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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a long-term lung disease that affects your breathing and can make everyday life challenging. People with COPD are at high risk for severe outcomes from viral respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19. If you are concerned about your risk of contracting the virus that leads to COVID-19, you may be taking extra precautions to stay at home and stay safe during the pandemic. However, at some point, you might need to see a healthcare provider to manage your COPD or another medical problem....

When a person gets older, their ability to hear may gradually decrease over time. This process is referred to as age-related hearing loss. Age-related hearing loss, otherwise known as presbycusis, is common. Research shows that roughly one-third of people over the age of 65 will deal with some loss of hearing. This article discusses the causes and symptoms of age-related hearing loss, as well as the diagnostic tools and treatment options available....

Neck osteoarthritis (also known as neck arthritis or cervical spondylosis) is the degeneration of the joints, bones, and discs of the cervical spine of the neck. Neck arthritis mainly affects people over 50 and tends to worsen with age. Neck arthritis can cause neck pain, stiffness, tingling, numbness, and headaches as well as neck clicking at the base of the skull. Arthritis neck pain can sometimes be severe and may lead to muscle spasms and shooting pains in the shoulders, back, legs, thighs, and buttocks....

Children with autism often have developmental delays—meaning they do not to reach all of their developmental milestones at the appropriate times. But that statement is a huge oversimplification of the reality because: Many autistic children reach early developmental milestones on time or early, but then lose ground.Most autistic children reach some of their developmental milestones on time or early, but reach others late or not at all.Some autistic children reach some of their developmental milestones extraordinarily early but reach others extraordinarily late....

What happens if your breast cancer spreads to your brain? Sometimes, brain metastases are found when breast cancer is first diagnosed, but the majority of the time, brain metastases occur as a distant recurrence of an early-stage breast cancer that was treated in the past. What symptoms may occur, and what treatment options are available if your breast cancer spreads to your brain? Overall, brain metastases occur in 15% to 24% of women with metastatic breast cancer....

The CAGE questionnaire is a list of four questions that are used as a tool to identify a person’s dependency on alcohol. Though it was initially developed by John Ewing, MD, in 1984, it has since been adapted into a variation called the CAGE-AID questionnaire that is used to identify dependency on alcohol or other drugs. The CAGE questionnaire is still one of the most widely used tools for assessing alcohol dependency today....

As your broken bone heals, it should go through different phases, each involving its own set of characteristics. The amount and type of pain and other symptoms will change, as will your range of motion and strength. Knowing these phases and what you should feel as you go through them can help you spot any abnormalities or complications early, so your healthcare provider can deal with them right away. Broken bones typically take at least six weeks to heal, and some may take much longer....

Carbohydrate counting is a mainstay in managing diabetes. The practice involves reading food labels and researching nutrition facts to find out how many grams of carbohydrates are in a serving of the food you’re eating, then keeping track of the total grams consumed in each meal to meet a target goal. The Importance of Carbs for People With Diabetes Carbohydrates are a primary source of glucose (sugar), which is used as fuel by every cell in the body....

The central nervous system (CNS) consists of the brain and spinal cord. The CNS is the body and mind’s control center. Like a central communication hub, it receives, processes, and responds to all types of sensory input. The CNS also controls voluntary muscle movements and motor functions. “Nervous system” is an umbrella term for the bodily system in vertebrates consisting of nerves, ganglia, and receptor organs that can receive and interpret stimuli and transmit impulses to organs....

Among the more common cosmetic dentistry procedures is crown lengthening, which aims to remove excess gum tissue around the teeth. This oral surgery can improve the appearance of a “gummy smile” and may be necessary prior to dental crown placement or other tooth restoration treatments. There are several kinds of crown lengthening surgeries, all of which require some preparation and recovery. Whether it’s to correct a cosmetic issue or to prepare for treatment, crown lengthening is well established as a safe and effective procedure....

Cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) is a condition that causes repeated bouts of nausea and vomiting over several hours or days. CVS is much more common in children and is estimated to affect about 2% of school-aged kids. It usually begins between ages 3 and 7 and it is more likely to occur in girls than boys. This article explains the symptoms, causes, and triggers of cyclic vomiting syndrome. It also talks about how CVS is diagnosed and treated....

Eating too much sugar doesn’t directly cause diabetes. However, there is a correlation (association) between being overweight or having obesity and type 2 diabetes. Over time, consuming too many foods and beverages, including those high in sugar, may lead to weight gain. Excessive weight gain can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Correlation means there is an association between two variables. However, it doesn’t mean that a change in one variable will always lead to the other variable....

A dislocated hip is when the head, or ball, of the hip joint comes out of the socket. If the hip is only partially dislocated, it’s called hip subluxation. When this happens, the ball of the hip joint only comes part way out of the socket. A dislocated hip is an uncommon injury. It usually happens after a severe trauma, including motor vehicle collisions, falls from a height, and sometimes major sports injuries....

The primary treatment options for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) are medications like beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers. Lifestyle changes can also help control HCM symptoms. If symptoms continue despite medical therapy, more invasive therapies like procedures or device installation may be recommended. This article discusses HCM treatment, from medications to more invasive or surgical options. Medications People with HCM can have symptoms, such as chest pain, fainting, and lightheadedness, due to obstruction of blood flow out of the heart due to the thickened heart muscle....

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an irreversible inflammatory disease of the lungs that makes it more difficult to breathe over time. The disease causes changes to the tissues inside the lungs that can make your lungs less efficient at moving oxygen in and carbon dioxide out of your body. The symptoms of COPD include coughing, wheezing, trouble breathing, tightness in the chest, and in some cases, excess mucus production. The most common cause of COPD is cigarette smoking....

Strep throat is an infection caused by bacteria called group A Streptococcus, whose scientific name is Streptococcus pyogenes (S. pyogenes). It is a contagious condition that affects the throat and tonsils (organs in the back of your throat that assist immune functions). While anyone can get strep throat, it is most common in children ages 5 to 15. You can get strep throat when someone with the infection coughs or sneezes around you....

Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition characterized by extreme changes in mood and energy levels. Genetics are not the only cause of bipolar disorder, but research shows that its strong genetic component can increase your risk, making the condition one of the most heritable mental health disorders. Read on to learn more about bipolar disorder and its causes, symptoms, and treatment. Causes of the Condition With bipolar disorder, extreme mood changes occur....

Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in which parts of the digestive tract are inflamed. The most common area that is affected by Crohn’s is the lower part of the ileum, the longest part of the small intestine. It’s also often found in the colon, the longest part of the large intestine. Over time, the inflammation can lead to scarring and complications. The predominant symptom of Crohn’s is diarrhea, but people may also have crampy abdominal pain and weight loss....

What Is Ivy Block? Ivy Block (bentoquatam) is an over-the-counter (OTC) topical (applied to the skin) lotion used to prevent a rash before possible exposure to poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac in adults and children 6 and older. An itchy, blistering rash can occur after your skin comes in contact with urushiol oil, a sticky oil produced by poison ivy, oak, and sumac. This oil absorbs quickly into the skin, often causing a rash (Rhus dermatitis), a type of allergic contact dermatitis....

Knee arthroscopy is considered for surgical management of knee pain after conservative measures have resulted in little improvement in symptoms. The specific procedure will be decided upon by you and your healthcare provider and scheduled at a hospital or outpatient surgical center in advance. Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to arrive at the hospital by the designated time in preparation for your scheduled surgery, including parking, finding the surgery suite, and filling out all necessary paperwork....