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If you have a vitamin B12 deficiency, it can take months—even a year—to correct it. Vitamin B12 deficiency is common, especially among vegetarians and older adults. Also known as cobalamin, it is a water-soluble vitamin found in meat, fish, and dairy. Vitamin B12 is essential for brain and nerve function. A vitamin B12 deficiency can cause headaches, fatigue, muscle weakness, and depression. Low levels of vitamin B12 can be due to not getting enough vitamin B12 in your diet or the body being unable to absorb the vitamin due to another medical condition....

The menstrual cycle is how a woman’s body prepares for the possibility of pregnancy each month. A menstrual period is just one part of this cycle. A cycle’s length is determined by counting from the first day of one period to the first day of the next period. The average menstrual cycle is 28 days long. However, a normal cycle can range anywhere from 21 to 35 days. What Happens During the Menstrual Cycle During the menstrual cycle, an egg is released from the ovaries....

If you have a child with recurrent abdominal pain, it’s possible that it is due to a form of functional abdominal pain called abdominal migraine. This condition, which is a migraine variant, affects around 2 percent to 4 percent of all kids and about 4 percent to 15 percent of children with chronic periodic abdominal pain of an unknown cause. These migraine attacks usually begin between 3 and 10 years of age, with a peak incidence at 7 years....

Cardiac arrhythmias can produce a range of symptoms—from very mild, like lightheadedness, to life-threatening, including cardiac arrest. These can be divided into a “classic” group of symptoms that are highly (though not exclusively) indicative of cardiac arrhythmia and an “other” group of symptoms that are just as likely to be caused by an arrhythmia as something else. But many times, much to patients’ surprise, cardiac arrhythmias may not produce any symptoms at all....

A binge eating disorder (BED) is considered a mental illness that is in the eating disorders category of the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Illness” (DSM-5), a handbook commonly used by mental health professionals and other diagnosticians as a guide to identify mental illnesses. A person who has a binge eating disorder has a feeling of being out of control when it comes to eating. Food is ingested very quickly in large amounts....

What Is Eliquis? Eliquis (apixaban) is a prescription anticoagulant (blood thinner) used to treat and prevent certain types of blood clots and reduce the risk of stroke in adults. It interferes with the formation of blood clots by inhibiting the factor Xa (FXa) enzyme. This enzyme promotes blood clots through its interaction with thrombin and prothrombinase, which are proteins that play a role in blood clot development. Apixaban is sometimes prescribed off-label (for uses not approved by the Food and Drug Administration [FDA]) at different doses....

Grief occurs any time we experience loss. It appears after a clear loss, like the death of a loved one, or a loss like a divorce or loss of identity. Grief is a natural, normal process to help us get through and process the experience. If you are unsure whether you are experiencing grief or finding it challenging to work through bereavement, grief counseling can offer support and helpful ways to bring meaning to the loss and allow you to move forward through your grief....

Heel spurs, also called osteophytes, are bumps of extra bone that grow on your calcaneus (heel bone). Heel spurs can be easily diagnosed with an X-ray. Even though one in 10 people have heel spurs, only 5% of people with this condition experience pain. However, heel spurs can develop from other very painful conditions that put pressure on your heel bone, such as plantar fasciitis or arthritis. Heel spurs can be painful to the touch, and often cause pain when you step on the affected foot....

Vaccines have changed the course of human history. Prior to their discovery, infectious diseases caused disability and death to countless adults and children who did not have the immune defenses to fight them. By exposing them to substances that provoked a robust immune response, vaccinated people were largely shielded from either getting or experiencing severe illness from these otherwise deadly infections. The first vaccines, introduced in the 18th and 19th centuries, ushered in an era during which scientists gained a greater understanding of the immune system and ways to stimulate the production of disease-fighting cells, called antibodies....

A cold typically lasts between seven and 10 days, and the best treatment is to get some rest, stay hydrated, and wait it out. There’s no cure for a cold, and nothing has been proven to shorten the course of the illness. As you’re recovering, there are many cold treatment options that can help ease symptoms and make your cold more tolerable. Steam, warm liquids, home remedies, and complementary and alternative therapies can make you more comfortable....

