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You may have heard that using garlic oil for an ear infection is a safe and effective natural alternative to medicinal ear drops because of its antibacterial properties. However, there is a lack of evidence to support this claim. Health Benefits of Garlic Research has shown that garlic offers many health benefits. Although the mechanism is not widely known, studies have shown that consuming garlic or garlic oil extract has antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiprotozoal properties:...

Unwillingness or refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine—also known as vaccine hesitancy—may be linked to traumatic events during childhood, such as physical, verbal, and sexual abuse, drug misuse, or neglect in the family home, according to a new study. Key Takeaways Vaccine hesitancy was 3 times higher among people who had experienced 4 or more types of trauma as a child.Higher counts of experienced trauma as a child were linked to low trust in COVID-19 information and being unsupportive of social distancing and masks....

Colon cancer affects roughly 150,000 Americans each year, resulting in around 53,000 deaths, according to data from the National Cancer Institute. It is today the fourth leading cause of cancer in the United States and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths. With advances in diagnosis and treatment, the mortality rate has literally been cut in half since the mid-1980s. Today, 64.6% of people with colon cancer can expect to live for at least five years following their diagnosis; others live for far longer....

Diabetes mellitus, also called diabetes, is a group of conditions that affect the body’s ability to control blood sugar, or glucose. It is characterized by issues making insulin, the body’s ability to use it properly, or both. Types of diabetes mellitus include The word “diabetes” originates from AD Greek physician Aretus the Cappadocian and translates to mean “a passer through, a siphon.” Aretus is responsible for labeling the condition associated with polyuria or excessive urination....

The term durable response with cancer treatment is now used quite often, but can be very confusing to people living with cancer. There is not a standardized definition, but it usually refers to a response to treatment that is much longer than expected for a metastatic (stage 4) solid tumor (such as lung cancer, breast cancer, etc.) While durable responses have rarely been seen with other treatments, the use of immunotherapy drugs to treat cancer has led to a much greater number of these responses....

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has long been used to treat people struggling with major depressive disorder when they haven’t improved with antidepressant medications. This is often referred to as treatment-resistant depression. While ECT remains somewhat controversial, in part because it is poorly understood, its use is expanding to other conditions. This includes severe agitation in Alzheimer’s disease and other kinds of dementia. Background ECT has a bad reputation for many who associate it with old ECT treatments that produced violent body jerking and appeared to cause people to become emotionally flat and almost vegetative in nature....

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2.5% of Americans have valvular heart disease, and it is even more commonly seen in older adults. Heart valve disease can affect any of the four valves in the heart, and can range from harmless to life-threatening. While some forms of valve disease have become less common in the United States over the last century, other forms, like degenerative valve disease, have become more common as the country’s population is living longer....

Breast cancer occurs when cells within one or both breasts grow uncontrollably. One type of breast cancer is human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer. This type has abnormally high levels of HER2, a protein found on the surface of breast cells that controls how the cells grow and divide. HER2-negative breast cancers, in contrast, have normal levels of the HER2 protein. This type of cancer accounts for around 70% of all breast cancer cases....

Diagnosis of human papillomavirus (HPV) involves not only detecting the virus, but determining which of the more than 100 related viruses that make up HPV is present. Though most are relatively harmless, it’s especially important to find out if the infection involves one of the 14 identified high-risk strains that are strongly linked to cancer. Doctors will use a Pap smear, HPV test, or biopsy—along with their clinical judgment—to form a diagnosis and hopefully catch any high-risk cases before they become a problem....

Hyperhidrosis is a term used to describe excessive sweating that affects the body’s natural temperature. It is not simply heavy sweating that occurs with strenuous activity. Rather, it is a clinical disorder in which profuse perspiration occurs either in response to an underlying disease or for no known reason at all. Hyperhidrosis is not the same thing as excessive sweating during exercise or in response to hot or humid climates. It suggests an abnormal response under conditions for which sweating would not occur (or occur as dramatically) in most people and can be properly diagnosed....

