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Bars are typically seen as spaces for people to celebrate, socialize, and forget their troubles. As more bars reopen in the coming months, and a year since the onset of the pandemic, that kind of space may seem appealing. But many are wondering, for people who are fully vaccinated, is it really safe? Key Takeaways While it is now safer for fully vaccinated people to socialize and dine out, bars tend to be riskier, as alcohol can affect people’s ability to follow COVID-19 safety protocols....

Do you moisturize and then wonder why your skin is still so dry? Dry skin (xerosis or xeroderma) is a common problem. About 30% of people have it at any given time. Xerosis can affect anyone, regardless of age, sex, health, or whether you try to take good care of your skin. Those factors may play a role in your dry skin, as can the time of year and where you live....

If you find yourself breaking out in hives or rushing to the bathroom after eating yogurt, you may feel like you have a yogurt allergy. A yogurt allergy is also known as a milk allergy because it is a food that is produced by the bacterial fermentation of milk. However, in some cases, feeling unwell after yogurt consumption could be caused by lactose intolerance or other conditions that can produce similar symptoms....

5-alpha-reductase deficiency is a congenital condition that affects male sexual development. Children born with 5-alpha-reductase deficiency may appear to be biologically female at birth but will develop male genitals during puberty. 5-alpha reductases are a group of enzymes that help regulate sex hormones in the body. This includes female hormones like estrogen and male hormones like testosterone that influence the development of a fetus as well as sexual development and function in later life....

About one in six people will experience depression at some point in their lifetime. Untreated, depression can make daily functioning difficult in many areas of life. Some people may experience depression all the time, but in others an episode may be triggered by specific factors such as stress, a lack of sleep, or seasonal changes. While there are several types of depression, this article refers specifically to major depressive disorder (MDD)....

Abfraction (AF) is the loss of dental matter around the gumline caused by physical forces placed on the tooth. Excess or irregular pressure, as in tooth grinding or clenching (bruxism), misalignment (malocclusion), and excessive toothbrushing, can cause enamel (the outer shell of teeth) and dentin (the middle layer) to wear away at the juncture of the tooth and gums. Since abfraction can lead to gum recession and contribute to tooth loss or decay, it’s critical to recognize its signs and seek prompt dental care....

The dermis is the second and thickest layer of the three major layers of skin, located between the epidermis and subcutaneous tissues, also known as the subcutis and the hypodermis. The skin was previously viewed as a body part that protects us from the elements. Today, new knowledge informs us that the layers of the skin are actually very complex and have many important functions—from giving us goosebumps and cooling us down in the sauna to letting our brain know that our hand is on a burner....

Parkinson’s disease surgery includes surgical procedures that involve device implantation in the brain or ablation (creating a lesion in the brain) to reduce some effects of the disease. For some people, this type of surgery can help improve symptoms and reduce the dose of medication needed, which may decrease medication side effects. You would need to prepare for your operation by having preoperative brain imaging and other tests, and you can expect to recover and experience an improvement of your symptoms within a few weeks....

Tylenol, the most popular brand name for the over-the-counter pain reliever acetaminophen, seems pretty safe. But before you pop more pills than directed, be aware that large doses of acetaminophen can lead to liver and kidney damage. In some cases, it can even be fatal. That said, don’t throw your bottle of pain relievers in the trash. But make sure you never take more than a total of 4 grams of acetaminophen in a 24-hour period....

A bulging eardrum is an inflamed tympanic membrane. The tympanic membrane, also called the eardrum, is a thin flap of skin in the ear over the ear canal. When sound enters the ear, the eardrum vibrates. This vibration moves the tiny bones in the middle ear, sending sounds into the inner ear. A bulging eardrum can be caused by many different things, such as an ear infection. It can affect hearing because it impairs the eardrum’s ability to vibrate and transmit sound....

