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Fibromyalgia can make it hard to get to healthcare provider’s appointments, but between improvements in technology and the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth appointments are now a reality and becoming increasingly common. They allow you to stay home and see your healthcare provider remotely via your computer, phone, or tablet. Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that typically involves abnormal pain, intense fatigue, lack of energy, cognitive dysfunction (“fibro fog”), and myriad other symptoms, and may include flares when symptoms are especially intense....

When most people think of migraines, they imagine terrible headaches that are often worsened by light or bright noise. But there are several different types of migraines, one of which is called vestibular migraine. Vestibular migraines are characterized primarily by vertigo (a sensation of spinning), unsteadiness or lack of balance, sensitivity to motion, and muffled hearing or tinnitus (ringing in the ears). It’s thought that around 10 percent of people with migraines suffer from the vestibular variety....

Epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, is a powerful stress hormone and neurotransmitter that is produced by the adrenal glands. It plays a vital role in the body’s acute stress response by stimulating the sympathetic nervous system. Epinephrine is involved in various important functions throughout the body such as breathing, muscle contractions, and the fight or flight response. It can also be used as a drug due to its various important functions....

What Is Zanaflex? Zanaflex (tizanidine) is a prescription muscle relaxant used to treat extreme muscle tightness (spasticity). Muscle spasticity can occur due to different medical problems, like stroke, that affect the nervous system. Zanaflex belongs to a group of drugs called central alpha-2 adrenergic agonists. These drugs block a signaling receptor found on some neurons inside the spinal cord. Ultimately this leads to decreased activation of the neurons that usually trigger muscle contraction....

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common type of skin cancer worldwide, often producing shiny lesions on the skin that can be (but are not always) discolored. It develops in the basal cells, which originate in the lowest level of the epidermis. Basal cell carcinoma accounts for about 80% of all non-melanoma skin cancer cases worldwide, and skin damage from UV light (sunlight, tanning beds) is one of the leading causes....

There are specific restrictions around blood donation to keep the blood supply safe for those who need it. People with certain types of viral hepatitis cannot donate blood, but this does not apply to all types of hepatitis. If you have viral hepatitis and are inclined to donate blood, it’s worth learning if you’re truly barred from doing so or not. According to the American Red Cross, someone in the United States needs a blood transfusion every two seconds, translating to around 29,000 units of blood per day....

Vaccines can cause side effects such as headaches, fever, or joint pain. The most common side effect of the COVID-19 vaccine is injection site soreness. There are also reports of axillary (armpit) pain near the breast on the side of the COVID-19 vaccination. Mammograms (breast cancer screening) have also detected swollen lymph nodes after the injection. While this may sound alarming, these are known side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine, and they resolve on their own....

What Is Brovana? Brovana (arformoterol) is a long-acting beta-2-adrenergic receptor agonist (LABA) used as a long-term maintenance treatment for bronchoconstriction in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Bronchoconstriction is the tightening of the smooth muscle of the bronchi and bronchioles (airways), causing breathing-related complications. LABAs work by binding to beta-2 receptors in the bronchial smooth muscle causing relaxation of these muscles, resulting in bronchodilation. This medication is available as a solution for inhalation via a nebulizer....

You are able to donate blood if you have arthritis, as long as your disease is well controlled, you can get in and out of the donation chair without help, and your are otherwise healthy. This applies whether you have rheumatoid arthritis (or another autoimmune disease, like psoriatic arthritis) or osteoarthritis, also called wear-and-tear arthritis. Exceptions come in if a particular blood bank has their own rules against this or if certain conditions are not met....

While we don’t have a vaccine that can directly prevent cancer, there are vaccines being used (and more being developed) that can both prevent certain causes of cancer and treat the disease itself. Currently, there are two types of cancer vaccines available: Preventive vaccines can protect you from oncoviruses, or viruses that are strongly linked to cancer, while therapeutic vaccines attack cancer cells. The United States currently has four preventive vaccines and three therapeutic vaccines that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)....

