Posts

What Is Rinvoq? Rinvoq (upadacitinib) is a prescription immunosuppressant medication that is part of a group of medications called Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors. It works by decreasing immune system activity. inhibiting the production of inflammatory cells. It is typically used in people who have already tried one or more tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers, another medication class that helps treat conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. This medication comes in an extended-release tablet form, taken by mouth once a day....

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune condition in which the body attacks its own cells, causing pain and inflammation. While RA can affect a number of tissues and organs, including the heart, it primarily targets joints. The specific cause of RA has not been identified, but a number of risk factors and lifestyle choices may play a role. Some of the known risk factors for RA include: Advancing age, with most cases beginning when a person is in their 60s Female sex, especially those who have never given birth Genetics, with a high association with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II genotypes Smoking People whose mothers smoked during pregnancy, or who were exposed to secondhand smoke early in life Low income Obesity While there is no known way to prevent RA altogether, certain behaviors may help delay disease onset and minimize its impact on your quality of life....

While it is true that a good night’s sleep is essential to good health, excessive sleep has been linked to a host of medical problems. It is important that while you make sure you’re getting enough sleep every day, that you also make sure you are not getting too much of a good thing. Learning about how much sleep you need each night can provide you with a benchmark to make sure you don’t put yourself at risk for the negative effects of too much sleep....

What Is Tremfya? Tremfya (guselkumab) is an injectable prescription medicine used to treat plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis in adults. Tremfya belongs to a group of drugs called monoclonal antibodies. It works by decreasing naturally-occurring substances in your body that can lead to inflammation and worsen your symptoms. Tremfya is available as a subcutaneous (under the skin) injection and is administered using a needle. What Is Tremfya Used For? Tremfya is used to treat adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy....

Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease that causes inflammation in the lining of the large intestine, also referred to as the colon. Symptoms can include blood in stools, abdominal pain and cramping, an urgent need for bowel movements, and persistent diarrhea. Females may face additional challenges with ulcerative colitis. These can include changes to the menstrual cycle, painful intercourse, pregnancy complications and anemia (lack of healthy red blood cells). Learn more about how ulcerative colitis can impact females in this article....

Living with the unknowns that come with a diagnosis of vitiligo can be socially and emotionally challenging. If you’ve been searching for ways to optimize your diet to help manage your condition or prevent progression, know that you’re not alone. Vitiligo is a condition in which pigment-producing cells called melanocytes die, leaving you with patches of skin that lack coloring. While there isn’t one specific diet recommended for vitiligo, eating a nutrient-dense diet rich in antioxidants, beta-carotene, and phytochemicals can be beneficial because these components support a healthy immune system....

Warm compresses are a time-honored, go-to treatment for a number of eye-related issues. Warm compresses can be used for conditions varying from styes to dry eye and beyond. Here’s what you need to know to get the most from this helpful home remedy. Definition While you may intuitively know what a hot compress is, by definition this involves a pad or piece of flannel or gauze that is dipped in hot water or saline....

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a type of cancer that starts initially in the bone marrow where blood cells are produced and then moves quickly to the blood cells themselves. From there, the cancer can spread to other parts of the body including the liver, spleen, skin, brain, and spinal cord. In the United States, nearly 20,000 cases of AML are diagnosed annually, most of them in adults. Around 12,000 people die of AML each year....

Research shows that certain aspects of the weather may be linked to severe bouts of ankylosing spondylitis. Factors such as cold weather, humidity, high heat, and wind may act as triggers that change or even worsen symptoms. Treatment and a healthy lifestyle may help offset the effects of these changes. Knowing the way weather affects your illness can help you manage the disease. This article describes how some aspects of the weather can affect ankylosing spondylitis and what you can do to cope with these types of triggers....

Almost all of us will have experienced a fasciculation at one time or another. A fasciculation is simply a small, involuntary muscle twitch that occurs spontaneously on any body part. The twitch can be large enough to be felt but generally not large enough to cause a muscle jerk. Although some people will notice a fasciculation when it happens—such as when an eyelid twitches—many of the events will go unnoticed. However, in a condition called benign fasciculation syndrome, these twitches are frequent and widespread....

