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Psychosis and schizophrenia are both associated with mental health but they have some important differences. The terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but psychosis and schizophrenia are not the same. Psychosis is a symptom that’s defined as “losing touch with reality.” Signs can include hallucinations, delusions, and agitation. It may be caused by substance use, sleep deprivation, or conditions like schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a mental health condition that can cause psychosis. People living with schizophrenia can experience symptoms of psychosis but not all people experiencing psychosis have schizophrenia....

In stage 3 cancer, the tumor is larger or has spread (metastasized) farther than in earlier stages. Some stage 3 cancers are divided into three subcategories: 3A, 3B, and 3C. These categories are usually determined by the size and number of tumors and how far the cancer has spread. There are effective treatments for many stage 3 cancers. Some stage 3 cancers can be cured, but they are more likely to return after going away....

Especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the shape of how care is delivered has been transformed by the advent of telehealth. The use of remote, video teleconferencing, apps, and other technologies has made appointments more accessible, bringing healthcare providers to living rooms and specialists to remote areas. It’s a game-changer, too, for those taking biologics—a class of drugs used for a wide range of inflammatory, allergic, and autoimmune conditions....

Several genes have been linked to breast cancer, the most common of which are BRCA mutations (BRCA1 and BRCA2). To give you a sense of their significance, the overall lifetime risk of breast cancer in women without a BRCA mutation is around 12%. For those with such a mutation, the average lifetime risk of developing breast cancer varies between 40% to 70%. BRCA mutations increase the risk of several other types of cancer as well....

Psoriasis is not a dermatological condition, as some believe, but rather an autoimmune disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks normal cells in the skin. In addition, psoriasis is not just a single disease but a group of different diseases manifesting with distinctive skin symptoms. Even the location of psoriasis lesions can differ from type to type and require different forms of treatment. To complicate matters even further, you can have several types of psoriasis at once or suddenly switch from one form to another when exposed to different environmental triggers....

Nerves are structures that allow information to travel from the brain to the periphery of your body, and nerves can also send messages back to the brain. Nerves carry important information about sensations that you feel as well as movements that your brain wants your body to make. When nerve function is impaired, people may experience symptoms of pain, weakness, and abnormal sensation. The ulnar nerve is one of several major nerves that supply the upper extremities (the arms)....

Nyctalopia, also known as night blindness, reduces a person’s ability to see clearly at night or in environments with low lighting. Daytime vision is unimpaired even when someone has nyctalopia. Nyctalopia is not a disease itself but a symptom of an underlying problem, In some cases, myopia can make it very hard to see at night. In a dark environment, your pupils dilate to let more light into your eyes. This light is received by the retina, which houses the cells that help people see colors (cone cells) and in the dark (rod cells)....

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were 629,898 abortions performed in 2019. There are many reasons why a person may end a pregnancy, such as not lacking financial preparation, issues with a partner, needing to focus on other children, and health-related reasons among others. This article will highlight key facts and statistics about abortion. Abortion Overview There are two types of abortions: medication abortions and in-clinic or surgical abortions....

Plantar fasciitis is a painful condition in which the supportive tissue running under your foot, from your heel to the base of your toes, becomes irritated. Because this pain-causing diagnosis can be stubborn to manage, many people who have it look for alternative treatment options. Acupuncture is one potential solution. In traditional Chinese medicine, the body has a series of meridians/channels for a constant flow of energy (qi). Acupuncture points are considered access points to this energy flow....

What Is Alendronate? Alendronate, under the brand name Binosto, is an oral prescription tablet used to treat osteoporosis (soft, brittle bones) in females after menopause or increase bone mass in males with osteoporosis. In addition to the above uses, alendronate is also available under the brand name Fosamax to prevent osteoporosis, treat Paget’s disease (a bone disorder), and treat glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis. Alendronate belongs to a drug class called bisphosphonates. These drugs help slow down bone resorption....

Aminosalicylates (also called 5-aminosalicylic acids or 5-ASA) are a type of disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) given to control inflammation. They have been used to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for many decades. These medications are chemically related to aspirin. The drugs in this class of medications contain 5-aminosalicylic acid and other ingredients, which give them the needed anti-inflammatory effect. This article will discuss what conditions are treated with aminosalicylates, when they may be used, side effects, and how well they work....

Anorexia (also called anorexia nervosa) is a serious eating disorder involving dangerous weight loss or lack of appropriate weight gain, body image distortion, and anxiety surrounding food and eating. While anorexia can cause serious health problems including death, it isn’t always easy to recognize, even by the people who have the disorder themselves. Diagnostic tools exist to help determine if a person has anorexia, and aid in determining a treatment plan....

With early detection techniques, we are now finding many cancers at a stage that they are considered carcinoma in situ (CIS). At the present time we have no way to determine for certain if CIS will progress to cancer, but most of the time CIS is considered to be at risk of becoming invasive cancer. Carcinoma in situ is also referred to as stage 0 cancer, and is noninvasive, whereas all other stages, from stage 1 to stage 4 cancers, are considered invasive....

Plaque consists of fatty deposits that accumulate on the walls of your arteries. With plaque buildup, the artery walls harden and their passageway narrows, limiting blood flow to other organs and body parts that need oxygen and nutrient-rich blood to function. This results in a condition known as atherosclerosis and can lead to a number of other serious cardiovascular conditions. Causes of Plaque Plaque consists of cholesterol, fat, calcium, fibrin, and cellular waste products....

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is classified as both an autoimmune and inflammatory disease, which means it happens when the immune system attacks healthy cells and leads to swelling and pain in the body. It is a long-term condition with symptoms that include swollen, painful, and stiff joints, as well as general fatigue and weakness. This condition can be difficult and expensive to treat, especially with certain types of medications that are costly to produce....

Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis (the most common type of eczema), is a common inflammatory skin condition that can present as an itchy, dry rash. Eczema is not curable and won’t go away on its own, but treatments are available that help alleviate symptoms. In this article, learn more about how long eczema symptoms last, what triggers eczema flare-ups (times when symptoms worsen), treatment, and more. Eczema Treatment It may be frustrating to hear, but there is no simple cure for eczema....

Early menopause occurs when your menstrual cycle stops between the ages of 40 and 45. Menopause before age 40 is considered premature menopause or primary ovarian insufficiency. The average age of women who go through menopause, a complete year of no periods, is between 51 and 52 years old. As menopause gets nearer, your ovaries begin to produce less and less of the hormone estrogen, which causes your menstrual cycle to change....

The term epidermolysis bullosa (EB) refers to a group of rare skin conditions that cause the skin to form excess blisters because it is so fragile. This usually happens because of genetic mutations that cause the skin to be not as strong as it should be. Though EB is considered a rare disease, diseases in this group affect nearly half a million people globally. Symptoms Blisters are the key symptom of EB....

Exercise-induced compartment syndrome, also called exertional compartment syndrome and chronic compartment syndrome, is a condition that causes muscle pain and difficulty performing athletic activities due to increased pressure in the muscle compartment. People with this condition typically experience pain after a period of high-intensity activity or exercise that is quickly relieved by rest. The pain from exercise-induced compartment syndrome can be quite severe, and it often limits an individual’s activity level....

Food allergies and food intolerance are influenced by different systems in the body. The immune system is responsible for food allergies, whereas the digestive system affects food intolerance. Regardless of the body’s mechanisms in these reactions, food allergies and intolerances can impact a person’s diet, health, and quality of life. This article explores the causes and symptoms of food intolerance and food allergies, how to manage them, and common trigger foods....