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Getting an early diagnosis of colon cancer is of paramount importance to help improve outcomes - and getting that early diagnosis starts with following routine screening recommendations and knowing your family history. Clinical guidelines recommend colon cancer screening begin at age 45 for people at average risk. Screening should begin sooner for anyone who has a family history or other risk factors. One method of screening, colonoscopy, can also serve as a diagnostic test if cancer is present....

Food fuels your body. Digestive enzymes (proteins in the body) help break down your food into smaller parts so your body can use it more easily. Usually, digestive enzymes are produced in different parts of the body, like the mouth (where digestion begins), stomach, pancreas, and small intestine. These digestive enzymes are “endogenous” (made in the body). Sometimes the body doesn’t make enough of these endogenous enzymes or can’t use them properly....

A gastroenterologist, or GI doctor, is a healthcare provider who specializes in diagnosing and treating diseases and conditions of the digestive tract and liver. This can include heartburn, stomach ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), cirrhosis, and much more. You may be referred to a gastroenterologist for a variety of reasons, such as if you have gastrointestinal symptoms that do not resolve with typical treatment or you are experiencing sudden, significant symptoms like severe abdominal pain or blood in your stool....

Gender expression refers to the ways that people present their gender identity to the world. This may be through clothing, haircuts, behaviors, and other choices. For many people, there is a “mismatch” between what society expects from their gender and how they choose to present. Buzz cuts, for example, are seen as masculine hairstyles, while wearing dresses is seen as feminine. This expression may vary from what might be expected of one’s gender identity....

Horny goat weed, also known as Epimedium, yin yang huo, or herbal “Viagra,” is a plant used in traditional Chinese medicine. As its name suggests, horny goat weed is purported to improve sexual function by increasing blood flow to the penis. Because it contains phytoestrogens (compounds that act like estrogen), horny goat weed has been studied for osteoporosis (weak and brittle bones), a condition common in people undergoing menopause. This article discusses the possible uses, side effects, precautions, and other safety concerns of horny goat weed....

The criteria for autism spectrum disorder has nothing to say about bowel movements, nausea, or stomach pain. But the fact is that children with autism have significantly more gastrointestinal (GI) problems than their typically developing peers. The reasons for this are not entirely understood, but it is clear that behavioral problems in autistic children can often be improved by appropriate changes in diet and/or feeding therapy. That means it’s important to investigate stomach and bowel symptoms quickly, as they can be a major hurdle to your child’s development....

What Is Kelnor? Kelnor is a combined hormonal contraceptive pill. Each pill contains 1 milligram of ethynodiol diacetate and 35 micrograms of ethinyl estradiol. These are synthetic forms of progestin and estrogen, respectively, which are hormones found naturally in your body that regulate your menstrual cycle. Kelnor works to prevent pregnancy via several mechanisms, including inhibiting ovulation (which means no egg for sperm to fertilize) and thickening your cervical mucus (making it harder for sperm to enter the uterus)....

What Is Onglyza? Onglyza (saxagliptin) is a prescription drug used along with diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes. Onglyza is in a drug class called dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors. DPP-4 inhibitors are also known as gliptins because the chemical name of every drug in the class ends in gliptin. Onglyza works by stimulating the production and release of insulin, which helps lower blood sugar levels....

As more states begin making COVID-19 vaccinations available to all adults over 16, many health care experts who work with people with substance use disorder (SUD) worry that some of their patients may not sign up for COVID-19 vaccines or will refuse a vaccine, if offered. Key Takeaways Health experts are concerned that misinformation and barriers such as unstable housing and lack of transportation could keep some people with substance use disorder from getting a COVID-19 vaccine....

What Is Rhofade? Rhofade (oxymetazoline) is a prescription topical cream used in adults 18 and older with a skin condition called rosacea. This medication is used to reduce facial redness caused by rosacea. Rhofade contains the active ingredient oxymetazoline, which is classified as an adrenergic agonist agent. It works by constricting blood vessels near the surface of your skin, which helps relieve redness. Discontinued in generic form as a rosacea medication, the primary ingredient found in Rhofade, oxymetazoline hydrochloride, is also present in other brand-name products (e....

