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Reports are surfacing of a possible new symptom of COVID-19 related to your mouth. Features of “COVID tongue” include tongue discoloration, enlargement, mouth ulcers, and more. Key Takeaways Despite reports of the phenomenon, experts say that there is not yet enough research to say whether “COVID tongue” is real.Preliminary studies connecting COVID-19 to mouth problems have been mainly observational and focused on a small number of people.Good oral health practices can prevent worsening mouth problems, whether you have COVID-19 or not....

Developmental dyspraxia, also known as developmental coordination disorder (DCD), is a physical coordination disorder that makes it challenging to coordinate motor and sensory tasks. This article provides an overview of developmental dyspraxia, including diagnosis, treatment, misconceptions about the disorder, and what to expect when parenting a child with dyspraxia. Dyspraxia or DCD? Dyspraxia and DCD are terms that are often used interchangeably. However, there is a difference between them. Dyspraxia is a term used to describe difficulty with motor development and coordination skills....

Ear pain, or earache, can originate from any of the three parts of the ear. Among the three sections in the ear, a person could have outer ear pain, middle ear pain, or inner ear pain. Ear pain can also originate from a problem close to the ear, such as from sinusitis, temporomandibular joint syndrome, or a dental infection. How ear pain feels (aching, sharp, dull, etc.), its intensity, its location, and other symptoms you are experiencing (e....

Hysterectomy is a type of surgery in which a woman’s uterus (or womb) is removed, sometimes along with the ovaries, cervix, Fallopian tubes, or other structures. It ranks just behind Caesarean section as the second most common surgery among women in the United States. It may be recommended as a treatment for uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and certain gynecological cancers, among other concerns. If you have a hysterectomy, you’re in good company among the 20 million American women who have had one....

Glucose is the body’s main source of energy. You get it mainly from carbohydrates that you eat, like sugar and grains. It is carried through your blood to the cells in your body, which use it for fuel. The amount of glucose in your bloodstream is called blood sugar or blood glucose. Your body regulates blood glucose levels with insulin, a hormone that pulls glucose from the bloodstream and into cells to be used for energy....

Tree nuts are nuts that grow on trees. They include Brazil nuts, cashews, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, and hazelnuts. Hazelnut allergy is one of the most common tree nut allergies, affecting 0.2% to 0.5% of people in the United States. This article explains where hazelnuts are found and what kinds of symptoms an allergic reaction can cause. It will also discuss how hazelnut allergy is diagnosed and how you can manage it if you have this allergy....

The treatment of Chagas disease depends on when the disease is diagnosed. People who are diagnosed during the acute phase of the disease are treated differently than those who are diagnosed during the chronic phase. Acute-Phase Disease The only good opportunity for curing Chagas disease—that is, of completely eradicating the Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) parasite from the body—is if treatment can be started early in the course of the disease, during the acute phase....

Hyperkalemia is an electrolyte disorder where a person has too much potassium in the blood. Electrolytes are minerals (like sodium and potassium) that carry an electrical charge. Hyperkalemia can lead to life-threatening problems with electrical conduction in the heart. People with chronic kidney disease, diabetes, heart failure, and those taking certain blood pressure medicines are most at risk for hyperkalemia. However, everyone needs to recognize potential symptoms associated with the problem....

Talking about the causes of hyperthyroidism requires discussion of far more potentials—Graves’ disease, thyroiditis, goiter, and others—than the average condition. While there is a characteristic commonality among them in that they all cause your thyroid gland to produce too much thyroid hormone, how they do this varies. A few causes are technically avoidable, but most are not—and determining which one is at the root of your specific case requires testing....

Jock itch, also known as tinea cruris, is a fungal infection of the skin in the groin. The warm, moist environment is the perfect place for the fungus to grow. Anything that enhances that environment puts the person at risk of getting jock itch. Therefore, wearing sweaty, wet clothing in the summertime or wearing several layers of clothing in the wintertime causes an increased incidence of jock itch. What Is Jock Itch?...

