For patients and caregivers, understanding clinical progression, diagnostic imaging results, and pharmacological treatment options is vital for managing acute and chronic health conditions.
A keloid is scar tissue that grows and rises in or around a cartilage piercing. Keloids are commonly confused with hypertrophic scarring in ear cartilage piercings. Hypertrophic scarring is a temporary condition and is treated by changing the jewelry and subjecting the ear piercing to sea salt soaks.
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Antisocial personality disorder is the more acceptable term used to describe behaviors that are sometimes called psychopathic or sociopathic. One of the most perplexing factors of sociopaths is that they are often charming and seemingly normal.
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Beets are root vegetables that belong to the chenopod family, which also includes chard, spinach and quinoa. Beets contain unique pigments classified as betalains that display numerous properties beneficial to your health.
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The gluten found in wheat, barely and rye can cause a variety of gastrointestinal problems for people who are diagnosed with gluten sensitivity, including nausea and vomiting.
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Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus, which is highly contagious. A baby who come in direct contact with her mother’s cold sore may get the virus. While cold sores generally aren’t dangerous for adults, the virus may be dangerous for infants.
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As humans ascend higher into the atmosphere, air density declines. While air composition remains similar, the drop in air pressure, and in return, air volume, effectively makes the respiratory system work much harder in order to supply the same levels of oxygen to the blood stream.
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Cysts are small fluid pockets that build on the surface of an ovary. Many women have ovarian cysts and never know it. They are quite common once ovulation begins. Cyst is a generalized term for this formation. Whether they are painful or not depends on many factors.
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Your calf muscles get a daily workout -- they can become tight from exercise, walking or even excessive sitting. Stretching the gastrocnemius and the soleus muscles before exercise helps with flexibility but sometimes even stretching causes pain along the back of your lower legs.
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Being tired and having lack of stamina and energy can be a healthy response to emotional or physical exhaustion. If you know what is causing you to feel worn out you may be able to fix the problem with a few simple tweaks to your daily habits.
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An upper respiratory infection can affect any of the breathing mechanisms of your head and chest, including the nose, throat and sinuses. In addition to difficulty breathing, you may experience a sore throat, nasal congestion, cough, watery eyes, headache and ear stuffiness as a result of this infection.
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A hiatal hernia, which occurs when the stomach presses up into the diaphragm, can vary in severity of pain and symptoms. Large hernias often require surgery, but smaller ones may go unnoticed.
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The stomach flu, also known as gastroenteritis, is an inflammation of the stomach and intestines caused by a virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, the stomach flu is not caused by an influenza strain.
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Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a sodium derivative of glutamic acid. It is added to many processed food products for its flavor enhancing and preservative properties. Like table salt, MSG can cause water retention and bloating.
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Maintaining a healthy liver depends on how well you take care of it. The liver is one of the largest organs in the body and is essential in metabolizing nutrients from foods, regulating digestion and detoxifying harsh substances from the body, notes MayoClinic.com.
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Hypoalbuminemia is a condition characterized by low blood levels of albumin. Albumin is simply the proteins that make up human blood plasma. Approximately 60 percent of human blood plasma is comprised of albumin. There are many causes of this disorder such as kidney dysfunction, liver disease and some heart conditions.
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According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Singulair is the brand name of a medication called montelukast. It is a leukotrine receptor antagonist that blocks leukotrines. These are chemicals that trigger an allergic response in the human body.
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Iodine is a mineral that contributes to thyroid gland function. Your doctor may suggest a low-iodine diet if you have thyroid cancer or before a medical test called a radioactive immunoassay. According to "Essentials of Thyroid Cancer Management," by Robert J. Amdur and Ernest L.
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Amoxicillin is one of the drugs in the beta-lactam antibiotic family, according to the Mayo Clinic. It is used to treat bacterial infections.
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An interscalene nerve block is a form of local anesthetic used prior to shoulder surgery. This anesthetic is applied to specific nerves within the shoulder by an anesthesiologist using a thin needle.
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Cardiomegaly is an enlarged heart and a symptom of cardiomyopathy, or disease of the heart. Cardiomegaly occurs from multiple causes, and poorly controlled high blood pressure is a common factor.
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