity such as oral, vaginal, or anal sex. However, some STDs may be transmitted through casual conduct, like sharing food or borrowing dirty towels. Bloodborne infections, such as hepatitis B and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), can be transmitted through nonsexual contact with infected body fluids, such as blood. This article reviews how STDs are transmitted, ways they spread without having sex, STD prevention, and signs of an STD....

What should you do about pink eye when you have work obligations? Aside from one or both eyes appearing pink and possibly having some discharge, you often feel fine otherwise. You know you could be accomplishing a lot at work, but should you go inwith pink eye? Answering that depends on the type of pink eye you have. Pink eye occurs when the transparent conjunctiva that covers the white part of the eye (sclera) becomes inflamed....

The colon is a tubular organ that is part of the digestive system. It works alongside organs such as the stomach and small intestine to remove stool and maintain your fluid and electrolyte balance. Also known as the large intestine, the colon is made up of different sections. They connect at one end to the ileum, the final part of the small intestine, and at the other end to the anus (where stool leaves the body)....

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) evolved into a pandemic that has infected millions of people worldwide. Scientists and researchers are actively working to find treatments for the disease, and, ideally, find a way to prevent infection in the first place. There are hundreds of clinical trials underway evaluating the potential effectiveness of existing drugs and new drugs and testing the viability of vaccines and blood products. This article outlines a list of high-profile treatments that have been tested against the virus, starting with those currently in clinical use and ending with those still undergoing investigation....

What Is Crestor? Crestor (rosuvastatin) is a prescription lipid-lowering medication. Lipids are fats in the body, and elevated lipid levels increase the risk of blood clots that cause heart attacks and strokes. This medication is available in tablet form to be taken by mouth. Crestor is considered a statin. It lowers lipids by reducing the formation and increasing the breakdown of certain lipid molecules. Crestor inhibits HMG-CoA reductase, an enzyme involved in the production of cholesterol....

Females, overall, live longer than males. But who ages faster? Who ages better? A lot of variables go into life expectancy and how you look, feel, and function as you age. This article explores the differences in aging between the two most common sexes, considering life expectancy, appearance, healthcare use, hormones, sexual function, and brain aging. Life Expectancy It’s a simple fact that, almost everywhere in the world, females live longer than males....

Sometimes, exposure to something within your home or close surroundings can trigger environmental allergy symptoms. Unfortunately, unlike seasonal allergies, environmental allergies can persist all year long. Read more in this overview of the causes, symptoms, and treatment of environmental allergies. What Are Environmental Allergies? Allergies are a chronic condition that occurs when your immune system reacts to a foreign substance. They can be caused by food, something inhaled into the lungs, through injection, or by touch....

The herpes simplex virus (HSV) is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) affecting more than 400 million people worldwide. It has two types, HSV-1 and HSV-2. Both can cause an outbreak of genital sores, but HSV-2 is considered genital herpes. Women have a higher rate of contracting genital herpes than men for a few reasons. First, it’s more easily transmitted from men to women during penetrative sex. Around 8% of men age 14–49 have HSV-2 infection, while twice as many women of the same age group—about 16%—test positive....

The fibula is the slender long bone that is attached next to and a little below the tibia (shinbone). It bears very little body weight. The fibula provides lateral stability for the lower leg and acts as a tie rod to increase the range of motion for the ankle, especially lateral and medial rotation of the foot. It is the thinnest of all the long bones compared to its length....

What are fire ants and where are they found? What types of reactions may occur after a sting? How is a fire ant allergy diagnosed and what are the options for treatment? These are very important questions as more than half of the people who live in areas where fire ants are found receive stings each year. Of those people who are stung, in turn, around half have some type of allergic reaction....

Glutathione is an antioxidant found naturally in your body. Also known as GSH, it is produced by the liver and nerve cells in the central nervous system and is made from three amino acids: glycine, L-cysteine, and L-glutamate. Glutathione can help metabolize toxins, break down free radicals, support immune function, and more. This article discusses the antioxidant glutathione along with its uses and purported benefits. It also provides examples of how to get more glutathione in your diet....

Goodpasture syndrome is a very rare and potentially life-threatening autoimmune disease that damages both the lungs and the kidneys. It is also sometimes known as Goodpasture disease or anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) disease. However, medical professionals sometimes use these terms slightly differently. Goodpasture syndrome is a rare disease, with one in a million people newly diagnosed with the condition each year. It was first characterized by a Dr. Ernest Goodpasture in 1919....

Contrary to what some people think, you cannot feel if your cholesterol levels are high. As with conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes, the lack of symptoms doesn’t mean that you are inherently OK or have less to worry about. If left untreated, high cholesterol can place you at risk of serious complications, including a heart attack or stroke. High cholesterol is one of the main risk factors for heart disease (alongside high blood pressure and obesity)....

A high-risk pregnancy is one in which you, your baby, or both are at higher risk of health problems during pregnancy or delivery than in a typical pregnancy. It often requires care from specially trained providers. Some pregnancies become high risk as they progress, while others are at increased risk for complications before the pregnancy begins due to chronic conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure or complications from a previous pregnancy, or other issues....

Thomas Daniels has been living with bipolar disorder for well over a decade, but lately, they’ve found it increasingly challenging to manage their symptoms. As a non-binary person, Daniels has been watching the escalating attacks against LGBTQ+ people in horror. They are living in constant anxiety about what the future may hold for themselves and their community. Key Takeaways A historic number of proposed anti-LGBTQ+ bills and an alarming rise in charged rhetoric against the community are damaging the mental health of queer folks....

Turmeric is a spice that comes from the root of the Curcuma longa plant, part of the ginger family, which has been used for centuries in Asian cooking. Now research suggests that turmeric may help prevent or treat prostate cancer. Research has also shown that turmeric may help a wide variety of health conditions from acne to arthritis due to its anti-inflammatory properties. How Turmeric May Work The popular herbal medicine contains the antioxidant curcumin, a curcuminoid that is responsible for turmeric’s yellow color and prevents inflammation by blocking molecules that cause it....

An intra-articular injection is a type of shot that’s placed directly into a joint to relieve pain. Corticosteroids (steroids), local anesthetics, hyaluronic acid, and Botox are the most common substances injected into joints for this treatment. Your healthcare provider might discuss a joint injection with you if your pain has not improved with conservative treatments, such as pain relievers, oral anti-inflammatory drugs, and physical therapy. Types of Intra-Articular Injections Besides treating pain, joint injections can have different purposes....

Melatonin is safe for many adults. The brain produces this natural hormone, which is also available as a supplement to help individuals sleep. However, there is a lack of research on melatonin safety in certain groups of people, such as babies and children. This article provides an overview of the safety of melatonin, including how it affects different age groups and its possible side effects. Is Melatonin Safe? For most healthy adults, it is safe to use melatonin as a sleep aid for about one to two months....

If you have an underactive thyroid gland, you need to take your medication every day at the same time. Doctors often tell you to take your thyroid medication first thing in the morning. There is some research, though, that suggests it may be better to take your dose at bedtime. This may be because it’s easier for your body to absorb thyroid hormone overnight. For most people, it doesn’t really matter if you take your thyroid medicine in the morning or just before bed....

What Is Nitrofurantoin? Nitrofurantoin is an oral antibiotic used to treat urinary tract infections (UTIs), which is a type of bladder infection. It works by killing the bacteria that cause the infection. Nitrofurantoin is available as oral capsules and an oral solution if you have trouble swallowing pills. Nitrofurantoin is a prescription medication, so you’ll need to visit your healthcare provider to see if this treatment is right for you....