Breast pain, also called mastalgia, is common. It affects up to 70% of people with breasts throughout their lives. It is usually associated with fluctuating hormones, such as during the menstrual cycle, or periods of hormonal changes, like puberty and perimenopause. However, breast pain can continue after menopause (when periods have stopped for at least 12 straight months) as well. Mastalgia is rarely a symptom of breast cancer, but breast pain at any age or stage should be discussed with a healthcare provider to determine the cause....

From fever to nasal congestion, body aches to sore throat, colds can come with several bothersome symptoms. Many reach for over-the-counter (OTC) medications to ease them—and some reach for more than one, especially if their cold symptoms are varied or severe. Some cold medications can be taken at the same time without issue, but other combinations can pose safety concerns. General Rules Most multi-symptom cold and cough medications should not be combined with each other....

Magnetic bracelets, a form of magnetic therapy, have been touted as an effective way to relieve arthritis pain, but research supporting these benefits is scant and some have suggested that the positive effects are likely due to the placebo effect (where people experience a benefit after being given an inactive treatment) rather than actual benefit. There are other alternative treatments for arthritis: Some also seem questionable, while others have evidence-based utility....

Cancer, in all its forms, can too often take people entirely by surprise. When it does, the disease can be in its late stages by the time people receive a diagnosis, and by that time, treatment options are more limited. One of the best ways to catch cancer early and in its most treatable stages is cancer screenings. Screenings are performed before a patient has any identifiable symptoms. They help detect any small irregularities or problems that are cancerous, or sometimes even precancerous, and have proven to be effective at reducing the number of deaths from some types of cancer....

Capsule endoscopy is a diagnostic procedure in which you swallow a capsule-encased micro-camera so that images of your esophagus, stomach, and small intestine can be taken as the device pass through your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Traditionally, healthcare providers have used endoscopy – a procedure in which a flexible scope is inserted down your throat – to diagnose upper GI disorders. But capsule endoscopy has gained favor as it is painless, minimally invasive, and doesn’t require anesthesia....

A citrus allergy is a reaction to the acid found in citrus fruits like oranges, limes, and lemons. It is not a true allergy but a sensitivity. Citric acid is a simple molecule, and the body doesn’t produce an antibody to it that would trigger an allergic reaction or show up in a traditional allergy skin test. Sensitivity to citric acid is uncommon, but some people do have allergy-like symptoms after eating citrus fruit....

Distal muscular dystrophy (DD), also called distal myopathy, is not one disorder, but a group of genetic disorders under the larger umbrella of muscular dystrophy. DD is marked by progressive weakness and/or wasting of the voluntary distal muscles. These are the muscles farthest from the center of the body, like hands and feet, and parts of the arms and legs. Although the age of onset can be at any time, most often it develops in later life and progresses slowly....

The wildfires on the west coast continue to spread as California enters its sixth week of battling the devastating destruction. With more than two dozen wildfires blazing through the state, over 18,000 firefighters continue to fight the flames daily. The smoke from the west coast has made its way across the country, blowing across Michigan and the Great Lakes region, through the southwest in Missouri, Illinois and Kentucky, and ending in the mid-Atlantic....

Uterine fibroids, also known as myomas or leiomyomas, are muscular tumors that grow in the wall of the uterus. They are typically not cancerous, but can lead to other problems like heavy bleeding and pain or cramping when they develop in the uterine wall. There are several types of fibroids, and one of them is exophytic fibroids. These fibroids are particularly large and grow out of the uterus into the abdominal cavity....

Flaxseed oil is made from ground and pressed flax seeds. Purported flaxseed oil benefits include lowering inflammation, preventing heart disease, and reducing cancer risk. This article discusses the evidence for these and other possible health benefits, along with side effects to be aware of and precautions to take when adding flaxseed oil to your diet. What Is Flaxseed Oil Used For? Flaxseed oil is used for a range of health concerns, including reducing inflammation and preventing cancer....