If you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), you may experience a feeling of chest tightness from time to time. This is a common effect of COPD, but chest tightness can also be a sign of other medical conditions—including an asthma attack, heart failure, or a life-threatening heart attack. The structural lung changes in COPD cause that sensation of chest and lung tightness. If you experience this, your medical team will likely order some diagnostic tests for you so that the exact cause can be identified....

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can lead to swelling, particularly in the feet, ankles, and legs (known as peripheral edema). As COPD impairs your lungs and heart, it affects your circulation, which leads to fluid retention. This swelling can be uncomfortable and limit your activity. Edema is often a sign of advancing disease and is particularly prevalent in those with end-stage COPD. However, the correlation between swelling and the severity of COPD isn’t necessarily a strict one....

Severe diverticulitis symptoms, including sudden, intense, and continuing lower-abdominal or low-back pain, ongoing fever, excessive nausea and vomiting, persistent diarrhea, and blood in your stools, indicate you might need to go to the hospital. Severe diverticulitis may lead to complications that require immediate medical attention. This article reviews severe symptoms of diverticulitis, possible associated complications, how to know when you need to go to the hospital, and what to expect for diagnosis, treatment, and recovery....

Many essential oils (EOs) have antifungal properties. Tinea pedis (athlete’s foot) is a fungal condition often treated with antifungal medications, but some people use essential oils to treat it. Athlete’s foot often occurs after exposure to the fungus in the damp places where it lives, such as locker room floors, showers, and pools. When you have athlete’s foot, your affected foot may be red, itchy, have blisters, and peel, This article explains which essential oils could be options for treating athlete’s foot, their benefits, side effects, and how to use them....

Executive function describes several aspects of thinking, including planning, memory, and self-control. For most people, executive function naturally improves throughout childhood and adulthood as the brain matures and various experiences shape these abilities. In addition to the natural improvements in executive function that you can expect to develop throughout the years, it is also possible to pay attention to the different components of your executive function and to work on improving them so you can be happier and more productive....

When undergoing cancer treatment, you may stop eating certain foods because of taste changes, mouth sores, or nausea. If you are receiving chemotherapy, it’s also important to pass on raw and undercooked foods because of an increased risk of food-borne illnesses. For example, unwashed vegetables, unpasteurized dairy, raw sushi, and runny eggs are all foods that should be avoided while on chemotherapy. Chemotherapy suppresses your immune system, making you more susceptible to infections....

If you have type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes, managing your blood sugar can help you minimize the nerve damage of diabetic neuropathy. However, this complication can develop with long-term diabetes even when blood sugar is well controlled. If you already are experiencing signs of diabetic neuropathy, it’s crucial that you get proper treatment to help prevent the progression of this nerve condition. Additionally, diabetic neuropathy can cause many complications, including falling, malnutrition, infected wounds, and more....

A new study is quantifying just how much having high blood pressure can influence COVID-19 risk. Key Takeaways A study from the U.K. showed a correlation between elevated blood pressure and the risk of severe COVID.If you have high blood pressure, taking measures to get it under control is one way to reduce your risk of hospitalization and death from COVID. Researchers from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom found that people with high blood pressure are 22% more likely to develop severe COVID—defined as being hospitalized or dying from COVID—than those whose blood pressure is in a healthy or normal range....

Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease are both neurodegenerative diseases. These types of diseases occur when nerve cells in the brain or peripheral nervous system deteriorate and die off over time. While there is some overlap between Parkinson’s and Huntington’s, in that they both affect movement, there are distinct differences. The main difference between these diseases is in their genetic makeup. Huntington’s is an inherited disorder caused by a genetic abnormality. Parkinson’s occurs when the nerve cells in the brain don’t produce enough dopamine, which can be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors....

The sleep cycle involves a series of transitional states that repeat themselves throughout the hours that you’re sleeping. It’s not uncommon for people to experience a type of hallucination while falling asleep or after waking, though there are conditions like narcolepsy that may make it more likely. Hypnopompic hallucinations typically occur as you’re waking up. They’re mostly visual, and may feel as if your dream state is continuing into your wakefulness, as with lucid dreaming....