Keratosis pilaris (or “chicken skin”) is a common condition that causes small, rough bumps on the skin. Keratosis pilaris is harmless and does not require treatment. While no solid scientific evidence supports a specific diet to treat or prevent keratosis pilaris, some people report improvements when following an anti-inflammatory diet. Others say their symptoms improve after eliminating gluten and dairy. This article discusses the dietary management of keratosis pilaris. Benefits There is no universal diet for keratosis pilaris....

A latent infection is an infection by an organism that lies hidden or dormant (inactive) in the body. Whereas active infections are where an organism is actively replicating and potentially causing symptoms, latent infections are static and typically cause no symptoms. While an infection is latent, it may hide from the immune system and be difficult to treat with drugs and other therapies. Learn about the different types of latent infections, including causes, treatment methods, and more....

Testosterone is a hormone produced by the testes (in those assigned male at birth), and the ovaries (in those assigned female at birth). It is the primary sex hormone associated with males. Testosterone stimulates the development of sex characteristics associated with males (like body hair and muscle growth) and is essential in the production of sperm. Low levels of testosterone can cause a loss of sexual drive, reduced bone and muscle mass, mood disorders, and may exacerbate symptoms of erectile dysfunction....

If your healthcare provider has recommended a mastectomy, or you are considering this surgery, you may have questions or concerns about potential complications you may experience. Or, you may already have had a mastectomy and wonder how long a particular issue will continue. Medical treatment can improve some complications, but others may never go away. Your healthcare team will help you understand your risk for complications before surgery. This article discusses common short and long-term mastectomy complications....

A treatment plan for multiple sclerosis (MS) can involve different types of drugs. The main category is known as disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). These are used to reduce MS activity and slow down the progression of the disease. Some other drugs can combat MS flares and symptoms so that those living with MS can feel and function at their best. This article will provide a brief overview of how disease-modifying therapies treat MS, as well as insight into the other various MS drugs used to treat flare-ups and daily symptoms....

If you have an oat allergy, it’s not just food exposure that can lead to allergy symptoms. Aveeno, Nature’s Gate, and other over-the-counter skin care products often contain oats that can lead to a skin reaction in people with an oat sensitivity. Many popular brands list oat proteins as an ingredient in products meant to treat dry or irritated skin. It is often referred to as colloidal, or finely milled, oatmeal....

Painful swallowing can feel like discomfort or pain or may feel like a burning or squeezing sensation. It may be felt anywhere from the neck to the breastbone. Pain in the throat or chest during swallowing is called odynophagia. Painful swallowing can be caused by several things, including infection, acid reflux, or damage to the esophagus (food tube). This article will discuss what can cause painful swallowing, when to be concerned, and what to do about it....

I’ve been a triathlete for about five years now. I run marathons, hike miles of elevation, bike, and swim. Endurance sports have become a passion of mine. Meet the Author Patricia Salazar is an avid endurance athlete. After receiving an abnormal Pap smear, she was told she had Stage 2B Cervical Cancer. She underwent a radical hysterectomy, as well as other procedures and fertility treatments, to stop cancer from spreading. Patricia works in the nonprofit world and hopes to use what she’s learned in her career to further her advocacy for women’s reproductive health....

Pectus excavation surgery is done to correct a chest deformity present at birth in some individuals. With pectus excavation, the sternum (breastbone) caves inward and gives the chest a sunken in appearance. Although still debated, many experts suspect this is caused by an overgrowth of cartilage over the ribs where they connect to the sternum. Mild cases do not require treatment, but pectus excavation surgery may be recommended when: The deformity compresses the chest so much that heart and/or lung symptoms occur (e....

Perimenopause is the stage leading up to menopause (defined as no longer having your period for at least a year). Typically affecting women during their late 40s, perimenopause is caused by a gradual, natural decline in estrogen hormones. The stage lasts for about five to 10 years and cause a number of symptoms, including changes in your menstrual pattern, mood fluctuation, and vaginal dryness. Perimenopause Symptoms The average age of menopause is 51, and most women experience perimenopause in their 40s and early 50s....