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For most people, the signs and symptoms of hemorrhoids—itchiness, swelling, discomfort—will be mild and respond to home remedies. In a minority of cases, however, hemorrhoid signs and symptoms will be severe enough that they require treatment from a physician. Rarely, hemorrhoids that cause significant blood loss or a blood clot can be life-threatening. It’s important to note that one of the chief calling cards of hemorrhoids, blood in or on the stool or on toilet paper, should never be considered normal....

Some research suggests diet may play a role in HER2-positive breast cancer. Although diet is only part of the consideration of risk for breast cancer, some types of food may increase the risk of breast cancer, while others may provide some protection. When breast cancer is diagnosed, your healthcare team will test for a sample of the cancer cells to learn the type, which will help determine the best treatment plan....

Preventing the transmission of HIV from mother to child involves all stages of pregnancy—from the moment of conception right through to delivery—as well as preventive therapies given to the baby immediately after childbirth. The main goal is to reduce the mother’s viral load (the concentration of HIV in the body) to undetectable levels using antiretroviral drugs. By achieving this, the risk of transmission can be reduced to near-negligible levels. Antenatal Prevention The antenatal (prenatal) period is the time between conception and the onset of labor....

Treatment for osteoarthritis (OA) is usually multi-faceted and depends on the joint (or joints) affected and other individual factors. Options include (but aren’t limited to) home remedies and lifestyle modifications such as hot or cold therapy and exercise; over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications or prescription drugs; and surgical joint replacement. These treatments can work together to relieve the underlying inflammation and the symptoms of osteoarthritis—joint pain, stiffness, and swelling. In addition, goals of osteoarthritis treatment include preserving or improving joint function, minimizing disability, and improving quality of life....

Menopause happens. It is inevitable. At some point in your 40s or 50s, your period will stop, and your reproductive hormone levels will drop. This drop in hormone levels causes changes in your body. Some of these changes are silent, like bone loss. Other menopause symptoms are more obvious, like hot flashes. Lying somewhere between these two extremes are the changes that happen below your belt. Although menopause causes changes to your vulva, vagina, urethra, and bladder, potentially causing discomfort and distress, you may not feel comfortable talking about it....

On some occasions, you may need to take prescription medications. Most of the time this is fairly straightforward. When you feel sick you can usually make an appointment to see a healthcare provider within a few days. If you need a prescription you can typically get it from the pharmacy with little, if any, delay. But once in a while, circumstances are not so straightforward. You could get sick while you are out of town, or you may feel that you need to take more or less of your prescribed medicine....

Non-specific low back pain is the type of back pain that neither you nor your healthcare provider can definitively, accurately trace back to its root. In other words, it is not related to a specific, diagnosable disease. An example is a back muscle strain due to an athletic injury or other trauma. Nonspecific back pain is typically mechanical in nature, in that it is brought on when the spine moves. Muscle imbalances and wear and tear on joints over time may contribute to mechanical pain....

Itchy bumps filled with clear liquid are called blisters or vesicles. They’re a feature of many common rashes. Vesicles form when fluid is trapped under the epidermis (top layer of skin). A rash with multiple vesicles is called a vesicular rash. Sometimes, vesicles merge into a larger single blister (called a bulla). A rash with multiple blisters (bullae) is called a bullous rash. When they burst, the fluid may crystallize and leave behind a crust....

If you have itchy eyes, you’re not alone. Itchy eyes, also known as ocular pruritus, are a common problem and why many people eventually visit an eye doctor. The best way to treat itchy eyes is to know what is causing them to feel itchy. Here’s a closer look at the causes of itchy eyes and treatments. Causes Common Causes Itchy eyes are most likely due to a variety of causes of irritation....

Jellyfish protein (apoaequorin) is a recombinant protein originally extracted from the Aequorea victoria species of jellyfish. In nature, apoaequorin produces a blue light when exposed to calcium. Today it is produced in a lab by a company called Quincy Bioscience. It is the primary ingredient in the dietary supplement Prevagen. Alternative practitioners say jellyfish protein (apoaequorin) taken by mouth can bind to calcium in the brain and improve the electrical signals between nerve cells....