Joint popping (crepitus) refers to audible sounds, including popping, cracking, and grinding, that results from movement of a joint. Joint popping can also cause the sensation of pressure being released within the joint. Joint popping is a common occurrence from having stiff joints, but it can sometimes occur from more serious issues. This article will discuss the symptoms, causes, and treatments for joint popping, and when to see a healthcare provider....

Lung cancer has several possible causes. While smoking tobacco is the leading cause of lung cancer, there are many other risk factors. This article looks at the most common causes and risk factors of lung cancer. It also helps you to identify lung cancer risks so that you can make lifestyle choices to reduce those risks. Common Causes and Risk Factors A cause is something that directly contributes to the development of a disease....

Type 1 diabetes can be a difficult diagnosis for children and parents. Learning to manage the disease at home and finding what works and what doesn’t can take time. Factor school into the equation, and things can get a little trickier when you, as the parent or guardian, can’t be there to help. Nevertheless, with some planning and the help of the administration and staff at your child’s school, you will find that managing type 1 diabetes at school is very doable and safe....

Fetal heart rate is a term that refers to a baby’s heartbeat while they’re in the uterus. It can provide lots of information about your baby’s health during pregnancy. Healthcare providers usually start listening for a baby’s heart rate at the 10- or 12-week prenatal visit. From there, providers generally check it during each subsequent prenatal appointment and also monitor it during labor. This article reviews normal fetal heart rate, how it is measured, who should monitor it, and what causes variations....

Prescribed to help manage moderate to severe pain, oxycodone is an opioid analgesic drug. It acts on the central nervous system (CNS) of the brain, essentially suppressing pain signaling and stimulating the body’s own pain managing system. Oxycodone is sold under many names, including Xtampza ER, Oxyfast, Oxaydo, Oxycontin, and others. An active ingredient in other formulations of opioids, in its pure form oxycodone is usually a tablet or capsule, though it may be prescribed in liquid form....

Palliative care and hospice care are often confused with one another. Both have the goal to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life for people with chronic medical conditions. However, what that care includes and who qualifies for it are quite different. Palliative care is intended to be used by anyone who has a serious illness, whether or not they are at the end of life. Someone who receives palliative care can choose to pursue curative treatments for their condition; for example, undergoing chemotherapy for cancer....

Papilledema is the term used for swelling of one or both optic nerve discs. The optic nerve disc, also called optic nerve head, is a small oval-shaped area on the back of the eye, marking the site of entrance of the optic nerve into the eyeball. Papilledema is a sign of some diseases that affect the brain. The conditions that cause papilledema can cause serious damage to the optic nerve or to the brain, resulting in vision loss or brain damage if not treated....

Psoriasis and depression can occur on their own, but when a person has psoriasis, their risk of developing depression is higher. Depression is also linked to psoriatic arthritis (PsA), an inflammatory form of arthritis connected to psoriasis but classified as a separate disorder. While psoriasis is a skin disorder that causes plaques and scales to build up on the skin, psoriatic arthritis causes inflammation within the joints and spine, leading to joint pain, swelling, and stiffness....

Pregnancy is supposed to be a time of happiness, anticipation, and planning. But for women living with psoriasis and their partners, there are additional worries, including if you will pass psoriasis on to your child, anticipating flares, planning for treatments, and worrying about how safe treatments will be before and during pregnancy and if you can breastfeed your new baby. Here is what you need to know about genetic risk, planning for pregnancy, managing pregnancy, delivery, and life after the birth of your baby while living with psoriasis....

A psychiatrist (MD or DO) is a medical doctor with the education and training to diagnose mental disorders and prescribe medications. They can also evaluate for medical conditions that may be contributing to your psychiatric symptoms. Psychiatrists can also provide psychotherapy services. Psychiatrists go to medical school and complete residency training specializing in mental health. Psychologists are also highly specialized mental health professionals. They have PhDs or PsyDs, and offer psychotherapy as well, but they can’t prescribe medications in most states and don’t have medical training....