The ciliary ganglion is one of four parasympathetic ganglia in the head. It is located behind the eye. Nerve fibers leave the brain and enter the ganglia. These fibers synapse (a junction between nerves where they communicate) with neurons going to the eye. Nerves from the ciliary ganglion innervate the muscles that constrict the pupil, a hole in the iris that lets light enter the eye. Other fibers from the ciliary ganglia go to muscles that control the shape of the lens in the eye....

Waiting for a diagnosis can be one of the most difficult things a person experiences. Getting a diagnosis can involve waiting to see a specialist, waiting for a test to be scheduled, or waiting for lab results to come back. Sometimes the uncertainty leaves you seemingly without an anchor. And you might have to deal with symptoms—such as dizziness, nausea, or pain—while you’re waiting for an answer. If you’re facing a possible life-changing diagnosis, the waiting can be especially stressful....

COVID-19 is an infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, leading to respiratory symptoms. As of June 2022, there have been over 86 million cases of COVID-19 in the United States and over 1 million deaths. The disease has been particularly lethal for older people and those with specific underlying medical problems. This article will highlight important facts and statistics you should know about COVID-19. COVID-19 Overview COVID-19 is a respiratory illness that is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus....

What Is Desoxyn? Desoxyn (methamphetamine) is a prescription drug used to treat attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It is a highly controlled drug that is classified as a schedule II drug. Desoxyn belongs to a class of drugs called stimulants. It is only available with a prescription. Methamphetamine excites nerves in your brain and spinal cord. It stimulates brain action and causes natural substances in your body—mainly dopamine (the “feel-good” hormone)—to be released....

The most significant difference between inpatient and outpatient therapy is where the patient stays during their treatment. For inpatient therapy, a person lives with other patients during their stay. Inpatient therapy may be considered “full time” because you need to pause other life obligations like work or school. Outpatient therapy happens outside of this hospital or residential system. If you’re an outpatient, you’ll go “in and out” of therapy for timed treatment sessions....

Fear of the dark is also called nyctophobia. It’s a type of specific phobia. Having nyctophobia means you have an irrational and extreme fear of the dark. If left untreated, a fear of the dark can impact your sleep and quality of life. It’s common to be afraid of the dark at some point in your childhood, but for a number of adults, these feelings can persist and affect their functional ability....

When you need sunburn relief, you don’t want to wait around for it. Even mild sunburn can cause redness, pain, and skin inflammation for a few days. You may also itch as it heals, especially if your sunburned skin peels off. You can find ways to alleviate the pain and itch right in your own home, though, or with a quick trip to a grocery or drug store, so you can get sunburn relief fast....

Treatment for eosinophilic gastritis and/or eosinophilic duodenitis (EG/EoD), previously called eosinophilic gastroenteritis, is highly individualized. The mainstay of treatment is steroids, diet, and mast cell stabilizers as well as other anti-allergy medications. Because EG/EoD is not well understood or studied, diagnosis and treatment can be challenging. If you have been dealing with the effects of this condition, the process of finding the treatment plan that controls your symptoms can feel frustrating at times because it’s hard to predict which of the available therapies will work best for you, Additional novel treatments are under investigation, and these developments may help you manage your condition....

Treatment for human papillomavirus (HPV) involves managing health conditions that arise from this common sexually transmitted infection (STI). There are over 170 types of HPV viruses. Some low-risk types can cause genital warts, while other high-risk types can lead to cancer, including cervical cancer and anal cancer. Although there is a vaccine to prevent HPV, there is no cure for the virus itself. People with high-risk HPV types should be routinely monitored to check for changes that could lead to cancer....

Hyperglycemia, otherwise known as high blood sugar, can be diagnosed with a blood test such as a fasting plasma glucose (FPG) test, an A1C test, or a fructosamine test. Additionally, hyperglycemia can be identified using a glucose monitor or by drinking a beverage and monitoring the body’s glucose response—a test referred to as an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). To confirm a diabetes diagnosis, a healthcare provider should conduct two different tests....