Ankylosing spondylitis can affect your teeth, gums, and many areas of your mouth. This disease and the common drugs that treat it can change the health of your mouth. At the same time, pain and stiffness can make it hard to brush and floss. The effect can make it challenging to maintain good oral health. This article describes how this disease affects your mouth, common oral problems that can occur, and ways to improve and maintain good oral health if you have this illness....

Lymphangitis is an infection or inflammation of the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is a crucial part of the immune system. It is designed to collect fluids from cells and tissues in the body and help them re-enter the bloodstream. The organs within the lymphatic system, such as the bone marrow, spleen, thymus, lymph nodes, tonsils, and lymphatic vessels, help to create and store lymphocytes, which are white blood cells that play a role in immunity....

Nearly 19 million older adults experience pain and almost 75% have pain in multiple areas. While age-related pain tends to be common, it can be prevented, treated, and managed. Most adults who are pain-free when they are 55 can live most of their remaining years without pain. Additionally, many people can live active, healthy lives with minimal pain as they age. Learn about the causes of increased pain with age, prevention, treatment options, and more....

A mediastinoscopy is a procedure performed in the operating room under general anesthesia in which a narrow scope (called a mediastinoscope) is inserted through the chest wall to examine the area between the lungs known as the mediastinum. It is commonly used to help determine the stage of lung cancer, but it may also be used to help diagnose or treat other types of cancers or diseases involving the mediastinum or organs within it....

Syncope is a temporary loss of consciousness, commonly referred to as fainting, or passing out. It is a fairly common event—a majority of people pass out at least once in their lives. Still, syncope is always a potentially serious issue, both because it may indicate a serious underlying problem, and because any loss of consciousness can produce injury. So, if you have an episode of syncope, you should be evaluated by your healthcare provider to determine its cause....

The United States has never implemented extremely strict COVID-19 public health measures compared to other countries, but nearly half of Americans struggled to abide by simple quarantine rules, according to a new survey. Key Takeaways Almost half of Americans lied about something COVID-related or complying with public health measures on at least one occasion, according to a national survey.Experts say this level of noncompliance undoubtedly had an impact on the severity of the pandemic....

Oncogenes are mutated genes that can contribute to the development of cancer. In their non-mutated state, everyone has genes which are referred to as proto-oncogenes. When proto-oncogenes are mutated or increased in numbers (amplification) due to DNA damage (such as exposure to carcinogens), the proteins produced by these genes can affect the growth, proliferation, and survival of the cell, and potentially result in the formation of a malignant tumor. There are many checks and balances in place, and the development of cancer most often requires mutations or other genetic changes in both oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes (genes that produce proteins that either repair or eliminate damaged cells)....

Rachel Charlton-Dailey is a journalist specializing in chronic conditions and disability. Her work is featured in publications such as Healthline, Huffpost, Metro UK, The Guardian, and Business Insider. Charlton-Dailey often uses her platform to spotlight issues that affect disabled people, as well as issues often dismissed by healthcare providers. Here, she shares her first-hand experience with the gender pain gap. Seeking medical care can be stressful for anyone, but if you were born female or are presenting as female, you may face what’s called the “gender pain gap....

Passive smoking refers to the involuntary inhalation of smoke from cigarettes or other tobacco products smoked by other people. The definition includes exposure to both secondhand and thirdhand smoke, as well as in utero exposure of a fetus due to the presence of tobacco toxins in the mother’s blood. While many people link passive smoking with lung cancer, it is actually much more likely to cause heart disease or strokes. And while the connection with respiratory infections, sudden infant death syndrome, and miscarriage has been known for some time, it is now thought to be an important risk factor in conditions ranging from multiple sclerosis to depression....

Postprandial hypotension is when blood pressure significantly drops after eating. This temporary change can cause symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, lightheadedness, and even fainting and related falling injuries. Eating more often throughout the day can help fend these off (low-carb options are best). Postprandial hypotension is more common in older people and people underlying health conditions, including diabetes and Parkinson’s disease. A healthcare provider can diagnose it based on your symptoms and blood pressure readings taken before and after you eat....