Posts

Yellow tongue is usually a harmless symptom caused by bacteria buildup. The yellow tongue can also result from certain lifestyle habits or underlying health issues. Rarely, jaundice, or yellowing of the skin and eyes, can include yellow tongue. Yellow tongue can also be a phase before a condition called black hairy tongue. If a yellow tongue doesn’t disappear with lifestyle changes or better oral hygiene, it might help to see a healthcare professional, especially if there are other concerning symptoms present....

When tax time rolls around, you may be wondering if your health insurance premiums are tax-deductible. The answer? Maybe, depending on various factors, including how you get your coverage, whether you’re self-employed, and how much you spend on medical costs, including your health insurance premiums. This article will explain how tax deductibility works for health insurance premiums, including how the rules differ depending on whether you’re self-employed and how much you spend on medical costs....

Breast ultrasounds are an imaging test that uses inaudible sound waves to look inside your breasts. Healthcare providers use this non-invasive test as a follow-up to an abnormal finding from a breast cancer screening test called a mammogram. They might also be ordered because of concerning findings from a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or clinical breast exam. Breast ultrasounds provide detailed, high-contrast images that help radiologists decide if a lump is solid or fluid-filled....

A hoarse voice may be a barely noticeable change in the volume of your speech or it may be pronounced, with a raspy sound that is hardly audible. A hoarse voice can be caused by anything that interferes with the normal vibration of the vocal cords, such as swelling and inflammation, polyps that get in the way of the vocal cords closing properly, nodules, or conditions that result in one or both of the vocal cords becoming paralyzed....

What Is Conzip? Conzip (tramadol) is a prescription medication for treating severe pain requiring long-term, around-the-clock management. It belongs to a class of drugs known as opioid receptor agonists. Tramadol is thought to work through two complementary mechanisms of action. First, it binds to the mu-opioid receptors in the brain. This blocks certain pain pathways, preventing pain signals from reaching the central nervous system (CNS). At the same time, it also blocks the reuptake (reabsorption) of norepinephrine and serotonin into the nerve cells that release them....

A cough is a spontaneous reflex that helps clear dust, germs, and mucus out of the throat and airways. Coughing keeps the body safe from invaders, and most coughs are not serious. Colds, sinus congestion or infection, and allergies can cause a cough, as can the flu. In some cases, a cough can be a symptom of a more serious condition like pneumonia or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Some medicines—including those that treat kidney or heart disease or high blood pressure—lung disease, smoking, and allergies can also cause a cough....

People who suffer from tension headaches that do not respond to over-the-counter (OTC) medications may find relief with combination drugs that include butalbital. Butalbital is not available as a single agent, but it is included with other ingredients in the prescription medications Fioricet and Fiorinal. It is a barbiturate sedative. In 2022, the Drug Enforcement Agency—responsible for the rules that govern access to these drugs—said it plans to put all forms into the more tightly controlled Class III category....

Fluid on the knee, also known as knee effusion or water on the knee, is a painful condition resulting from fluid collecting around and inside the knee joint. Whenever there’s damage to the knee, such as from injuries or underlying diseases, it can lead to excess fluid. The methods you use to reduce swelling will depend on the cause and may need a healthcare provider’s diagnosis. This article explores the common causes and treatments of fluid on the knee and when you should get medical care....

Headaches occur for many reasons, and, in some cases, nausea accompanies them. These symptoms can arise in primary headache disorders, in which symptoms arise independently, from no other causes, like migraines, or as the result of another illness such as stomach flu and food poisoning, among many others. Additionally, other health factors, such as dehydration, menstruation, and alcohol consumption can be at fault. And while it’s not uncommon to experience headaches with nausea, this combination shouldn’t be taken lightly....

Urinary incontinence—the loss of bladder control—is a frustrating condition but one that is more common than many people think. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly 51% of females and 14% of males in the United States experience some level of urinary leakage, Although urinary incontinence is often very treatable, people are sometimes too embarrassed to seek treatment or are not sure whom to speak to about their symptoms....