Specific criteria must be met to qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). The Congress of the United States has defined disability, for purposes of entitlement to disabled worker’s benefits, as the inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months....

Although a common ailment, headaches vary greatly in their intensity, ranging from a mild nuisance to debilitating and severely painful. A “splitting headache” typically equates to a severe headache. This is not a medical term, but a common description of a certain quality or character of headache that can have one of several underlying causes. While enduring a splitting headache, a person would likely find it difficult to engage in their daily routine, whether that’s at home, work, or school....

Stage 3A non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is considered a locally advanced cancer, meaning the tumor has not spread to distant regions of the body but it has spread to nearby lymph nodes. Roughly 10% of people diagnosed with NSCLC have stage 3A lung cancer at the time of diagnosis. Symptoms and prognosis can vary significantly in this stage. Understanding the various ways lung cancer can present at stage 3A and knowing all your treatment choices can help you and your oncologist plan a personalized approach to battling your disease....

Stuttering, also called childhood-onset fluency disorder or stammering, is a speech disorder that disrupts the fluency of speech (the ability to express yourself). It’s estimated that about 5%–10% of kids go through a period of stuttering or disfluent speech during childhood. Approximately 25% of those cases will continue into adulthood. This article gives an overview of the different types of stuttering, symptoms, causes, treatment options, and coping strategies. Types of Stuttering The two predominant types of stuttering are:...

The Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) is a type of clinical tool healthcare providers use to determine a person’s nutritional status. It has been applied successfully to assess nutritional status in a variety of patient populations, including oncology patients, patients receiving gastrointestinal surgery, dialysis patients, HIV/AIDS patients, lung transplant recipients, liver transplant candidates, geriatric patients, and post-Whipple procedure patients. Purpose of Test If you are malnourished, it is very important that your healthcare provider addresses the underlying cause....

The anus is the opening in the bottom where stool passes out of the body. When the skin in the anus develops a tear or a crack, it is called an anal fissure. Anal fissures may cause both bleeding and pain. The bleeding may be bright red and appear in the toilet or on toilet paper after wiping. Fissures can cause pain during and after a bowel movement that ranges from mild to severe....

If you have thyroid disease, you may experience some fluctuations in your thyroid hormone levels from time to time. These fluctuations can occur as your thyroid disease progresses. But other factors, such as hormonal changes and medication variations, or significant weight gain or loss, can alter your thyroid hormone levels as well; in some cases progression of a thyroid condition (such as a nodule) may be responsible. These hormonal fluctuations can produce a variety of symptoms....

An ear infection, also known as acute otitis media, is an infection that occurs in the space behind the eardrum. Ear infections are common in babies and toddlers. The National Institutes of Health estimates that five out of six children will experience at least one ear infection before their third birthday. Your little one may develop an ear infection when a virus or bacteria infect and trap fluid behind the eardrum....

What Is Aciphex? Aciphex is a prescription medication used to treat the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), duodenal ulcers, and other conditions that cause excess production of stomach acid, including Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. Aciphex is a proton pump inhibitor. It relieves and treats certain stomach and esophageal problems by decreasing the amount of acid produced in the stomach. Aciphex is available as an enteric-coated delayed-release tablet and a delayed-released sprinkle capsule....

What Is Aldactone? Aldactone (spironolactone) is a prescription medication that belongs to a class of drugs known as aldosterone antagonists or potassium-sparing diuretics. It has various uses, including blood pressure, heart failure, hyperaldosteronism, and fluid retention. Aldosterone is a hormone made in the body that causes water retention. By blocking aldosterone, this medication treats fluid retention (edema). This process stops potassium from leaving the body, hence the name potassium-sparing diuretics. Aldactone can also lower blood pressure by blocking aldosterone’s effect on your blood vessels....