Eosinophilic esophagitis is a chronic immune disease that is characterized by a buildup of eosinophils in the lining of the esophagus. Eosinophils are white blood cells that are not normally found in the esophagus and lead to inflammation and damage in the esophagus, the muscular tube that moves foods and drinks from the mouth to the stomach. Treatment for eosinophilic esophagitis usually involves dietary changes and prescription medications. This article will describe the different types of treatment options for eosinophilic esophagitis, as well as any side effects you need to be aware of....

When your serum potassium level is 5.5 mEq/L or higher, you may be diagnosed with hyperkalemia. The condition can be caused by ingesting too much potassium (eating or drinking), not excreting enough potassium (urinating, stooling, or sweating), or by potassium leaking out of cells. Testing can help to determine which of these mechanisms is triggering your high potassium. Only when you know why you have hyperkalemia can you treat it properly and hopefully prevent recurrences....

Nasal polyps are soft, swollen, abnormal, sac-like growths that line the inside of a person’s nose or sinuses. Treatment may include medications to shrink them or manage symptoms like nasal congestion and sinus pressure. If this doesn’t help, surgery to remove them may be recommended. This article discusses the different types of treatments for nasal polyps, including prescriptions, over-the-counter therapies, surgery, and home remedies. Prescriptions Most of the medications used to treat nasal polyps require a prescription....

The root of the licorice plant (Glycyrrhiza glabra or Glycyrrhiza uralensis) has a long history of use in traditional Eastern and Western medicine. A plant native to the Middle East and parts of Europe and Asia, licorice root is generally considered safe to use for various health concerns. However, consuming too much can lead to potentially severe side effects. Some traditional healthcare providers believe in licorice root’s benefits in treating eczema, bronchitis, constipation, heartburn, stomach ulcers, and menstrual cramps....

If you are obese or overweight, you may have tried several different methods of losing weight, including various diets, or even medications or medical procedures. All of these can be helpful in their own ways and under the right circumstances. But you may want to consider adding a Japanese philosophy to your potential strategies, and that is the practice of Kaizen. What Is Kaizen? Kaizen has been variously described as a strategy of continuous improvement, a business philosophy and approach to action....

Blood pressure is the pressure that blood flow exerts on artery walls during the heart’s beating cycle. Blood pressure that is too high or too low can cause symptoms like headaches. High blood pressure (hypertension) is very common, affecting nearly half of adults in the United States, so much emphasis is placed on preventing and treating it. However, low blood pressure (hypotension) can also cause symptoms, and it can even be a side effect of hypertension treatment....

Medical pathologists, also known simply as pathologists, are physicians who are trained to investigate the cause and effect of diseases or injuries. They do so mainly through the analysis of organ, tissue, blood, or body fluid samples. Medical pathologists are broadly classified as either anatomical or clinical pathologists. Anatomical pathologists perform visual, microscopic, and molecular analyses of tissues, organs, and whole bodies (such as during an autopsy). Clinical pathologists diagnose disease based mainly on the lab analyses of blood, urine, and other body fluids....

What Is Muse? Muse (alprostadil) is a prescription treatment option for erectile dysfunction (ED) in adult males. Muse is a prostaglandin E1 (PGE1). Prostaglandins are naturally occurring substances that have hormone-like effects on your body. Prostaglandins also play roles in many normal bodily functions, such as blood flow. In particular, a PGE1—like alprostadil (the active ingredient in Muse)—is a vasodilator, a medication that works by relaxing the blood vessels and muscles in the penis....

Several health conditions can cause nasal pruritus (itching inside your nose). Most of these conditions cause inflammation or irritation. They include allergic rhinitis, food allergies, sinusitis, and nasal polyps. Itching is often associated with the immune response and the release of immune system proteins and compounds, including histamine. This article will cover potential causes of nasal pruritus, as well as how to get a proper diagnosis, prevention methods, and treatment....

Healthy vaginas produce fluid. When these fluids change, it can signal a problem. How can you tell the difference between normal and abnormal vaginal fluids? This article describes healthy vaginal fluids. It also explains which types of discharge may mean there’s an infection. The Natural Balance of the Vagina One of the many functions of your vagina is to provide a route to your uterus and reproductive system. The fluids in your vagina help to create a naturally acidic environment....