Intestinal cancer, which is also called duodenal cancer, ileal cancer, jejunal cancer, and small intestine cancer, is a rare type of cancer. The small intestine is the part of the digestive tract between the esophagus and the stomach. It is where food is digested and vitamins and minerals are absorbed. While this type of cancer represents less than 1% of all yearly cancer diagnoses in the United States, cases have been increasing by about 2% each year....

Different types of medications are used to treat migraine headaches, depending on the level of pain you are experiencing. Some medicine can prevent migraines, while others treat current symptoms. Read more about the most common types of medicine used for migraine treatment. What Is a Migraine? Migraines are primary headache disorders, in which headaches arise independently of other illnesses or diseases. Lasting anywhere from four to 72 hours or more, migraine attacks are distinctive in that they cause a broader range of symptoms than just headaches....

Nexplanon is an implant that a healthcare professional can place under the skin in your upper arm to provide long-lasting birth control. It is a progestin-only contraceptive and protects against pregnancy for three years. A single, thin rod measuring 1.6 inches long, about the size of a matchstick, Nexplanon is discreet. It is not visibly noticeable, but you may feel it if you run your fingers over your skin. This article covers how Nexplanon works and what to expect if you are thinking about getting one....

The NFL is kicking off the 2021 season on Thursday with a 93% vaccination rate among players. This uptake appears to be voluntary as the league has not mandated vaccinations, yet the pressure exists in the form of vaccine rules and financial penalties. Key Takeaways Instead of mandating vaccination, the NFL placed harsh financial penalties on teams that have to reschedule or cancel games because of a COVID-19 outbreak among unvaccinated players or staff....

After a stroke, you may have significant personality changes in addition to the obvious physical effects. These behavioral changes can take you and your loved ones by surprise if you suddenly do not act like “yourself” anymore. You can get some reassurance by realizing that personality changes sometimes happen after a stroke. It helps explain why you or your loved one might be acting a little differently. Acknowledging personality changes can be a huge step in changing unwanted behavior....

Looking at melanoma pictures can help you learn what to look for when you’re doing a skin self-exam at home. Melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer, but it is also important to learn how to spot other, more common skin cancers like basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas. As a general rule, however, any new lesion should be checked out by a skin specialist called a dermatologist—especially if the lesion is growing or changing....

A urinary tract infection (UTI) can make you feel miserable and can also cause serious problems if left untreated. With as many as 60% of females likely to get a UTI at some point (and at least 15% of males), prevention is key to avoiding the persistent and sometimes severe complications of infection. While safer sex and good genital hygiene are central to preventing a UTI, there are other practices that may help if you are prone to recurrent infection....

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common vaginal infection that affects more than 21 million women ages 14 to 49. It occurs when the unhealthy bacteria outweigh the healthy bacteria in the normal vaginal flora (microorganisms). A strong “fishy” smelling vaginal discharge is the most common symptom of BV. Vaginal discharge also increases, and it is thin (and sometimes foamy) gray, greenish, yellow, or white. Probiotics are “good," or beneficial, bacteria that naturally live in the body....

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and fibromyalgia are two very painful and life-altering health conditions. While each condition has its unique features, they do share many common characteristics. PsA is a type of inflammatory arthritis that causes joint and tissue inflammation throughout the body. It can also affect the skin. Fibromyalgia also affects the muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues, causing whole-body pain. These two conditions can exist alone or together. Living with both PsA and fibromyalgia can be quite a challenge, so it is important to manage and treat both conditions....

A lobectomy—removal of a lobe in a lung—is major surgery usually offered as a treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). You’ll need to take your time recovering from this procedure and will go through a period of healing in the hospital and then at home. During this time, you’ll be weaned from a ventilator, have chest tubes that were inserted after surgery removed, and resume eating and drinking. How long it will take to fully recover from a lobectomy (whether an upper lobe, middle lobe, or lower lobe is removed) will depend, in large part, on the surgical technique used....