Posts

Lipohypertrophy is a fairly common condition for people with diabetes. A lump of fat and sometimes scar tissue is formed under the skin from repeated insulin injections or infusions. It occurs most often in people with diabetes who must undergo multiple daily injections, but can also occur in people who wear multiple devices such as an insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor. Notwithstanding advancements in diabetes technology and medications, this still poses an issue because the accumulation of insulin in a particular area can result in glucose variability, including high and low blood sugars....

Headaches and migraines in teens are one of the most common health complaints. By the age of 15, roughly 75% of children have reported having a significant headache. Usually, headaches are just a pain, but sometimes they can mean that something more serious is happening. Types of Headaches Not every headache is caused by the same problem in the body. There are many possible causes of headaches and they’re typically classified into two types: primary and secondary....

What Is Penlac? Penlac (ciclopirox) is a prescription-only nail lacquer, which comes as a topical liquid solution that you apply directly to your nails. A topical medication is applied directly to a particular place on the body. Penlac is used to treat fungal nail infections, also called onychomycosis. Ciclopirox is an antifungal drug. Specifically, it belongs to a drug class called hydroxypyridone antimycotics. Penlac works by penetrating deep into the layers of the nail bed and surrounding skin....

Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiogram (PTC) is a minimally invasive procedure done to evaluate and treat obstructions of the biliary tract, the drainage system of your liver and gallbladder. A PTC procedure involves the injection of contrast dye into the bile duct to produce an image using fluoroscopy (a type of continuous X-ray) or ultrasound. In this article, we will discuss the purpose of a PTC, its side effects, how the procedure is done, and what the results mean....

What Is Ranexa? Ranexa (ranolazine) is a prescription drug with a unique mechanism of action to treat stable angina, which is chest pain caused by an inadequate blood supply to the heart muscles. Ranexa is an anti-ischemic and anti-anginal drug. It works by inhibiting what is known as the “late sodium current” to reduce sodium overload in the heart. The inhibition of this sodium channel causes a reduction of sodium in the heart cells and, therefore, decreases calcium....

From arthritis to acute injuries, there can be various reasons for hip pain. Hip pain often causes loss of range of motion, decreased strength and muscle activation around the hip joint, and pain that limits your ability to walk or run normally. There are stretches for hip pain in addition to physical therapy exercises that may help improve your mobility and strength and alleviate pain. Working with a physical therapist (PT) can help determine which exercises and stretches are best for your specific condition....

In July, the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) revised its definition of pain for the first time in 40 years. This new definition describes the experience of pain as “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damage.” Key Takeaways The International Association for the Study of Pain updated its definition of pain to focus on a patient’s pain experience and to include those who can’t verbally communicate it....

Liver disease is a broad term that describes health conditions that damage the liver. As the body’s largest internal organ, the liver helps with vital functions like digesting food, processing substances, and filtering waste. When a person develops liver disease, the organ becomes damaged and can’t work properly. This article provides an overview of common types of liver disease and available treatment options. Types of Liver Disease Liver disease generally refers to conditions that damage your liver....

Vitamin B12, clinically known as cobalamin or, sometimes, cyanocobalamin, is a water-soluble micronutrient that, among other things, is important to the normal function of the nervous system. Because of this role, it’s been hypothesized that in some cases a deficiency of vitamin B12 may be linked to multiple sclerosis (MS), although this theory is controversial. At the very least, it’s known that very low levels of B12 can cause neurological symptoms that mimic those of MS....

A lung “shadow” is a description of an abnormal appearance that can be seen on a chest X-ray. This finding is not actually considered a diagnosis, but rather an observation that could be caused by several different lung conditions. A shadow on the lung can be a sign of something serious. Or it may have no effect on your health. Consider it the first step toward a diagnosis. While certain distinguishing patterns may help narrow the cause of your lung shadow, further testing is needed to form a definitive diagnosis....

