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Meningitis is inflammation of the meninges, the tissue that covers and protects the brain and spinal cord. It is usually caused by an infection but may be caused by cancer, medication, or another inflammatory condition. When meningitis is caused by infection, it is usually bacterial or viral. The infectious causes of meningitis are contagious and spread by fluids that contain the infectious organisms. Sneezing, coughing, kissing, or even touching contaminated objects can spread the infection....

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) can often live full lives and live independently for years following a diagnosis. However, for some, the symptoms caused by the condition may interfere with their ability to work. When that happens, applying for Social Security disability benefits is an option for them. To apply for MS benefits, a person must meet specific criteria. The criteria handbook is known as the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) Blue Book Listing....

Pack years is a measure of how much you have smoked in your life. Despite what you might assume from the name, it is not the number of years you have smoked. That’s just one part of the math used to count pack years. The other part is how much you’ve smoked each day during that time. Since lung cancer is directly related to the number of cigarettes smoked, doctors can use pack years to help assess someone’s risk of the disease....

Prediabetes is a condition characterized by mildly elevated blood sugar. If left untreated, prediabetes can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. About 96 million American adults have prediabetes. Often, there are no clear warning signs or symptoms of prediabetes. So screening is important if you’re at risk. Fortunately, prediabetes usually can be reversed with lifestyle modifications, including monitoring blood sugar levels, diet changes, and exercise. This article will discuss the risk factors for prediabetes and the screening tests that uncover this serious condition, as well as ways to reverse its course....

Scabies and chiggers are insect-like parasites that are difficult to spot with the naked eye. Both types of mites cause severe itching. But these pests have far more differences than they do similarities. Treatment for symptoms is different in each case. This article will discuss both types of mites, symptoms, identification, causes, treatment, and prevention. What Are Scabies and Chiggers? Both scabies mites and chiggers are mites that can cause severe itching....

Tissue expanders are temporary, expandable, balloon-like devices used after a mastectomy to stretch breast skin and chest wall muscles. This is done in advance of breast implants so that the chest wall and skin can accommodate them. Because of the stretching involved, tissue expanders can be painful or uncomfortable. However, there are a variety of ways to deal with the discomfort as you begin the process of breast reconstruction. Read on to find out more about the process of using tissue expanders, things you can do at home to relieve the pain, medications to help, and physical therapy....

Does your child have skin patches that are dry and itchy? Are these patches red and swollen? Do they sometimes bleed? It could be a condition called eczema. Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is a skin disorder characterized by dry, scaly, inflamed, and itchy skin. It’s the most common skin condition of early childhood. It affects up to 20% of kids, usually by their fifth birthday. Eczema isn’t contagious or typically serious, but it can be irritating to children and concerning for their parents....

Turmeric, the golden spice that gives flavor to curry and other foods, is a well-known anti-inflammatory herb that is purported to clear up acne and treat acne scars. While the herb has been used for millennia in traditional Ayurvedic medicine, modern science is inconclusive on these specific benefits, though the herb is generally very safe to use and is found in many various skincare products on the market today. What Is Turmeric?...

Ulcerative colitis is a common form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It is an immune-mediated disease that affects the large intestine by causing ulcers and bleeding. However, signs and symptoms of the disease may occur in other parts of the body. While IBD is often diagnosed in young adults, ulcerative colitis can also be diagnosed in children. Ulcerative colitis in children is being seen more frequently, especially in kids under the age of 5 years....

What Is Vistaril? Vistaril (hydroxyzine pamoate) is an orally administered prescription medication used in adults and children to relieve itching caused by allergic skin reactions. By itself or combined with other drugs, Vistaril also treats anxiety and tension in children and adults, and it’s given as a sedative before and after general anesthesia for surgery. Vistaril’s primary ingredient, hydroxyzine pamoate, is an antihistamine that relaxes the skeletal muscles and blood vessels, and also has antiemetic (anti-nausea) and sedative effects....

The Affordable Care Act (ACA, also known as Obamacare) ushered in numerous new health insurance regulations. We often hear health coverage described as being “ACA-compliant,” but what does that mean?ACA compliance is required for most types of health coverage, but the specifics vary from one type of health plan to another. This article explains how ACA compliance works for each type of health coverage. Rules Vary by Group Size Most people with private health insurance in the United States get their coverage from an employer....

Occupational health and safety is the area of public health that focuses on illness and injury trends in the workplace. Experts in the field use this knowledge to develop and implement strategies and regulations aimed at limiting hazards that could lead to physical or mental harm now or in the future. The scope of occupational health and safety is broad, encompassing disciplines from hazardous materials and the spread of disease to ergonomics and violence prevention....

Cooking your own meals is extremely beneficial for a variety of reasons, including that you have control of ingredients, which limits fat and provides portion control. And when you cook your own food, you are guaranteed freshness. But it is impossible to put together a meal when you don’t have any food in the house. Keeping the fridge fully stocked can be tough, especially if you have a busy schedule and often wind up throwing food in the garbage due to spoilage....

Our mission is to help you make the best choices for your health. Welcome to Verywell Health, an award-winning resource for credible, fact-based, and up-to-date information you need to confidently make health choices for yourself and your loved ones. We are dedicated to empowering you with the best answers to your most pressing questions, from understanding infectious diseases to managing a new diagnosis and everything in between. For more than 20 years, we’ve worked to create and refine our curated library of comprehensive and trustworthy information....

Behcet’s disease is a rare autoimmune disease that causes blood vessel inflammation—called vasculitis—throughout the body. All-over inflammation can lead to damage to blood vessels, and cause mouth sores, rashes, and eye problems. The severity of the disease varies person-to-person. Symptoms may come and go and the disease may go into periods of remission (where diseases stop or reduce activity) and periods of flare-ups (high disease activity). Fortunately, Behcet’s can be managed with various treatments....

The areola, the dark-colored skin on the breast that surrounds the nipple, can vary in size from one person to the next. Some people are simply born with big areolas, while others have smaller ones. Neither is an indication of any health concern. Areolas can also change in size as you age, gain or lose weight, or experience hormonal changes during puberty, periods, pregnancy, or menopause. While most of these changes are normal and perfectly harmless, certain changes may warrant an examination by a healthcare provider....

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) has traditionally been thought to primarily affect males, although newer studies suggest otherwise. AS also affects females differently, which leads to misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis. Although not as frequent, it can also be misdiagnosed in males. This article covers how AS is diagnosed, why misdiagnosis occurs, and why women are more likely to be misdiagnosed. It also covers how to best advocate for your health care to avoid a delayed AS diagnosis....

Chest pain when breathing is a serious symptom. This is true whether it happens with regular breathing or when taking a deep breath. Issues like muscle strains or shingles may be to blame, but chest pain when breathing can also be a sign of asthma, heart problems, or cancer. You should always see a healthcare provider if you experience chest pain when breathing. And if chest pain and shortness of breath come on suddenly, call 911....

The clavicle, also referred to as the collar bone, is an elongated, S-shaped bone that sits between the shoulder and sternum at the top of the ribcage. It provides structural support between the shoulder and the rest of the skeleton, and is one of the most frequently fractured bones in the body. Structure The clavicle joins the scapula, or shoulder blade, and sternum to form two joints on either end of the bone, which are:...

Almost 40% of people living in the United States have high cholesterol levels, which puts them at risk for heart attacks and strokes. Key Takeaways Having high cholesterol is linked to many health risks, including heart disease.The long-standing dietary advice for high cholesterol has been to limit, if not avoid, certain food groups. However, research has not backed up cutting out certain cholesterol-containing foods when they’re part of an overall heart-healthy diet....