Posts

What Is Kisqali? Kisqali (ribociclib) is a cancer treatment pill. It is used to treat a type of advanced breast cancer (hormone receptor-positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative) in adults. “Hormone receptor-positive” means that this type of breast cancer needs specific hormones (e.g., estrogen) to proliferate (grow). Ribociclib is available as a tablet and only with a prescription. It belongs to the drug class called kinase inhibitors. Kinase inhibitors stop cancer growth by blocking specific enzymes in cancer cells that would normally cause them to grow and make more cancer cells....

Laser hair removal has been shown to help with Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) boils. HS is caused by obstruction of the hair follicles and inflammation of the sweat glands, which can cause infection. While there’s no cure for HS, there are treatments available to slow the disease’s progression and help prevent and heal the lesions. In this article, you’ll learn more about HS, how laser hair removal can help the condition, and what to expect with laser hair removal treatments....

The symptoms and side effects of treatment for multiple myeloma, a rare form of blood cancer, can sometimes reduce your appetite, making it difficult to eat on a regular schedule and get the nutrients your body needs. Though it can be challenging, getting the right nutrients is an important step to feeling better. While there is no specific diet you must follow when you have multiple myeloma, some nutritional strategies may help reduce common symptoms, support your health, and keep you strong while undergoing treatment....

Osteopathic medicine is a branch of medical practice in the United States that centers around a “whole person” approach to patient treatment, emphasizing preventive care. For example, in osteopathic medicine, the patient’s lifestyle, environment, and well-being are considered, rather than just treating symptoms of an illness. Founded by a physician in the 19th century, osteopathic medicine is based on the philosophy that all body systems are interconnected and work together to heal illness and maintain good health....

Immigrants can apply for a visa or a green card as long as they are not considered a public charge. What does that mean and how do recent changes to the public charge rule by the Trump administration affect someone’s ability to come into the country? What Is Public Charge? A public charge is an alien—an individual from another country—who receives certain government social welfare benefits when they migrate to the United States....

Stillbirth—clinically known as intrauterine fetal demise—is the death of a baby at or after the 20th week of pregnancy. Before this time, the death of a baby is called a miscarriage or pregnancy loss. About 1 in every 160 pregnancies results in a stillbirth in the United States. Half of these will take place at 28 weeks of pregnancy or later. Types The three types of stillbirth are classified depending on what stage it happens in....

People with type 2 diabetes are also often diagnosed with depression. Antidepressants have been shown to help improve diabetes in some cases but, in other instances, they can worsen existing diabetes. They may even bring diabetes on in individuals who previously had no symptoms. In this article, learn how different antidepressants can affect blood sugar and what to know about taking antidepressants with diabetes. What Are Antidepressants? Antidepressants are prescription medications used to treat depression....

The vagus nerve, also known as the tenth cranial nerve or cranial nerve X, is the longest nerve of the autonomic nervous system which controls involuntary body functions. The vagus nerve is tasked with regulating critical body functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, and digestion. The malfunctioning of the vagus nerve can undermine these and other involuntary body functions, referred to as autonomic dysfunction or dysautonomia, There are tests that can help determine how effectively the vagus nerve is working and procedures (like vagus nerve stimulation) that can help treat neurological disorders like epilepsy and depression....

Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is a rare but potentially fatal complication of infections caused by streptococcus, staphylococcus, and clostridium bacteria. The initial symptoms are fever and rash, which typically have a rapid onset and require immediate medical attention. While toxic shock syndrome is often associated with tampon use, tampons are not the only cause. The condition also affects people who are not menstruating, including people of all genders and ages....

There are over 100 different forms of arthritis known to date, with the most common being osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and lupus. While arthritis can affect any joint in the body, it often occurs in the joints of the hands and fingers. This article discusses the different types of hand arthritis along with symptoms, causes, and treatment options. What Is Hand Arthritis? Healthy joint spaces with adequate cartilage and synovial fluid (fluid between the joints) enable the joints of the body to move smoothly and without pain....