Quarantine is a tool used to prevent the spread of disease by keeping people who might be sick away from those who are healthy. This can either be done through a medical directive from a doctor or, less commonly, through a court or federal order. How long someone should be separated—and where—will depend on the disease and who ordered the quarantine. What Is a Quarantine? Quarantine is a process used by healthcare workers and public health officials to limit the spread of contagious diseases by separating people who have been exposed to a particular disease from those who haven’t....

By now, you’ve seen them all over Instagram—a mini-er mini fridge for your vanity or bathroom counter. The skincare fridge—AKA, a beauty fridge—is any skincare enthusiast’s favorite accessory, but do they actually work? Yes, as it turns out, skincare fridges can help, not only with extending the shelf life of your products but also with making products just a little more effective. “Although most skincare products do not require refrigeration, we are seeing a slight increase in the use of ingredients and products that can benefit some temperature stability, often allowing them to extend their natural shelf life, both with regards to safety and efficacy,” says Rachel Nazarian, MD, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in New York City....

Kefir is a fermented milk drink that looks like a thin yogurt. It is traditionally made using cow’s milk, which naturally contains lactose, a milk sugar many people are intolerant or sensitive to. While fermentation reduces some of the lactose in the end product, this doesn’t make kefir a lactose-free beverage unless made with non-dairy milk or water. Some popular brands of kefir include 365 by Whole Foods and Lifeway....

Acid reflux occurs when your stomach contents, mostly digestive juices, backflow into your esophagus or throat. One common symptom is a sore throat. Having acid reflux on occasion is nothing to worry about, especially if you’ve just a had a large meal. However, if you have acid reflux two or more times per week, you may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and you should talk to your healthcare provider. Acid reflux can also be a symptom of other health conditions....

Anesthesia is a treatment that uses medications to prevent a patient from feeling pain during a medical procedure, such as surgery, diagnostic testing, or dental procedures. There are several ways anesthesia is used to prevent pain, including general, regional, and local anesthesia. General anesthetics put people to sleep during procedures, while regional and local anesthesia prevents pain while the patient is awake. While what are known as “hypersensitivity reactions” to medical procedures can occur, anesthesia allergy is not very common....

This story is part of a series that explores growing health trends that were shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic. Will these trends stay or go away in the post-pandemic era? In the past months, some people have squeezed in more shut-eye because of canceled events and work-from-home setups, while others have been unable to sleep long enough due to anxiety over uncertainties. Key Takeaways Sleep disruptions during the pandemic may have prompted people to pay more attention to their sleep quality and pattern via tracking apps and wearables....

Atonic seizures (also known as drop attacks) are one of several types of seizures that can occur as a result of various underlying causes. “Atonic” means loss of muscle tone. This type of seizure is also known as akinetic or drop seizures. Atonic seizures oftentimes begin during childhood and are most common in children, although they may continue into adulthood. This type of seizure is often present in people who have other types of seizures as well, such as tonic or myoclonic seizures....

Whether primary or metastatic, cancer in the bones may present with symptoms such as pain, swelling, and/or a sudden intense pain from a pathologic fracture—a fracture that occurs in a bone that has been weakened by the presence of a tumor. Symptoms of bone cancer can be a bit tricky to pin down at first because these types of symptoms are much more commonly caused by noncancerous conditions such as sports injuries or joint problems, including forms of arthritis....

Nearly 18 million more kids are now eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations. Key Takeaways Children as young as 6 months are now eligible to get vaccinated for COVID-19.The PREP Act allows pharmacists in all 50 states to administer vaccines to children ages 3-18, although specific pharmacy chains can decide which ages they feel comfortable vaccinating.Twenty-three states allow pharmacists to give vaccines to children younger than 3. Now that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized both Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for kids as young as 6 months old, parents and caregivers can begin making vaccine appointments....

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) are both persistent forms of leukemia that primarily affect adults. They’re also both slow-growing forms of blood cancer. CLL starts in the bone marrow’s lymphocytes (a specific type of white blood cell). CML starts in the bone marrow’s cells that are the precursors to white and red blood cells and platelets (the cells that aid in blood clotting). While these two types of leukemia are similar, they also have important differences regarding their diagnoses and treatments....