Mammograms are an important part of staying healthy, especially if you’re over 40 or have significant risk factors for breast cancer. That being said, cost can be a barrier for some. The average cost for a screening mammogram ranges from about $100 to $250. A diagnostic mammogram can be more expensive, depending on what your healthcare provider orders. The Affordable Care Act requires health plans to fully cover the cost of a screening mammogram every one or two years for women over 40....

A number of essential oils can be used as natural insect repellents and help you avoid those pesky and potentially dangerous mosquito bites. These can make good alternatives to the popular sprays that contain synthetic and toxic chemicals, like DEET. Plus, they almost always smell better. From lemon eucalyptus oil to clove oil, you do have some options, though some have been found to be more effective than others. Quite often, products that contain these oils need to be applied often—at least once every hour....

Kelly Belew, 44, spent the bulk of her adult life in a problematic relationship with alcohol, but she didn’t always recognize the warning signs. Key Takeaways For some people, drinking has been a way to cope with stress and emotions during the pandemic. But it’s not always the healthiest coping mechanism.Especially for women, stress in home, work, and social settings can lead to emotional drinking.Even if a person does not have alcohol use disorder, emotional drinking can be a habitual and unhealthy activity, sometimes referred to as “gray area drinking....

If you are what you eat, then it goes without saying that diet can affect your health—for worse or for better. For decades, researchers have looked at diet in relation to health and well being. In particular, they have studied whether foods can impact arthritis treatment. Scientists have thought that dietary factors might trigger certain types of arthritis. Because of this, changing the foods you eat could have a strong impact on arthritis symptom relief....

Makeda Robinson, MD, PhD, is an infectious disease specialist currently studying virus-host interactions in emerging viruses at Stanford University. Each week, Dr. Robinson breaks down complicated COVID-19 topics and addresses pressing public health concerns. From family weddings to campaign rallies, gatherings of all kinds during the COVID-19 pandemic have the potential to become “superspreader events.” And as the weather cools and people begin to spend more time inside, we’ll probably be hearing about superspreaders even more....

Asthma is a chronic condition that impacts the airways of the lungs, making it difficult to breathe. If asthma isn’t diagnosed and treated, it can cause serious and potentially life-threatening complications. This article is part of Health Divide: Asthma in People of Color, a destination in our Health Divide series. While statistics show that people from Black, Latinx, and Indigenous communities are more likely to develop asthma, they may also experience unnecessary delays in being diagnosed and treated....

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a term used to describe a range of types of autism, all of which may have very different presentations. Autism is strongly influenced by both environmental and genetic factors, which both combine to cause a variety of autism symptoms. Developing skills to help manage the emotional, physical, and mental aspects of the disorder are helpful to both the person with autism and their caregivers. Emotional Emotional issues associated with autism spectrum disorder may include:...

Every child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has different needs, so the treatment plan needs to be individualized. Since autism is not an illness and therefore can’t be “cured,” the goal is to help a child gain and hone communication, interpersonal, and behavioral skills to better navigate daily life and, whenever possible, function independently. This may involve a variety of different therapies, including speech therapy and social skills therapy, as well as prescription drugs to help manage issues with focus and commonly co-occurring mental illnesses....

What Is Axid AR? Axid AR (nizatidine) is an over-the-counter (OTC) medication for heartburn. As a histamine H2 inhibitor, it works by blocking the H2 receptors (binding sites) in the stomach. This leads to less stomach acid secretion. OTC nizatidine is available in a tablet dosage form. A prescription version of nizatidine is also available in a capsule dosage form. The higher-strength prescription nizatidine can also be used for other stomach and gut problems....

Bone cancer is a type of malignancy that can affect both children and adults and develop in any bone in your body, though the long bones of the arms and legs are the most common. Cancer can also be spread from another location to the bone, known as secondary bone cancer, but this isn’t considered actual bone cancer because it doesn’t originate in the bones. Surgery is often the go-to treatment, but radiation and/or chemotherapy may also be used....